New Coaches, New Team Add to Interesting Race

Saddleback High School has the speed again, Tustin boasts the experience, Newport Harbor has a winning tradition and Corona del Mar returns nine defensive starters.

All of which should add up to an interesting race in the Sea View League, which has three new coaches and a new entry this season.

Saddleback is coming off a 13-1 season in which the Roadrunners lived up to their nickname by running away with the Central Conference championship.

Jerry Witte, The Times’ Coach of the Year in 1986, has six starters returning, including the entire defensive secondary. Saddleback’s program--varsity, sophomores and freshmen--lost only two games last year and won league titles on every level.

Tustin moves from the Century League to become the newest member of the Seaview League, but veteran Coach Marijon Ancich is no stranger to rival coaches. Ancich is entering his 22nd season as a head coach with 19 returning starters.

Newport Harbor has compiled a 34-12-3 record with three league titles the past four years. Jeff Brinkley has replaced Mike Giddings as the Sailors’ coach and Newport Harbor is expected to remain a contender. Brinkley joins Mark Cunningham of University and John Liebengood of Estancia as rookie coaches. Witte says that all the new coaches could create some problems.

“Of all the years to have five practice games, I’m certainly glad it’s this year,” Witte said. “I know what Dave Holland at Corona del Mar or Marijon Ancich at Tustin are going to do. But I need to get a feel for what the three new coaches are going to do.

“I want to see them in person. A game film can’t give a coach a feel for the tempo of the game, the style of a coach or his substitution tendencies.”

The three newcomers have installed new offensive and defensive systems, which means Witte & Co. will be spending a lot of time scouting the opposition in the upcoming weeks before league play begins.

Here’s a closer look at the teams:

CORONA DEL MAR: Key Personnel--Jim Kniest (6-1, 190), LB/RB; Mitch Melbon (5-11, 175), QB; Sean Steele (5-10, 160), WR/CB; Mitch Cale (5-10, 200), OG/DT; Brian Vaughan (6-1, 195), OT/LB; Kevin O’Neil (6-5, 225), TE/DT, and John Wachter (6-3, 250), OT.

Top Newcomers--Sean Woolsey (5-11, 170), RB/FS.

Outlook--Dave Holland, who has a 51-57 record in 13 seasons at Corona del Mar, should have the best defensive team in the league with nine starters returning. The Sea King defense was instrumental in a 15-14 upset of Newport Harbor last year. Returning quarterback Mitch Melbon completed 62 of 134 pass attempts for 934 yards and 6 touchdowns in league play. Sean Woolsey, a speedy sophomore, is a transfer from San Marcos High in Santa Barbara. Tom Thomason, one of the Sea Kings’ top running backs, broke his ankle surfing and is out for at least two months. Wide receiver/cornerback Sean Steele has a throat infection and will miss the opener.

ESTANCIA: Key Personnel--Luy Ton (5-7, 145), SE/CB; Chris Yagerlender (6-2, 210), OG/DT; James Pacot (5-11, 160), FL/DB; Tony Mendoza (6-1, 200); TE/LB Tony Le (5-10, 220), OG/DT and Ben Lim (6-0, 180), FL/DB.

Top Newcomers--Todd Brooks (6-1, 145), QB; Paul Self (6-0, 155), QB; Dave Rickard (5-9, 185), FB/LB; Carlos Castaneda (5-10, 165), TB; Juan Orellana (5-10, 205), OT, and Miguel Romo (6-0, 230), OT.

Outlook--John Liebengood, 35, is the Eagles’ new coach after serving as Lynwood High’s defensive coordinator since 1980. Liebengood also spent two years as the head coach at Boron High. He has installed an I-formation offense, but Estancia has only three returning starters and six lettermen. The returning starters are Ben Lim at free safety, Luy Ton at cornerback and lineman Chris Yagerlender. Todd Brooks and Paul Self are battling for the starting quarterback position with Self rated as the better passer.

NEWPORT HARBOR: Key Personnel--Mark Craig (6-0, 205), WR; Steve Kalatchan (6-0, 210), TE/LB; Ed Milum (5-10, 165), TB/DB; Ross Welch (6-2, 200), OT/DT; David Tullar (6-2, 215); OG/LB; Sterling Coberly (5-11, 165), PK/WR, and Pat Paternie (6-4, 210), OT/DT.

Top Newcomers--Vince Brejtfus (6-0, 160), QB; Kirk Summers (6-1, 175), QB; Chris Hall (6-3, 180), QB; Mason Thompson (6-0, 180), DE/FB; Daryl Pessler (6-4, 270), OG/DE; Randy Farr (5-8, 160), FB/DB, and Aaron Guptill (5-10, 180), TB.

Outlook--Jeff Brinkley, 33, left the head coaching job at Norwalk to replace Mike Giddings. Brinkley is a 1975 graduate of Cal State Fullerton, where he had a football scholarship but developed into a star catcher in baseball. The Sailors have six returning starters. Mark Craig, considered the best player in the league, caught 75 passes for 1,150 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. Those statistics figure to drop considerably this year with quarterback Shane Foley now at USC. Chris Hall, one of Foley’s prospective replacements, is a transfer from El Dorado. Newport Harbor was 10-3 last year despite the fact it allowed 251 points. SADDLEBACK: Key Personnel--Danny Ontiveros (5-11, 160), WR/DB; Chris Romoser (6-0, 220), OT/LB; Hector Santa Cruz (5-10, 160), RB/DB; Antwon Lark (5-11, 160), FS; Nate Primous (5-10, 160), TB/DB, and Billy Thurmond (6-1, 165), WR/DB.

Top Newcomers--Juan Valle (5-9, 182), FB/DT; Joe Hester (5-11, 190), OG/LB; Sean Therien (6-0, 160), QB; Frank Larriva (5-11, 170), WR/DB; Hymie Thurmond (5-9, 159), TB; Craig Turner (6-2, 200), OT/DE, and David Dudman (5-10, 160), FB/LB.

Outlook--Danny Ontiveros, Antwon Lark, Nate Premous and Hector Santa Cruz all possess good speed and are experienced players. Ontiveros and Billy Thurmond are also excellent receivers. Sean Therien, who led the sophomore team to an 8-1-1 record, will start at quarterback. The team’s weakness is its offensive line where Chris Romoser is the only experienced player. The Roadrunners open with Santa Ana Valley and then meet Santa Ana, La Habra, Irvine and Capistrano Valley. The last four teams were a combined 35-13-1 in 1985.

TUSTIN: Key Personnel--Dave Pastone (6-5, 210), TE; Tim Russell (6-3, 215), OT/DT; Jose Soto (5-11, 190), NG; Walt McMahon (5-10, 180), DB; George Menges (5-8, 150), QB; Tim Hollinger (5-10, 190), FB, and Chris Gankema (5-9, 185), TB.

Top Newcomers--Aaron Cobb (6-0, 160), TB and LaBron Jones (5-9, 160), DB.

Outlook--Marijon Ancich has 19 starters returning from a 4-6 team as he enters his 22nd season with 199 career victories at St. Paul and Tustin. The Tillers opened the season last week with a 26-0 victory over Kapaa in Kauai. George Menges threw nine touchdown passes last year as a sophomore. Ancich is calling this his best team since he arrived at Tustin. LaBron Jones is a transfer from Cleveland. Nonleague opponents Los Alamitos, Irvine, Foothill and West Torrance had a combined record of 33-12-1 last year.

UNIVERSITY: Key Personnel--Craig Belle (5-10, 180) TB; Steve Jones (6-2, 235), OG; Rick Klug (6-5, 240), OT; Mike Bures (5-11, 190), C; Steve Allton (6-3, 215), TE; Tom Phelps (6-3, 185), SE, and Scott Tompkins (6-1, 200), LB.

Top Newcomers--Marco Rogan (6-5, 263), OT; Jeff Bailey (6-3, 170), QB, and John Oakson (6-5, 225), SS.

Outlook--Mark Cunningham, 35, moves south after coaching at Truckee High near Lake Tahoe the last two years. He also served as an assistant at Garey High in Pomona and a head coach at Chino. The Trojans could be the most improved team in the league with 13 starters returning from last year’s 1-8-1 team. Cunningham has installed the increasingly popular Delaware Wing-T offense to exploit the talents of Craig Belle. Belle gained 800 yards as a junior and was one of the best kickoff returners in the county. The strength of the team is the offensive line, which will be led by Steve Jones. Scott Tompkins is a two-time all-league selection.