All-Valley Team Alumni Set Their Own Courses

The 23 members of last season’s All-Valley football team were brought together by the excellence they showed on the field. After the season, they went their seperate ways.

Some are at major colleges paying their dues. Some are already making an impact in college programs. Some did not find college to their liking and dropped out. The four juniors had another shot at making the All-Valley team.

Where are they now?

M.J. Nelson--Last season’s Times’ Valley Back of the Year, Nelson led the Big Eight Conference in kickoff returns for Colorado this season. He was ninth in the nation with a 24.7 average on 21 returns. He also carried nine times from scrimmage for 45 yards. Nelson rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season at Simi Valley High.

Monty Gilbreath--As the only freshman on the San Dieo State team to get significant playing time, Gilbreath returned 19 punts for 141 yards and returned 23 kickoffs for 435 yards. “I talked with one of their coaches the other day,” Taft Coach Tom Stevenson said, “and Monty is doing superb.” At Taft, Gilbreath was offensive player of the year in the Sunset League last season.

Sean Hampton--A junior last season, Hampton failed to repeat as a member of the All-Valley team--his stock dropping because of an injury-plagued season. Still, the Sylmar High halfback rushed 167 times for 737 yards and four touchdowns.

Lance Harper--As a running back at Cal State Northridge, Harper played sparingly behind Mike Kane, the Western Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He may be the back of the future for CSUN. Playing in 10 games, Harper (5-10, 165) rushed 28 times for 96 yards.

Gary Wellman--Wellman was a redshirt at USC this season. At Westlake last season, he rushed for 890 yards and 16 touchdowns, and caught 35 passes for 512 yards and seven touchdowns. His future at USC depends on who coaches the Trojans next season.

Mike Trevathan--Trevathan, who holds all but one Thousand Oaks receiving record, redshirted at Montana this season. But there are plans for him. Montana was second in the nation in passing among Division I-AA schools, and Trevathan (6-1, 170) began No. 4 on the Grizzly depth chart.

Randy Austin--At UCLA, Austin played on special teams but not so much that he could not redshirt. A linebacker and tight end, he was one of the most highly recruited seniors last season. Austin was The Times’ Valley lineman of the year in 1985 and All-Southern Section.

Joe Zacharia--Lack of size (6-0, 210) and grades kept the two-time All-Northwestern Conference nose guard from getting a scholarship from a Division I college, but he excelled as a linebacker at Valley College this season.

Lance Ane--After a fine career at Saugus High, Ane was slated to attend Glendale. At the last minute he opted for Valley, where, after the team’s slow start, Ane developed into a starting linebacker. Glendale developed into the No. 1 junior college team in the nation.

Anthony Diliberti--Newbury Park Coach Ken Cook called Diliberti “a great high school football player” who was just too small to play major college ball. It didn’t matter. Diliberti, who led a Newbury Park defense that gave up only 150 yards a game, ruptured a disc in his back and said he was told by a doctor to give up football. But the doctors gave him the go-ahead to march. Diliberti, who is 5-10, 185, plans to join the Marines.

Brian McCarty--A three-year starter at tackle, McCarty paved the way for Rio Mesa High last season. At Ventura College, McCarty (6-3, 225) started at guard and was named the Pirates’ outstanding freshman.

Charlie Drake--Drake, an offensive lineman from Hart High, was a two-time All-Foothill League player and three-year varsity starter. Drake entered Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but did not play football.

Mike Bowman--For two seasons at Agoura High, Bowman started on both sides of the line. Bowman (6-3, 250) made the Broncos’ second-string offense at Boise State as a guard, but his coaches decided to redshirt him so he could start for four years.

John Libby--Although his size kept him from going to a major college, Libby (6-3, 215) enjoyed some success at Bakersfield College as a linebacker before suffering a shoulder injury. He played at Hart High his senior year.

Spencer Smith--Smith was one of four juniors who made last season’s All-Valley team. On the third play of this season, Smith injured a knee and missed the rest of the year.

Mario Winfrey--Winfrey was the best defensive player on San Fernando High’s Valley 4-A League champion team. He ended up at Taft College of Bakersfield, but didn’t stay long. Taft Coach Al Baldock said: “He dropped out of school. He wasn’t playing that much.”

Tony Ricci--He made the traveling squad this season at a small college--West Chester State in Pennsylvania. Small as defensive lineman go, Ricci (5-10, 215) was often double-teamed last season at Notre Dame High.

Greg Fowble--An exceptional athlete, Fowble is now playing baseball at Arizona. He was All-City in football and baseball at Granada Hills High and was twice named to the Times All-Valley football team. Last season at Granada Hills, Fowble, a receiver and kicker, led Valley-area City Section schools in scoring.

Jang Kim--After last football season, Kim left Chaminade High and finished high school El Camino Real High. He is not playing football. Kim, who was a kicker and fullback, rushed for more than 1,000 yards and kicked six field goals for Chaminade.

Barry Thomas--A two-time All-City defensive back at Monroe High, Thomas took a season off from football to concentrate on studies at Nebraska. “I saw him a few times on campus,” Nebraska assistant Tom Ritter said. “But because of the NCAA regulations, he didn’t play freshman football.”

Riche Swinton--Last season, Swinton rushed for more than 2,000 yards for Montclair Prep. He was a redshirt this season at Washington State. Swinton’s ballcarrying and play as a defensive back led Montclair Prep to the Inland Conference final.

Jim Bonds of Hart and Ron Simmons of Kennedy are returners on this season’s All-Valley team.