PREP FLASHBACK : A LOOK BACK AT THIS WEEK IN COUNTY PREP SPORTS HISTORY

10 YEARS AGO

In 1980, Lenny Dykstra was a long way from writing a book or leading the National League in hitting. Most Garden Grove League followers were thinking about Dykstra’s happy feet in the end zone rather than his chaw-filled grin in the batter’s box.

In the first week of the 1980 season, Dykstra scored on a 53-yard run and on a 17-yard pass play for Garden Grove High School. Dykstra was the starting tailback on that team, with a 5-10, 160-pound frame that is only seven pounds lighter than his current build.

Dykstra went on to play on the 1986 world champion New York Mets team and write a book called “Nails.” This season, with the Philadelphia Phillies, Dykstra is leading the National League with a .336 batting average.

5 YEARS AGO

Bill Cunerty, head of the West Coast Summer Passing School, said this about his star pupil the week before the 1985 season began: “I think he is going to be great. He’s the best pure thrower in Orange County. He has great technique and he’s a very intelligent guy.”

That quarterback ended up at USC, but Cunerty wasn’t referring to Todd Marinovich.

That’s because Newport Harbor’s Shane Foley, now Marinovich’s backup for the Trojans, was the county’s top gun.

Marinovich was entering his sophomore season with Mater Dei. His rise as a national record-setter at Capistrano Valley has been well documented.

Foley’s progress has been quiet by comparison. Rather than transfer, Foley volunteered to play special teams for USC last year. But an injury to Pat O’Hara made Marinovich the starter. Foley became the second-string quarterback and threw a touchdown pass against Ohio State when Marinovich sat out a series because of an injured wrist.

The USC student section, which was still not sold on Marinovich, cheered wildly for Foley and booed when Marinovich came back in the game on the next series. But Marinovich hasn’t heard many boos since.

1 YEAR AGO

Corona del Mar had its 14-game victory streak stopped by Huntington Beach. Or was it? Huntington Beach was later forced to forfeit the game because a player failed to meet residency requirements for the district. But that turn of events was several months away, and Corona del Mar, which won the Division VI crown in 1988 and was ranked seventh by The Times, took its lumps in a 19-6 loss.

Another top team to topple the first week was No. 6 Mater Dei, spoiling the debut of Coach Bruce Rollinson.

Conversely, Trabuco Hill’s Tim Manning--a wide receiver the previous year--had an impressive start at quarterback, completing 12 of 16 passes for 152 yards and leading Trabuco Hills to a victory over Santa Margarita.

Other top players during the football season’s opening week were tailbacks Brian Pizula of Sunny Hills and Acen Childs of Orange. Pizula had runs of 55 and 75 yards and gained a total of 188 yards in 10 carries to lead Sunny Hills to a victory over Rowland. Childs scored four touchdowns to lead Orange past Chino.