FOOTBALL ’89 : NORTHWEST VALLEY CONFERENCE : WEST VALLEY LEAGUE

Canoga Park

COACH: Rudy Lugo, 4th year

LAST SEASON: 1-8; 4th in league, 0-7

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Lugo praises junior David Erhardt (6-2, 180) as “probably the most talented quarterback I’ve ever seen in high school.” Erhardt completed 71 of 167 passes for 795 yards and four touchdowns last year. But he’ll need blocking. “Last year, a lot of the time he was running for his life,” Lugo said. Senior tackle Bob Moose (6-2, 230) is a Division I prospect but might be forced to play on defense, too. Senior Doug Kreider (5-9, 175) returns at center and is a good pass blocker. Senior wide receiver Reynaldo Gallegos (5-10, 150) is elusive and has good hands. Junior Hugo Escamilla (5-8, 180) will double as a kicker and fullback. Senior linebacker Elvis Palacios also will play at fullback. Twins Dalton and Darrin Payne, both 5-10, 155 and juniors, are potential deep threats. Junior guard-linebacker Brian Bolognia (5-11, 175), who played on the B team last year, and senior running back-defensive end Calvin Williams are typical of several players: They start both ways. Explained Lugo: “We’re down in numbers.”

OUTLOOK: Canoga Park was outscored, 217-80, last season. Consequently, Lugo is stressing ball control. “We’re in a pretty tough 4-A league,” he said. “You’re never in easy. We’ll have to keep things really simple.”

Cleveland

COACH: Steve Landress, 5th year

LAST SEASON: 5-5; 2nd in league, 4-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Look for Cleveland to run the ball with senior tailback Pat Bryant (5-11, 185) carrying the load and offensive linemen Curtis Hudson (6-1, 255), a senior, and Warren Whitaker (5-10, 210), a junior, leading the way. Bryant rushed for 276 yards in 46 carries last year in part-time duty. “He is as good an athlete as I’ve ever coached,” Landress said. He called Hudson “the best guard in the City.” Junior Jon Palacio (5-10, 220), senior tackle Dave Unger (6-3, 225), a starter last year, and junior tight end Lance Johnson (6-0, 195) all are strong and should help the Cavaliers’ ground attack. Senior fullback Lamont Roberson (6-0, 195) moves into a starting role this season. Senior flanker Roderick McMillan (5-11, 165), who was ineligible last season, is expected to play this fall. Left-hander Steve Bryant (5-11, 180), a senior, is the quarterback. On defense, three-year starter Vincent Johnson (5-8, 165) heads the secondary and senior Will Johnson III (6-0, 235) is the team’s best linebacker. Al Martinez (6-2, 220) returns as another starting linebacker. Senior nose guard Eric Young (5-7, 235) anchors the line.

OUTLOOK: The Cavaliers have talent but little depth. “It’s just going to depend on injuries,” Landress said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we won the league and it wouldn’t surprise me--if a few guys got hurt--if we wound up on the seat of our pants.” Pat Bryant and good blocking should be more than enough to lead Cleveland into the playoffs.

El Camino Real

COACH: Ralph Stam and Mike Maio, 2nd year

LAST SEASON: 4-7; 3rd in league, 2-5

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Conquistadores are small--not in numbers but size. Center Ed Yates (5-10, 185) returns, as does guard Tony Candella (5-7, 165), and both typify the team’s undersized front. Senior wide receiver Aaron Guerrero (5-6, 138) might be the smallest player in the league. After rebounding from consecutive winless seasons, however, the Conquistadores are showing a lot of desire, Maio said. “We’re small, physically, so we’ll have to trap and do those kinds of things. We’ll have to substitute a lot,” Maio said. Senior running back Bobby Kim (6-0, 205), who rushed for 173 yards in 47 carries last year, arguably is the team’s best player. Senior Jamal Anderson (5-11, 200, 44 carries, 145 yards) and junior Lejon Carr (6-1, 185, 79 carries, 220 yards) also return at running back. “We’ll build the team around them,” Maio said of the trio. Senior Tony Bordwell (5-9, 150), an inexperienced quarterback, completed just one of 13 passes as a backup last year. Junior linebackers Troy Snyder (6-0, 210) and Chris Griggs (5-10, 165) both started as sophomores. Senior defensive tackle Abdul Zaid (5-10, 220) is the team’s strongest player.

OUTLOOK: A continued upward swing is the Conquistadores’ main objective. Early indications, Maio said, are positive. “We might be in the best condition on the first day of practice than we’ve ever been,” he said. “We feel things are going in the right direction.”

Taft

COACH: Tom Stevenson, 5th year

LAST SEASON: 6-4; 1st in league, 5-2

PLAYERS TO WATCH: How do you replace graduated tailback Kelvin Byrd, who rushed for 1,480 yards and 13 touchdowns last year? “You don’t,” Stevenson said. “Hopefully, a new guy will step in and do the job that he did.” Senior Steve Lockridge (6-2, 200), who rushed for 107 yards as Byrd’s backup, will try. Lockridge also will return as a starting linebacker. “Nobody will go both ways full time,” Stevenson said. Senior Edwin Velasco (5-11, 165), quarterback of last year’s league-champion B team, will lead an “option-oriented” offense. Senior Wolfgang Von Aspe (5-11, 190) returns at fullback-inside linebacker and senior Gregory Bernard (6-0, 235), who will start as a defensive tackle, also will play fullback. Senior Chad Petrilli (5-11, 165) returns at wide receiver. Junior Darnell Hendrix (6-2, 190), a transfer tight end and middle linebacker from Jefferson, also could draw attention. “He’s really going to be outstanding,” Stevenson said. Senior defensive back Irving Carter (5-10, 200) transferred from Antelope Valley. Senior Jason Levine (6-0, 180) and junior Greg Levy (6-0, 185) return as offensive linemen, and junior linebacker Vance Swendell (5-11, 170) returns at linebacker.

OUTLOOK: The Toreadors had the most explosive offense among Valley-area City teams last season, averaging 308 total yards a game. “We also had a great running back,” Stevenson said. Without Byrd--and no proven successor--the offensive load must be shouldered by several players. “I think it’s going to be a very, very difficult season,” Stevenson said. A nonleague opener at Servite, an Orange County power, offers proof of that.