Occidental Expects to Continue Success

Since the early 1980s, the Southland’s most successful College Division football team by far has been Occidental of Eagle Rock.

Over the last seven seasons the Tigers have a 52-10-2 record, six Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and three berths in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

With Coach Dale Widolff returning for his ninth season, the winning tradition does not figure to diminish. Occidental is expected to repeat as SCIAC champion.

But Occidental is not the only Southland College Division team expected to succeed as the season gets under way this week. Cal State Northridge may have the best chance of unseating three-time defending champion Portland State in the Western Football Conference and UC Santa Barbara is regarded as the best of the Southland independents.

Here’s a roundup of the teams:

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

The distressing news for the rest of the SCIAC is that Occidental appears to be stronger in many respects than it was last season, when the Tigers were 7-2 and won the conference title.

Occidental has four offensive linemen back as well as tight end David Grossklaus, wide receiver Rob Leinbach and all-conference running back Gary Little.

The defense is anchored by linemen Kelly Bynum and Brady Dargan, a two-time all-conference selection. Other starters returning include linebacker Larry Schatz and defensive backs Ben White and Rick Mock.

An era is ending at LaVerne, where Roland Ortmayer is starting his 45th and final season as a college coach. With a wealth of experience returning, the Leopards are hoping they can send Ortmayer out with an SCIAC title.

LaVerne, which was 4-5 and finished in a tie with Redlands for second place last year, graduated a top passer in Mark Brown but has a more than adequate replacement in senior Eric Vradenburgh, a reserve last season. The Leopards also have a seasoned offensive line led by junior center Mario Perez.

After an impressive start in SCIAC play last season, Redlands (4-5 overall) lost its final two conference games, to LaVerne and Occidental, and tied for second place. But with 18 starters returning, the Bulldogs might be better.

The Bulldogs should once again have a potent ground attack. Fullback Curt Landreth, who led the SCIAC and was eighth in Division III in rushing with 1,125 yards, and running back Shaun Trejo and quarterback Brian Harmon will return. The line also appears solid with Tim Brown, Paul Quero and tight end Carl Schroeder.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps has many of its best players in the skill positions returning.

The Stags, who were 3-6 last year, should have a potent offense with the return of wide receiver William Bray, running backs Reed Pangborn and Schon Branum and quarterback Brian O’Brien. The line appears solid, starting with returning tackle Pete Young and guard William Watson.

The big question is Claremont’s defense, which was one of the weakest in the conference last season and does not have much experience with only three starters returning. The trio includes linebacker Tom Walden and linemen Chris Kent and Chris Mehnert.

Whittier did not have to search far for a replacement for longtime Coach Hugh Mendez, who retired after last season. In Don Uyeshima, the Poets have a coach who was Mendez’s top assistant the last four seasons.

That should at least make for an easy coaching transition for Whittier, which was 3-6 last season. The Poets are led by an experienced defense that features tackle Doi Johnson, linebacker Reid Mukai and cornerbacks Michael Harris and Todd Wong.

But Whittier will have to improve its offensive production to move into title contention.

Almost anything would be an improvement for Pomona-Pitzer, which finished 1-7 last season after going winless the year before. The Sagehens have more depth and experience than they had last season but will still be hard-pressed to fare better than last.

The Sagehen offense will rely on sophomore running back Chris Smith, who averaged 132 yards a game last season, and a line that includes Steve Patterson and Greg Chang. The defense is led by defensive backs Nate Kirtman and Khari Rone and linebacker Scott Patten.

WESTERN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

It has not taken long for Coach Bob Burt to build a winning reputation at Cal State Northridge. He has had winning seasons in each of his first four, a school-record.

Moreover, with a 27-17 record, Burt is four victories from surpassing Tom Keele (30-43-1) as the school’s leader in coaching victories. With 14 starters returning from a team that was 6-5 last season, Burt should have little difficulty reaching the milestone this year.

It does not hurt to have senior tailback Albert Fann, the conference offensive player of the year in 1989. He has gained 3,172 yards and scored 31 touchdowns in three seasons at Northridge. He needs only 401 yards to become the school’s rushing leader.

Also returning is quarterback Sherdrick Bonner, but the Matadors must replace the offensive line. Northridge’s defense will be led by Clayton Bamberg and Baron Atkinson in the secondary, Ken Wallace at linebacker and lineman Tom Berry.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is expected to have problems in the Western Football Conference, one of the strongest conferences in Division II.

But with 12 starters returning from last season’s 5-5 team, the Mustangs cannot be ignored. The defense, which has been No. 1 in the conference against the run the last two seasons, has several key players returning, among them linemen Robert Morris and Steve Habermehl and defensive back Chris Van Es. Morris was WFC defensive player of the year in 1989 and Van Es had five interceptions.

INDEPENDENTS

The Southland’s best College Division team at the end of last season was UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos, an NCAA Division III team who play a Division II-caliber schedule, finished the season with seven consecutive victories and an 8-2 record.

There is no reason to expect a decline before moving to Division II in 1991. The Gauchos have senior quarterback Mike Curtius, who has started 14 games over the last three seasons, and excellent receivers in Brian Fleming and Johnny Ace. Fleming caught 60 passes last season and Ace 43.

Santa Barbara also has guard Byron Briggs and center Lance Comes back in the offensive line. The defense is expected to be led by linebackers Dominic Freking and Mark Henigan and defensive end Dave Smith.

Azusa Pacific, an NAIA Division II independent that was 4-5 last season, will rely on its offense this season.

The Cougars have only four starters back on defense but have seven returning on offense, among them 270-pounders Ross Ritter and Jason Smith at tackle and Steve Armendariz at guard.

The offense will also count on quarterback Brian Hunt, fullback Jerrold Johnson and wide receivers Keven Griffin and Corey Smith.

In more ways than one, this is a transition year for Cal Lutheran. The Kingsmen have a new coach in Joe Harper, replacing longtime Coach Bob Shoup, and will be competing as an NCAA and NAIA Division II independent for the last season before settling into NCAA Division III for the 1991 season.

Harper, who compiled a 117-64-4 record in 14 years at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and four at Northern Arizona, has 13 starters returning from a squad that finished 3-6 last season, but the roster consists mostly of freshmen and sophomores. Defense should be the team’s strength.