PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW : PREP FOOTBALL ‘90: THE GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Bolsa Grande

Coach: Bill Holst (third year)

1989 record: 5-6, 4-3

Returning lettermen: 8

Returning starters: Four on offense, four on defense

Top returnees: Jeff Miller, QB-DB, 6-0, 155, Sr.; Lepage Moaliitele, OG-LB, 5-10, 180, Jr.; Marcus Wilson, RB-LB, 6-1, 200, Sr.; Maurice Wilson, RB-DE, 5-10, 180, Sr.

Top newcomers: Jason Gonzales, WB-B, 5-11, 160, Sr.; Mervyn Leituala, OF-DE, 6-0, 175, Jr.; Steve Lim, WR-DB, 5-7, 140, Sr.

Outlook: As the Wilson twins go, so goes the Matadors’ offense. The Wilsons are the key weapons in Coach Holst’s triple option, which this season will have Miller at quarterback. Moaliitele is the class of an offensive line that includes 305-pound tackle Rayme Manuele. The team will feature a 4-4 defense led by linebackers Marcus Wilson, Moaliitele and Matt Leituala. The Matadors will find out how they size up with the rest of the league in a hurry. They face Rancho Alamitos in their league opener Sept. 28.

Garden Grove

Coach: Jeff Buenafe (third year)

1989 record: 3-7, 1-6

Returning lettermen: 15

Returning starters: Five on offense, five on defense

Top returnees: Dennis Amunson, RB, 6-1, 175, Jr.; Brent Brodhagen, RB, 5-11, 205, Sr.; Brian Brodhagen, LB, 5-11, 200, Sr.; Scott Fridley, OG, 5-11, 170, Sr.; Richard Gutierrez, OG, 6-1, 195, Sr.; Sung Hyun, DG, 5-4, 162, Sr.; Bob Ioja, QB, 6-3, 190, Sr.; Mario Rodarte, DT, 6-1, 177, Sr.; Ashley Reyes, C, 5-11, 172, Sr.; Angelo Sablan, DB, 5-9, 165, Sr.; Tim Silva, WR/DB, 5-10, 150, Sr.; Brian Swogger, WR, 6-5, 195, Sr.

Top newcomers: John Fonseca, DT, 5-10, 225, Jr.; Raul Gonzales, DB, 5-8, 150, Jr.; Adrian Ioja, TE, 6-3, 212, Jr.; Mike Knee, C, 6-0, 176, Jr.; Doug Pluard, LB, 5-10, 185, Jr.; Bob Rosa, RB, 5-10, 145, Jr.; Glenn Sorensen, LB, 5-11, 175, Jr.

Outlook: The Argonauts have finished seventh, eighth and seventh the past three years, winning one league game in that stretch. Buenafe is not optimistic about the new season.

Kennedy

Coach: Mitch Olson (third year)

1989 record: 5-5, 4-3

Returning lettermen: 11

Returning starters: Two on offense, three on defense

Top returnees: Vince Church, RB-DB, 5-10, 175, Sr.; Scott Jones, WR-DE, 6-1, 175, Jr.; Mark Leach, C-LB, 6-0, 200, Sr.; Morgan Murakami, WR-DB, 5-10, 170, Jr.; Corey Phipps, FB-LB, 6-0, 190, Sr.; Rod Rosales, QB-DB, 5-10, 170, Sr.; Robert Togais, OG-DE, 6-1, 185, Sr.; Joe Youkhan, OT-DT, 6-3, 275, Sr.

Top newcomers: R.J. Gonzales, WR-DB, 6-2, 165, So.; John Guthrie, QB-DB, 6-1, 170, So.; Ray Mobley, RB-DB, 5-10, 170, So.; Ed Montchaikul RB-DB, 5-10, 165, Jr.; Ryan O’Connor, OG-LB, 6-0, 200, Sr.

Outlook: Church, an all-league running back who last season ran for 641 yards and 11 touchdowns, is the team’s mainstay. He has 4.5 speed in the 40 yards and plays a mean cornerback, the position where Olson says he’s a a Division I college prospect. Youkhan adds muscle at tackle.

La Quinta

Coach: Roger Takahashi (fifth year)

1989 record: 9-5, 5-2

Returning lettermen: 14

Returning starters: One on offense, seven on defense

Top returnees: Eman Bayani, OT, 5-10, 220, Sr.; Walter Dawkins, RB-DB, 6-0, 165, Sr.; Garett Frisby, OT-DG, 6-3, 185, Sr.; Don Hopkins, QB-DB, 6-0, 175, Sr.; Greg Livermore, LB, 5-9, 185, Sr.; Craig Reynolds, LB, 5-11, 170, Sr.; Jorge Sanchez, RB-DB, 5-9, 157, Sr.; Joe Slouka, DE, 5-8, 159, Sr.; Justin Sogoian, TE-P, 6-4, 180, Sr.

Top newcomers: Sam Barbee, DB, 6-2, 165, Jr.; Bill Boulton, LB, 5-10, 180, Jr.; Brock Dehart, OL, 5-11, 160, Jr.; Steve Quach, WR, 5-7, 135, Sr.

Outlook: What the Aztecs lack in size they make up with speed. Quach, promoted from junior varsity, is the fastest player on the team. The offense is suspect, but the defense is solid, anchored by all-league selection Reynolds and by Sanchez, who had five interceptions last season. Dawkins will figure in both the offensive and defensive backfields.

Los Amigos

Coach: Art Michalik (seventh year)

1989 record: 2-8, 1-6

Returning lettermen: 10

Returning starters: Six on offense, four on defense

Top returnees: Jeff Lavere, OT-DT, 6-0, 275, Sr.; Matt McCready, TE-LB, 6-3, 220, Sr.; Derrick Ragsdale, RB-DB, 6-0, 190, Sr.; Ethan Siddall, QB, 5-10, 155, Sr.; Roger Wojceichowski, OT-LB, 5-11, 225, Sr.

Top newcomers: Dan Grudt, TE-LB, 5-11, 155, Jr.; Mike Thayer, RB-LB, 5-7, 150, Jr.; Andre Roberson, WR-DB, 6-4, 190, Sr.

Outlook: The Lobos shared last place last year with Garden Grove, but Michalik sees better things ahead for his team. “We are going to surprise some people,” he said. “I’m happy with the team.” Contributing to the coach’s cheerfulness are Ragsdale and Siddall, who will be entrusted with making Michalik’s power-I and split-backs offense work, and McCready. Wojceichowski leads an inexperienced offensive line. He also will help out on defense, along with McCready and Thayer.

Pacifica

Coach: Bill Craven (14th year)

1989 record: 8-2-1, 7-0

Returning lettermen: 23

Returning starters: Three on offense, three on defense

Top returnees: Jason Blade, DB, 6-0, 165, Sr.; Ryan Bremer, TE-LB, 6-0, 190, Sr.; Chris Castellano, QB, 5-11, 160, Sr.; Mike Christie, DB, 6-2, 180, Sr.; George Figueredo, C, 5-11, 210, Sr.; Matt Langenfeld, OG-DT, 6-1, 230, Jr.; Chris Maroney, LB, 6-0, 185, Sr.; C.T. McDonald, OT, 6-3, 220, Sr.; Derek Nicholson, RB, 5-11, 160, Jr.; Dave Selof, OT, 6-2, 220, Sr.

Top newcomers: Eric Stevens, WR, 5-11, 155, Jr.; Eddie Thompson, OG, 6-2, 215, Sr.; Dan Thomas, DE-DB, 6-1, 180, Sr.

Outlook: Craven doesn’t rate his team among the league favorites, but others, namely Rancho Alamitos Coach Mark Miller, are not taking the lure. Said Miller: “He (Craven) says the same thing every year.” The Fighting Irish have only six returning starters, but with 23 returning lettermen, there’s got to be some talent.

Rancho Alamitos

Coach: Mark Miller (fourth year)

1989 record: 4-6, 3-4

Returning lettermen: 17

Returning starters: Nine on offense, eight on defense

Top returnees: Eric Moore, TE-DB, 6-4, 190, Sr.; Vince Otteman, RB-DT, 5-9, 190, Sr.; Leonard Sims, OT-DE, 6-2, 240, Sr.; Chris Singletary, QB-LB, 6-1, 225, Sr.; Tim Starke, LB, 5-10, 175, Sr.; Lia Togia, OG-LB, 6-1, 220, Jr.

Top newcomers: Marshall Brown, WR, 6-0, 160, So.; James Cabral, OT, 5-9, 215, Jr.; Luther Tolbert, DB, 5-8, 170, Jr.; Ulysses Trammell, RB, 5-7, 140, Sr.; Leon Vickers, RB, 6-0, 175, So.

Outlook: Running back Dana Riddle, who carried the ball 381 times last year, has graduated. But the Vaqueros have plenty of returning starters, including all-league members Sims, Starke and Otteman. Much of the Vaqueros’ hopes ride with senior quarterback-linebacker Chris Singletary, who’s back after breaking his leg in the opening game of the last season.

Santiago

Coach: Paul Allen (first year)

1989 record: 4-6, 3-4

Returning lettermen: 17

Returning starters: Five on offense, 10 on defense

Top returnees: Mike Carrasco, QB, 6-0, 181, Jr.; Jaime Estrada, LB, 5-11, 182, Jr.; Kevin Gilliam, RB, 5-8, 175, Sr.; Nicky Levale, RB, 5-11, 216, So.; Scott McGarrh, WR, 5-11, Jr.; Dang Nguyen, LB, 5-10, 165, Sr.; Joe Polman, LB, 6-2, 211, Sr.; Noa Utu, LB, 6-2, 212, Sr.

Top newcomers: Ben Espinoza, OG, 5-10, 187, So.; Minh Nguyen, OT, 5-10, 195, So.; Ngan Nguyen, C, 6-1, 205, So.; Travis Tisor, RB, 5-9, 173, Jr.

Outlook: In his first year at as Santiago coach, Allen, an assistant coach at Whittier College the past three years, is trying to revitalize a team that hasn’t finished higher than fifth the last two seasons. To do so, he’ll have to depend on all-league linebackers Polman and Utu, both of who are on major college material because of their size and speed, to solidify a defensive unit.