Orange County Prep Review : Bolsa Grande’s Size, Outlook Key to Success

Good things are happening these days at Bolsa Grande High School, whose football team just might be Orange County’s best kept secret.

What with Edison, El Toro and the other county powers getting off to their usual good starts, the efforts of Bolsa Grande have been overlooked.

As a result of Thursday’s 34-8 victory over Savanna, Bolsa Grande is 3-0 and outscored its opponents 111-22. The Matador offense is averaging 37 points per game.

What’s behind the success?

Coach Greg Shadid, for one thing, but he credits his assistant coaches and cooperation from his school administration for contributing to the Matadors’ resurgence.

Beyond that, Shadid cites his players’ attitudes as a big factor in developing a winning program.

“You’d be surprised what team unity can do for you,” Shadid said. “Over the summer we really stressed the off-season weightlifting program and now during the season we have a study hall after practice every Tuesday night.

“Those kinds of things bring the kids together and I think they pull for each other a little more because of it.”

Shadid, 34, is in his fifth year as the Matadors’ coach, having made the playoffs in 1982 and 1985. Last season, Bolsa Grande drew eventual Central Conference champion Saddleback in the first round, leaving the Matadors with a 6-5 record and a good foundation to build on going into this season.

The sense of community that Shadid has established carries over onto the playing field. The Matadors rotate four running backs in their veer offense--Ricky Lepule, Travin Lui, Shannon Valdez and Paul Howell--and each contributes his share.

In Bolsa Grande’s 43-8 win over Buena Park, for example, six players scored touchdowns, and five players scored against Gahr in Bolsa Grande’s 34-6 season-opening victory.

Only in Thursday’s victory over Savanna did one player dominate as Lepule scored three touchdowns, including a 65-yard run from scrimmage.

“Defenses can key on the one great running back that most other teams seem to have, but with us there isn’t one guy to stop,” Shadid said. “Damon Fisher, our quarterback, is a good runner and can beat you, too.”

If there is a marked difference between this team and others in the school’s past it would have to be its size.

Anchoring the defense is 265-pound tackle David Lannon along with defensive ends Alex Galvan (210) and David Jenkins (220).

“We’re real happy with this bunch,” Shadid said. “We’ve improved every game. We haven’t peaked out yet.”

All of which makes life enjoyable for Shadid, who lives in Diamond Bar and makes the 35-minute commute to Bolsa Grande, where he has taught history for eight years.

Bolsa Grande plays host to Artesia Thursday night and then meets Valencia before starting its Garden Grove League season. It seems that if any team will be able to unseat two-time defending league champion La Quinta, it is Bolsa Grande.

He said it: One El Modena fan among many congratulating Coach Bill Backstrom after his team’s 17-16 victory over Pacifica last week said: “You know, Bill, I’ve witnessed every win you’ve ever coached at El Mo. Not everybody can say that.”

The game was Backstrom’s first victory as the Vanguards’ new coach.

Game of the Week: One of the county’s better games this week is Thursday’s between top-ranked Edison and Mater Dei in Santa Ana Stadium.

Edison’s (3-0) has never been a program to shy away from good competition. This year the Chargers scheduled St. Anthony’s of Hawaii, El Modena, Servite, Mater Dei and Santa Monica for the nonleague season.

Mater Dei, meanwhile, has enjoyed a good preseason with big victories over Fountain Valley and Santa Ana Valley before losing to Santa Ana Friday night, 31-20.

Monarch quarterback Mike Curtius already has proven to be a more than able replacement for transfer Todd Marinovich; running backs Matt Spence and Pat Leborio give the Monarchs a strong running game as well.

If Mater Dei can stay even for a half, it should be make an interesting game.

Hard Luck Program of the County: Easily, the Laguna Beach football team.

Last season, the Artists were off to a good start early in the season until it was discovered that they were using an ineligible 14-year-old player due to a paper-work error, causing them to forfeit two preseason victories.

This season, they got off to another good start, only to have Coach Cedrick Hardman arrested on drug charges last week. Hardman was immediately relieved of his duties by the school board and assistant Lloyd Cotton was named interim coach.

Cotton proceeded to guide the Artists to a 14-6 victory over Dana Hills Friday night, giving Laguna Beach a 3-0 record.

Provided that there are no more disruptions, Laguna Beach, led by running back Jonathan Todd, is a threat not only to make the playoffs but possibly to win the new Pacific Coast League title.

Prep Notes

The Big Five Conference championship game, scheduled for Dec. 12, will return to Anaheim Stadium. Last year, the Edison and Long Beach Poly final at Anaheim Stadium drew only 9,131 fans. . . . All playoff games will be officiated by five-person crews this season. Last year, many games were run by four officials. All baseball playoff games will have three umpires for 1987 as opposed to the customary two umpires. The championship games will have the customary five-person crews.