FOOTBALL ’89 : SCIAC : Strong Defense Helps Cast Occidental in a Familiar Role--Odds-On Favorite

There are some leagues in which the role of preseason favorite is the subject of debate. The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference just doesn’t happen to be one of them.

Occidental has won or shared the conference championship in five of the past six years.

This season, the Tigers will probably finish in the same place--at the top of the standings--by virtue of the same old thing: stingy defense. Occidental gave up a conference-low 252.2 yards last season, which is about par for a Dale Widolff-coached team.

Challengers to the Tiger domain this season figure to be Redlands and Claremont. Redlands’ only loss in the last conference season was to Occidental and the Bulldogs return one of the SCIAC’s best defenders, Doug Bos, a 6-2, 235-pound linebacker.

Claremont, which tied Occidental for the SCIAC championship in 1987 and won it outright in 1986, should improve on last season’s 1-3-1 mark behind the talented trio of Mike Pembroke, Reed Pangborn and Darin Carlsen.

Pembroke, a four-year starter at quarterback, accounted for 708 yards passing and 330 rushing last season, while Pangborn, a 6-2, 195-pound junior, rushed for 813 yards and a conference-high nine touchdowns. Carlsen was third in receiving in the SCIAC with 32 catches for 412 yards, and also was third in all-purpose running, with 157 yards rushing and 532 return yards in addition to his receiving total.

In addition, lineman Rory Wilson (6-2, 245) and back Mike McCorkle (5-10, 180) give Claremont a pair of first-team all-conference selections returning on defense. McCorkle led the SCIAC with four interceptions last season.

Whittier (2-2-1, 3-6 overall) finished third in 1988 and the Poets return the conference’s total offense leader, quarterback Mike Haney. Haney completed 113 of 215 passes for 1,343 yards and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions.