Valencia to Make a Run for the Title Again

If Valencia High School wins the Orange League title this season, the Tigers will only be doing what has come to be expected of them.

Valencia won the league title in 1983 and ‘84, was a co-champion with Western in ’85 and won it outright again last year.

This season, the Tigers have 11 starters returning from last year’s team, which lost to Bolsa Grande in the Central Conference championship game.

So it is no surprise that Valencia is picked by the other five coaches in the league to win the title again.

But Valencia Coach Mike Marrujo doesn’t have the same opinion about his team, which is ranked fourth in the preseason Central Conference poll.

“I think a lot of the other guys try to put the pressure on us because we have won the league title the last few years,” Marrujo said. “It should be very competitive because Western and Anaheim have a lot of talent. . . . But we should be right there.”

Western was picked ninth in the preseason conference poll, and Anaheim, playing under veteran coach Ted Mullen for the first time, was picked 10th.

Mullen comes to Anaheim with 16 years’ experience at Villa Park, University and Foothill. Anaheim has 10 starters returning, but Mullen isn’t willing to make any predictions about his team.

“I’m still getting to know them,” he said. “I’ve seen them in practice, but I don’t know what they can do in a game yet. But from what I’ve seen in films, we have some fine players.”

Western was the preseason No. 1-ranked team in the Central Conference last year and was also picked to win the league. But the idea of a dream season for Coach Jim Howell and his team changed quickly when Western lost its opening game, 3-0, to Loara.

Western lost three games in a row in the middle of the season, including the first two in league play, and finished third.

Western is picked by the coaches to finish either second or third.

Brea-Olinda, Magnolia and Savanna are expected to finish in the bottom half of the league, but Brea may be in for the most difficult time.

The Wildcats’ on-campus stadium, which also serves as the practice field, is being torn down as the school prepares to move up the 57 freeway a mile or so next year. So, for this season and next, Brea will be bouncing around North Orange County, playing home games at Fullerton District Stadium, Buena Park High, Western High and Glover Stadium.

Even practice will be on the road as each day the Wildcats board a bus and travel about a mile to Brea Junior High School.

“Our theme song is ‘On the Road Again,’ ” Coach Bill Brown said. “But it’s something we have to deal with. There is no way around that. It just makes things that much more difficult.”

Here’s a closer look at the Orange League:

ANAHEIM

4-1, 6-4 (Second in league)

Ted Mullen won’t be faced with turning around a program as so many first-year coaches are. Anaheim has made the playoffs six times in the last 10 years, including last season under Roger Stahlhut, who resigned at the end of the season. Mullen has been able to raise the level of interest in the program in a short time. There are close to 70 players trying out this year, compared with 35 last season.

The offense lacks an experienced quarterback, but returning at tailback is senior Joaquin Garcia, who averaged 7.8 yards a carry and gained 1,106 yards rushing during the regular season last year.

Mullen hasn’t made a decision at quarterback yet, but juniors Robert Aldez and Danny Pacillas are the top candidates. Sophomore center Ryan Jara is one of many new players on the offensive line.

“We hope we can play solid defense till we get some help from our offense,” Mullen said. “The defense has some experience, and the offense needs to get some.”

Carlos Simoni and Moses Chavez return on the defensive line, Oscar Ramirez, Sal Lopez and Hector Carlos will be the linebackers, and John Clovery and Sonny Silverman will start in the defensive backfield. Not all seven were starters last season, but they had plenty of playing time.

BREA-OLINDA

2-3, 4-6 (Fourth in league)

The Wildcats will face many struggles this season.

Because they don’t have a stadium to call their own, they will play five home games at four different sites. Lack of numbers is also a problem. Coach Bill Brown has only 34 players (21 seniors, 7 juniors and 6 sophomores) and returns 6 starters.

Senior Shon Riley will play quarterback, a position he spent some time at last season. Cory Jarmon and Jim Esquivel return to the offensive line. On defense, David Ricci and Brad Robinson return at linebacker and Mike DeClark and Esquivel will play on the line.

After that, Brea will be hoping some unproven players are able to make an impact.

Jerry Liu (center), Andre Aragon (tackle), Matt Gunn and Jack Oman (wide receivers) and Rob Moore (tight end) will be playing and much will be expected of them.

“We have some good athletes,” Brown said. “But, they just have to stay healthy, and we also hope that we develop as the season goes along.”

MAGNOLIA

0-5, 2-7-1 (Sixth in league)

Two seasons ago, John Hangartner took over at Magnolia after 19 years at Kennedy and turned the Sentinels into a playoff team. Magnolia went from 3-7 to 7-4 in his first year. But last season, Magnolia went in reverse because of a series of injuries.

This season, the rebuilding continues, dominated by juniors who played last season on the sophomore team that went 6-4. One thing in Magnolia’s favor is its nonleague schedule. The Sentinels will face Katella (3-7), Buena Park (0-10), Mayfair (3-6-1), Sonora (2-8) and Los Amigos (6-5).

Senior wide receiver Jody Clark is moving to quarterback, juniors Jason Fox and Bob Musgrave are at the wide receiver positions, and junior Tom Van Roggen will play tackle. Scott Beery, a second-team defensive lineman last season, is also back.

SAVANNA

1-4, 4-6 (Fifth in league)

Playing for third place is the reality to which Coach Dana Coleman, in his fourth season, has resigned himself and his team. The Rebels are down in number this season, having 25 players on the varsity team. But because of injuries, Coleman said he has 18 players most days at practice.

Having so few players presents problems. As many as eight or nine will have to start on offense and defense at times. This will make fatigue a factor no matter how many preseason wind sprints the players run.

“My top 11 players are geared up for 48 minutes of football each week,” Coleman said. “We are a pretty tough group, but then again we need to be. I really don’t know why we have so few players, but I guess that is the nature of football.”

Injuries could cause problems for the Rebels because the loss of one player might mean the loss of two positions.

Savanna returns six starters, including senior quarterback Tony Osendorf, who also plays linebacker. He was second-team all-league as a sophomore and junior, and has played three years of varsity football.

Chris Richard and Ryan Aughenbaugh return to play on the offensive and defensive line. Steve Wagner will play wide receiver and defensive back and David Hoffman will start at running back and in the defensive backfield.

Newcomers Tony Pearson and Kenison Po Ching, both of whom are expected to play running back and defensive back, and kicker Robby Hynes are expected to offer help.

VALENCIA

5-0, 8-1-1 (First in league)

There seems to be no letdown in the running game at Valencia. Two seasons ago, Ray Pallares set a state career rushing record with 5,398 yards. Last season, Dorian Estes rushed for 1,174 yards and Tony Goulet added 581 in five games.

Keef Leasure was the third back most of the season but still rushed for 558 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Leasure, who is a junior, returns this season as the No. 1 back and will also play linebacker. He will again have a strong offensive line, led by center and three-year starter Fred Jenkins and Mark Walejko, who will also play on the defensive line.

Mike Edwards, a second-team Times’ All-County defensive back last season with six interceptions, returns. He will be joined by Nacho Garcia, who had five interceptions.

Junior Steve Rangel should be a standout at linebacker, and Marty Dunn is back at defensive end.

WESTERN

3-2, 6-4 (Third in league)

The Pioneers return the most starters of any team in the league--11, including 7 on defense. Western also returns 22 lettermen, making it the league’s most experienced team.

Art Smith (tackle), Toby Howell (defensive end), Keoni Mangluis (linebacker), Mahe Liauaa (linebacker) and Joey Huy (defensive back) are the leaders from last season’s team that allowed an average of 10 points per game in the regular season. Western recorded two shutouts and allowed 14 points or fewer in 8 of 10 regular-season games.

“We will count on the defense a great deal,” Coach Jim Howell said. “We have experience there, and that’s always a plus.”

Howell figures the offensive line--behind Vince Galaz, a Times’ All-County tackle last season--to be a strength.

Huy, who started one game at quarterback last season but played the position in several, will start this season for the Pioneers, who figure to run more than pass.

Western, which has had between 50 and 60 players out for the team the last four years, is down to 37 this season.

Al Aguilar would have been the eighth returning starter on defense, but he broke a bone in his right foot in practice Wednesday and is expected to be out for the season.