ORANGE COUNTY PREP WEDNESDAY : Powers That Used to Be Could Be In for Title Fight This Season

Season after season, the Empire League resembles an apartment building, with Esperanza, Loara, Los Alamitos and Pacifica always fighting over the penthouse while the other four teams remain on the lower floors, trying to find the stairs.

In all six years of the league’s existence, one of those top teams has won the league championship. More often than not, it involved beating Esperanza. Or, at least, tying the Aztecs, as eventual league champion Loara did last season.

But the Empire League seems to be undergoing a little renovation this season. Two-time champion Pacifica and Kennedy moved out over the summer, reducing the number of teams from eight to six.

Loara has lost almost everyone from a defense that allowed only 61 points in 12 games. Although third-place Esperanza once again will field an offensive line that one league coach said “is so big it made me sick to my stomach,” the Aztecs lack depth and will have some players starting both ways. And Los Alamitos, which has prospered with a succession of senior quarterbacks over the last three seasons, will go with a pair of underclassmen this year.

Just when the league’s perennial powers have erected the scaffolding of a rebuilding year, El Dorado has taken its down.

The sixth-place Hawks are returning more than 70% of the players from last year’s junior-dominated team and should be decidedly improved.

And Katella, a team that hasn’t had a winning season in 17 years, has come this season under the control of Larry Anderson, who has respect around the league and a reputation as a winner.

Even Cypress Coach John Selbe is sounding mildly optimistic: “I think our league is going to be very tough from top to bottom.”

In other words, the penthouse at the Empire Apartments could be crowded this year.

CYPRESS: 3-4, 5-5 (Fifth in league)

Second-year coach John Selbe likes to remember the Centurions as a team he directed from last place and winless (0-7) in 1985 to the middle of the pack in 1986. However, the move was made with a senior-dominated team which included Blaise Bryant, who rushed for 1,305 yards, made first-team All-Southern Section and will play for Golden West College. This season, Selbe will be playing a lot of juniors and field a Bryant-less offense.

Doug Lytle, who blocked for Bryant out of the backfield, will be the main ball-carrier. He will also start at linebacker, one of many Centurions who will start both ways. Senior Peter Dopulos will start at quarterback and be throwing the ball in an offense trying to diversify after the loss of Bryant.

The Centurion defense will rely on cornerbacks Mike Gee and Greg Bedford, who each intercepted four passes last season.

Top newcomers: wide receiver/safety Paul Geldbach, offensive/defensive lineman Charlie Williams, offensive/defensive lineman Ron Hasty.

EL DORADO: 2-5, 2-8 (Sixth in league)

Coach Carl Sweet has this theory that if losing develops character, his team has enough to survive almost anything. After all, the Hawks won only two games last year. So why is the rest of the league worried that the Hawks, with all their character, are starting to look more like buzzards or dark horses? Numbers. Twelve players who started at one time or another return from last year’s team.

Kevin Schula, who has all the tools to do an outstanding job at quarterback, broke his wrist in practice after the second game last year. He is healthy and back, along with Chris Olson, the multipurpose back who led the team with 18 receptions. Another catcher on the fly is wide receiver Chris Facione, whose 13 receptions made an average gain of 17 yards. Tackle Jeff Allec, a 270-pounder who started every game, returns to the offensive line with Craig Parr, who could become the Hawks’ best lineman.

The defense should also be markedly improved from the one that allowed 289 points last season. Eddy Keller has been moved from cornerback to lineman. Kurt Gursky, a full-time starter as a sophomore tackle, has been shifted to middle linebacker.

Top newcomers: guard/defensive end Joe Hayes, linebacker Scott Clausen, linebacker Scott Sporrer, linebacker Mack Cooper.

ESPERANZA; 5-1-1, 9-2-1 (Third in league)

If you’re looking for a team that seems to always have huge linemen, a great running game, and is among the league leaders, Esperanza is it. Once again, the league coaches figure Esperanza will be the team to beat this season. Once again, the Aztecs will have everybody’s No. 1 offensive line, averaging 241 pounds from tackle to tackle. But Coach Gary Meek says one of the Aztec trademarks is going to change slightly. Last season, Mike Miscione, who gained 1,956 yards, helped Esperanza control the game, as usual, by running the ball. With Miscione lost to graduation, Meek says the Aztecs are going to pass more.

He plans to alternate quarterbacks Jason Moler and Joey Sugar. Moler is the better runner while Sugar is the superior passer. Sugar will probably get a lot of chances because the Aztecs have good receivers this year. Meek expects fullback Malek Douleg to at least double the 375 yards he gained last year.

Linebackers Kevin Webb and Rick Pressel return to the defense along with safety Doug Saunders.

Top newcomers: defensive tackle Matt Werner, wide receiver Steve Gabriel, wide receiver Jeff Cary, cornerback Craig O’Connor, linebacker Steve Melkerson.

KATELLA: 1-6, 3-7 (Seventh in league)

For the 15 years he coached Lynwood, Larry Anderson ran the same offense. Since he became Katella’s coach this season, Anderson has changed the offense and the defense to his liking and hopes to change his new team’s luck in the process.

Though the Knights haven’t made the playoffs in 17 years, Anderson’s goal is improvement and he doesn’t mean moving up two notches in the standing because Kennedy and Pacifica have left.

This season, the Knights will use Anderson’s veer, an option offense that is advantageous because it doesn’t require the big linemen Katella lacks. Quarterback Jeff Yourstone will direct the offense and be handing off to junior tailback Jeremy Sherman and junior fullback Joe Pastorello. Split end Ted Brown, who will be the primary receiver, will be one of six to seven players starting both ways.

“You’re not going to rebuild something overnight, going straight to the top when you’ve been on the bottom that long,” Anderson said. “We’re looking at things realistically.”

Returners on a defense that will feature an eight-man front include receiver/defensive back Bubba Clester and linebacker Mike Ferrell.

Top newcomers: defensive end Aaron Foglesong.

LOARA: 6-0-1, 10-1-1 (First in league)

These days, Loara Coach Herb Hill sounds less like a man resting on his laurels than somebody searching for gems in the sand. Sure, his defense--that allowed just over five points a game--helped to tie Esperanza, 14-14. And his average-but-not-awesome offense was solid enough to get the necessary points.

But only three defensive starters and one offensive starter return. Hill says the rebuilding this season will be no easy task with only 40 players out for drills. But that won’t cause him to change either his 3-4 defense or his I-formation offense.

End Korey Kowata, cornerback Danny Rodriguez and tackle Mike Braynard, a second-team all-leaguer, return to the defense. Converted tackle Mike Conn will be the only offensive veteran. But Hill thinks senior quarterback Bill Jarman, who started two games last season, will be able to direct a solid ground game, handing off to Bob Titus, a 220-pound fullback, and tailback Steve Nichols. What could hinder that game plan is a questionable offensive line which might experience problems protecting Jarman. Hill says the search continues for tackles who like to block people.

Top newcomers: linebacker Darren Van Zee, receiver/defensive back Adrian Oliphant.

LOS ALAMITOS: 6-1, 9-2 (Second in league)

Los Alamitos has won 26 games during the last three years, and a senior was at quarterback each of those seasons. For the first time since John Barnes took over as the Griffin coach, not one but two underclassmen will get some playing time at that position. Junior Winston Wolf and sophomore Todd Gragnano will replace Tom Williamson, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1986. Both players made varsity as freshmen.

At first, Barnes intends to keep the pressure off his young quarterbacks by running the ball with the best backfield and offensive linemen he says he’s had.

Returning to the backfield is senior tailback Marcus Garcia, who gained 170 yards in three games before breaking his hand in the fourth game and missing the rest of the season. Frank Beckton, a 190-pound transfer from Gahr, will also play that position. They will be running behind an experienced line including All-Empire League guard Chris Spoden, guard Scott Wilford, tackles Peter Kropf and Mike Bell and center Brian Southworth.

When the two quarterbacks elect to pass, they will be throwing to Sky Doubourdieu and senior Jon Cisneros, who caught 19 passes last year. Scott Stevens, a tight end, will also figure into the short passing game.

The Griffin defense, which allowed only 81 points in its first 10 games, should be strong again this season. Barnes said returning are some of the best Griffin linebackers ever, including Sam Hardin, Tim Wynn and Roger Roadstrom, who has started every game for two seasons. Roadstrom could be one of the best linebackers in the county. Another top returner is cornerback Bob Fylvia, who intercepted five passes last season.

Top newcomers: strong safety Shane Loftis, free safety Pat Fairon, free safety Bob Farrell.