3-A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : Chula Vista Looking for a Rerun

The first meeting this season was the first meeting period. Chula Vista and Mira Mesa had never played before.

So there wasn’t much to say. Neither football team knew much about the other, except that both were pretty good.

Chula Vista won, 14-0.

Now, it’s the playoffs and both teams have more to prove in tonight’s 7:30 game at Chula Vista. Chula Vista must prove that the first game wasn’t a fluke. Mira Mesa must prove that it was.

Chula Vista’s 10-0-1 record speaks for itself, but Mira Mesa Coach Brad Griffith speaks for it, too. “They haven’t lost a game,” he said. “They’re doing something right.”

Thing is, Chula Vista makes few mistakes and executes impeccably. Quarterback Derek Chapman is ninth in the county in passing (107-165, 1,682 yards) and his dad’s offensive line does a decent job protecting him. Chapman’s father, Gary, is Chula Vista’s offensive line coach.

In the first game, Chula Vista’s defense, led by middle linebacker Bubba Phillips (5-11, 220), succeeded in keeping Mira Mesa’s offense on the sideline. Mira Mesa isn’t known for scoring an abundance of points, but the Marauders did manage a total of 40 against the league’s best--Point Loma and Morse.

The Marauders’ 8-3 record is somewhat pale in comparison. But remember, their losses were to Point Loma, Morse and Chula Vista, all ranked in the top five in the county.

Though not among the county’s statistical leaders, Chapman has developed into a smart quarterback, calling audibles when he sees fit and finding innovative ways to move the team. He’s a student of football and spends a number of hours watching films.

“He has a pretty good feel for the game,” Chula Vista Coach George Ohnesorgen said. “Maybe sometimes even more than we do.”

Chula Vista isn’t a team of bright lights guys. Running back Trenell Hicks finished the regular season 10th in the county in scoring with 84 points, but he and Chapman are the only two members of the team who rank in the top 10 in a statistical category. This team survives on consistency, not sparkle. Contributors are numerous.

The offensive line is led by Louie Zumstein and Scooter Fulton. Hicks and fullback Steve Gomez lead the running game. Neviette Richardson is a capable wide receiver. So is Brandon Gregg.

“You can’t cover them all,” Ohnesorgen said. “If our running game isn’t going, the passing game is. That’s one of the reasons none of those kids are in the top 10 in any of those stats.”

Besides Mira Mesa’s strong defense, led by free safety Steve Hamaguchi, its offense will often surprise with the powerful running of Wayne Pittman and the passing combination of quarterback J.J. Rowlett and tight end Marc Ziegler.

In other 3-A quarterfinal games:

* Orange Glen (6-5) vs. Point Loma (6-4), at Mesa College, 7:30--On a good day, Orange Glen has a balanced offense, led by running back Ryan Strathearn, who rushed for 162 yards in 27 carries last week in a playoff victory over Helix, and quarterback Daren Wilkinson, an adequate but unspectacular replacement for Cree Morris. Orange Glen will need that balance tonight. Despite its record, Point Loma still could be put on nearly the same level as top-ranked Rancho Buena Vista because of its passing game. Danny White finished the regular season as the county’s leading passer, and his two receivers--Brett Callan and J.J. Stokes--were first and second, respectively.

Saturday

* San Dieguito (8-3) vs. Morse (9-2), at Southwestern College, 7:30--San Dieguito is well tested, coming from the rugged Palomar League. But this might be its Waterloo. Morse earned its stripes Nov. 9, defeating highly-regarded Point Loma, 42-35, in a game with 897 yards total offense. The Tigers aren’t rock solid on defense, but their versatile offense keeps them a step ahead of most teams. Quarterback Teddy Lawrence leads the way, running a nifty option and throwing an occasional pass.

* Rancho Buena Vista (8-3) vs. Southwest (7-3-1) at Vista, 7:30 p.m.--Tough test for Southwest, which advanced last week with a 30-9 victory over Mt. Miguel. Southwest has a good combination of running and passing with quarterback Andy Quinn and running back Junior Ochoa. But RBV’s double running threat of O.J. Hall and Markeith Ross will be difficult to stop. Because of two forfeits, RBV is 8-3. Its only true loss was to Point Loma, 42-35.