Valencia Gets to Feel the Heat in Division VI

Tustin football Coach Marijon Ancich knows the feeling. Valencia Coach Mike Marrujo gets another taste of it this week.

Last year, Ancich went into the Southern Section Division VI playoffs with the powerful Tillers seeded first in the 16-team draw. Tustin, ranked second in the county when the playoffs began, breezed through three games before losing to Sunny Hills, 7-3, in the championship game.

This time, Marrujo and the unbeaten Tigers face the unenviable task of being the target. Valencia (10-0), which won its eighth Orange League title in the past nine years, is ranked third in the county and the division favorite. The Tigers open the playoffs against visiting Gladstone (4-6) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Neither coach says it’s particularly advantageous to be seeded first.

“It’s a little harder on the nerves,” said Marrujo, whose team also was seeded first in Division VI in 1988 but lost the final to Corona del Mar, 17-7; the Tigers had won the old Central Conference championship the previous year. “That’s always the case if you’re winning. People are going to be fired up to play you.”

Tim Devaney, coach of defending champion Sunny Hills, agrees. He figures a team such as Valencia also carries the load of being undefeated.

“Sometimes losing a game in midseason is better,” said Devaney, whose team was seeded first in 1989 and lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Corona del Mar, 27-0. “My philosophy is I’d rather get beat midway through the year.”

But Marrujo says it’s much ado about nothing.

“It (No. 1 seeding) does matter to some degree, but not the degree people think of,” he said.

Ancich, a veteran of many playoff battles at St. Paul and Tustin, believes that being anywhere but the top rung in the pairings is a lot less stressful.

“There’s (much) more pressure when you’re in there sitting by yourself,” said Ancich, whose third-seeded Tillers (9-1) play host to Troy (3-5-2) Friday. “The easiest place to be is the bottom because you can only go up.”

That’s the route others in the division hope to take. There are some outstanding teams, including Garden Grove League champion Garden Grove (10-0) and runner-up Rancho Alamitos (8-1-1), Freeway League champion Buena Park (8-1-1) and Sea View League runner-up Woodbridge (6-2-1). Sunny Hills (6-4) is not as strong but has played well lately and could surprise.

No team, including Valencia, is a shoo-in to win the title as far as Ancich is concerned. But Devaney offers a different view.

“This is the strongest group of skilled kids (Marrujo has) ever had,” Devaney said. “And now his (offensive) line has caught up with those skilled kids.”

Division V

Last year’s champion--Etiwanda (13-0 in 1990).

Top teams--Corona (8-2), Arroyo (7-3), Norco (7-3), Colton (8-2) and Santa Margarita (6-3-1).

Dark horse--Palm Desert (6-4).

Key players--Shane Ballard, Norco, running back, 832 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns; Steve Campbell, Norco, quarterback, 1,315 passing yards and nine touchdowns; Montigo Irvin, Chaffey, 990 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns; Josh Ireland, Santa Margarita, running back, 1,249 rushing yards and averages 7.7 yards per carry; Dave Janoski, Corona, running back, is the team’s leading rusher (819 yards, 12 touchdowns) and receiver (553 yards, three touchdowns); George Marquecho, Jurupa Valley, running back, moved from quarterback to running back in midseason and has rushed for 947 yards; Ben Patton, Palm Desert, quarterback, 865 passing yards and eight touchdowns.

Noteworthy--Santa Margarita has been successful in the playoffs the past two years. Last year, Santa Margarita advanced to the Division IV semifinals before being eliminated by Baldwin Park, 10-6. In 1989, the Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division IX playoffs with no seniors, losing to eventual champion Carpinteria, 21-14.

Division VI

Last year’s champion--Sunny Hills (11-3 in 1990).

Top teams--Buena Park (8-1-1), Garden Grove (10-0), Tustin (9-1), Rancho Alamitos (8-1-1), Valencia (10-0).

Dark horse: Brea-Olinda (8-2).

Key players: Gilbert Arriola, Brea-Olinda, wide receiver, 41 receptions for 605 yards; Willie Barnes, Valencia, running back, 926 rushing yards in 135 carries; Angel Barrios, Buena Park, running back, 993 rushing yards; Brad Belanger, Savanna, quarterback, completed 63.3% of his passes for 1,311 yards; Jeff Byrd, Rancho Alamitos, running back, tied for county lead in rushing with 1,492 yards and scored 23 touchdowns; Brandon Finney, Newport Harbor, running back, 1,080 rushing yards; Brent Howes, Sunny Hills, defensive back, tied for county lead in interceptions with seven; Adrian Ioja, Garden Grove, tight end, punishing blocker with good hands; Matt Langenfeld, Pacifica, offensive tackle, first-rate “people mover”; Jason Luevanos, Brea-Olinda, quarterback, 1,465 passing yards; Marc O’Brien, Valencia, quarterback, led county with 189.1 quarterback rating; Jeff Ragos, Savanna, running back, 1,086 rushing yards; Geno Robles, Buena Park, quarterback, 1,093 passing yards; Ryan Roskelly, Valencia, running back, 743 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns; Jim Sebreros, Garden Grove, running back, 923 rushing yards; Lia Togia, Rancho Alamitos, offensive guard/inside linebacker; James Wyatt, Woodbridge, quarterback, passed for 1,436 yards and 10 touchdowns; Marlon Womack, Sunny Hills, running back, 1,026 rushing yards.

Noteworthy: County teams have won the title every year since the section assumed the divisional format in 1988, and won the old Central Conference championship 10 consecutive seasons before that. There are 13 in the 16-team field this year.