TODAY’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Palomar Will Give Golden West Defense a Big Test

Most of the numbers associated with the Golden West College football team indicate the Rustlers are doing well.

Golden West is 4-0 and 3-0 in the Mission Conference heading into a showdown at 7 tonight against Palomar at Orange Coast College.

The Rustlers made their first appearance in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll this week at No. 16. The state poll has the Rustlers ranked eighth. Palomar (4-1, 2-1) is 10th in the nation, seventh in the state.

Defense is again Golden West’s strength, as it was last year. The Rustlers are second in the conference in yards allowed per game (211), including a conference-low 78 rushing and a third-best 133 passing.

The numbers of concern are on offense.

The Rustlers are averaging only 205 yards per game and haven’t scored an offensive touchdown in the past five quarters. Their past six touchdowns have come from the defense or special teams.

“It’s hard to understand what has happened to us so far on offense,” Golden West Coach Ray Shackleford said. “We have a lot better people than in the last couple of years. But we’ve had enough of those little injuries that we’ve had people out of position each game, and that’s a part of it.

“Plus, we’ve been way ahead each week, and we have been a little more conservative than usual, so we don’t screw it up.”

Palomar, the conference’s top offense, will apply plenty of pressure.

The Comets are averaging 511 yards, almost 300 yards better than Golden West. As usual, Palomar prefers the pass under Coach Tom Craft. Andy Loveland is 126 of 205 for 1,718 yards and 12 touchdowns in just five games.

“I’m curious to see what will happen this week just like everybody else,” Shackleford said.

In today’s other Mission Conference games:

Fullerton (3-1, 2-1) at El Camino (3-2, 2-1), 7 p.m.--For the past seven years, this has been one of the most entertaining series in Southern California. Fullerton, ranked 18th in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll, has won five of those games but last year needed 22 points in the final six minutes to pull out a 31-24 victory.

Fullerton features the two leading rushers in the conference--fullback John Mountain (496 yards) and tailback Brian Williams (463). Mark Harper has run for 443 yards and a conference-high 11 touchdowns for El Camino.

Orange Coast (4-0, 3-0) at Southwestern (3-2, 1-2), 7 p.m.--Orange Coast is sixth in the current J.C. Grid-Wire poll, No. 1 in Southern California and No. 2 in the state. The Pirates are coming off a 56-6 rout of San Diego City; Southwestern was beaten, 33-6, by Golden West. OCC leads the conference in scoring (41.3 points a game) and points allowed (8.3).

Rancho Santiago (1-3, 0-3) at Pasadena (4-1, 2-1), 7 p.m.--Rancho Santiago opened with a 49-0 victory over San Diego Mesa but has since lost three in a row. Pasadena was fourth in the nation and No. 2 in California until a 26-21 loss to Palomar last week. Curiously, that dropped the Lancers to ninth in the nation . . . and 10th in the state.

Rich Fanti, Rancho Santiago’s starting quarterback, sat out last week with an ailing knee but is expected back tonight.

Saddleback (3-1, 2-1) at San Diego City (0-5, 0-3), 1:30 p.m.--City, which has lost 26 in a row, seems to be the perfect opponent as Saddleback gets ready for the start of Central Division play in a week. Saddleback is third in the conference in total offense at 445 yards a game.