GROSSMONT 2-A LEAGUE : In Its Wing-T, Santana Poses One of 3 Threats

The top three contenders for the league title--Santana, Valhalla and El Capitan--all had losing records in 1990. The two others--defending champion West Hills and El Cajon Valley--were at .750 and .500, respectively. It could be one of those years in the East County.

Then again, here’s the advice of El Capitan Coach Dave Waasted: “I wouldn’t count anybody out this year.”

Maybe not, but Santana has a slight edge in experience. Coach Doug Coffin has four years under his belt at Santana, two more than the other four coaches combined.

The new kids on the block: rookies Mike Lewis (West Hills) and Mark Noble (El Cajon Valley) join second-year coaches Waasted and John Odom (Valhalla).

THE RACE

Top contenders: Santana (4-5-1 in 1990), Valhalla (4-6), El Capitan (2-8).

Could surprise: West Hills (9-3).

Hoping for improvement: El Cajon Valley (5-5).

Game of the year: Santana at West Hills, Nov. 8. The two Santee schools have met twice: West Hills romped, 42-7, last year, and Santana routed, 42-2, in 1989. Rubber match will be better.

THE PLAYERS

The Men: Out of the wing-T, Santana features a triple-threat backfield in seniors Jason Lewis and Shane Hobbs and junior Brian Lauer. While Lewis topped 1,000 yards rushing last year, Lauer gained 1,700 and scored 22 touchdowns on the junior varsity. Hobbs, an all-league linebacker, will play halfback and safety this year as well as return kicks and hold for the kicker. An offensive line, which averages 247 pounds, doesn’t hurt.

Who will fill the Wolf Pack? This is a rhetorical question. The West Hills Wolf Pack lost a number of key starters who had developed together in the first four years of the school and won the league championship in 1990. Among them were quarterback Joey Fitzgerald, the league’s player of the year, and offensive linemen Eric Westlund, Joe Rovang and Brian Barnhart. Said Santana’s Coffin: “They kicked the tails off people ‘cause of that line.”

Others to watch on offense: At El Capitan, catch the VickErics show. Quarterback Bobby Vickery and running back Eric Rockhold will pass and run behind three-year starters Eric Thaler (6-4, 260) and Erik Stuhr (6-3, 225). Dave Jackel, a 6-3, 235, tight end at Valhalla, and West Hills running back Mike Campbell are not to be missed, either.

Other to watch on defense: Mike Bartlett and Chris Egre anchor both the defensive and offensive lines at West Hills. Joe Hobarth, a linebacker/running back, helped El Cajon Valley post three consecutive shutouts in 1990.

THE INTANGIBLES

Trading Places: After three years in the upper division, El Capitan returns to the 2-A, trading places with powerful Grossmont. Good thing. As a 3-A team, the Vaqueros had won only three games on the field and were winless in their past 18 before taking their final two games last year. With 10 returning starters on offense, El Capitan is an instant contender in the 2-A.