THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES : Tonight’s Football Games : Saddleback Gets Shot in Spotlight : Gauchos Play Key Game Tonight Against Rancho Santiago

Saddleback College has quietly had a nice little season so far. The Gauchos are 7-1 overall and 3-0 in Mission Conference Central Division play.

Saddleback is tied with Fullerton for first place in the division with 2 games left. But the Gauchos have gone almost unnoticed because of Fullerton, which is 8-0 and the top-ranked team in the state. Saddleback is ranked eighth.

Well, Saddleback finally gets its turn in the spotlight.

The Gauchos will play their two most important games of the season, beginning tonight at 7 in Santa Ana Stadium against Rancho Santiago (6-1-1 overall and 2-1 in divisional play). Saddleback plays Fullerton at home next Saturday.

“Rancho Santiago, along with Fullerton, is one of the most balanced teams around,” Saddleback Coach Ken Swearingen said. “It will be a little tougher this week.”

The game is also important for Rancho Santiago, which could get a share of the division title with some help.

The Dons would have to defeat Saddleback and then Orange Coast in their final game and have Saddleback upset Fullerton to create a 3-way tie for first place.

Rancho Santiago comes in with the conference’s top offense, averaging 395 yards a game. Saddleback will counter with a vastly improved defense that has moved eight spots from last to eighth in the conference in total defense. Saddleback has allowed an average of 314 yards a game and a conference-low 93 points this season.

In other Central Division games:

Fullerton at Riverside, 7 p.m.--The pressure is building for Fullerton, which moved to No. 2 in the national J.C. Grid-Wire poll behind Arizona Glendale this week. Fullerton is coming off an emotional 24-17 victory over Rancho Santiago. Iowa Ellsworth, which was ranked No. 1 all season, lost to Michigan Grand Rapids, 17-12, to allow Fullerton to move up.

“I can never remember a team here experiencing a letdown this late in the season,” Fullerton Coach Hal Sherbeck said. “You may get them early in the season, but not when you are so close to a goal you’re trying to achieve. I’m sure our players will be ready.”

Fullerton also has to guard against looking ahead to its Nov. 19 game against Saddleback.

Fullerton leads the conference in defense, allowing 219 yards a game. But Riverside, the only conference team that runs the option, could cause problems. Riverside quarterback Randy Payne has completed only 39% of his passes (39 of 99 for 864 yards), but has rushed for 304 yards and 9 touchdowns. William Smith leads Riverside in rushing with 616 yards.

Orange Coast vs. Golden West at Orange Coast, 7 p.m.--Pride and the victory bell--given annually to the winner of this game--are about all that’s on the line because both teams are well out of the conference race. Blaise Bryant of Golden West is the top back in the state with 1,192 yards. But the OCC defense has done well against the conference’s better backs. OCC held Fullerton’s Jeff Andrews, the second leading back in the conference, to 62 yards. Mt. San Antonio’s Leonard Russell, third best in the conference, had only 52 yards against OCC.

The game also will feature the worst offense in the conference, OCC, against the second-worst defense, Golden West. OCC is averaging 220 yards a game and Golden West is giving up 365. Only Palomar (377) is worse.