San Diego High School Football Playoffs : 2-A: Crawford Attempts to Overcome Injuries, Mar Vista in First Round

Roger Engle, Crawford High School’s football coach, has developed a habit of multiplying each injury on his team this season by two--if an offensive player is injured, it’s a safe bet a defensive player also will be out.

With only 34 players on the squad, many of Engle’s players have been called upon for double duty this season. But with the string of injuries Crawford has suffered in the last two weeks, Engle has been shuffling several of his players into new positions.

“When a kid goes down at a 2-A school, it’s like losing two players because we normally don’t platoon both ways,” Engle said. “A lot of the players are going in to play a position they haven’t played before.”

Injuries have forced four Crawford starters out of tonight’s opening round of the San Diego Section 2-A playoffs at Mar Vista at 7:30.

Hardest hit is Crawford’s offensive line, which means the defense also will be affected. The injury list for Crawford: guard/linebacker Chris Johnson (pinched nerve in his neck); guard/defensive tackle John Schwering (broken jaw); tackle/defensive tackle Frank Marino (knee); tackle/linebacker Bill Staninger (neck).

For Mar Vista, the story is different. Although the team has been affected by injuries, most of its players will return tonight, including linebacker John Crocker, Mar Vista’s leading tackler, who was out three weeks with a knee injury.

“It’s encouraging to finally be getting some of our injured people back,” said Bud Aubuchon, Mar Vista’s coach.

“The injuries are as bad for Roger as they are for us. What happens is, you replace your first stringers with guys who don’t normally play. That messes up your timing, your stunts and whatever else you have been working on all season.”

Although his team is healthy now, Aubuchon is preparing his backup players for starting roles.

“Some of the players are back for their first game,” Aubuchon said, “and I don’t know how long some will last.”

Other 2-A Games

TODAY

Coronado (7-3) at Oceanside (4-4-2)--Coronado’s kicking game has carried the Islanders this season, but kicker Rich Bledsoe, who also played defensive back and running back, missed the final three games of the season with torn ligaments in his ankle. He’s not expected back for the playoffs.

Bob Watson has filled in to sustain the Coronado kicking game. Although he doesn’t have the range of Bledsoe, Watson is effective from 30 to 35 yards out.

Coach Dave Tupek is looking for any kind of advantage against 1986 section 2-A runner-up Oceanside.

“It’s definitely a step up for us,” Tupek said. Coronado was the 1-A champion last season but moved up to 2-A this season.

Oceanside, which is bigger and faster than Coronado, will rely on sophomore quarterback Jerry Garrett. Garrett made his varsity debut at Oceanside two weeks ago in a 31-0 victory over El Camino. Garrett scored on runs of 72 and 33 yards and passed for a 28-yard touchdown.

Garrett turned 15 on the same day as the El Camino game, making him eligible for varsity play, according to a California Interscholastic Federation rule.

San Marcos (4-4-2) at Christian (6-4)--Injuries have hampered Christian all season, but tonight Coach Marty Martin is expecting a healthy squad.

“That’s a real switch for us,” Martin said.

Another switch for Christian has been the momentum swing during the last part of the season--six victories in seven games to finish second in the City Central League.

San Marcos, however, never had any kind of momentum, as it failed to win two games in a row.

But the main concern for San Marcos Coach Ken Broach is the condition of fullback Jess Berrelleza, who has been hampered this season with bruised ribs. Berrelleza still has rushed for more than 500 yards.

Christian counters with a ball-control offense that has been difficult to stop this season. The offense is directed by quarterback David Jeremiah, who averaged 127 yards a game passing.

El Camino (5-5) at University of San Diego High School (9-1)--USDHS has the ninth-best defense in the county, which will be important in stopping El Camino’s option quarterback Eric Robinson, who is equally effective running or passing.

USDHS is a relatively young team with 25 juniors and two sophomores on the 44-player roster. Linebacker Duke Gonzalez anchors the defense, which limited opponents 10.7 points a game.

This has not been a stable season for El Camino, which would continually counter a big win (23-14 over Fallbrook) with a disappointing loss (22-6 to Rancho Buena Vista).

At one point in the season, Coach Herb Meyer questioned his team’s toughness and desire to win.