COLLEGES : Big Question Among South Bay Colleges--Can Warriors Repeat?

Many, including El Camino College football Coach John Featherstone, wonder what the Warriors can do for an encore this year. Topping last year’s 11-0 season will be difficult for the state champs even with 34 returning players, a crop of talented freshman and three Pac-10 transfers.

“To go through a whole season undefeated,” Featherstone said, “is a dream. You can’t realistically think that you’re going to come back and do the same thing. Right now we’re not going to worry about a national championship or a divisional championship. We’re just going to take each game as it comes.”

Featherstone’s main concern is choosing a quarterback, since El Camino lost all-American Dan Spletz, who will play at Cal State Fullerton this year.

Sophomore Scott Yessner, Spletz’s backup last year, and redshirt Frank Dolce from Culver City High are expected to fill the void.

“They’re two outstanding candidates,” Featherstone said. “I’m very pleased with their workout this spring and summer. They’re both very capable and very smart.” Whoever earns the starting spot will have four experienced receivers to work with. Bryan Burnett, Mike Jones, Treamelle Taylor and Greg West return from last year’s squad.

Passing however, won’t be the core of El Camino’s offense, according to Featherstone. The Warriors have four of last year’s top running backs to move the ball on the ground: all-conference tailback Aaron Craven, Brian Conners, Neil Tuihalamaka and Richard Harrison, who rushed for 230 yards against Mt. San Antonio College last year.

“We really feel we’ve evolved into a very balanced football team,” Featherstone said. “Traditionally we’ve been a throwing team, but I think we can be very good at running the ball.”

The young El Camino offensive line will be anchored by all-conference center Pat Hunt, who is 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds. Guard Mark Merritt ((6-foot-3, 240 pounds) and tackle Tim Drevno (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) are the other key players from last year’s squad.

Defensively, the Warriors are in good shape with four returning starters. All-conference defensive back Larry Bonner and all-conference linebacker Tui Suiaunaoalong with linebackers Paul Hill and Edwin Ulufanoa should cause trouble for any offense.

They’re expected to do that on Saturday in the season opener against South Bay rival L.A. Harbor College.

The Seahawks are in much better shape this season, according to second-year Coach Chris Ferragamo. He’s put his team through an intense spring and summer weight workout that he says has improved players’ performances.

“Last year,” said Ferragamo, who won eight L.A. City 4-A football titles at Banning High, “we had no real strength. We had a very physically weak team because we didn’t have a weight program. We’ve since established a very intense weight program.”

Experience should also help the Seahawks improve on last season’s 2-7-1 record. Twenty players from last year’s squad are back.

“Nothing (from last season) is a loss this year,” Ferragamo said. “Everything is a gain. We have a much, much better team this year with much more strength.”

Defense will be Harbor’s strong point since three of last year’s best linemen are on the roster and two top freshman have been added.

Aaron Pulliam, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound all-league linebacker, should be effective in his new position at down tackle. Jason Wyatt (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and Jimmy DeloSantos (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) will play at linebacker and free safety.

The two key freshmen are Kevin Johnson from Westchester High and Reggie Fennell from Carson High.

Sophomore Eddie Lopez will run the offense for the Seahawks. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound quarterback was a third-string tight end last year who started the last two games of the season at quarterback.

“He’s definitely unknown,” Ferragamo said, “as far as being a quarterback. But we’ve spent the last six months intensifying and strengthening him. He can throw 75 yards right on the money.”

Archie Jean is expected to receive most of the Lopez bombs. At 5-foot-9, 185-pounds, the sophomore is known for his great speed. Michael Williams, a 5-foot-11, 155-pound receiver, is also expected to do a great deal of catching.

“We’re really anxious to get out there,” Ferragamo said. “To be able to play a team like El Camino is really exciting for us. We just hope we can play a good ball game.”

Los Angeles Southwest Coach Henry Washington is also excited about Saturday, when his team opens the season at home against Rio Hondo college.

He expects an improvement of last year’s 3-7 record, in which team inexperience played a big part because the school didn’t have football in 1986.

“We were all freshmen,” Washington said, “and only four sophomores. We’re more ready this year. I could see that in spring practice.”

The Cougars’ strength will be offense, although they lost three linemen who were expected to return but dropped out of school.

Washington is relying on quarterback Herman Tatum and all-conference wide receiver Tim Campbell to do most of the driving.

Tatum is a 6-foot, 185-pound transfer from Compton College, and Campbell caught 40 passes last year for an average of 12 yards a catch.

Fred Leslie will also add to Southwest’s offense. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound cornerback and return specialist will play at tailback this year.

“We’re just going to try and put some points on the board,” Washington said, “and keep our fingers crossed.”

Defensively, the Cougars will suffer the loss of two top linebackers who also dropped out of school. All-conference linebacker William Richardson (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) will feel the pressure along with the freshmen who will help him pick up the slack.

“We do have the replacements,” Washington said, “it’s just a matter of how fast they come along.”

Southwest will play at 1 p.m., while the El Camino-Harbor game starts at 7:30 p.m. at El Camino.