TODAY’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : At Any Position, Saddleback’s Psaros Proves Himself

Damon Psaros came out of Capistrano Valley High School a small but wily nose guard. When it came time for college, however, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder didn’t fit any molds that recruiters cast.

So he went to Saddleback College and proved himself all over again.

Psaros, who relies on quickness and guile, switched to defensive end and had an outstanding season, despite giving up as much as 50 pounds to his line opponents.

Psaros, who has since grown to 215 pounds, was a second-team All-Mission Conference selection, an honor seldom given to a freshman. He also was a force on special teams, blocking five kicks.

He started this season right where he left off, blocking a punt last Saturday as Saddleback beat Santa Monica, 30-14, in the season opener. The Gauchos play host to El Camino at 7 tonight.

This season, Psaros is back playing some nose guard as well as defensive end. He is getting the chance at the nose because Saddleback switched its defense to utilize his talents.

“Seems like we always switch the offense around to take advantage of our best players,” Saddleback Coach Ken Swearingen said. “But it’s rare on defense. I was talking to line coach Dick Stuetz and he says that Damon is the quickest off the ball of any linemen that has ever played here.”

Psaros still whirls about in practice and games with the rage of the Tasmanian Devil, but he has calmed down enough to go to class. Psaros admits he wasn’t the best of students in high school, but he has been more devoted to his studies at Saddleback. If he passes the 20 units he is taking this semester, he will have his two-year degree in a year and half and will be ready to move on to a four-year college--if he is recruited.

“Things are going really well,” he said. “But the thing I’m most proud of is that I’ve got things taken care of in the class room. In high school I just didn’t think it was that important. Now I know better.”

Psaros is realistic about his chances of playing football at a four-year college.

“I know that in a battle of mass I will lose,” he said. “But if that means I have to play at a smaller college, Division II of III, whatever. I just want to play more football.”

In today’s Mission Conference games:

Cerritos (1-1, 0-1) at Orange Coast (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.--Orange Coast defeated Long Beach, 26-0, in the season opener and was off last week. Quarterback Donnie Smith was 16 of 22 for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the first game, and OCC Coach Bill Workman called it the best opening performance by any quarterback he has coached.

El Camino (1-1, 0-1) at Saddleback (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.--Freshman Tim Snowden won the starting quarterback spot in a scrimmage and was sharp in the Gauchos’ 30-14 victory over Santa Monica last Saturday. He completed 12 of 17 for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Saddleback is ranked 17th in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll and 13th in the state.

Golden West (1-0, 0-0) at San Diego City (0-2, 0-0), 1:30 p.m.--Golden West is ranked 12th in Southern California and has a great chance to go 2-0. San Diego City hasn’t won a game in almost three years.

San Diego Mesa (0-2, 0-0) at Fullerton (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.--Fullerton is ranked 16th in the J.C. Grid-Wire poll and third in the state after opening with a 25-11 victory over Cerritos last Saturday. Fullerton ran for 346 yards, but the Hornets passed for only 61.

Rancho Santiago (1-0, 0-0) at Mt. San Antonio (2-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.--The Dons are ranked 15th in the state after demolishing San Diego Mesa, 49-0, last Saturday. The Dons’ Isaac Alo, a defensive lineman, had seven unassisted tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.