HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEWS: SOUTHERN SECTION : Besides Johnson, Ballcarriers Prove an Anonymous Bunch

The behemoth offensive lines are still around. They always are.

The defenses are still around, too. But in the Marmonte League, where running backs are held in the same esteem as Mike Tyson is at Rolls-Royce repair shops, there is a changing of the guard.

Among the four tailbacks who rushed for at least 1,000 yards in 1987, only Channel Islands’ John Johnson returns.

In fact, of the ballcarriers who ran for 500 or more yards, only Johnson is a holdover.

Although that appears to give the Raiders a distinct advantage in their quest to repeat as league champions, even they have gaps in the backfield. Specifically, the one left by their fullback-by-committee (E. J. Miller, Mike Campos and Reggie Williams), which accounted for 1,548 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.

Johnson, however, seems poised for his second consecutive league rushing title. He accounted for 1,672 yards and 27 touchdowns in 171 carries in 1987.

Thousand Oaks’ Marc Monestime, who last season became Ventura County’s career rushing leader, gained 1,636 yards in 120 more carries as Johnson’s closest competition.

But Monestime is gone, spending his first year at Montana as a redshirt. Westlake’s Noel Baker has moved on to Moorpark College, as has Simi Valley’s Tony Kerr and Camarillo’s Bill Bell. Kerr rushed for 1,482 yards, Bell for 1,454 and Baker for 742. Monestime’s backfield mate, Mike Moore, gained 771 yards and also will play at Moorpark. Also lost to graduation were Royal’s Chad Sourbeer, who rushed for 829 yards, and Newbury Park’s Darrin Jelly, who led the Panthers with 414 yards.

“I guess we go in these short cycles,” Channel Islands Coach Joel Gershon said of the league. “Two or three years ago, nobody ever heard of Bill Bell or Marc Monestime, but we may be at the start of a new cycle.

“I don’t think you’d be going out on a limb in saying that the last few years, the Marmonte League running backs were exceptional.”

At Thousand Oaks, Coach Bob Richards will do more than dip into his 9-0-1 junior varsity to replace the talented backfield that carried the Lancers to the Coastal Conference title. Senior David Kuenstle and juniors Steve Rudisill and Mike Lindsay, a transfer from Westlake, will attempt to fill two rather sizable holes.

Whoever takes handoffs from senior quarterback Anthony Gonzales will have the luxury of running behind linemen Rick McCathron (6-4, 245), Lance Burch (6-1, 227) and Mark Floyd (6-1, 235). Thousand Oaks’ line could challenge Channel Islands’ as the best in the league.

If not the best, Camarillo has the league’s largest offensive line. Coach Carl Thompson will start Tony Rivas (6-4, 250), Kevin Wilson (6-4, 235), Brad Williams (6-5, 225), Ken Kibble (6-3, 215) and Sergio Estrada (6-5, 240). It is likely that Thompson will be satisfied if fullback Roger Teoli and sophomore tailback Kris Kirksey combine for Bell’s 1987 yardage total.

Seniors Brett Ropes and Wes Nathaniel are the quarterback candidates. Defensive lineman Brent Heninger (5-11, 205) will lead the defense.

Westlake’s season of peaks and valleys ended as it did each of the past five: without a playoff berth. The Warriors peaked in a 7-6 upset of Thousand Oaks then proceeded to drop games to Camarillo and Channel Islands. Coach George Contreras has dedicated this season to ending the playoff drought.

“We’re dwelling on that,” said Contreras, who is the only head coach in Westlake’s 11 years of football.

Contreras, typically, will field a small, quick team. Keith Burke, who scored the only touchdown in the victory over Thousand Oaks, will replace Baker at fullback.

Contreras disputes the notion that the league lacks running backs this season.

“I don’t think it’s an off year,” he said. “We just have some kids with a little less experience.

Added Contreras: “Whoever becomes the tailback at Thousand Oaks, if that kid is a starter and they run the same offense, the kid can’t help but put up decent numbers. But, other than Johnny Johnson, there isn’t any real dominant kid.”

Simi Valley Coach Dave Murphy has to replace Kerr, but he might have an even more difficult task: Murphy has to replace every offensive starter from his 4-5-1 team of 1987. Five defensive players return.

Senior Lamont Harris is projected as the starting running back. Harris, who rushed for 79 yards in 15 carries, received little playing time last season because the Pioneers were involved in several close games, making Kerr virtually irreplaceable.

Simi Valley opens with Ventura, Montclair Prep and Agoura before starting its league season against Thousand Oaks and Channel Islands.

“We definitely feel that by mid-season we’ll be a real good team,” Murphy said.

Other than Channel Islands, the team least affected by attrition is Newbury Park, which did not have much of a running game to lose. The Panthers were the only league team to gain more yardage passing than rushing, and they did so convincingly, 1,453 yards to 613. Quarterback Wayne Cook and his Division I arm returns. Unfortunately, his 42 sacks a year ago were the Panthers’ most telling statistic.

Newbury Park must beef up its protection, if not to improve its 1-8-1 record, then for Cook’s physical well-being.

First-year Coach Gene Uebelhardt is rebuilding in its entirety a Royal program that last made the playoffs in 1983. The Highlanders have won two league games since. A renaissance will not happen quickly, but Uebelhardt has been uttering words like, “rejuvenation,” “fundamentals,” and “dedication.”

“We’re not the Channel Islands and Thousand Oaks yet,” Uebelhardt said, “but that’s where we’d like to go. Until then, there will be no predictions out of this office.”

MARMONTE LEAGUE Predicted Finish

1. Channel Islands (9-1)

2. Thousand Oaks (8-2)

3. Westlake (7-3)

4. Camarillo (6-4)

5. Simi Valley (5-5)

6. Newbury Park (3-7)

7. Royal (1-9)

Predicted record in parentheses.