Zeno Picks UCLA; Stark to Stanford : El Modena High Lineman Don Gibson Decides to Go to USC

Lance Zeno, Scott Stark and Don Gibson, three of Orange County’s top football prospects, announced Tuesday they have accepted football scholarships to attend UCLA, Stanford and USC, respectively.

Stark, who passed for 2,706 to set the Orange County single-season record, said Stanford’s willingness to let him redshirt his freshman year was a major factor in his decision.

“It was pretty important to me that I be allowed to sit out my freshman year,” he said.

“I want to be able to to absorb the team’s system and get adjusted to the school for a year.

Though he won’t be playing, Stark said the Indian coaching staff assured him he would travel with the team and chart plays on the sideline of all Stanford games.

Stark had considered Notre Dame, which he visited over the weekend, but that school only allows players to redshirt if injured.

And, Stark added, the Fighting Irish will have eight quarterbacks next season.

“After I wait a year at Stanford, I might have a chance to start,” Stark said. “After redshirting, there will probably be only one other quarterback at the school.”

Zeno’s decision to attend UCLA was expected. It’s pretty much of a Zeno-family tradition. Lance’s father, Joe, and uncle, Larry played football for the Bruins in the early 60s.

His mother, Barbara, did her undergraduate and graduate work there. His sister, Lori, is an All-America volleyball player there, and his brother, Eric, announced earlier he would play for UCLA next season.

Zeno, a Parade All-America actively pursued by Michigan and Nebraska, said a letter sent by Terry Donahue really tipped the scales toward UCLA.

“Coach Donahue sent me this after we lost to Westminster High,” he said.

“I was pretty down after that game, because it meant Fountain Valley would miss the playoffs for the first time in a long time. He wrote that he was sorry to hear we lost, but to remember that tough times never last, tough people do. That really stuck with me.”

El Modena’s Gibson, a 6-foot 3-inch, 250 pound offensive/defensive tackle, was Times Lineman of the Year this season. He has been a two-way starter for the past three seasons at El Modena, during which time the Vanguards went 36-5 and won two Southern Conference championships.