DIVISION III : Despite South Coast’s Powers, Paramount Is Likely to Repeat

Will the third time be the charm for Los Alamitos High School? Will Paramount successfully defend its championship? Or will one of four teams from the South Coast League reign as Division III playoff champion?

Choosing a favorite is difficult. Paramount (9-1) is the likely candidate with quarterback Jack Manu and running back Leon Neal returning for their senior seasons. Paramount could follow a recent pattern in which El Toro (1986-87) and El Modena (1984-85) repeated as division champions.

Los Alamitos has been the division’s runner-up for two consecutive years, losing to El Toro, 36-6, at Orange Coast College in 1986 and bowing to Paramount, 30-20, on the same field last year.

“I certainly didn’t pick us to get to the finals the last two years,” said John Barnes, Los Alamitos coach. “We had to earn it with wins against some tough teams. It won’t be any different this year. The division is as strong as it ever was.”

In both losses, Los Alamitos was matched against quarterbacks who were later named the division’s player of the year. El Toro’s Bret Johnson culminated a brilliant, three-year career with a flawless passing performance on a windy night.

Manu was equally impressive running and passing last year. Paramount is the fourth-seeded team in the 16-team field, the same position it held last year when it upset Mission Viejo and Los Alamitos to become only the third school outside of Orange County to win the title in the past 12 years.

Katella, led by Coach Larry Anderson, played Paramount and Los Alamitos this season, losing to Paramount, 34-6, and Los Alamitos, 58-28. Anderson only clouded the playoff picture when asked to analyze the field.

“I’m not so sure Paramount is as good as they were last year,” Anderson said. “They surprised some people last year, but teams are going to be gunning for them this year.

“Los Alamitos has an awesome offense with a lot of firepower. I agree with their coach when he says offense is more important than defense in big games.

“But the power is now in the South County. The South Coast League is the best in the division, maybe in the CIF (Southern Section). There’s three teams (Capistrano Valley, El Toro and Mission Viejo) down there that can play with anybody in any division.”

Some downplay the chances of the San Gabriel Valley League representatives, noting that the passing game is virtually nonexistent in the seven-team league. Dominguez, Los Alamitos’ opening-round opponent, passed only three times in a 29-28 loss to Paramount last week.

“I’ve heard that, but let me ask you this,” said Ken Sutch, Paramount coach. “If you had a 240-pound fullback who ran like a sprinter, how many times would you throw in a game?”

Sutch was referring to Dominguez fullback Brian Walker, one of the nation’s top recruits. Walker, 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, is quick and powerful.

Sutch was also quick to point out that Manu completed nine of 10 passes in the championship game against Los Alamitos.

“We do what’s necessary to win,” he said. “If an opponent loads up for the run, we can pass. My players never tasted as much success as they did last year, and we’d like to do it again.”

Few give the three Foothill League representatives much chance of getting past the first round. Last year, the league posted a 1-3 record in its first year in the division since being elevated from Division VII.

“We’re the only league in the San Fernando Valley in this division, and our kids and parents aren’t familiar with the other schools,” said Mike Herrington, Hart coach. “The motivating factor of playing a rival or a familiar opponent is lost.

“My kids think they’re playing a fourth-place team (Dana Hills) in the first round. I’m having a hard time convincing them that Dana Hills’ losses were to Capistrano Valley, El Toro and Mission Viejo, three of the best teams in the division.”

Capistrano Valley is the division’s top-seeded team, but it’s difficult to favor a school that has lost in the opening round of the playoffs in six of the past seven years. Capistrano Valley should end the playoff jinx with an easy victory over the weakest team in the field, Burbank Burroughs.

Second-seeded El Toro opens against Gahr, a team that hasn’t qualified for the playoffs in 13 years, and should win easily. But Coach Bob Johnson knows the road to the championship game will be difficult.

“After the first round, there are no easy games,” he said.

DIVISION III IN A BOXDefending Champion: Paramount

Top Teams: Capistrano Valley (10-0), El Toro (9-1) and Paramount (9-1)

Dark Horse: Villa Park (7-3)

Best Draw: El Toro meets Gahr (7-3), which hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 1976, in the first round and then gets the winner of Villa Park (7-3)-Esperanza (6-4) in the quarterfinals.

Worst Draw: Los Alamitos (9-1) meets Dominguez (7-3), which lost to fourth-seeded Paramount (9-1), 29-28, in its season finale, in the first round and then gets the winner of Schurr (7-3)-Mission Viejo (8-2) in the quarterfinals.

Key Players: Running back Coy Collins (Loara), quarterback Todd Gragnano (Los Alamitos), quarterback Jack Manu (Paramount), running back Leon Neal (Paramount), nose guard Damon Psaros (Capistrano Valley), quarterback Steve Stenstrom (El Toro), fullback Bruce Walker (Dominguez) and tackle Oscar Wilson (Santa Ana).

Noteworthy: This division is 12 years old and county schools have won 10 titles. Second-seeded El Toro has advanced to the semifinals in five of the past six years. Top-seeded Capistrano Valley has lost in the first round in six of the past seven years. Third-seeded Los Alamitos has played in the championship game the past two years.