He’s Mr. Everything for West Torrance : Prep football: There’s never a dull moment for Alex Schultz, who plays offense, defense and on special teams for the Warriors.

Despite the recognition that has come his way, Alex Schultz admits it’s not always fun being a 48-minute man for the West Torrance High football team.

“Sometimes,” he says, “I’m dying out there.”

Who can blame him? Schultz, a hard-nosed but soft-spoken senior, has played with little or no rest in nearly every game this season. West coaches say they can’t do without him. They have tried, though, to a small degree.

Two weeks ago, West changed punters to alleviate Schultz of one of his many duties. Now all he has to worry about is shouldering the offensive load as the team’s top running back, anchoring the defense from his inside linebacker spot and contributing on special teams.

“I get tired a lot,” he said, “but it’s nice to know that I’m needed.”

That might be one of the great understatements of the season. For without Schultz, it’s unlikely West would be where it is today--the No. 1-ranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Division VIII sportswriters’ poll.

“We can’t do without Alex,” said co-Coach John Black. “He’s usually on the field the whole game.”

It’s easy to see why. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Schultz has helped West win games in virtually every conceivable manner. For example:

* He rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble Sept. 27 in a 38-18 victory over Morningside.

* He was in on a season-high 20 tackles (13 primary, seven assists) Oct. 5 in a 9-7 victory over Redondo.

* He rushed for a career-high 223 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries Oct. 19 in a 49-12 victory over Centennial.

* He blocked a 33-yard field goal attempt with 10 seconds left Oct. 26 to preserve a 9-7 victory over Palos Verdes.

“He makes the big play every game,” Black said. “Look at the bottom of the pile and he’s always there.”

Schultz is far and away West’s leader in rushing yardage and tackles, two of the most vital statistics for any team. He has rushed for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns on 158 carries, a 7.1-yard average, and has contributed to 112 tackles (60 primary) on a team that prides itself on tough defense. West has not allowed more than 18 points in a game this season.

Schultz performs his workmanlike tasks without prodding.

“We can ask him to do anything; he never complains,” Black said. “We’ve had a lot of good kids here, but a lot of those kids were lazy. Maybe they’re not good at practice. Alex goes 100% all the time. When he runs sprints, he’s going to be out in front.”

This is a big week for Schultz and the Warriors, who last week clinched at least a tie for their second consecutive league title. West (8-1 overall, 3-0 in league play) plays host to Torrance (6-3, 2-1) at 7:30 Friday night with a chance to seize undisputed possession of the Pioneer League title.

Anything less would be a disappointment for Schultz, who has never lost a league game in four years at West.

“This game means a lot,” he said. “We don’t want to share a league title with anyone.”

The West seniors make up one of the South Bay’s most successful football classes. Schultz and his buddies--including tight end David Snakenborg, wide receivers John Romero and Ryan Berry and offensive tackle Scott Werner--have never experienced anything less than smashing success. They were Bay League champions as freshmen and Ocean League titlists as sophomores. Last season, their first on the varsity, they went 7-0 to capture the Ocean title.

“Most of us grew up together playing Pop Warner,” Schultz said. “We all have a winning attitude because, through the years, we’ve always won.”

That’s why it was such a surprise when quarterback John Walsh, one of the leaders of West’s tight-knit group, transferred to Carson last summer.

“I was shocked because I didn’t even see it coming,” Schultz said. “He came over to my house one day and said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to Carson.’ We just sat and talked for a long time. He’s one of my best friends. We still go out nights. But we don’t really talk about (Walsh’s transfer). It’s like he never really played with us. I just try to put it out of my mind.”

However, the issue was hard to ignore a few months ago when West suddenly found itself without its all-league quarterback.

Schultz said he was initially worried that junior Steve Sarkisian wouldn’t be able to handle the job. In time, though, those doubts faded.

“When I saw the progress we made over the summer, I said, ‘Hey, this is going to be a pretty good team, even without Walsh.’ ” he said. “I think we have what it takes to get to the CIF finals. Sarkisian has done well. I think he just needed a little confidence.”

The West coaches said Schultz played a big role in taking the heat off the young quarterback.

“I think Alex emerging as a big runner for us took a lot of pressure off Steve,” Black said. “Alex handles the pressure really well. When our season started, Alex wasn’t really our focal point. But when he started running the ball, we changed things.”

Schultz, used primarily as a blocking back last season for tailback Josh Moore (now at the University of Washington), has noticed a change in the way opponents treat him. Gradually, he’s become a marked man.

Of last week’s 14-12 victory over North Torrance, he said: “North keyed on me the whole game. Every time I got the ball, it felt like I was getting hit by the whole team. It used to be that teams weren’t expecting me. I’d rather have it that way, but this is something I have to live with.”

Along with his new-found fame has come the attention of four-year colleges. Schools that have contacted him include Colorado, Hawaii, Washington State and Oregon State. Because of his size, Schultz figures his future is at fullback.

If indeed there is a scholarship offer waiting for him in the future, Schultz knows he will be able to take advantage of it. He carries a B average and has scored 920 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. He took the SAT again Saturday in hopes of breaking 1,000. A 700 score is required by the NCAA.

“I think he could be a good major-college player,” said Mark Knox, West’s other co-coach. “He’s so versatile. He has good speed and good size.”

And good strength. Knox said Schultz is the second-strongest player on the team behind Werner, a 6-2, 265-pound tackle.

Schultz’s athletic talents seem as diverse as his ethnic background. His father, Glen, is of Czechoslovakian descent, while his mother, Rayna, is of Hawaiian lineage.

An accomplished soccer player, Schultz was an all-league goalie for West last season and intends to play on the team again this winter. But he considers soccer a hobby compared to his first love, football.

Schultz is described by Black as a “silent leader.”

“He handles his success very well,” Black said. “He’s not a bragger or showoff. He doesn’t talk like some of the hotdog runners I’ve seen.”

Schultz prefers to communicate with his helmet and shoulder pads.