Quarterbacks Crowd Center Stage in This Show

Trabuco Hills dared opponents to stop its passing attack when it played in the Southern Section Division VIII football playoffs in the late 1980s.

Teams didn’t have much success against Mustang quarterbacks such as John Barnes, David Lowery and Tim Manning. Trabuco Hills won Division VIII titles in 1988 and ’89.

But when the Mustangs moved to Division VII last season along with the rest of the Pacific Coast League, they discovered they weren’t the only ones who could throw.

“We get more of a blend in this division,” Barnett said. “When we were in Division VIII, not many teams threw. When we did, a lot of teams said, ‘What are they doing?’ ”

Division VII is loaded with talented quarterbacks:

--Top-seeded Artesia features Aaron Flowers, who has passed for 3,156 yards and 27 touchdowns.

--St. Francis’ Rudy Martinez, who has thrown for 1,215 yards and 14 touchdowns.

--Although Temple City balances its running and passing, quarterback Bob Sanchez has completed nearly 60% of his attempts.

And don’t count out Pat Barnes, Trabuco Hills’ junior quarterback who has thrown for 2,033 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Barnes and the unseeded Mustangs (5-4-1), the Pacific Coast League champions, will play unseeded St. Francis (5-5) in a first-round game Friday night at Trabuco Hills.

Barnett said it’s difficult to compare Barnes with Manning, now at California, and Lowery, the starting quarterback at San Diego State.

“Pat’s still getting better,” Barnett said. “He’s his own type of guy. He’s certainly not a prototype quarterback, other than his size (6 feet 3).

“Lowery, at least disposition-wise, was the perfect quarterback. And Manning was such a perfect athlete, he could play anywhere. He could’ve played center.”

According to Barnett, Barnes is more like his older brother, John, who was quarterback for the Mustangs in 1987 and is now at UC Santa Barbara. Both are efficient passers.

“He’s just a very good quarterback,” Barnett said.

Barnes has turned around Trabuco Hills’ fortunes this season, along with help from wide receiver Cordell Graham (38 receptions for 623 yards) and running back Jeff Clayton, who rushed for 142 yards and scored three touchdowns against Costa Mesa last week.

Trabuco Hills won four of five league games after going 1-3-1 during the nonleague season.

The Mustangs’ only nonleague victory was a 35-0 trouncing of Corona del Mar. The three losses came to El Toro and playoff teams Villa Park and Woodbridge. The Mustangs tied Dana Hills, another playoff team, 10-10.

“I told the kids after we lost to El Toro and tied Dana Hills that we wouldn’t be playing anyone that’s more physical than those teams are,” Barnett said.

Trabuco Hills averaged 30 points in five league games, losing only to Estancia, 20-17. A 39-6 victory over Costa Mesa last week clinched the Mustangs’s third league title in four seasons.

Division VII

Last year’s champion--Lompoc (13-1 in 1990).

Top teams--Arroyo Grande (7-2), Artesia (10-0), Serra (7-2), Temple City (7-3).

Dark horses: El Segundo (8-2), Trabuco Hills (5-4-1).

Key players: Pat Barnes, Trabuco Hills, quarterback, 2,033 passing yards and 12 touchdowns; Jeff Clayton, Trabuco Hills, running back, rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns in victory over Costa Mesa in regular-season finale; Greg DeFelice, Laguna Hills, linebacker, regularly records double figures in tackles; Aaron Flowers, Artesia, quarterback, 3,156 passing yards and 27 touchdowns; Juan Garcia, Century, running back, 1,114 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 104 tackles on defense; Cordell Graham, Trabuco Hills, wide receiver, 38 receptions for 623 yards; Pat Lawrence, St. Francis, running back, 771 rushing yards and six touchdowns; Rudy Martinez, St. Francis, quarterback, 1,215 passing yards and 14 touchdowns; Curtis Renner, Temple City, running back, 573 rushing yards and six touchdowns; Clemente Sainten, Arroyo Grande, running back, 873 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns; Shawn Tippet, Artesia, wide receiver, 67 catches for 1,160 yards and 10 touchdowns; Dave Webber, Laguna Hills, running back, 1,129 rushing yards.

Noteworthy: Century (7-3), making its first playoff appearance, has a tough first-round game with third-seeded Serra (7-2), the Camino Real League champion. Laguna Hills (6-3-1) also could have difficulty with El Segundo (8-2), the San Fernando League champion.