Good Things Do Come in Small Packages

Rudy Ramirez Jr. maintains that he is 5-feet-7 and weighs 145 pounds, but the standout senior running back for Bell Gardens High School has a difficult time convincing others that he is that big.

Last season, Ramirez was listed at 5-6 and 140 when he was named to the Southern Section’s Division IV team after gaining 1,049 yards and scoring 23 touchdowns for the Whitmont League champion Lancers.

In this year’s Southern Section preview guide, which normally adds height and weight to returning players, Ramirez was pumped up to only 5-8 and 150.

Even Bell Gardens Coach Dave Newell tends to play down Ramirez’s size.

“I would say that Rudy is 5-6 and about 139 pounds,” Newell said. “And, he may be closer to 5-5.”

Even at home, Ramirez, who claims to be the second-tallest in his family, has to deal with questions regarding his size.

“I have a sister who is two inches taller than me and sometimes I wish that I had her height,” he said. “But, I am taller than my dad, even though he doesn’t like to admit it.”

Debates regarding Ramirez’s physical stature may go one forever, but there are not many questions about his talents on the football field.

After six games this season, Ramirez is among the Southern Section leaders in scoring with 16 touchdowns, and in rushing with 615 yards. In Bell Gardens’ 47-14 win over California High of Whittier last Friday night, he rushed for 147 yards and scored three touchdowns. “Ramirez has really carried the load for us this season,” Newell said. “We have had to give him the ball more because we have had so many big games early. Despite his size, he is very durable. After every game he can barely walk, but he has not missed a practice in two years.”

Getting attention because of his football playing skills is nothing new to Ramirez, who began playing touch football in the street in front of his house when he was 6.

“Since I was small, I have always been pretty good and people looked up to me for that,” Ramirez said. “I never doubted myself despite having people always tell me that I was too small.”

Ramirez became known to Newell and his staff at Bell Gardens as a 5-4, 110-pound freshman. In his first full season of contact football, Ramirez proved to be as elusive in pads as he was when he played touch football at Bell Gardens City Park in junior high school.

“It has always been pretty easy for me because I am quick and I know where I am going all of the time, while the defense doesn’t,” Ramirez said. “I am not all of that fast, but when I’m making a move, I just seem to make the right decision against the defense.”

One of Ramirez’s biggest fans is Newell, who has coached Bell Gardens to 11 consecutive playoff appearances. Newell says that sometimes he cannot believe Ramirez’s toughness.

“He is like Silly Putty,” Newell said. “No one ever gets a full hit on him. He just flows like music. . . . He is constant motion on the field where sometimes a defender will get three chances to tackle him on the same play.”

Newell points to a game earlier this season against Montebello, which Bell Gardens won, 28-20, as an indication of Ramirez’s dedication.

“In that game, he was almost knocked unconscious in the first quarter and missed a play and then in the fourth quarter he missed another after throwing up all over himself,” Newell said. “All he did was account for over 360 yards in total offense while scoring four touchdowns. It was just a tremendous human effort.”

A Golden League football game between Palmdale and Saugus last Friday night at College of the Canyons was suspended in the fourth quarter after a Palmdale player allegedly attacked an official.

According to witnesses, Palmdale’s Darius Wilson, 18, grabbed back judge Bradley Woolley and threw him to the ground after three consecutive personal foul penalties were called against Palmdale. The game was suspended with the score tied, 0-0, and 7:40 left to play.

The 6-2, 175-pound Wilson was arrested after the game on suspicion of misdemeanor battery charges and may face criminal charges, according to Elliott Fisher of the Newhall district attorney’s office. Wilson was released Friday night on his own recognizance.

Wilson, a wide receiver-defensive back, also faces disciplinary action from school administrators, according to Principal Linda Janzen.

Palmdale and Saugus school administrators met with Southern Section officials Monday to review videotape of the incident. The Southern Section office will rely on Golden League officials to determine the outcome of the game.

In the meantime, Southern Section officials are expected to make recommendations within the next two days regarding disciplinary action against either school, according to Saugus Athletic Director Randy Parker.

With Beverly Hills teachers on strike, Beverly Hills High’s fall athletic programs will suffer. Coaches of four of the school’s five fall sports honored the picket line.

Athletic Director Jack Dyck said that the football, tennis, cross-country and volleyball coaches were out but that the water polo team will continue play under its walk-on coach.

“The coaches are very upset and frustrated regarding the strike but they will remain united,” Dyck said. “Every fall team is in playoff contention and their chances of making the playoffs will be hurt with the strike.”

A girls’ tennis match has been canceled and Principal Ben Bushman said that Friday night’s football game at Santa Monica will be forfeited.

“We are hoping that the strike ends soon, but it doesn’t look good,” Dyck said. “As of now, everything in our athletic department is shut down and the possibilities of replacing the coaches with walk-on volunteers is not our first choice because we are concerned about the kids getting quality coaching without any compromises.”

Prep Notes

The biggest high school cross-country meet in the western United States will be held this weekend at Mt. San Antonio College, featuring more than 300 schools and 7,000 participants. Headlining the boys’ action will be an expected showdown between Bryan Dameworth of Agoura, generally considered the top high school distance runner in the nation, and Louis Quintana of Arroyo Grande, who was the fastest sophomore miler in the nation last spring. They will meet in the large-school boys’ sweepstakes race Saturday, which features the top six teams in the state--Camarillo, De La Salle of Concord, Canyon Country Canyon, Arroyo Grande, Agoura and Saddleback of Santa Ana, along with Ashland (Ore.).

In girls’ action Saturday, unbeaten Shelley Taylor of Huntington Beach Edison will race freshman Miesha Marzell of Reed High School in Sparks, Nev., who defeated the top runners in Northern California two weeks ago at the Stanford Invitational. The meet opens Friday, with small-school races from 2:30-5:30 p.m. featuring the state’s top boys’ teams, McFarland and Laguna Beach, and girls’ teams, Bret Harte of Altaville and Los Angeles Baptist of Sepulveda. On Saturday, the large schools’ meet begins at 8 a.m.

In football last weekend, Erik Mitchell of Los Alamitos rushed for 224 yards and scored five touchdowns in the Griffins’ victory over Anaheim Katella. . . . Lamont Warren scored four touchdowns in Dorsey’s 40-12 win over Washington. . . . Chris Alexander rushed for more than 100 yards and scored a touchdown, while Armondo Fernandez scored twice in Hawthorne’s 32-7 win over Santa Monica. . . . Tailback Tim Holliday and fullback Walter Grissam both rushed for more than 100 yards in Westchester’s 30-12 win over Hamilton.

Times staff writer Vince Kowalick contributed to this story.

TIMES’ TOP TEAMS

Southern Section

No. School, LeagueRecord

1. Fontana, Citrus Belt 6-0-0

2. Long Beach Poly, Moore 4-1-0

3. Los Altos, Sierra 6-0-0

4. Lompoc, Northern 6-0-0

5. Mission Viejo, South Coast 6-0-0

6. Hawthorne, Bay 6-0-0

7. Serra, Camino Real 6-0-0

8. El Toro, South Coast 6-0-0

9. Loyola, Del Rey 5-1-0

10. Thousand Oaks, Marmonte 5-0-1

11. Leuzinger, Bay 5-0-1

12. Paramount, San Gabriel Valley 5-1-0

13. Oxnard, Channel 5-1-0

14. Los Alamitos, Empire 5-1-0

14. Rubidoux, Citrus Belt 4-1-1

15. Dominguez, San Gabriel Valley 5-1-0

City

No. School, LeagueRecord

1. Carson, Pacific 3-1-0

2. Banning, Pacific 4-0-1

3. Granada Hills, North Valley 5-0-0

4. South Gate, Central 5-0-0

5. Dorsey, Pacific 2-2-0

6. Franklin, Northeast 4-1-0

7. Westchester, Metro 4-1-0

8. San Fernando, North Valley 2-3-0

9. Grant, Valley East 5-0-0

10. Venice, Western 5-0-0