Good-Hands People Stand Out Among Stars : HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

“Ask and ye shall receive” could well be the motto of a group of Glendale-area players who will certainly be doing a lot of asking and should do a lot of receiving this fall.

Wide receiver Lamar Lovett, a Franklin High senior, is probably the top player in the Glendale area. Rated the 18th-best high school player in Super Prep magazine Farwest region, Lovett will attempt to lead Franklin to its fourth City Section title of the decade.

The smaller, eight-man schools, also boast a top receiver. Senior David Swayne caught 12 touchdown passes for Flintridge Prep last year and has more than 20 in his career.

Other top Glendale-area receivers include Jorge Dominguez of Pater Noster, Kevin Hurley of St. Francis and Joe Letscher of Verdugo Hills.

A look at the area’s teams:

With four All-City Section quarterbacks in the 1980s, Franklin has developed a reputation as a quarterback factory under Coach Armando Gonzalez. The latest in the line is Santiago Alvarez.

Last season, as a junior, Alvarez (6 feet, 175 pounds) succeeded Franklin’s previous All-City quarterback, Ronnie Lopez, and threw for more than 1,700 yards. He also led the Panthers to the City Section 3-A semifinals and an 11-1 record (7-0 in the Northeastern Conference).

With the graduation of Lamont Lovett, the first City player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, Franklin will look to Alvarez even more.

“Last year, we were more like 70-30% runs and passes,” said Tony Gordine, Franklin’s assistant offensive coordinator. “This year, since our quarterback has matured, we’re looking to throw the ball a little more.”

Alvarez’s prime target will be fellow senior Lamar Lovett, Lamont’s brother. A Times All-Glendale pick at wide receiver, Lamar (5-10, 175) caught 26 passes for 456 yards and four touchdowns. He also played free safety, intercepting seven passes.

Lovett welcomes several teammates back to the Panther defense, ranked No. 1 in the City last year. Senior nose guard Thang Hua (6-2, 230), a Times All-Glendale selection, plugs the middle of a veteran defensive line and Steve Rosenburg (6-3, 260), a senior defensive tackle, also returns.

“Our whole defensive line is intact,” Gordine said. “Our defensive line you can’t block one on one.”

Senior Ralph Ortiz (5-9, 160) intercepted five passes last year and will once again start at cornerback. Mark Loera (6-2, 195) has started at tight end and will play inside linebacker and tight end.

Despite being upset in the City semifinals last year, Franklin is “looking to get back up there,” Gordine said.

Returning starters at quarterback and fullback, as well as a strong offensive line, should revive La Canada (4-6, 2-3 in the Rio Hondo League) after the Spartans struggled on offense last year.

Senior fullback Paul Traughber (6-2, 205) was a second-team Rio Hondo League selection and will be the key to the La Canada attack.

“He’s got to carry the ball and gain some yards for us,” La Canada Coach Nic Larez said of Traughber, who also plays linebacker. “We’ll depend heavily on him.”

Senior Jim Chambliss (5-9, 165) will once again start at quarterback, and Geoff Yale (6-2, 230) has locked up a starting position at offensive tackle for the second year in a row.

“Our offensive line should be pretty good,” Larez said. “We’re a little ahead offensively, which is a reversal, but we need to be.”

Richard Oh (5-8, 170), a senior defensive lineman Larez describes as “very quick,” is one of La Canada’s defensive standouts. Senior cornerback Greg Busta (5-6, 150) was second-team all-league last year.

Larez reported that Chris Playmann (6-4, 175), a junior safety, could also surprise.

“We’re looking pretty good,” Larez said. “We’re a little injured right now, beat up a little, but we’re further along than the last two years.”

Flintridge Prep finds itself moving forward just to stay in place.

Though Flintridge Prep Coach Glen Beattie believes the Rebels (3-5) will be improved, he would be happy to match his team’s 2-2 record in the Prep League, an eight-man football circuit.

“We have a great team, but everyone else is looking good, too,” Beattie said. “We’ll be a lot better this year. I think our experience this year will pull us through the close ones.”

Despite playing for an eight-man team, senior quarterback Chris Bisgaard (6-4, 205) has drawn recruiters from Brigham Young and Washington, among other schools. Bisgaard threw for more than 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior.

His favorite target is wide receiver David Swayne (6-1, 170), a senior who caught 63 passes and scored 12 touchdowns last season. Swayne also plays free safety, where he notched eight interceptions.

Senior fullback J. J. Robinson (5-11, 190) will be counted on to rejuvenate the Rebel running attack.

“He’ll be carrying the load this year,” Beattie said. “We hope to have at least 1,000 yards on the ground.”

Flintridge graduated only four players, and senior guards Mitch Miller (6-2, 204) and Thomas Li (5-10, 190) return to make the offensive line a strength.

Senior Shaun Kunisaki (5-10, 175) has been moved from linebacker to cornerback.

A new coach with some old ties is trying to bring a winning attitude to Pater Noster (1-9, 0-6 in the Santa Fe League).

Jerry Razo is in his first year as the Eagles’ varsity coach, but he compiled a 21-6 record in three years as Pater Noster’s junior varsity coach. His current squad includes many of the athletes he had on his JV teams, and Razo hopes their previous success will carry over to varsity victories.

“For a long time there was an attitude where they didn’t really care about winning,” Razo said. “We think we’re changing that attitude. At least they’re seeing what it takes to be winners.”

Junior Mike Avalos (5-10, 160) started at quarterback for the JV team last year and will run the varsity offense this season. Senior Jorge Dominguez (5-11, 170) is the top returning receiver with 33 receptions. He also plays cornerback.

“We feel we’re going to have a pretty good passing game, and our running game will be fair,” Razo said. “Our defense will be good. We’re not very big, but they’re quick.”

Only five seniors start, and one is free safety Jerome Jeramillo (6-1, 180), who intercepted six passes as a junior. Senior Ruben Maldonado (5-8, 160) plays fullback and linebacker.

A pair of sophomores, Edgar Leon (5-10, 180) and Eddie Bermudez (5-11, 210), man the inside linebacker spots. Razo is particularly high on Bermudez, who bench-presses 295 pounds.

“The ones that are seniors and juniors right now I had as freshmen and sophomores,” Razo said. “They have confidence in me. We’re going to be OK this year. We’ll be better than 1-9.”

After last season, when Eagle Rock’s equipment was stolen and Dennis Arnett was named head coach only after two-a-days had begun, Arnett says things can only improve for the Eagles (1-8, 1-3 in the Northern League).

“Last year was a really bad situation,” Arnett said. “I think we’ll have a lot better season this year. We have a much more talented team.

“They’ll definitely do better. They can’t do any worse.”

The Eagles ground game will be led by junior tailback Arin Dunn (5-8, 150) and senior fullback Dean Bednar (5-10, 185). Michael Muriello will pull double duty at outside linebacker and tight end.

Senior Ramon Hernandez (5-9, 185) is a returning starter at linebacker, and Arnett is excited about junior Robert Mancilla (5-9, 150) at cornerback.

“We have a small defense so we’ll play a quick defense,” Arnett said. “We’ll move around a lot, do a lot of stunts.”

Glendale returns just five starters, giving Coach Don Shoemaker a clean slate with which to work.

After winning their first three games last season, the Dynamiters unraveled and lost their next six, finishing 4-6 overall and 1-4 in league play. The problem, Shoemaker says, was lack of team unity. This season, the coach has instituted a training table and movie nights to pull the team together--a Herculean task considering 32 languages are spoken at the school.

Shoemaker’s plight was complicated this summer when starting tailback Corey White--one of the league’s best backs--moved to San Diego.

The Dynamiters’ strongest suit might be their weighty offensive line, which features three returning starters: junior Albert Ocon (6-2, 270), an all-league performer last season; senior guard Buddy Brewer (6-1, 210); and center Albert Moukian (5-9, 200). Senior Eric Gurney (6-1, 195) and junior Bill Tuttle (6-0 190) will compete for the tight end job.

The quarterback situation is clouded, and the situation at running back is even fuzzier. Senior Robert Kulp, the back-up quarterback last season, is vying with Eric Keisau, last year’s JV starter. According to Shoemaker, Kulp probably has a stronger arm and more mobility while Keisau has more experience and field savvy.

Junior Axel Nielsen might split duties as receiver and tailback and, possibly, quarterback. Those lining up for backfield spots include Arsenio Guvarra (5-9, 160), Hoover transfer Waki Jones (6-2, 190), Min Cho (5-9, 230) and Hector Maya (5-9, 200).

Glendale’s top defensive players include linemen Gurney and Iggie Gurra and linebackers Brewer, Moukian and Alan Arreano.

Despite averaging a meager 59 passing yards and 98 rushing yards a game, Crescenta Valley finished 3-7 overall, 2-3 in league play--higher than Glendale and Hoover.

But Coach Jim Beckenhauer will have to do without 10 starters who weighed 200 pounds or more. This year Beckenhauer has just two such players, and only one--tight end Shane Cowsill (6-2, 220)--is penciled in as a starter. Marty Taix, a 5-9, 165-pound tackle, and guard Clark Dunn (5-10, 175) return to anchor an otherwise green and feather-light offensive line.

Senior Ryan Kadletz (6-1, 175), who completed two passes in limited action last season, will start at quarterback. Jason Schwaiger (5-10, 170), a junior who moves up from the sophomore team, will play fullback. All-league defensive back Javier Pimentel and fellow corner Aaron Erickson will also start at the receiver spots.

Pat Kennelly, who has had operations on both knees, might be the saving grace of the Falcon defense. He is the lone linebacker that remains from last year’s trio, which was the best in the league. Others vying for linebacker spots include Schwaiger, Dunn and Sergio Pimentel (5-6, 145). Paul Baik, all 6-2, 165 pounds of him, moves from safety to the defensive line.

Damon Martin carries some weight with his foot, however--he returns after booting 10 of 10 extra points and five of seven field-goal tries last season.

The diminutive Falcons--the smallest in Beckenhauer’s memory--will have a tough time handling bigger teams such as Muir and Pasadena. Still, the coach remains optimistic. “You can’t sit and moan about it,” he said. “We’re going to have to block a little differently. Maybe throw a little bit more. You’ve got to make due with what you have.”

Coach Dennis Hughes has had no problem finding players who want to try their hand at running Hoover’s option offense. Jim Cottrell, Ernie Vega, Curtis Kang and Rene Gabri have lined up for the quarterback job and Hughes knows just the test to determine the starter--defensive end Rich Humphrey.

“We’ve got big Richie coming down to smack them in the mouth a few times and we’re going to find out real quick,” Hughes said.

Hughes is smacking his lips about the potential of senior running backs Mark Garza, James Potter, Shawn Mays and Stanley Baires.

Hughes has even promised Humphrey--the Tornadoes best lineman--a chance at playing fullback. But chances are Humphrey (6-3, 225) will be needed more on the offensive and defensive lines. “The injury and fatigue factors with the lines have got me real concerned,” Hughes said.

Senior linebacker Steve Rhee (5-11, 205), who might be the best defensive player, relieves some of that concern, as does linebacker Robert Clarizio, lineman Charley Barnes and defensive backs Garza and Potter.

Although Hoover, which finished 1-8 (1-5 in league play) last season, might be rich at the skill positions, the success of Hughes’ option offense rests on a shaky line. A few hobbled linemen could trip up the entire team. Still, Hughes is optimistic because, he says, Hoover has better speed and more experienced players than in years past.

Just what type of talent does St. Francis have? None of the Del Rey League coaches seem to know. . . including first-year Coach Bill Garrison, who was an assistant at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last season.

Not only is Garrison unfamiliar with his personnel, he is unsure about what to expect from the competition. “From what people have told me, the schedule that we’re playing is down but I sure can’t tell,” he said.

The Golden Knights, who finished 4-7, 2-2, are definitely up at fullback as returning starter Pete Morales (6-0, 210), a second-team all-league player who gained 341 yards in 76 carries last season, will start. Senior Frank Lima (5-10, 195) and junior Larry Duenas (6-0, 200) will also see time.

Those three might be hanging on the belt loop of tackle Richard Portillo (6-0, 255), the only other returning offensive starter. “If we’ve got one returning lineman, it’s not going to take people long to figure where we’re going to go,” Garrison said.

Strong safety Kevin Hurley--the lone returning starter on defense and probably the Knights’ best athlete--and senior cornerback Mike Torres (6-3, 180) will double as receivers. The linebacker corps, including Frank Lima (5-10, 195), Marty Konrad (6-2, 200) and Rob Centrone (5-10, 185) might be the defensive strong suit.

Said Garrison of his first head coaching job: “I’m hopping into the fishbowl, but that’s expected.”

Chances are, his debut will be better than that of the Knights’ last season--they gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown to Burroughs on the first play of the first game.

Charley Mack coached the Verdugo Hills B team last year and is bringing many of his former players with him to the varsity.

Senior Darrell Evans quarterbacked the B team last year and will challenge Lance Novac (6-0, 190) for the job. Novak, one of the team’s top athletes, may play tight end or move to running back.

Verdugo Hills will emphasize the short passing game, and tiny Joe Letscher (5-6, 160) , a standout two-way player from the B team, will lead the receiver corps.

The team’s toughest player is senior Mike McDonagh (6-0, 210), who will play fulback and anchor the defense at linebacker. Senior Daryl Weber (5-9, 210) returns at center.

The Dons have half a dozen 200-pound players, an improvement from last year, but a power game remains out of the question. Said Mack: “We’re going to rely on small players who are fighters.”

Mack will try to use a two-platoon system to keep his players rested, but with only 60 players in the entire program, including the B team, he might not be afforded that luxury.

Mack has established lowered expectations for his first year: no blowouts. “Our goal is to be competitive and play tough in each game. We want players to enjoy the experience and come back next year. I plan on being here a while and I want to build a program,” he said.

Mack also wants to eradicate the team’s image as a forgotten school. “We want to get away from that attitude that Verdugo Hills is in the middle of nowhere and no one cares about us,” he said. “We don’t want other schools to take us for granted.”