THE BIG BOYS : These Are the Guys Who Really Carry That Weight to New Heights and Dimensions on the Football Field

Some of the early Monsters of the Midway, those Chicago Bears who terrorized National Football League offenses in the 1930s and 1940s, would look more like Midgets of the Midway compared to some of today’s Orange County high school football players.

One of Chicago’s best linemen was Joe Stydahar, a tackle who helped the Bears win three National Football League championships from 1936-46 and was inducted into pro football’s Hall of Fame in 1967.

Stydahar, at 6-foot 4-inches and 240 pounds, was considered huge in his day. But next to Huntington Beach High School’s Dan Goodman, who is 6-7 and 305 pounds, you might think Stydahar was a speedy defensive back.

Danny Fortmann was another outstanding Chicago Bear who played guard for eight seasons (1936-43) and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965. But at 6-0 and 210 pounds, Fortmann would look like a Pop Warner player next to Esperanza High’s Brian Fabray, who is 6-2, 320.

Professional football players have obviously increased in size over the years, and few NFL linemen weigh less than 275 pounds today.

High school players have followed suit.

And then some.

Fifty-two Orange County players on varsity football rosters weigh 250 pounds or more, and four weigh 300 pounds or more. Some of these kids even make 6-3, 245-pound linebacker Dick Butkus look small.

Several of the players, including Goodman, Bolsa Grande’s David Lannon (6-3, 260) and El Toro’s Scott Spalding (6-5, 250) are major college prospects. Others, such as Fabray and Sunny Hills’ Tom Reese (6-7, 305), still are trying to crack the starting lineup.

Regardless of their football potential, they are the big men on campus. They have nicknames such as Big Thunder , Ice Box and Food . They are often the most recognized students at their schools, and their presence usually commands a certain amount of respect.

“I walk through the halls, and everybody just spreads,” Goodman said.

Said Daryl Pessler, a 6-4, 270-pounder from Newport Harbor: “Some of the kids at school are in awe of me. You walk by, and you see the heads look up.”

Most high school coaches can’t believe how big some of their players are. Huntington Beach Coach George Pascoe played at Fountain Valley in 1972 at 220 pounds, and he said he was considered “ real big.” Today, he has five players who weigh at least 250.

Dick Enright, who coached at the University of Oregon in the early 1970s, said he has had bigger offensive lines at Capistrano Valley in the past few years than he had in college.

Mater Dei Coach Chuck Gallo goes back even further. He played high school ball in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1952, when “anybody over 200” was considered big.

“And 220 was gigantic,” said Gallo, who has seven players weighing more than 250. “I’ve never been around this many big kids. This is a whole new world to me.”

According to the National Center For Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Md., the average height and weight of American males, ages 18-24, has increased from 5-8 3/4, 158 pounds in 1962 to 5-9 3/4, 163 pounds in 1980.

But these heavyweights can hardly be classified as average. Though some are naturally huge, many have bulked to their present weights through weightlifting and nutrition.

Weight training has become an integral part of most high school football programs, and many schools in the past five years have added weight coaches to their staffs. Kids who may normally weigh 230 are adding 10 to 20 pounds of muscle in the weight room.

But when coaches mention nutrition, they’re not talking about balanced diets within the four essential food groups. They’re talking about players who eat everything in sight.

Spalding, a senior at El Toro, has gained 70 pounds since his freshman year by mixing weightlifting and a high-calorie diet.

James Rae, a 6-5, 250-pound senior from Esperanza, said he has gained 60 pounds since his freshman year by weightlifting and “trying to eat as much as I can.” Using a similar approach, Preston Walrath, a 6-2, 275-pound senior from Capistrano Valley, has gained 70 pounds since his freshman year.

“He’s (Preston) the biggest eater I’ve ever been around,” Enright said. “I’d hate to have to feed him. He’s a garbage disposal.”

Such large players have changed the complexion of several county teams. Huntington Beach, behind a line that averages 258 pounds, has gone from its pass-oriented offense of 1985 to a run-dominated attack this season.

Canyon, which has relied heavily on its passing game the past several seasons, also is more of a running team behind a line that averages 247 pounds.

“We’re going to load up on some teams and see if we can play one-on-one, big against little,” Comanche Coach Rod Hust said.

Hust also believes his offensive line will challenge the fortitude of smaller defensive opponents.

“If a 165-pound kid sees a 260-pound tackle coming at him all night long, there’s some time in that game where we’re going to test that kid’s character,” he said. “USC did that for years. I don’t know if we’re intimidating people, but kids are only human.”

Orange County’s big boys have done their share of intimidating this season.

On the first play of last week’s Bolsa Grande-Savanna game, the Rebels tried to trap block Lannon on a run by Matt Stephenson. Lannon threw aside Stephenson’s blocker and then tackled Stephenson, ripping his helmet off. He also made tackles on the next two running plays.

“Then, they decided to go to the passing game,” Lannon said. “I think they were scared to run.”

Goodman has noticed that the first step of several defensive linemen has been backward instead of forward.

“They were thinking I was going to run them over,” Goodman said.

Most coaches would love to have a lineman as big as Goodman, but such a prodigious player can pose a few small problems.

When Fabray, who transferred from Brea-Olinda to Esperanza last spring, began fall practice with the Aztecs, Coach Gary Meek was unable to fit him into available equipment. He went to the Rams to get a size-8 helmet and some extra-large shoulder pads, and to USC for some extra-large game and practice pants.

Sunny Hills Coach Tim Devaney had the same problem with Reese a few years ago. He called the Rams for some practice pants and Reese’s first pair of football shoes--size 17.

“He’s got some real skis,” Devaney said. “Luckily, he has an aunt who’s very handy with a needle and thread, and she put together most of his practice and game pants.”

Big players also can be dangerous. Last year, Reese accidentally fell on a teammate during practice and broke that player’s ankle. So this year, Devaney keeps Reese out of certain tackling drills during practice.

“If there’s a collision or a pileup, he can obviously create some problems,” Devaney said. “We have some 130-pound running backs who look like pancakes after Reese hits them.”

Said Pascoe: “When some of these kids start falling to the ground, I’m worried about knees and ankles. I don’t want any kids getting hurt on the practice field.”

All members of Orange County’s 250-and-above club are linemen, but it won’t be long before one appears in the offensive backfield. Fabray is working with Esperanza’s goal-line offense and will probably see action there soon.

Most big players said they dream of becoming high school football’s version of William (The Refrigerator) Perry.

“I want to score a touchdown this year,” Lannon said. “I want to get some glory.”

Said Pessler: “It’s fun in the trenches, but it would be exciting to run the ball once . . . get a little Fridge action.” THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION

The 300 Club Brian Fabray Esperanza 6-2 320 Dan Goodman Huntington Beach 6-7 305 Bob Hoefler Fountain Valley 6-4 300 Tom Reese Sunny Hills 6-7 305 275 And Growing Jeff Allec El Dorado 6-1 275 Danny Alo Santa Ana Valley 6-2 280 Dylan Candelaria Laguna Beach 6-1 275 Joe Corral San Clemente 6-0 275 Brian Ducote Mater Dei 6-3 275 Kevin Jerry Mater Dei 6-3 275 Joe Shrank Villa Park 6-4 290 Mike Souadjian Laguna Beach 5-11 290 Tim Wilson Kennedy 6-5 284 250 And Up Frank Acosta Santa Ana Valley 6-3 250 Matt Alcauter El Modena 6-1 250 Jeff Bailey Fullerton 6-5 255 John Bardon Canyon 6-6 265 Robert Blood Dana Hills 5-8 270 Joe Chamberg Santa Ana Valley 6-2 250 Kelly Day Costa Mesa 5-11 255 Paul DeBono Mater Dei 6-4 260 Kevin Fairman Edison 6-2 1/2 250 Rick Ferrell Pacifica 6-4 265 Chris Frembling Western 6-4 264 Brad Heidelberg Cypress 6-2 250 Miguel Hernandez Santa Ana 6-0 255 Doug Hunter Mater Dei 6-2 250 Danny Kauten Canyon 6-4 250 Eric Kinser Savanna 6-2 255 Chris Laasch Canyon 6-3 255 David Lannon Bolsa Grande 6-3 260 Gary Lewellyn Westminster 6-4 265 Bryan Lewis Western 6-1 256 Kevin Lewis Huntington Beach 6-2 250 Todd Little Huntington Beach 6-1 255 Chris Manriquez Mater Dei 6-1 270 John Mendez Saddleback 5-10 260 Raphael Molle Irvine 6-5 250 Steve Orrico Huntington Beach 6-4 260 Steve Palczewski Pacifica 6-2 260 Daryl Pessler Newport Harbor 6-3 270 Lua Pola Mater Dei 5-10 260 Merritt Pullam Servite 6-4 255 James Rae Esperanza 6-5 250 Chris Richard Savanna 6-5 265 Marco Rogan University 6-5 263 Scott Spalding El Toro 6-5 250 Dan Taylor Huntington Beach 6-2 250 Brian Turk Mater Dei 6-4 260 Chris Vornholt Fountain Valley 6-2 250 John Wachter Corona del Mar 6-3 250 Preston Walrath Capistrano Valley 6-2 275