Verbum Dei’s Coach in Search of Longer Hours

What with teaching at St. Eugene’s elementary school in Los Angeles during the day, coaching basketball at Verbum Dei High for a couple of hours in the early evening and working as a skycap at LAX for Eastern Airlines at night, it would seem that Cliff Sanchez doesn’t have time to do a lot of thinking.

But the feeling behind his words recently showed that he has, indeed, spent a lot of time thinking about a Verbum Dei situation that he wishes he could change. He would like to spend more time there, as he once did.

“I keep saying, ‘Why me? Why is all this happening to me?’ ” he said. “I love the game so much, so why me when I give so much to the players and the school?”

The problem is not with the team itself, although Sanchez does question the “mental discipline” of some players and is bothered by the team’s 17-8 record, since five of the losses have been in Camino Real League play. An 88-76 loss to Gardena Serra was most bothersome, since the Eagles had a 23-point lead in the third quarter.

The real issue, he said, stems from a sudden change from a principal to a temporary administrator. When Father Thomas James resigned in December because of poor health, Sanchez lost his informal position at the school as a counselor and substitute teacher, which allowed him to be on campus much of the day. Now, he has only the practice time to be with the team.

“Just to get to where we are is a big accomplishment,” he said. “It’s not all negative, but it’s just not where a school like Verbum Dei should be.

“People don’t know what is going on inside. They figure, ‘Hey, this is Verbum Dei.’ The reputation we have is tremendous. . . . But times change so much. There is no more of the Verbum Dei dynasty of the 70s.”

Said Father Steve Nejasmich, the administrator running the school who has also applied for the position of principal: “I think (Sanchez) is doing a good job, considering the fact that I had to cut his hours. We were overstaffed and we did not have the economic resources to afford the luxury of a full-time substitute teacher.”

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the Eagles’ making the playoffs. This marks the 20th straight season they have qualified, and they have won seven championships and finished second twice in that span with such players as David Greenwood, Raymond Lewis, Roy Hamilton, Leonel Marquetti and Kenny Fields.

The names this year are David Jones, a returning All-Southern Section pick, Kevin Williams, Rashone Lewis, Yul (Pepper) Jenkins and two freshmen--Zahn Masson and Renald Gordon. And also Cliff Sanchez, the 27-year-old, third-year coach who isn’t sure at this point if he will return for a fourth.

“I would love to be back, but right now I’m just trying to finish the year and then I’ll wait and see what will happen,” he said. “I love working with the players and the program, so if I do leave it wouldn’t be because of what we have accomplished when I was there.”

Final recruiting roundup: Linebacker Melvin Foster of Houston, considered the top football prospect in Texas, picked Iowa over Oklahoma State, capping a good recruiting year for the Hawkeyes. . . . Running back Terry Rodgers of National City Sweetwater, the country’s top unsigned player, said he may wait until Wednesday before choosing. He is considering Texas, USC and Nebraska. . . . Defensive back Desmond Moreland, who played for both Carson and North Torrance, and later signed with but dropped out of USC and Cal State Long Beach, has ended up at Purdue.

Gerry Faust landed 31 players in his first recruiting season at the University of Akron. His old school, Notre Dame, and Coach Lou Holtz got three top-100 players. Holtz’s old school, Minnesota, signed 23 players, among them three quarterbacks and running back Pat Tingelhoff, son of former Minnesota Viking All-Pro center Mick Tingelhoff.

Percy Waddle, an outstanding wide receiver prospect, must retake his college entrance exams to guarantee his eligibility for his first year at Texas A&M.; . . . Maryland got a quarterback named Namath from Beaver Falls, Pa. He’s Frank Namath, Joe’s nephew.

Times’ Top 10

SOUTHERN SECTION Final Through Feb. 16 No. School, League Record

1. Mater Dei, Angelus 25-0

2. Capistrano Valley, South Coast 24-2

3. Santa Monica, Bay 21-3

4. Muir, Pacific 23-2

5. Serra, Camino Real 20-4

6. HH Wilson, Sierra 22-3

7. Ocean View, Sunset 20-4

8. Simi Valley, Marmonte 23-2

9. Inglewood, Ocean 17-6

10. Riverside North, Ivy 25-1

CITY No. School, LeagueRecord

1. Crenshaw, Central 18-2

2. Fairfax, Valley 17-4

3. Cleveland, Valley 13-6

4. Carson, Marine 16-6

5. Fremont, Central 14-7

6. San Pedro, Marine 14-6

7. Westchester, Central 14-7

8. Palisades, Central 14-7

9. Manual Arts, Marine 14-6

10. Kennedy, Valley 13-6