CIF PREVIEW : ANGELUS LEAGUE : Bishop Amat, Servite Lead a Tough Lot : Lancers Have MVP Bieniemy Back; Friars Return a Quality Defense

If it weren’t for the nasty little rule that demands that league members play one another, everything would be just peachy in the Angelus League.

Consider last season:

--Two league members, Bishop Amat and Servite, held the No. 1 spot in the Southern Section for a good portion of the season.

--Four teams from the league made the playoffs.

--League members had a combined 25-4 record in nonleague games against such patsies as Carson, Marina and Santa Ana. Now consider that all these great teams and all their great talent could not make it past the second round of last season’s playoffs.

“We just beat the hell out of each other,” said Rick Ready, St. Paul coach. “The rivalries are so intense. Our world lives and dies by how we do against Servite and Bishop Amat.”

The league figures to be even tougher this season. Bishop Amat is rated No. 2 in the state by California Football magazine. Servite is ranked No. 12.

Then there is the departure of perennial doormat Pius X, which was 0-10 the last two seasons. It has mercifully been given asylum in the Camino Real League.

The Warriors will be replaced by St. Bernard, which placed second in the Camino Real with a 6-1 record. Though it’s a bit much to expect the Vikings to shake the league’s balance of power, they should add balance.

“No doubt about it,” Bishop Amat Coach Mark Paredes said. “St. Bernard will make this an even tougher league. If you think about it, that’s a pretty scary thought.”

The Angelus League: Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Chuck Gallo, Mater Dei coach, has been known to sacrifice chances at winning nonleague games in favor of saving his team for league competition.

“People think I’m nuts, but we treat the preseason just like the pros do,” he said. “Our league is so competitive, you can’t afford to jeopardize your chances on games that really don’t count.”

Gallo said there were several times during last season’s nonleague schedule that he could have used the shot-gun offense that was eventually uncovered against Servite.

“It might have helped us beat a team in the preseason, but what would we gain?” he asked. “It would have just allowed Servite to scout it.”

Mater Dei used the shot-gun and beat the Friars.

Enough with the balance, give us favorites, you say.

Bishop Amat has the league’s most valuable player returning in running back Eric Bieniemy.

Servite has most of an exceptional defense returning and will add a 6-foot 4-inch, 220-pound junior linebacker.

Mater Dei has many talented juniors who Gallo says have a chance of leading the Monarchs to dizzying heights in 1987. This year, all those young players could make a big impact--or give Gallo a big headache.

Here’s a closer look at the league:

BISHOP AMAT: Key Personnel--Eric Bieniemy (5-8, 190), RB; Johnny Brown (5-11, 155), DB; Gary Dukes (6-0, 185), LB; Carlos Hernandez (5-11, 165), WR, and Pat Patterson (6-4, 230), TE.

Top Newcomers--Bert Montanez (6-0, 180), QB, and J. R. Phillips (5-11, 175), QB.

Outlook--The Lancers lost a coach (Don Markham) and an all-league quarterback (Rick Carter) since losing in the second-round of the Big Five playoffs. So, of course, it only figures they will be better this season. Better because Eric Bieniemy is a year older, stronger and apparently faster. “It’s hard to believe, but from what I’ve seen in practice he’s getting better,” said Mark Paredes, Lancers coach. “He’s running with more determination.” As if Bieniemy had to prove anything. Last season he led the Big Five in scoring with 29 touchdowns. He gained 1,824 yards and was named the league’s most valuable player, leading Bishop Amat to a league title with a 5-0 record. Paredes has yet to decide between Bert Montanez and J. R. Phillips, who are competing for the quarterback job, also known at Bishop Amat as “Come and get it, Eric.”

BISHOP MONTGOMERY: Key Personnel--Pat Bernard (6-2, 250), DT; Kurt Bohney (6-0, 175), RB; Mike Pueliu (5-9, 170), LB; Niu Sale (5-9, 170), QB, and Laurn Jordan (6-0, 230) FB.

Top Newcomers--James Truhe (6-2, 210), TE; Joe Magri (5-9, 170), RB; Dan Cardova (5-11, 175), DB, and David Cardova (5-11, 170) DB.

Outlook--The Knights’ defense will have to plug the hole opened by the graduation of league defensive player of the year nose guard John Stangl and all-league linebacker Ken Sale. “We have a lot of talent at the skill positions,” Coach Andy Szabatura said. “We are young on defense and that could be a problem.” Niu Sale, who was an all-league performer at defensive back last season, has moved to quarterback this season. The offensive and defensive lines will be helped by two of three sets of twins on the team. Dan and David Wilbanks, both juniors, will play offensive tackles and juniors Art and Anthony Castillo will play on the defensive line. The other set of twins, seniors Dan and David Cardova, will start at the cornerback postion.

MATER DEI: Key Personnel--Mike Curtius (6-2, 170), QB; Paul DeBono (6-4, 260), OL; Jim O’Brien (6-1, 190), WR; Tony Rocco (6-3, 210), TE; Noel Sikaffy (6-1, 230), OL; Matt Spence (6-0, 185), WR/RB; Rob Finn (6-2, 220), OL; Robby Rayder (6-0, 220), OL; Chris Manriquez (6-1, 270); John Stephens (6-2, 190), DB; Kelly Marks (6-0, 200), DL; Gabe Jimenez (5-10, 165), DB, and Jim Zaccari (5-9, 160), DB.

Top Newcomers--Keith Labus (6-1, 190), WR; Doug Hunter (6-2, 250), OL; Steve Stankowicz (6-0, 190), TE; Robby Smith (5-8, 150), WR; Pat Leborio (5-8, 180), RB; Mark Ramstack (6-3, 175), QB; Greg Shockey (6-0, 175), DB; Greg Livernois (5-10, 160), DB, and Danny Thomas (6-3, 190), DL.

Outlook--During the offseason, a sophomore decided to leave Mater Dei and play football at Capistrano Valley. No big thing. Kids change schools all the time. Except that this kid was Todd Marinovich, Gallo’s red-haired golden boy. Marinovich had been the Monarchs’ starting quarterback since his freshman year. “Two years. We put two years into that kid,” the usually gregarious Gallo said in a rather hushed tone. “By the end of last year, Todd knew our system so well it was like having another coach on the field.” Gallo will choose between senior Mike Curtius (“Not the greatest athlete, but he’s improved his arm strength and he knows the system”) and junior Mark Ramstack (“Might be the best pure athlete in the school; he’s just never played quarterback”). Well, for that matter, neither has Curtius, whose varsity experience spans an entire series of downs against St. John Bosco. The Monarchs figure to have a strong running game. Matt Spence, an all-league selection as a sophomore, figures to have the ball in his hands quite a bit. “We’ll use him like the (San Diego) Chargers use Gary Anderson,” Gallo said. “He’ll catch a lot of passes.” The offensive line of Rob Finn, Rob Rayder, Chris Manriquez, Noel Sikaffy and Paul DeBono average 241 pounds and can each bench press more than 300 pounds. The Monarchs’ strength on defense was their linebacking corps. But they all have moved on, including All-Southern Section Mike O’Conner. Gallo has eight players competing for those spots.

ST. BERNARD: Key Personnel--Kevin Bayonne (6-0, 203), RB/LB; Brett Hayes (5-11, 206), RB/LB; Lauro Prieto (6-1, 221), OL/DL, and Marlon McBride (6-1, 197), TE/LB.

Top Newcomers--Eric Nelson (6-5, 177), WR/DB, and Grant Pittman (5-9, 167), RB/DB.

Outlook--Vikings Coach Duke Dulgarian said his team is excited about the prospects of playing in a new league. The only problem is they chose the Angelus League, and that’s another world from the Camino Real, in which the Vikings placed second last season with a 6-1 record. The offensive line that averaged 233 pounds last season is gone. This season’s line averages little more than 190 pounds. The defensive line is inexperienced. But the Vikings do figure to fare better than Pius X, the school they replaced. Not that there’s a lot of pressure. Pius was 0-10 its last two seasons in the league.

ST. PAUL: Key Personnel--Mondo Costello (6-0, 175), RB; David Zepeda (5-10, 175), RB; Jason Pantages (5-11, 155), WR; Jeff Willis (6-2, 172), QB; Greg Willig (6-5, 175), QB; Mark Aguirre (6-2, 220), OL; Matt Willig (6-8, 230), OL; Dick Olmedo (5-10, 185), DL; Jim Adams (6-2, 250), DL; Doug Martinson (5-9, 170), DB; Tom Riley (6-2, 205), LB, and Louis Jaramillo (6-0, 185), LB.

Top Newcomers--Roy Wilson (5-8, 175), RB; Dan Dolan (5-10, 170), WR, and Miguel Medina (5-9, 145), WR.

Outlook--Now entering Trend City. As you remember, Bishop Amat and Mater Dei both lost talented, experienced quarterbacks. Add the Swordsmen to the list. All-league selection John Scott, who threw for more than 2,300 yards last season, is gone. So is No. 1 receiver Frank Mazzotta. The job of replacing Scott will fall either to Jeff Willis or Greg Willig. Whoever wins out will most likely not throw nearly as often as Scott. “We set school records for attempts and completions last season,” said Rick Ready, Swordsmen coach. “We were scoring too quickly and not controlling the ball.” For example, the Swordsmen lost two nonleague games in which they scored 25 and 31 points. Mondo Costello (a consensus all-name selection), who gained more than 1,000 yards in total offense last season, figures to get the ball much more often this season.

SERVITE: Key Personnel--Brett Kaya (6-0, 180), QB; Eddie Brown (6-1, 200), RB; Nick-John Haiduc (5-10, 175), WR; Pat Boltinghouse (6-3, 220), TE; Phil Jacobsen (6-0, 215), OL; Mike McCarty (6-1, 225), OL; Mike Cordes (5-10, 195), OL; Dana Zupke (5-11, 210), DL; Rory Aitken (5-11, 215), DL; Gary Guise (5-10, 175), DL; Willie Wallace (5-11, 190), LB; Brett Valmassei (6-1, 220), LB, and Mike Hirou (5-11, 180), DB.

Top Newcomers--Derek Brown (5-10, 170), RB; Merritt Pullam (6-4, 240), OL; Mike Petko (6-4, 220), LB; James Rollins (6-2, 180), DB; Craig Barkley (5-10, 190), RB; Jason Messersmith (6-3, 190), QB, and Jason Rees (6-0, 175), QB.

Outlook--Servite lost a quarterback, too. Tim Rosenkranz, who completed 54% of his passes and threw for 23 touchdowns, is gone. In his place will be Brett Kaya, a left-hander. Though he’s a little short on varsity experience, Kaya has never lost a game he’s started at Servite. And it was only last season that people had serious doubts about Rosenkranz, who had completed just four passes his junior season. Kaya’s main target figures to be Nick-John Haiduc. Haiduc worked with Jeff Fieldhouse during the offseason and Coach Leo Hand is hopeful that Kaya-to-Haiduc can become as lethal as the Rosenkranz-to-Fieldhouse combination that averaged more than 20 yards a completion. On defense, the Friars are tough as usual and could be very tough if Mike Petko (6-4, 220) does the job expected of him at linebacker. Petko led the Friars’ sophomore team (8-1-1) in tackles, sacks and scaring kids too young to shave. “He’s a dominating-type player,” linebacker coach Jon Borowiec said. “I’ve seen him destroy people.” The Friars play one of the toughest schedules in Orange County. They open with Colton, then play three straight Sunset League teams--Marina, (Big Five co-champion) Edison and Fountain Valley. The nonleague season ends with a playful little romp with Central Conference finalist La Quinta. And then, wait, let’s catch our breaths, the Friars enter the Angelus League. Fun, fun, fun.