Corona Del Mar Hopes for an Easier Ride to the Top This Time Around

Sea View League football fans, prepare yourself for another wild ride.

The 1988 season may be even more topsy-turvy than the one that left you woozy last year.

You remember last season, the one that ended with Corona del Mar--a 1-5 team at midseason--capturing the league title with a surprising victory over Newport Harbor.

And Newport Harbor, which would have won the league championship with a victory over Corona del Mar, ending up fourth.

And Saddleback and Tustin, both in contention to win the league title, finishing in a tie for second.

Depending on how you looked at it, or whose side you were on, the 1987 Sea View League race was as amusing as it was confusing.

And here we go again.

Coaches say their six-team league is so balanced that, like last year, anything can happen.

The favorite?

Depends on who you talk to.

University was picked as high as second, as low as last.

Saddleback was picked to finish first, third and last. Same with Newport Harbor.

Dizzy yet?

If a favorite has to be tabbed, it might be defending champion Corona del Mar. Ten starters, including senior John Katovsich, a 6-foot 2-inch 220-pound running back/linebacker, return.

Although Corona del Mar lost quarterback Danny O’Neil (transfered to Mater Dei), the Sea Kings secured a quality transfer of their own in Chris Deuchar, a 6-3, 225-pound linebacker from Glendale Hoover.

Still, Sea King Coach Dave Holland is underplaying his team’s chances of repeating.

Said Holland: “It’s not a cinch, you know.”

Not in this league, anyway.

CORONA DEL MAR--The Sea Kings lost a pack of talented seniors in quarterbacks Mitch Melbon and Kurt Ehman, defensive linemen Todd Katovsich and Scott Sullivan, and linebackers Matt Patterson and Jeff Thomason.

And the loss of O’Neil--who will start at quarterback for Mater Dei this season--has to hurt. He led the Corona del Mar sophomore team to a 10-0 season last year.

But a strong offensive line returns, anchored by tackles Nathan Craig and Mickey Cohen. And Holland says his team is stronger and faster.

The uncertainty? Quarterback Ty Price, a left-hander who played defensive back last season. He never took a varsity snap, but then again, neither did O’Neil.

“Our strategy will balance running and passing, and we’ll try to play some good defense,” Holland said. “Our speed is better than last year, and we have good size. Other than that, it’s really too early to tell.”

ESTANCIA--In the past two years, the Eagles have gone 0-10 in the Sea View League, and have won only two games overall. “We’re at everybody’s homecoming,” Estancia Coach John Liebengood said.

When Liebengood came to Estancia three years ago, there were only nine players going out for the varsity and the team had to schedule times to get into the weight room.

Now the entire program lists 135 individuals and there is a new $50,000 weight room. “We did every a-thon you could think of to raise the funds,” Liebengood said, envisioning a better--if not bright--future.

That’s not to say Estancia is a contender--yet. But the Eagles do have a lot of good things going for them. They include:

Twelve returning starters, including junior running back Josh Wojtkiewicz, good speed in the backfield, and, according to Liebengood, a new feeling of pride and optimism.

“The underdog has to be us,” Liebengood said. “But, though it might not look like it, we’ve built up this program a lot in the last two years. The key to the answer here is to have one winning season, then we’ll be on our way. We’re looking for a great year.”

NEWPORT HARBOR--The Sailors have the league’s most valuable player, Tom Walker, a running back/strong safety who rushed for more than 800 yards last season in replacement of injured starter Scott Morency.

Two-way tackle Dain Magnall and wide receiver Jim Stanley, back from the knee injury that limited him all season, also return.

After that, depth and experience are problems.

“We have some skill people returning, but the big question mark for us is our people up front,” Sailor Coach Jeff Brinkley said. “We’re young and inexperienced in both the offensive and defensive lines. We just have to see how quick our kids mature and adapt to varsity football.”

If the Sailors are planning to adapt, they’d better do it quickly. Their season opener is Thursday against Santa Ana, one of the county’s top teams.

Newport Harbor’s size looks good at the line, especially if you’re looking up at junior Ian Long, a 6-6, 270-pound offensive tackle and son of Dallas Long, gold medal-winning shotputter in the 1964 Olympics.

Senior Tim Newberry will be the starting quarterback this year after playing backup last season. Running back Bobby Edwards will share duties with Walker.

“We’re going to try to win a championship,” Brinkley said. “We’re just going to go in and play hard, sneak in and sneak out.”

SADDLEBACK--Coach Jerry Witte says the main goal for his team is to make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

Though only six starters return, Saddleback has its usual quickness, especially from its linemen.

“They have quickness, lots of quickness,” Brinkley said. “They presented us with a lot of problems the last two years. I don’t see that changing.”

All-league returners Miguel Ochoa and Darrell Gipson lead Saddleback’s line, and Rory Smith and Ronnie Ramirez return as linebackers.

Offensively, Jeff Bianco will replace the graduated Sean Therien at quarterback, Mike Arroyos returns as the team’s top wide receiver and Beto Zavala, with 45-foot range, returns as kicker.

Kelvin Pickering, who runs the 40 in 4.8 seconds, will start at tailback. At 5-10, 200 pounds, he’s strong, fast and elusive--a tough match for any defense.

TUSTIN--In his fourth year as coach, Marion Ancich is, in his words, extremely optimistic.

“We have a tremendous force on our team,” Ancich said. “For the first time, we have size. And our team quickness is as good as we’ve ever had.”

The list of talented players runs deep. Monty Jones, a three-year starter, is the centerpiece of the offense. Jones will play quarterback, fullback, strong safety and punter.

Junior Danny Baker (6-3, 205), a left-hander, will fight for the starting quarterback spot with Jones. Baker, Ancich said, has tremendous potential. “He’s throwing as good as any quarterback we’ve ever had here,” he said.

Several transfers have added to Ancich’s confidence.

Casey Mazzotta, whose father Frank is a football coach at Cerritos College, is a talented defensive back/running back from St. Paul.

Aaron Cobb, a sophomore running back at Tustin in 1986, returned to Tustin after living a year in Alabama. Kyle Smith, a junior middle guard who bench presses 350 pounds, came from New Jersey.

Top defensive starters include: the team’s fastest player, defensive back Kevin Jurkowski; senior linebackers Chris Feliciano and Clayton Sellars and linemen John Brant and Ken Ammann.

Offensively, the Tillers will depend on sophomore running back Ron Goods, a 10.0 100-yard sprinter; sophomore fullback Visko Ancich and wide receivers Frank Mercuri and Brady Michel.

UNIVERSITY--The poster of the great white shark peers at visitors in University Coach Mark Cunningham’s office. It’s just a subtle reminder, Cunningham said, that he likes aggressive behavior. “They call me Shark,” he said.

But when asked about his team’s chances, Cunningham claims they’re not so dangerous.

“Some guy actually said we were a league contender,” he said.

“There’s no way. We don’t have a quarterback returning and we’ve lost almost our entire offensive line--where football games are won or lost.”

Returning are 12 starters, including Gary Smarr and Jim Roberson at running back, Marshall Francis at wide receiver, Jason Harris at tight end and Marko Rogan at tackle.

Rogan, a 6-7, 285-pound senior, is one of the biggest linemen in the county.

Junior Oliver, a cornerback last season, will be the quarterback.

“We lost three games last year in the last minute and a half,” Cunningham said. “And we lost to Corona del Mar in the last 30 seconds. We’ve been close . . . “

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEWS SEA VIEW LEAGUE

1987 Overall, League Record in Parenthesis

SCHOOL ’88 COMMENT Corona del Mar (6-6, 4-1) Success could ride on first-time quarterback Ty Price. Tustin (7-4-1, 3-1-1) Improved size, quickness and three good transfers. Saddleback (7-5-1, 3-1-1) May be league’s quickest team. Newport Harbor (8-4, 3-2) 1987 league MVP Tom Walker returns. University (4-6, 1-4) 12 starters, including 6-7 tackle Marko Rogan, return. Estancia (2-8, 0-5) Looking for first league victory in two years.