Orange County Prep Football : This Rivalry a Matter of Style : Servite’s Haiduc, Mater Dei’s O’Brien in Battle of Opposites

What distinguishes Nick-John Haiduc from Jim O’Brien is speed.

Foot and mouth.

Haiduc, a wide receiver at Servite High School, seems to have a never-ending supply in both areas.

“Nick is very fast and never lacking for something to say,” said Bob Walker, Servite’s offensive coordinator.

O’Brien, a wide receiver at Mater Dei, is just the opposite.

“Jim’s personality is a lot like the way he plays football, smooth,” said Chuck Gallo, Mater Dei coach. “If you’re going to talk to Jim O’Brien, you better be ready to provide most of the conversation.”

They are seniors, and each is recognized as a team leader. But where Haiduc is “Vocal. Very, very, vocal,” O’Brien is a “quiet example.”

They have met once on a football field, in a game that haunts Haiduc and gives O’Brien hope for their next meeting.

They have met once off the football field, during a track meet. The only thing either remembers is that they exchanged hellos.

Ask if they know each other and they’ll say they know of each other.

Their knowledge comes second-hand and on celluloid. Game films and reputations have determined what one thinks of the other, and what they think of each other doesn’t venture far from a football field. Because it is on a football field that Haiduc and O’Brien find their only crossroad.

What distinguishes Nick-John Haiduc and Jim O’Brien, what makes them brothers in arms (and hands), is their remarkable talent for catching a football.

Jim O’Brien leads Orange County in receptions with 53. Nick-John Haiduc has 39 receptions (seventh in the county) and leads the county in receiving yardage with 877 yards.

That should tell you something. O’Brien catches more balls, Haiduc does more after he catches them.

“I think if you contrast the two, Jim is like a Clydesdale, a workhorse,” said Rich Schaaf, Mater Dei offensive coordinator. “Haiduc is like a thoroughbred. That isn’t meant to put Jim down. His strength is making the tough catch. But Haiduc, he’ll make a catch on an out-pattern and turn it upfield. A lot of times he’ll go all the way.”

O’Brien can run. To be sure he isn’t as fast as Haiduc, but he’s not slow. O’Brien is what some people call deceptively fast, which comes from, some people say, the fact that O’Brien is a glider. A glider as in smooth and quiet. A glider as in lull someone to sleep, then . . .

“He’ll go right by someone because the defender doesn’t think Jim is moving that fast,” Schaaf said.

Said O’Brien: “I’m not the fastest guy, but I’ve beaten people. I’ve beaten a lot of people. It’s not just speed, it’s knowing how to use it.”

O’Brien started learning the game of football relatively late in life. His parents forbade him from playing in Pop Warner-type leagues because they feared injury and bad habits from bad coaching.

When he arrived at Mater Dei, O’Brien at last was allowed to try out. He made the team and with the excitement of that he did what every red-blooded American kid does the first time he has a chance to play football.

He asked to play quarterback.

Actually there was a little more to it than that. O’Brien’s uncle, Coleman, had played quarterback at Notre Dame in the mid ‘60s. In 1966, Coley O’Brien led the Irish to a 51-0 win USC would like to forget.

“It seemed like the thing to do, what with my uncle being a quarterback,” O’Brien said.

But there was a problem. Jim O’Brien couldn’t throw. So in a couple of weeks he found himself at wide receiver. After a slow start, he worked his way into the starting lineup. By his sophomore year, he was starting on the Mater Dei varsity.

“Was I nervous starting him as a sophomore?” Gallo said. “Let’s put it this way. I started a freshman at quarterback that season. We kind of threw caution to the wind.”

The freshman quarterback was Todd Marinovich, who quickly became acquainted with O’Brien. The two helped Mater Dei to the playoffs last season, in large part because of Mater Dei’s come-from-behind, 27-25 upset of Servite.

“That’s the greatest thrill I’ve ever had in football,” O’Brien said. “I usually don’t say much, but I was going crazy that game. I’ll probably go crazy this time.”

Mater Dei plays Servite tonight (as if you didn’t know) at 7:30 in Santa Ana Stadium. It is Orange County’s most passionate rivalry. The schools have played for playoff spots and nothing at all, and every time they have faced this as their biggest game of the year.

This time, third place in the Angelus League and a playoff spot goes to the winner. To the loser?

“It’s horrible, I still haven’t got over last year,” Haiduc said. “I hate to lose. I mean I really hate to lose. But to lose to Mater Dei, that’s the worst.”

Nick-John Haiduc has a couple of things. Perhaps the finest first name in high school sports, and the personal outlook that every time he steps on the football field that he is unstoppable.

“I know I can beat anyone I go against,” Haiduc said. “You’ve got to be that way if you’ve going to be successful. You’ve got to believe you’re the only person with a right to the ball. The only person who’s tough enough to go get the ball.”

Haiduc spent last season, his first on the varsity, learning at the knee of Jeff Fieldhouse, a receiver with less of Haiduc’s skills, but at the time more smarts.

“He taught me a lot,” Haiduc said. “And he made me want to get better than him.”

Haiduc is.

“Nick is Jeff Fieldhouse with speed,” Walker said. “He’s learned well, and he’s developed moves and other things on his own. He’s got to be one of the best receivers this school has ever seen.”

No need to tell Haiduc that. He knows. But then, for all the words he doesn’t say, O’Brien, too, has no doubts about his ability.

“You’ve got to be cocky,” O’Brien said. “Your attitude in a game can’t be, ‘Gee, I hope this defensive guy falls down so I can catch the ball.’ You’ve got to know you can get the ball no matter what. I’m cocky on the field.”

O’Brien calls Haiduc “fast,” and “exciting.” Haiduc says O’Brien is “tough” and “dependable.”

They each believe concentration is the greatest skill they bring to a game. They each think you separate receivers from mere pass catchers by the middle, that is, who is willing to go over the middle full bore in search of the football.

“That’s one thing I really respect about Jim,” Haiduc said. “He’ll take the hit over the middle to make the catch. When you see that, you know the guy is good.”

And what about taking a big hit from a defensive back?

“If I was half dead I’d still get up and run to the sideline,” Haiduc said. “I’ll never let a defensive back know he’s hurt me, even if he has. Then he thinks he’s won. I’ll never let that happen, either.”

And so they will watch each other tonight. They will admire each other’s talent and grit and intelligence. They will marvel at each other’s performance . . . and they will hope and work that the other goes home a loser.

MATER DEI vs.SERVITE

The records--Mater Dei 2-2, 5-4, Servite 2-2, 7-2.

The site--Santa Ana Stadium.

The standings--Mater Dei and Servite are tied for third in the Angelus League.

Mater Dei update--Chuck Gallo, Monarch coach, replaced starting quarterback Mike Curtius with Mark Ramstack last week. Ramstack helped Mater Dei to 17-13 victory over Bishop Montgomery to keep Mater Dei’s playoff hopes alive. Gallo said he has not decided who will start tonight. Jim O’Brien leads the county in receptions with 53. Servite update--Many favored the Friars to win the league, and even after its league-opening loss to Bishop Amat most thought Servite would cruise to a playoff spot. But things have been rough of late. Servite lost to St. Paul, 35-21, last week. Junior quarterback Jason Messersmith has had his problems of late--he has thrown 12 interceptions. But most notably the usually tough Servite defense has given up an average of 28 points per game in league play.

Key to the game--It will be important for each team to establish its passing game. Whichever quarterback can steady himself may lead his team to victory.

Consensus--This game could come down to rushing and defense. Give Servite a slight advantage in both and a slight edge to win.