The High Schools : Glendale Looks to Fill Some White Space

Corey White, who averaged 5.5 yards a carry and scored four touchdowns as a junior at Glendale High last season, was expected to be one of the best running backs in the Pacific League. In fact, as recently as last week, a local publication ranked White among the top backs in the Valley.

There’s one problem: White no longer lives in the area. He moved to San Diego this summer because of an illness in his family. He plans to play at Lincoln, the school he attended as a freshman.

White approached Glendale Coach Don Shoemaker a day before spring practice and tearfully told him of the situation. Although disappointed by the loss, Shoemaker understood. “It was a family-type thing and you’ve got to respect that,” he said.

The Dynamiters have plenty of players hoping to fill White’s cleats, including Arsenio Guvarra, Hoover transfer Waki Jones, Min Cho and Hector Maya. White, 6-feet, 180 pounds, rushed for 558 yards in nine games last year.

Still, White’s transfer smarts. “He had an opportunity to really capture some headlines,” Shoemaker said.

Apparently, he still can.

Boomerang Brown: Leonice Brown ended speculation about where he would attend school when he showed up at Crespi for the football team’s first practice Monday.

Brown, who gained 122 yards in 25 carries as a reserve tailback last season, was declared ineligible to return to Crespi after failing a spring class but cleared his record by attending summer school at Montclair Prep. Earlier in the summer, he participated in one practice at San Fernando.

Crespi Coach Tim Lins said that no changes in the offense are planned as a result of Brown’s return. Senior Lucas Freeman, who had seven carries for 42 yards last season, is also vying for a starting job.

“We’re going to try to work (Brown) into our offense,” said Lins, who clocked him at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. “If he becomes a player, then maybe we’ll change.”

To play or not to play: Montclair Prep, which donned pads Thursday for the start of a promising season, will be without the services of Keyaan Cook who apparently has elected not to play football as a senior.

Cook, who passed for 638 yards as quarterback for the Mounties last season, was not in attendance for the official start of practice for Southern Section teams. Apparently, Cook has taken the advice of his brother Toi and will concentrate on baseball. Keyaan was the shortstop on the Mounties’ Alpha League champion team last season. Toi, a defensive back for the New Orleans Saints, played football and baseball at Montclair Prep and Stanford.

The news comes as a blow to Coach George Giannini who had planned to use Cook at outside linebacker this season. Giannini knew of Cook’s dilemma and asked for his services this fall through a personal letter.

“I’m very disappointed,” Giannini said. “I was surprised. I’d have bet my money that he was going to show up.”

Giannini will now pencil in Chris Portugal, a 6-1, 185-pound sophomore, at outside linebacker.

“We’re not going to look in the past,” Giannini said. “We’ve got our program rolling along at Montclair and we’re excited.”

Changing of the guard: Tim Beidle is the new man on the job at Canyon, succeeding Rod Baltau as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback. The senior played last season behind Baltau, who passed for 2,099 yards.

“He’s been groomed for the position,” Coach Harry Welch said of Beidle.

Beidle (5-10, 155) played in six games last season and completed seven of 12 passes for 94 yards and one touchdown. He threw one interception.

Weighty issue: Senior tailback Chris Peery weighed in at 216 pounds this summer, 20 pounds lighter than he was at the start of last season. Peery’s weight reduction, however, was not the result of a crash diet or fasting frenzy, according to Welch. Peery simply reported to practice in shape.

“He just happens to be a big kid,” Welch said of Peery, who stands 6 feet, 1 inch. “He’s always had good moves, but now they seem to flow. We threw to him a little bit more in the summer time. Certainly, Chris Peery is going to get the call most of the time.”

Add weight: Anthony Hess, a senior offensive tackle at Quartz Hill, is 6-foot-7, 285 pounds. That’s right, 6-7, 285.

Hess, who transferred last year from North Dakota, started at tackle on offense and defense last season. This season, Coach John Albee said that Hess likely will play exclusively on offense.

“He had a so-so year as a junior,” Albee said. “But he’s got all the potential in the world.”