ANOTHER CHANCE : After Coming Oh-So-Close Twice, Los Alamitos, Gragnano Poised to Contend Again

There are disappointments, and then there is Los Alamitos High School.

For the past two seasons, Los Alamitos has won 24 games, shutting out 12 opponents and averaging 25.9 points a game. Two times, Los Alamitos advanced to championship games in the Southern Section playoffs, only to lose to a quarterback with a hot hand.

First, there was a 36-6 loss to El Toro in the 1987 Southern Conference title game in which El Toro’s Bret Johnson threw four first-half touchdowns.

Last year, Jack Manu of Paramount ran for 84 yards and passed for 159 in a 30-20 victory over Los Alamitos in the Division III title game.

If nothing else, Los Alamitos is getting closer to that elusive title as veteran Coach John Barnes begins his 11th season with the Griffins, Orange County’s top-ranked team in The Times’ preseason football poll.

A veteran quarterback, speedy backfield, strong offensive line and three talented defenders could finally help erase the disappointments of the past.

Todd Gragnano, a very accurate left-hander, begins his third season at quarterback with more than 2,800 yards, and has an opportunity to become the first quarterback in county history to play in three championship games.

Gragnano has also shown that he’s adept at running with the ball, rushing for two touchdowns in a semifinal victory over El Modena last year.

The Griffins’ backfield of La Quan Beckton and Erik Mitchell is the county’s best. Beckton, a 195-pound junior, combines speed with power. Mitchell, a transfer from Mayfair, looked sensational in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage last week.

Mitchell, probably the fastest player in the county since Kerwin Bell, averaged 9.1 yards a carry for a mediocre team at Mayfair that won only three games.

Center Jason Garrido anchors an offensive line that Barnes calls the school’s best ever, and Brian Havens appears to be the next outstanding linebacker, following Roger Roadstrom and Eric Thompson.

Once again this preseason, The Times’ Top 10 of Orange County is dominated by members of the South Coast League, with two-time defending champion Mission Viejo ranked second, El Toro third and Capistrano Valley 10th.

The top four teams compete in Division III with fifth-ranked Edison and sixth-ranked Mater Dei the only Division I schools in the poll in what is generally considered a down year for the county’s big schools.

Here’s a look at the best of the rest:

2. MISSION VIEJO

The county’s best team last year lost the leading scorer in the state, slotback Eric Ekdahl, and the top-rated quarterback in the county, Troy Kopp, to graduation. But some are wondering if anyone will score against Mission Viejo this year.

Seven returning defenders, including all-league players Mark Slymen, Gregg Clapper and Chris Wild, form the nucleus of the best defense in the area. This is a big, physical team with 13 starters bench-pressing more than 300 pounds.

Replacing Ekdahl and Kopp will be difficult. Mission Viejo has only two returning offensive starters, but Coach Mike Rush thinks his skill-position players have the potential to be as explosive as last season, when the Diablos averaged 28.6 points a game.

3. EL TORO

A 6-5 record and a third-place finish in the South Coast League last season was considered a down year at El Toro because the Chargers won 35 games in the three previous seasons. It should be a return to the norm in ’89.

Quarterback Steve Stenstrom passed for 1,774 yards and completed 56% of his attempts as a junior. He has improved strength, weighs 192 pounds and could give more publicized quarterbacks Gragnano and Danny O’Neil of Mater Dei some competition as the county’s top quarterback before the season is over.

El Toro potentially has its best ground game in years with a healthy Jerome Oakman returning after suffering a broken ankle in the third game last season. Coach Bob Johnson thinks Oakman is the best open-field runner to play at the school.

4. SANTA ANA

Four league titles in a row and 40 victories in four years under veteran Coach Dick Hill have established Santa Ana as one of the premier programs in the county, and all the ingredients for another banner year are here.

Oscar Wilson, the best defensive player in the county for the past two years, is back. Wilson, Herb Prawl and Oswaldo Guerra, all-league selections as juniors, are the team’s strength on the line.

Offensively, Santa Ana will be led by quarterback Jesse Rosas, who joined the team midway through last season. Danny Tuioti should shine at linebacker and tailback Garner Hicks will be among the area’s best backs.

5. EDISON

If Fontana is the best team in Division I--according to the coaches’ poll--then Edison can’t be too far behind, considering the Chargers outplayed Fontana in the opening round of the playoffs last season before losing, 21-16.

Quarterback Donnie Smith, who replaced injured Greg Angelovic in the seventh week of last season, completed 60% of his passes, threw for four touchdowns and won three of the four games he started as a junior.

The receivers, led by Rocky Balch, are solid, and running back Shane Sherman gained 434 yards as a junior. The offensive line is one of the biggest in the county with guards Kip Winkler (6-3, 243) and Jeff Aseline (6-2, 221), center David Ryder (5-11, 188) and tackles Greg Schnabel (6-3, 224) and Lawson Mollica (6-4, 242).

6. MATER DEI

Bruce Rollinson, following Wayne Cochrun and Chuck Gallo, inherits the county’s most demanding prep coaching position, one in which a coach is expected to win and look good in the process. Rollinson was a proven winner as a player at Mater Dei, losing one game in two seasons from 1966-67.

He inherits one of the county’s best quarterbacks, O’Neil, and a top running back, Kealii Clifford. O’Neil passed for 1,728 yards following a much-publicized transfer from Corona del Mar. Among the schools recruiting O’Neil are USC, Brigham Young, Stanford and Cal.

Clifford rushed for 818 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior and might be the county’s most versatile runner when his pass-catching skills are considered. Look for Mater Dei to be a more run-oriented team under Rollinson than it was under pass-happy Gallo.

7. SUNNY HILLS

No team in the county can boast a better trio of running backs than Sunny Hills, with Brian Pizula, Ken Overby and Mike Sullivan. Pizula averaged 9.1 yards a carry and was second to Steve DePhillips of Fullerton in voting for the league’s most valuable player.

Overby, the bruiser of the group, is a strong, slashing runner. Sullivan, a transfer from Servite, is the speedster with agile moves and quick acceleration. Sunny Hills’ offensive line is also formidable with center Robert Sung, right guard Darren Correll and right tackle Pat Marshall.

There is a subtle hint that Sunny Hills is expecting big things when one looks at the Lancers’ traditionally weak schedule and finds Esperanza and El Modena.

8. CORONA DEL MAR

What does Corona del Mar do for an encore after winning the Division VI title and going undefeated last season? How about continuing the county’s longest unbeaten streak (14), beginning with a season-opener against Huntington Beach on Friday?

Corona del Mar lost the heart of a fine defense, linebackers John Katovsich and Chris Deuchar, to graduation, but 10 starters return, including twins Warren and Weston Johnson. Each of the Johnsons intercepted six passes as juniors.

Quarterback Ty Price, who played an instrumental role in the Sea Kings’ drive to the championship, has graduated. Newcomer Jeff Kehrli will start.

9. TRABUCO HILLS

Tim Manning, who has made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks the past two seasons with 20 interceptions, is now on the other side of the ball as a quarterback. Manning has the imposing task of replacing David Lowery, the Division VIII player of the year, who graduated.

The transition from a passing game under Lowery to a more run-oriented attack under Manning shouldn’t be a problem with junior fullback Ben Rooker, a Division I college prospect. Rooker scored 11 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Tight end Julian Ford and lineman Jim Farbaniec are among the best players at their positions in the county, and returning defensive back Rick Sparks tied Manning as the county’s interception leader last season with 10.

10. CAPISTRANO VALLEY

Capistrano Valley was a surprise in 1988. The Cougars’ key players--quarterback Tony Solliday, running back Chris Adams, wide receiver David Poltl, linebacker Ward Patton and free safety Jeremy Brion--were underclassmen, but the team finished tied for second in the South Coast League.

Brion has emerged as one of the county’s best defensive backs. Adams scored six touchdowns after being promoted from the sophomore team midway through the season, but he will miss the team’s opening two games with a muscle pull in his leg.

Nose guard Damon Psaros, the most impressive player on the team for two years, returns for his third season.

Others to Watch: El Modena, Esperanza, Estancia, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Pacifica, Valencia and Woodbridge.

TIMES’ PRESEASON TOP 10

1988 Records in Parentheses

SCHOOL ’89 COMMENT Los Alamitos (12-1-1) Veteran quarterback and skilled running backs Mission Viejo (12-1) Biggest and best defense in the county El Toro (6-5) Has qualified for playoffs 11 straight years Santa Ana (7-5) Oscar Wilson is the county’s best player Edison (9-2) Experienced quarterback and big offensive line Mater Dei (6-6) Re-emphasis on the running game with new coach Sunny Hills (9-3) Best trio of running backs in the county Corona del Mar (12-0-2) Winning ways should continue in ’89 Trabuco Hills (12-2) Tim Manning is a winner at any position Capistrano Valley (6-5) Young team in ’88 has matured into a good team