TODAY’S FOOTBALL GAMES : Rancho Santiago Sophomore Raises Havoc on Defense

Rancho Santiago Coach Dave Ogas was talking about his defensive unit recently. He said he really liked some of the players because of that certain look they had in their eyes.

He was talking about the look a player gets when he enjoys contact a little too much.

Ogas didn’t mention any names, but there is no doubt one of the players he was talking about is Fred Soares.

Soares, an inside linebacker from Villa Park High School, was a freshman starter last season and is starting again this season for Rancho Santiago, which plays Cerritos in a Mission Conference game at 7 tonight at Santa Ana Stadium.

Soares knows his job on defense is to attack the ball--and whomever happens to have it.

Maybe the best example of Soares’ football personality came out when he was talking about an upcoming opponent.

He mentioned the quarterback and said, “He’s my buddy. We became friends in the Orange County All-Star game. But when we play them, I’m going to have to try and take his head off.”

As a freshman, the 6-foot-3 Soares was about 215 pounds and admits there were times when he was a little taken aback by the size of some of the players he faced.

“It was something when a 260-pound lineman was diving at my legs to block me,” he said. “There were times when my eyes were opened pretty wide in those first few games. Now, the freshmen seem smaller and slower than last season.”

Soares is up to 225 pounds and is one of the Dons’ team captains. He also calls the defensive plays, which, on at least one occasion, presented quite a problem.

Rancho Santiago led, 34-0, after two quarters, but Citrus started the second half with a long drive. The march was 14 plays and lasted almost 10 minutes before the Owls finally scored. Rancho Santiago won, 34-14.

“I hadn’t done much conditioning during the week before the game,” Soares said. “I was so tired, I thought I was going to die. I was gasping for air and almost couldn’t call the plays.

“Now, any time we are conditioning, I think back to that moment and work extra hard.”

In today’s Mission Conference games:

Cerritos (2-2-1, 1-2) vs. Rancho Santiago (4-0, 3-0) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7 p.m.--Rancho Santiago, ranked sixth in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll, is undefeated despite losing quarterback Scott Wood (flu) for a game two weeks ago and wide receiver Paul Peters (ankle) for last week’s game. Wood is healthy and Peters is 70% but could play, according to Coach Dave Ogas. Cerritos upset Fullerton, 28-23, three weeks ago, but has since lost to San Diego Mesa, 22-19, and Riverside, 21-16. Rancho Santiago, Riverside and El Camino are the only undefeated teams in the 16-team Mission Conference.

Fullerton (2-2, 1-2) vs. Grossmont (1-3, 1-2) at Grossmont High School, 1:30 p.m.--Jeff Andrews, Fullerton’s talented sophomore running back, could become the college’s all-time rusher with a big game today. Andrews, from Diamond Bar High School, needs 153 yards to pass Andrew Greer (1986-87), who had 2,036 yards. Andrews ran for 1,520 last season. He has 364 yards so far this season for a career total of 1,884.

San Diego Mesa (2-2, 1-2) at Orange Coast (3-1, 2-1), 1:30 p.m.--OCC, which has won two in a row, must concentrate on this game and not look forward to next Saturday’s contest with rival Saddleback. OCC running back Mike Vaez has rushed for 454 yards, the fourth best total in the conference. Mesa quarterback Scott Allen is averaging 202 yards a game but has thrown eight interceptions and seven touchdown passes.

Palomar (1-3, 1-2) vs. Golden West (2-2, 2-1) at Orange Coast, 7 p.m.--Golden West is third best in the conference against the pass, allowing 131 yards a game, but about all Palomar does is pass. Comet quarterback Scott Barrick is 91 of 182 for 1,191 yards with six touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Saddleback (1-3, 1-2) at Pasadena (3-1, 2-1), 7 p.m.--Saddleback is trying to build on last Saturday’s 15-14 victory over Mt. San Antonio. Before that, the Gauchos had lost three in a row. Saddleback’s defense is allowing 292 yards a game and has given up only eight touchdowns.