El Toro Back Is a Loner, but He Draws Plenty of Attention in Big Game

Despite his sun-streaked blond hair, plucky manner and penchant for the word dude , El Toro tailback Bret Sanders is not a surf rat.

In fact, Sanders, who moved to El Toro from Albany, N.Y., a year ago, says he’ll never ride the wild surf.

“Surfing? Way too dangerous,” Sanders, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior, said Friday night after El Toro defeated Capistrano Valley, 23-19, in the battle of the county’s top two teams.

“I mean, people look at me and expect me to surf, but you can get killed that way. Or at least hurt.”

Hurt? This from a guy who entered Friday’s game eager to take on the snarling, 220-pound masses in motion who wanted to squash him?

As if his final statistics weren’t enough--31 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns--the newly acquired nicks, gouges and scrapes on his helmet proved Sanders was one lean, mean wipe-out machine.

After the game, Sanders’ 9-year-old brother, Tim, rushed to his side, grabbed the helmet and showed it off to his buddies.

“See,” Tim said proudly as he pointed to various scratches, “this is where they nailed him.”

El Toro quarterback Rob Johnson described Sanders as the “toughest guy on the team, pound for pound.” But Sanders doesn’t see it that way. In fact, he fancies himself as a peaceful loner who enjoys escaping the hustle and muscle of football for more serene pursuits.

“I like the quiet, just getting away to be by myself,” Sanders said. “I like to read or be with my dog, Stubby.”

While Stubby was unable to confirm this, Sanders did shun the postgame party scene Friday night for a different kind of hot spot--a Jacuzzi. There, Sanders got to be alone with his aches, pains and memories of a game well played.

Add big game: The stadium at Mission Viejo High School filled quickly Friday night, with many of the 8,000-plus fans arriving about an hour before the 7:30 kickoff.

Anne Fadule was not so lucky. After arriving at 7:20, Fadule and her three small children found the bleachers packed. So Fadule joined the 300 or so others who ended up sitting on the steep, dusty hillside at the south corner of the stadium.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Fadule, a teacher at Loara High School. “I tell you, as soon as I can get my kids to come out from under the bleachers, we’re outta here.”

Best moves of El Toro-Capo? Had to be during Friday’s pre-game festivities.

At Capo Valley, wide receiver Bernie Chapman donned a purple cape, a gold crown and an animated swagger as he belted out a few crowd-pleasing numbers a la James Brown.

At El Toro, several boys among the Charger student body dressed as ballerinas--tights, tutus and all--leaping, twirling and curtsying as they portrayed--Can you guess?--Capo Valley’s offensive and defensive lines.

Asked by a pack of fans to name his No. 1 college choice Friday night, El Toro quarterback Johnson pumped his fist and shouted, “USC!”

USC? That would put Johnson on the same team as Trojan quarterback Todd Marinovich, former Capo Valley standout and longtime nemesis of Johnson’s older brother, Bret.

Hmm. Now if only Bret--who transferred from UCLA to Michigan State this year--would transfer to USC, we’d have the Todd, Rob and Bret Show--a made-for-Orange County cable soap opera if ever there was one.

Trivia question: Which current Orange County quarterback has a younger brother who competed on national television this summer?

The Fullerton girls’ cross-country team had a chance to move into first place in the Freeway League standings last week until runner/cheerleader Gisela Lopez decided to try her first back flip on the eve of Fullerton’s showdown with rival La Habra.

Lopez’s first flip was a flop; she sprained her left ankle.

Although Lopez, the Indians’ No. 1 runner, managed to compete the next day, she finished fifth, and Fullerton lost, 25-30.

Former Newport Harbor track athlete Mike Dixon, now a civil engineering major at Rice University, spent the summer working for the city of Newport Beach. His job? Charting every manhole in the city. His method? Dixon ran from one manhole to the next.

Laker forward A.C. Green will talk about sports and life from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Newport Harbor High School gymnasium. Tickets, available at the door, are $5 for students, $7 for adults. Proceeds will go to the Sailor basketball programs and the Harbor Area Boys and Girls Club.

The Orange County Basketball Officials Assn. needs officials. First meeting is 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at Serra Villa Junior High in Villa Park. Call 639-1177 for more information.

Trivia Answer: Western quarterback Gilbert Brito. His brother, Bobby, 12, was a pitcher for the Cypress All-Stars, the western U.S. representative at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Cypress’ game against Shippensburg, Pa., was televised on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.”