One-Man Offense : Troy Paulsen Led La Quinta Through Good Times and Bad, Then Led His Youthful Team to a Surprising Playoff Berth

It’s scary to think what the La Quinta High School baseball team would have done this season without senior shortstop Troy Paulsen.

Imagine a team that managed 55 hits in 27 games--or about two hits per game--and had a batting average of .193. Winning one game would have been a major accomplishment.

But that’s what the Aztecs were minus Paulsen’s statistics.

As one of three seniors on a team that started four sophomores and three juniors, Paulsen knew he would have to have a good year for the Aztecs to contend. But he didn’t want to put too much pressure on himself.

Throughout the 1986 season, he continually reminded himself that he couldn’t carry the whole offensive load.

It didn’t matter. He did.

Paulsen, who will attend Stanford University next fall on a baseball scholarship, hit .517 with six homers, five triples and 10 doubles. He had 36 RBIs, 17 stolen bases and scored 30 runs. Of La Quinta’s 100 hits, Paulsen, a 6-foot, 175-pounder, had 45.

Thanks to Paulsen, who made only four errors, La Quinta hit a respectable .269 as a team and made a more-than-respectable showing in the Garden Grove League. The Aztecs finished second, were 18-8 overall, and advanced to the Southern Section 2-A playoffs, where they lost to John Glenn, 5-4, in the first round.

Paulsen’s achievements earned him The Times’ Player of the Year honors.

Looking back, it was a very good season for La Quinta, which wasn’t expected even to make the playoffs.

The Aztecs got off to a 2-6 start and lost their first three league games. They weren’t getting many breaks and they weren’t hitting.

“We weren’t in a slump,” Dave Demarest, La Quinta coach, said at the time. “We just couldn’t hit.”

Paulsen, who was the star on La Quinta’s 22-3 team of 1985, was having a difficult time coping with the losses.

“I’d be in bad moods and I was more grouchy,” Paulsen said. “When I came home, my family probably caught a lot of it. It was eating away at me.”

But during Easter vacation, La Quinta finally began to turn things around. The Aztecs finished second in the Bolsa Grande tournament and collected 16 hits while losing to Capistrano Valley, 11-10, in the championship game.

La Quinta never had another offensive outburst as big as that one, but the Aztecs hit well enough to win 16 of their last 20 games.

“The thing that kept us going was that none of us lost hope,” Paulsen said. “We started to get some breaks and some pitching, and that turned things around for us. We kept our spirits up even when we were losing. If any of us would have given up, it could have turned out really bad.”

Paulsen, despite playing the last month of the season with a back injury, never had any slumps. He never went more than two games without a hit. He struck out twice.

“When we were good or bad, he was consistent,” Demarest said. “He played on an even keel. Even when he wasn’t swinging the bat well, he still got his hits.”

Paulsen strained a muscle in his lower back during a game in the second week of April, and he played the second half of the season in pain. It got so bad that he wasn’t able to practice the week before the Aztecs’ playoff game.

But in his first at-bat against John Glenn, Paulsen homered. He rested for two weeks after the season and hopes to return in time for Tuesday night’s Orange County All-Star game. STEVE SURICO Pitcher

Tustin senior B-R, T-L

Was 10-2 with an 0.62 ERA and a county-leading 155 strikeouts to lead the Tillers to the Century League championship and the 3-A quarterfinals. Surico also hit .405 (34 for 84) with 18 RBIs and 20 runs scored. Will attend Loyola Marymount. TOM REDINGTON Infield

Esperanza B-R, T-R

Shortstop hit .442 (38 for 86) with school records in home runs (10), doubles (9), RBIs (42), runs (36) and walks (29). Had 3 homers and 8 RBIs in playoffs. Made 7 errors in 29 games. NATHAN CALL Outfield

Capo Valley B-R, T-R

Left fielder hit .438 (28 for 64) with 4 triples, 6 homers, 22 RBIs and 28 runs. Also a member of The Times’ All-County football and basketball teams. Will attend Brigham Young University. ROB STUART Infield

Sonora B-R, T-R

Shortstop hit .430 (40 for 93) with 6 homers, 27 RBIs and 36 runs for the Raiders, who went 15-0 to win Freeway League. Made nine errors in 27 games. Will attend UC Riverside. ROBBIE KATZAROFF OF

Los Alamitos B-L, T-L

Center fielder, who had county-record 51 hits last season, hit .386 (39 for 101) with 30 runs and 10 RBIs this season. Will play in state all-star series this weekend. Will attend UCLA. TODD LLOYD Outfield

Katella B-L, T-L

Center fielder hit .468 (36 for 77) with 11 doubles, which was tops in the county. Also had 2 home runs, 10 RBIs and 27 runs. Will attend Rancho Santiago College. DAVID HOLDRIDGE Utility

Ocean View B-R, T-R

As a pitcher, was 7-0 with 76 strikeouts in 57 innings and a 1.45 ERA. Hit .306 with 4 home runs and 18 RBIs to help the Seahawks win the Sunset League championship. ANDY RUSCITTO DH

Valencia B-L, T-R

Set Southern Section career home-run record with 22nd in Tigers’ last game. Hit .429 (27 for 63) with 7 homers, 24 RBIs and 25 runs this season. College plans undecided. SCOTT HOLCOMB Pitcher

El Dorado B-L, T-L

Won two of three playoff games and finished with a 12-1 record, 1.44 ERA and 123 strikeouts. Hit .345 with 4 homers and 20 RBIs. Will attend Oral Roberts University. WAYNE HELM Pitcher

Laguna Hills B-R, T-R

Was 7-3 with an 0.68 ERA and 124 strikeouts. Hit .318 with 5 home runs and 17 RBIs. Will play for the South team in the state all-star series this weekend. Will attend Arizona. DAVID TELLERS Pitcher

Western B-R, T-R

Was 11-2 with a 1.40 ERA and 75 strikeouts. Won 28 games in three seasons. Hit .375 (36 for 96) with a team-leading 31 RBIs. Undecided on college plans. ERIC COX Catcher

Esperanza B-L, T-R

A three-year starter, hit .398 (33 for 83) with 5 homers, 9 doubles and 35 RBIs this season. An outstanding defensive catcher. Will attend Stanford. BOB HAMELIN First Base

Irvine B-L, T-L

Led county in regular season in home runs (9) and RBIs (38), and hit .514 (38 for 74) with 31 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Will play in state all-star series this weekend. Will attend UCLA. FIRST TEAM

PITCHERS WAYNE HELM Laguna Hills Senior SCOTT HOLCOMB El Dorado Senior STEVE SURICO Tustin Senior DAVID TELLERS Western Senior CATCHER ERIC COX Esperanza Senior FIRST BASEMAN BOB HAMELIN Irvine Senior INFIELDERS TROY PAULSEN La Quinta Senior TOM REDINGTON Esperanza Junior ROB STUART Sonora Senior OUTFIELDERS NATHAN CALL Capistrano Valley Senior ROBBIE KATZAROFF Los Alamitos Senior TODD LLOYD Katella Senior UTILITY ANDY RUSCITTO Valencia Senior DESIGNATED HITTER DAVID HOLDRIDGE Ocean View Junior

SECOND TEAM

PITCHERS DAVID BIRD Sonora Senior JEFF HAACK Huntington Beach Senior STEVE HALWEG Esperanza Senior RICH LODDING Western Senior CATCHER JASON ROLISH Servite Senior FIRST BASEMAN J.T. SNOW Los Alamitos Senior INFIELDERS AL CONTRERA University Senior JIM DOYLE Fountain Valley Senior MARK KIEFER Garden Grove Senior OUTFIELDERS KEVIN CLANCY Esperanza Senior BILLY DAYMUDE Ocean View Senior JOHN McTAGGART Foothill Senior UTILITY MARK TRANBERG Western Senior DESIGNATED HITTER MIKE GOLIA Loara Senior