Calvary Chapel’s Sharkey Can Compete With Best

Occasionally, Jason Sharkey allows himself to think about how things might have been if he had played for a football power instead of for Division X Calvary Chapel.

“Once in a while I do think about what it would be like to be in (Mater Dei quarterback) Billy Blanton’s position,” Sharkey said. “I ask myself sometimes what would have happened if there wasn’t a Calvary Chapel High School,” Sharkey said. “What could I have accomplished? What could I have done on that caliber of a team in a higher division?

“But then I look at what I’ve accomplished here and I’m pretty satisfied with that.”

He should be. Sharkey, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior, finished the regular season with the third-best quarterback efficiency rating in Orange County. He also led Calvary Chapel to a 9-1 record and the No. 1 seeding in the Southern Section Division X playoffs. Because there are only 12 teams in the Division X bracket, the top four received byes; thus Calvary Chapel will play the winner of Los Angeles Baptist (6-4) vs. Trona (9-1) in the second round Nov. 29.

Calvary Chapel, a school of 400 on the Santa Ana-Costa Mesa border, is playing only its second year of varsity football and Sharkey has always been the quarterback. He led the junior varsity to a 7-3 record as a sophomore and the varsity to a 4-4-2 record last season before losing to Linfield in the first round of the playoffs.

This season, Sharkey has matured. Blessed with a strong arm, he has improved his footwork and play-calling at the line of scrimmage, Calvary Chapel Coach Kris Van Hook said.

“I’ve been telling people all year that I believe Jason Sharkey is one of the best quarterbacks in the county,” Van Hook said. “His stats could be even better if we chose to throw the ball in the second halves of a lot of games.”

Those statistics are good enough anyway. He has completed 63.7% of his passes for 1,557 yards and 20 touchdowns. Only three of his passes have been intercepted.

Because of Sharkey and a core of good receivers, Southern California Christian Coach Bert Esposito said Calvary Chapel should be favored to win the title.

“Most teams in our division do not throw like that, and Sharkey is an outstanding quarterback,” said Esposito, whose team lost to Calvary Chapel, 19-14, Saturday for the Arrowhead League title. “He reads the defense well and throws to the right receiver.”

For the first time in three seasons, Whittier Christian isn’t undefeated entering the Division IX playoffs. In 1989 the Heralds lost in the quarterfinals and in 1990 they defeated Tehachapi, 34-21, in the championship game.

In the third game of the season, Whittier Christian lost its first regular-season game since 1988, ending a streak of 24 victories with a 35-12 loss to Division VI Sonora.

The Heralds, who start only six seniors and have 27 juniors on the varsity, lost their Olympic League opener to Valley Christian, 9-0, but have won the four games since.

“The last couple of years both teams were good veteran ballclubs and lived up to their potential,” Coach Tom Caffrey said. “This ballclub is a young team that has progressively gotten better and better and better.

“It’s picking up a little momentum, I think. But at the same time, because it’s young, it makes mistakes, which the other teams didn’t do too much of.”

Divisions IX and X

Last year’s champions--Division IX: Whittier Christian (13-0 in 1990). Division X: Montclair Prep (10-3 in 1990).

Top teams--Division IX: Big Bear (10-0), Cerritos Valley Christian (8-2), L.A. Murphy (8-1), Whittier Christian (8-2). Division X: Calvary Chapel (9-1), Linfield (9-1), Southern California Christian (8-2).

Dark horses--Division IX: Brethren Christian (7-3). Division X: Trona (9-1).

Key players--Division IX: Dan Cerio, Brethren Christian, quarterback, 1,569 passing yards; Jacob Cuccia, Whittier Christian, running back, 1,292 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns; Robby Gump, Big Bear, running back, 1,048 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns in eight games; Aaron Meschuk, Whittier Christian, running back, 1,081 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns; Corey Peters, Cerritos Valley Christian, running back, 1,294 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns; Tarik Smith, Oak Park, running back, 1,501 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns; Caleb Sponholtz, Yucca Valley, running back, 1,614 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Division X: Dennis Amundson, Southern California Christian, running back/safety, 797 rushing yards; Jake Guild, Calvary Chapel, tight end/linebacker; Jamie Frazier, Anza Hamilton, running back, 1,438 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns; Mike Jacot, Southern California Christian, running back, 1,492 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns; Matt Kellogg, Calvary Chapel, running back, 941 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns; Vaughn Kerkhoff, Trona, running back 1,662 rushing yards and scored 40 touchdowns; Jason Sharkey, Calvary Chapel, quarterback, 1,557 passing yards and 20 touchdowns; Pete Slevcove, Anza Hamilton, quarterback, 1,261 passing yards and 17 touchdowns.

Noteworthy--Brethren Christian will play its first-round game against St. Bonaventure Thursday at Ventura High School. Defending Division X champion Montclair Prep (8-1) won the Alpha League title but is ineligible for the playoffs this season and next because of alleged improprieties involving Derek and Leland Sparks, who later transferred to Mater Dei.