TONIGHT’S PREP FOOTBALL : In Dana Hills’ League, It Pays to Be Cautious . . . Even After a 5-0 Start

When someone says a Dana Hills team is off to a 5-0 start, people usually think tennis. But football?

The Dolphins, who have finished out of the playoffs for 13 consecutive years, are trying to douse their pushover image in the South Coast League.

Dana Hills is 5-0 in football for the first time in the school’s 18-year history.

The football team’s previous best start was in 1980 when the Dolphins were 4-1 after nonleague play. “We finished 0-5 in league that season,” Athletic Director John Klink said. “That’s not an omen though, absolutely not. We have a much better team than we had in 1980.”

It might not be an omen, but it is an indication of how tough it is for a team to pull itself up by the bootstraps in the competitive South Coast League.

How competitive?

Since 1977, when the Southern Section began holding conference championships, South Coast League teams have been in a conference final nine of 13 times.

This season, Dana Hills is ranked eighth in Southern Section Division III, which is something for the Dolphins to stand up and shout about. “Everybody is excited around here,” Coach Don Douglass said. “It’s like a new school.”

Although enthusiasm is at an all-time high, folks at Dana Hills aren’t counting on a playoff berth just yet.

“People say, ‘OK, you did really good in preseason, but here comes (the) season and you have to prove yourself all over again,” Klink said.

Another source of skepticism is the fact that three other South Coast League teams are ranked ahead of Dana Hills in the Southern Section Division III poll: Mission Viejo (No. 2), El Toro (No. 3) and Capistrano Valley (No. 4).

There’s more. Dana Hills will play the county’s top-ranked team, Mission Viejo, at 7:30 tonight at Mission Viejo.

Douglass, who is in his eighth year at Dana Hills, sees the early-season meeting as a positive.

“The challenge is out there and you gotta accept it,” he said. “You’ve just got to go after them. I really don’t mind opening up with them. We’re both 5-0. Let’s find out who is going to do it.

“The longer you wait, the more you worry. So I suppose we might as well get with it. We’re playing No. 2 (in the Orange County Sportswriters’ Assn. prep football poll) next week in El Toro. I would rather not play them back-to-back honestly. But I really don’t mind.”

The Dolphins will send their rushing attack against the Diablos’ more balanced game.

“Mission Viejo is very strong, very methodical, makes very few mistakes and capitalizes on other team’s mistakes,” Douglass said.

“We can’t turn the ball over at all. We can’t give them the big play, the big pass or the big break that could turn the ballgame around.”

Dana Hills has the county’s fifth-leading rusher in senior fullback Matt Carvalho, who has nine touchdowns and 694 yards in 104 carries. Halfback Scott Perlman has 350 yards in 55 carries.

Senior quarterback Grant Taylor had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and missed the first three games, but led the Dolphins to their past two victories. He has completed 10 of 19 passes for 83 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.

Tailback Mark Gaw leads Mission Viejo with 445 yards and 12 touchdowns in 68 carries. Quarterback Don Disbro has completed 22 of 43 passes for 243 yards, five touchdowns and an interception.

Edison (3-2) vs. Huntington Beach (4-1) at Orange Coast College at 8 p.m.:

Things should be resolved early in the Sunset League. League coaches have selected both teams as favorites for the title. Edison’s strength is offense. The Chargers have the league’s most efficient passer and leading rusher. Quarterback Donnie Smith has completed 68% of his passes for 799 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Tailback Shane Sherman is the county’s sixth-leading rusher with 689 yards in 105 carries. Last week he broke Kerwin Bell’s 9-year-old school rushing record for one game (238 yards). Sherman had 307 yards in 31 carries and scored four touchdowns despite sitting out the fourth quarter of a victory over St. John Bosco. That was the seventh-highest single-game rushing total in county history. Edison’s offensive line averages 200 pounds, but the Chargers might be in trouble on defense. Edison has allowed 105 points in five games. Huntington Beach has allowed just 38 points, 19 in its only defeat, a 19-14 loss to Mater Dei last week. Edison also played Mater Dei and lost 21-14 two weeks ago. Oiler quarterback Jeff Gibson has passed for 558 yards and six touchdowns. He has been intercepted six times. The Oilers have a powerful rushing tandem in Doug Cunningham, second in the league with 444 yards in 77 carries, and Jeff Dunagan (231 yards in 46 carries).

In Century League games: Canyon vs. Santa Ana Valley at Santa Ana Stadium; Santa Ana at El Modena.

In the Empire League: Loara vs. Esperanza at Valencia.

In Garden Grove League games: Bolsa Grande at Garden Grove; Kennedy vs. La Quinta at Bolsa Grande.

In Orange League games: Brea-Olinda at Western; Savanna vs. Magnolia at Glover Stadium.