COLLEGES / IRENE GARCIA : Defense Is the Name of Game at Southwest

The talk among community college football coaches in the Western State Conference is defense. Specifically, the L.A. Southwest College defense, which has proven to be a force this season.

Southwest is 3-1 overall and 3-0 in league play despite having a converted tailback at quarterback. The Cougars have already matched last year’s total for league victories and need one more win to match last year’s overall total of four.

Southwest leads the 12-member WSC in defense, giving up 991 yards in four games.

“We just have a real solid unit,” Southwest Coach Henry Washington said. “They’re trying to do everything we ask. This is the best defensive line we’ve had here.”

The Cougars start Victor Myles (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) and Bryan Proby (6-6, 260) at defensive end and Jason Rose (6-2, 235) and Tim Gardner (6-2, 200) at tackle. The secondary consists of Spencer Wray (6-1, 190) and Dewayne Bryant (6-0, 200).

Wray had eight unassisted tackles and two interceptions in a 30-14 victory over Moorpark last week and Bryant had five unassisted tackles and an interception, which he returned 43 yards for a touchdown. Gardner had seven unassisted tackles, a fumble recovery and two quarterback sacks against Moorpark.

“We have about five kids on our defense that can play Division I football,” Washington said. “This is a strong group.”

Most of the Cougars’ opponents probably agree. After losing to Southwest, 33-6, in its WSC opener on Sept. 28, Harbor Coach Don Weems said: “(Washington) always says he wins with defense. Today he was right.”

Southwest applied the same strategy in a 31-6 victory over Glendale on Oct. 5 and last week’s win over third-ranked and previously undefeated Moorpark. Southwest held Moorpark to 16 yards of offense in the second half.

“They’re probably the best defensive team we’ve faced this season,” Moorpark Coach Jim Bittner said. “Once they got in the game, they weren’t going to be denied.”

Coach John Featherstone expressed concern in losing Shannon Thompson and Steve Danzy, last year’s starting wide receivers, but freshman Latario Rachal has stepped in to help rescue the offense.

Rachal, a 5-10, 165-pounder from Carson High, is the team’s top receiver with 15 catches for 401 yards and three touchdowns and leads the Mission Conference in all-purpose yards with an average of 181.5 a game. Rachal also ranks second in the league in punt returns at 17.6.

“He’s our equivalent of (former Heisman Trophy winner Rocket Ismail),” Featherstone said.

Rachal returned three kickoffs for 193 yards in the Warriors’ 48-33 victory over Rancho Santiago on Oct. 5. One of those was a 98-yard touchdown return.

“Latario is one of the surest wide receivers, in terms of athletic ability, that we’ve ever had here,” Featherstone said. “He’s an electrifying player.”

Rachal was an All-City player at Carson last year when he led the South Bay with 57 catches for 1,301 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Loyola Marymount sports information director Bruce Meyers thought he was the victim of a bad joke on Monday when he walked into his office. On his desk was a large trophy from the Chapman Classic water polo tournament. Meyers thought it couldn’t belong to the Lions, who were struggling with only two victories this season.

It turned out that Loyola won the tournament last weekend in Orange. The Lions were 2-7 going in, but won five consecutive matches to win the title.

The Lions opened Saturday’s play with a 15-10 win over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, then beat host Chapman, 21-5, and UC Riverside, 18-4. On Sunday Loyola defeated the Dayton, 12-11 in overtime, and Whittier, 16-11, in the championship match.

“What a great weekend for us,” first-year Coach Doug Pitts said. “We had been improving steadily as a team all season against some outstanding competition, but we really put it together last weekend.”

Charlie Wallace leads the Lions with 30 goals this season and Kevin Gardiner of Palos Verdes has 20. Wallace, a sophomore from Huntington Beach, scored 18 goals in the Chapman tournament and goalie Chad Roghair had 34 saves.

Notes

The Harbor College men’s soccer team took the lead in the South Coast Conference this week. The Seahawks, who placed fifth in the league last year, are 10-2-2 overall and 4-0 in the SCC. Sophomore Luis Solorio leads the conference with 13 goals and 27 points. El Camino’s Mike Kafka (11 goals, 22 points) and Pat Weber (nine goals, 18 points) are second and third in SCC scoring . . . Harbor linebacker Ma’o Niko (6-3, 265) had five unassisted tackles (nine assisted) in last week’s game against Santa Monica.