COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Rancho Santiago Defender Tough on Quarterbacks

Dave Spoolstra, a defensive tackle for Rancho Santiago College, says he would rather play against a passing team than one that runs.

Spoolstra’s logic is simple. At 6-feet-3 and about 200 pounds, he is better suited to pass rushing than trying to overcome giant offensive linemen charging at him on running plays.

“I get pretty much pushed around,” said Spoolstra, whose team plays at Fullerton at 7 tonight. “But I’m used to it. As long as I keep running, I’ll eventually get to the ball.”

Spoolstra isn’t ineffective against the run. He has 15 unassisted tackles in eight games and has been part of a total of 45 tackles. But against the pass, he has 4 1/2 sacks, three deflections and an interception.

“When they’re passing,” Spoolstra said, “I like it a lot better. I can use my quickness more to my advantage to get to the quarterback.”

Spoolstra came to Rancho Santiago with a simple goal: He wanted to play. He’d been a fullback and an inside linebacker at Orange Lutheran High School, where he was a two-year starter.

But he couldn’t make it at linebacker at Rancho Santiago, because the Dons had sophomores Fred Soares and James Ramsey, both All-Mission Conference players.

He tried defensive end and couldn’t win a position there either. But he kept at it.

So, although he had never played in a three-point stance, he tried tackle, where he was perhaps least likely to have success because of his size.

Things worked out well last season. He was third on the team in tackles, had four sacks and an interception and was named all-conference.

“They (the coaching staff) wanted me to stay at tackle this season,” Spoolstra said. “And that was fine, because I like it.”

In tonight’s Mission Conference Central Division games:

Golden West (5-3, 4-3, 1-2) at Saddleback (4-4, 4-3, 1-2), 7 p.m.--Each team comes in with a two-game losing streak. Four passes by Golden West quarterback David Brunet were intercepted last Saturday in a 33-9 loss to Rancho Santiago. He had thrown three interceptions in the first seven games. Saddleback quarterback Jeff Bailey leads Orange County in passing yardage with 1,353 and completions with 107.

Riverside (6-2, 5-2, 2-1) at Orange Coast (6-2, 5-2, 2-1), 7 p.m.--OCC started Central Division play with a horrible performance--a 43-15 loss to Rancho Santiago--but has since looked good in victories over Saddleback and Fullerton. OCC’s Adrain Steen ran for a career-high 212 yards in the 45-35 victory over Fullerton. The winner today will take over the lead in the division and will become a favorite for the Orange County Bowl. OCC ends the season with rival Golden West, and Riverside plays host to Fullerton.

OCC’s defense held Fullerton to a season-low 188 yards rushing. But Riverside will be an equal test, leading the conference with 281 rushing yards per game.

Rancho Santiago (5-3, 4-3, 2-1) at Fullerton (6-2, 5-2, 1-2), 7 p.m.--The teams meet for the 67th time in the oldest series in the county. Despite the ups and downs of both programs, the series is tied at 31-31-4.

The coaches are even as well. Rancho Santiago’s Dave Ogas is 4-4 against Hal Sherbeck, his coach in 1965-66. Ogas was a member of the 1965 team that was honored last Saturday at Fullerton.

Rancho Santiago running back Estrus Crayton needs 32 yards to pass the 1,000 mark for the second consecutive season. The game will also feature Fullerton’s freshman running back, Brian Williams, who has 720 yards in 117 carries.