Erik Evans: El Segundo’s Versatile Scoring Machine : Tailback Leads Area Scorers With 133 Points

As if Erik Evans really needed to score more points, he started working on his kicking game in earnest two weeks ago.

Evans, El Segundo High School’s star tailback and the South Bay’s leading scorer, apparently isn’t happy with only touchdowns and extra points anymore. He’s already a threat to light up the scoreboard by carrying the ball across the goal line or catching it in the end zone. He can return a punt or a kickoff the length of the field for a TD if you’re not careful.

But now, he’s got to throw in field goals.

“It used to be that kicking was just the fun part of the game for me,” said the versatile Evans, whose 133 points are tops in the South Bay. “We never used to practice it much.”

That is, until El Segundo soccer Coach Mike Collin volunteered to work with the Eagles’ kicking squad.

“It’s gotten to the point where Erik is terrorizing the league with his all-around athletic ability,” said El Segundo Coach Steve Newell.

All-around is right. Evans is giving new meaning to multipurpose . He starts at tailback and on the field for kickoffs, extra points and field goals. And he’s the Eagles’ most dangerous punt and kick returner.

“Now and then we let him rest for a little bit,” Newell said.

He was only half-joking. Evans gets only an occasional breather on defense. The rest of the game he’s making the most of his time on the field.

Like last week, when Evans rushed for 241 yards and 4 TDs in the Eagles’ 41-0 victory over Cantwell of Montebello. The Eagles improved to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Santa Fe League, and the shutout of Cantwell was the fifth consecutive shutout logged by El Segundo’s defense.

Not too many defenses, however, have had much success in stopping the 5-11, 180-pound Evans. He’s carried the ball 118 times this fall for 838 yards--7.1 yards per play--despite the fact that he’s El Segundo’s most blatant offensive threat.

Not only that, but Evans has scored more points already this season than 10 entire teams in the South Bay--more than North Torrance (126), Morningside (124), Miraleste (107), West Torrance (93), Gardena (92), San Pedro (90), Mira Costa (88), Torrance (67), Inglewood (55), and Narbonne (23).

The senior tailback has scored 14 touchdowns on the ground, 2 on passes from quarterback Matt Wise and another on a 45-yard punt return. He has missed only one of 21 extra point attempts.

“Erik’s a marked man,” Newell said. “Everyone’s after him. And it’s not just the position they’re trying to stop. They’re trying to stop Erik Evans.”

Evans is the thoroughbred in a multiple-formation backfield that also features Wise, junior fullback Garret Quaintance and sophomore tailbacks Don Smith and Danny Manjarrez. Although he’s not an overpowering runner, Evans has 4.6-second speed in the 40-yard dash and a pair of strong legs that can dig for extra turf.

“He’s a complete runner,” Newell said. “He can run the ball at your defense anywhere--inside or outside. He’s got the strength to break tackles, and if he gets daylight, he’s gone.”

Evans established himself as a hard-nosed tailback in the middle of his junior year, during El Segundo’s Cinderella season. The Eagles reached the semifinals of the Northwestern Conference playoffs despite an enrollment of only 650 students. They fell in the semis, 26-16, to Burroughs of Burbank.

This year, Evans picked up right where he left off in the 1987 dream season.

He caught a pair of touchdown passes and ran for three more scores as El Segundo routed Mira Costa, 41-0, in the season opener. He added five PATs. It was the first of the Eagles’ six shutouts this year.

In that game, Evans sliced out of the Eagles I formation, ran over a tackler at the line and broke down the left sideline for 66 yards and a TD. Since then, opponents have watched him carefully, especially after El Segundo’s deluxe senior flanker, Donovan Gallatin, went down with a broken thumb the next game.

“It would make a big difference if we still had Donovan,” Newell said. “That would take the pressure off Erik, instead of telegraphing it every time we go to him.”

Evans uses his quickness to sidestep tacklers.

“I’m not much of a power runner,” Evans said. “If I have to go through someone, I will. But I’d rather get outside and go, just get away from people and run. Anything as long as I don’t get hit.”

It’s a smart attitude. But then again, Evans is a bright young man. He’s got a 3.0 grade-point average and a whole lot of athletic ability--Evans plays center field for El Segundo’s baseball team. It’s no surprise that more than a few colleges have expressed interest in him.

Evans has his favorites among them.

He is attracted to West Point. Evans and Army Coach Jim Young have expressed mutual interest over the telephone.

And then there is the University of Hawaii. The Rainbows sent Evans a player profile questionnaire in August, which he eagerly filled out. He’s just as eagerly awaiting more contact from Hawaii.

“Erik can definitely play Division I college football,” Newell said. “It’s just a matter of whether he’d be better suited for offense or defense. But he’s definitely getting a real good look from the scouts and he’s impressing people.”

Evans said another option would be to play for El Camino College for 2 years before transferring to a 4-year college.

But if Evans had his druthers, he’d probably attend Hawaii, if he could go on a football scholarship. He’s vacationed in the Islands six times with his family, will visit the Hawaii campus in January and can’t think of anything better than lounging on Kaanapali Beach in Maui and bodysurfing off that beach’s Black Rock.

Hawaii appeals to a side of Evans that most people never get a chance to see on the football field.

“I just love the lazy, laid-back attitude they have over there,” Evans said. “I love the whole atmosphere--the ocean, the way the Hawaiian people live.

“I guess I can be lazy. At times.”