Lineman Packs Big Skills Into His Compact Frame : Shrine Game: After Saturday’s game, Chris West of Glendora will play at Northern Arizona.

Many players in the state dream about being selected to the Shrine All-Star Football game. But for defensive lineman Chris West of Glendora High School, the game was mostly a foreign concept until recently.

“I didn’t really know much about the game until this year,” he said. “It wasn’t like I had been dreaming about being picked for a long time. I didn’t really know anything about it.”

Saturday’s game, which starts at 6 p.m. at the Rose Bowl, will feature most of the top graduated seniors in the state.

West was surprised to be selected to the 32-man South team over his much more heralded Glendora teammate, prep All-American quarterback J. J. O’Laughlin, who was chosen as an alternate.

“I wasn’t really surprised that Chris was chosen,” Glendora Coach Dean Karnoski said. “He was deserving of the honor. He was an All-Southern Section selection, which J. J. wasn’t. J. J. was an (all-division) player, he was co-player of the year in our division and an All-American. He had the credentials, too. But it all depends on who’s on the selection committee and how they go about selecting (the team).”

Based on his senior season, West, 18, certainly warranted a position on the Shrine team.

As an offensive and defensive tackle, West was voted most valuable player of a Glendora squad that posted a 12-1-1 record and tied Ramona for the state Division IV championship--the school’s first football title.

He had 89 tackles--41 unassisted--four fumble recoveries and an interception. West scored after the interception and with one of the fumble recoveries.

“He just dominated every game,” Karnoski said. “He was probably the major defensive factor, just as J. J. was on offense. Without him, we wouldn’t have been the same kind of team on defense.”

At first, West received considerable interest from college recruiters. “I had 134 different colleges that sent me letters, and from those maybe 60 called me, and of those maybe 10 were really interested,” West said.

From that list, only four responded with offers of recruiting trips. West made visits to San Diego State, Fresno State, Northern Arizona and Rice. Air Force and Kansas also were interested.

West finally signed with Northern Arizona--an NCAA Division I-AA program.

At 6-feet-3 and 220 pounds--small for a Division I defensive lineman--West realizes his lack of size was a reason he wasn’t recruited by bigger programs.

“If I had four more inches and 50 pounds I can say I would’ve been a (major) Division I prospect,” he said.

But Karnoski said judging West by his size would be a mistake. He says West has the ability to excel at a lot of Division I schools.

“If anything, Chris lacked a little size for (his) position in high school,” Karnoski said. “But recruiters are paid to see what a player can do, and he played offensive and defensive line because that’s what we needed him to play. He could have played a lot of positions and played them just as well.”

After his first week of practice for the Shrine game, West said he thinks he can compete at a top Division I school.

“There’s a lot of players here that are going to UCLA, Cal and Arizona, and I’ve been competing with them fine,” he said. “I know I could compete (at that level), but if they don’t want me there I don’t want to be there.”

Although he is the smallest defensive lineman on the squad, West said he has adjusted to the level of competition for the Shrine game.

“I came here and I was expecting to get beat up a little,” he said. “But I just decided I was going to go out and have some fun. I’ve already chosen a college and I’m happy about that. So I’m just going to go out and try to make the most of it.”

Karnoski has high hopes for West because of the player’s work habits.

“I think Chris is the kind of kid who will rise to the level of his peers,” Karnoski said. “There aren’t many kids who are willing to work as hard as Chris.”

Karnoski believes West will receive an opportunity for playing time early in his career at Northern Arizona.

“Northern Arizona is a good place for him to go,” Karnoski said. “It’s a good program for him to play and get an education . . . I would say I foresee Chris as a starter by the middle or end of his sophomore year, and maybe a three-year starter for them.”

Karnoski said West might be best suited to play outside linebacker or nose guard in college, though tight end is another option.