A Global Success Story at Van Nuys
Van Nuys might be the most improved football team in the Valley area after compiling a 1-26 record in the previous three seasons. The Wolves (3-2-1, 1-1 in Sunset League play) are definitely the most international.
Littered with names such as Quang Bui, Reza Khorramian, Pavadol Sangthongkum, Roy Vasich and Adalberto Revelo, the Wolves’ roster reads like a guest list at a U. N. seminar. The roster consists of 14 players born in eight countries outside the United States.
“That’s why we’re so small,” joked Coach Kenji Mochizuki, himself a Tokyo native.
The team’s unique mixture has not caused problems, Mochizuki said. “Everyone wants to win,” he said. “Everybody speaks English on the field. I’m sure most of the kids speak their native languages at home, but on the practice field English is the universal language.”
Four of the Wolves’ players are from South Korea, three from the Soviet Union, two from Mexico, and one each from El Salvador, Iran, Thailand, Yugoslavia and Vietnam.
About the only surprise is the birthplace of running back Muhammad Zaid, who hails from the American heartland--Ohio. The 5-8, 170-pound senior has rushed for 747 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.
“He’s been a very big surprise,” Mochizuki said. “I knew he worked hard last semester and was very determined to do well, but I’m still surprised at just how well he’s played.”
Add Van Nuys: The Wolves’ 21-20 victory over Monroe on Friday was the team’s first since moving to the Sunset League in 1984. Van Nuys had lost 16 consecutive league games before Friday night’s victory over Monroe.
“We hadn’t forgotten about the losing streak,” Mochizuki said. “We were very aware of the streak. It felt good to finally end it.”
Whatever it takes: San Fernando plays its biggest game of the season Friday against Valley 4-A League rival Granada Hills, a battle that pits two of the best quarterbacks in the City Section--seniors Jeremy Leach of Granada Hills and San Fernando’s Joe Mauldin.
It stands to reason that Mauldin--overshadowed by Leach and the pass-happy Highlanders--would use this game as a showcase to prove a point, right?
Wrong. If Mauldin mauls Granada Hills, he says it won’t be because he was caught in the numbers crunch. “I don’t want to get in any competition with him,” Mauldin said. “I just want to do whatever it takes to win.”
It’s the whatever that gives the Tigers versatility. While Mauldin’s passing statistics place him second to Leach, his overall numbers indicate the potential for a big victory. He has passed for 1,047 yards to Leach’s 1,422, but the mobile Mauldin has kept defenses honest by scrambling for 331 yards and seven touchdowns. Leach, a pure pocket passer, has minus-52 rushing yards and no touchdowns.
When given time to pass, Leach can be deadly--he has 16 touchdown passes to Mauldin’s 10. Granada Hills (3-3, 1-0) has three of the top five City receivers in the Valley. Sean Brown (36 receptions), Kyle Jan (33) and Darryl Stephenson (20) all have four or more touchdown catches.
“He likes to go to Brown and Jan especially,” Mauldin said. “If we can hold them, we should be able to beat them.”
San Fernando (5-0-1, 1-0-1) has a few big-play threats, too. Seniors Tommy Howard (26 catches) and Danny Leos (17) are third and seventh among area City receivers.
“In a way, our guys are as good as theirs,” Mauldin said.
And in his own way, Mauldin hopes to be better than Leach.
Add Granada Hills: Stephenson, a senior, missed the second half of last week’s 35-13 win over Cleveland because of a thigh bruise, but he says it would take wild horses--not a charley horse--to keep him out of the game against San Fernando.
“This is a big game for us. It’s our main game so far,” he said.
Stephenson is one of the Highlanders’ main men, giving the team a deep threat at receiver. The bruise on his left leg is serious enough to warrant attention, however. After consulting a therapist, Stephenson was held out of practice Monday and Tuesday. Another examination is scheduled Friday afternoon, after Stephenson runs a few pass patterns to test the injury.
Any chance he might tell the therapist what he wants to hear?
“Maybe,” he said, laughing. “I should be OK by then, though.”
Add Tigers: San Fernando’s 1967 City championship football team and the 1966 City runner-up squad will meet for a reunion at 6:30 Friday night at The Strohaus in Van Nuys.
Phil Lozano, San Fernando’s coach from 1958 to 1968, will announce the formation of the San Fernando Alumni Football Assn. The association is set to induct into the San Fernando Hall of Fame the Tigers’ 1937 team, which was undefeated and unscored upon. Expected at Friday’s reunion from the 1937 team is running back Ray Woods, the Southern California player of the year in 1937.
In 1966, the Tigers finished second in the City to Carson and the following season defeated Westchester to win the title.
Defensive offense: With three consecutive shutouts, Taft (5-1, 2-0 in league play) has one of the stingiest defenses in the Valley. But Coach Tom Stevenson said much of that success is because of the offense, which has accounted for 925 yards rushing in the past three games.
“You can’t score if you don’t have the ball,” Stevenson said. “When our offense is running well, and it has been lately, the other team doesn’t get the ball in their hands much. They don’t get many chances to score.”
Taft’s defense also benefits from practicing against the Toreadors’ offense, Stevenson said.
“When you face one of the toughest running offenses around everyday in practice, you’re forced to get pretty tough,” he said.
Laying it on the line: Tony Collatos was Chaminade’s third-string tailback three weeks ago. Now he’s one of Coach Rich Lawson’s main weapons. Collatos, playing backup to starter Tim Lavin, rushed for 93 yards on nine carries in a 31-16 win over San Diego Poway.
The Eagles’ real heavy artillery, Collatos says, is the offensive line.
“I have to give all my credit to them,” Collatos said. “They’re big and they have the ability. The referees and coaches down in San Diego were saying that it was one of the best lines in California.”
Chaminade’s offensive front, however, lost center Brian Kelly, who broke his ankle and will miss the rest of the season. Wide receiver-placekicker Chris Noonan suffered a separated shoulder and is expected to miss Saturday’s game against Cathedral.
The remainder of the Eagles’ team is healthy, especially tackle Doug Kavulich. Kavulich, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 240-pound senior, last week was featured during the filming of the syndicated ABC program “Health News.” Kavulich was interviewed about his training program, which includes weight lifting and nutrition drinks.
Coaching clinics: Instead of blaming referees or making excuses for Friday’s 36-6 loss to Carpinteria, Agoura Coach Frank Greminger had nothing but praise for his opponents.
“That was the best-coached team I’ve seen all year,” Greminger said. “They get very few penalties. They know their offensive and defensive assignments. Their backs carry out their fakes, and they keep their feet moving on defense until a tackle is made or the whistle’s been blown.”
Agoura was held to a season-low six points and a five-year low 55 rushing yards.
“If you want to attend a coaching clinic, go watch Carpinteria play a game,” he said.
Isn’t that special?: Grant has been surprisingly successful this season--despite averaging less than a touchdown a game. The Lancers are 4-2 and could earn a City 2-A playoff berth.
Grant’s special teams have been the main reason. In each victory, the special teams have either scored or the game-winning points or stopped potential game-winning points.
In Friday’s 7-6 win over Poly, Grant blocked a field-goal attempt with one second left. Poly also missed a field goal and an extra point when the snaps on both plays skidded across the ground.
Grant beat Venice two weeks ago, 14-12, when the Gondoliers were stopped twice on extra-point attempts. The week before, Grant beat Sylmar, 2-0, when a Sylmar snap sailed out of the end zone. The Lancers beat Birmingham, 16-14, when they stopped a two-point conversion attempt late in the game. Special-teams play even accounted for Grant’s only touchdown in a 7-6 loss to Monroe when the Lancers’ blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone.
Rebuilding?: After winning the Delphic League in seven of the past nine years, Faith Baptist’s eight-man team opened this season with three losses in the first four games.
But if the Contenders (4-3) win Saturday’s home game against Campbell Hall (2-5, 0-3 in league play), they will move into a three-way tie for first with Brentwood and Masada at 3-1.
A coin flip was held by the league Tuesday to determine its No. 1 representative in event of a three-way tie. Brentwood will be designated the No. 1 team, Masada No. 2, and Faith Baptist No. 3. All three are expected to receive playoff berths.
The Contenders are led by junior running back David Hariston, who has rushed for 595 yards and 15 touchdowns on 96 carries. He also has three touchdown receptions.
Chris Parker and staff writers Steve Elling, Vince Kowalick, Tim Brown, Steven Fleischman and Sean Waters contributed to this notebook.