FOOTBALL ’92 : THE JUNIOR COLLEGES : WESTERN STATE CONFERENCE : TEAM CAPSULES

Glendale COACH: John Cicuto, 4th season LAST SEASON: 4-6; 3rd in Northern Division, 4-5 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Depth on the offensive line always is a problem for junior college programs--except, it seems, for Glendale. The Vaqueros have five experienced blockers in the lineup and another talented group in reserve. Tackles Brian Feola (6-foot-2, 245 pounds) and Alberto Ocon (6-3, 275) were starters last season, as were guard Steve Conley (5-10, 245) and center Jason Bess (6-3, 230). Guard Bill Stewart (6-0, 235) was a starter in 1989 but sat out the past two seasons because of a back injury. Get by those roadblocks and the problem is finding Leon Gable (5-6, 150), a small but explosive tailback. Fano Malietulua and top recruit Pathon Rucker (6-0, 190) give the Vaqueros a trio of threats. Fullback Hector Maya (5-10, 210) is a top blocking back and tough inside runner. The quarterback will be sophomore Eric Kiesau, who completed 77 of 119 passes last season. His targets include Keith West (30 catches, 321 yards), speedster Angel Martinez and tight ends Miquel Gonzalez and Troy Aldrich, both four-year college transfers. The sharpest defensive player is inside linebacker Scott Blade (6-1, 230), a second-team all-conference choice as a freshman. Pat Kennelly (6-0, 215) and Kevin Hurley (5-11, 205) give Glendale two more linebackers with experience. Cornerback Vance Mitchell (5-10, 190) is the lone returnee in the secondary. Tackle Albert Kawaoka (6-0, 260) is a leader on the line. OUTLOOK: Last year marked only the second time in John Cicuto’s 16 years of coaching at Glendale that the Vaqueros had a losing season. “Sometimes you can unconsciously become complacent if you’re fortunate to have some good years,” Cicuto said. “Last year was a dose of reality. Our kids are a lot more prepared now than they were a year ago.”

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Moorpark COACH: Jim Bittner, 15th season LAST SEASON: 9-2; 2nd in Northern Division, 7-2 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Reuben Allen, who gained 71 yards in mop-up duty last season, Joe Maashoff, a converted defensive back, and Lamont Pearson, a redshirt freshman, are the candidates at tailback. Ryan Marine and David McDivitt, a Pierce transfer, are competing at fullback. They will run behind a battle-tested line anchored by center Eric Droll, an all-conference selection last season. Todd Peterson (6-4, 280), Matt Volk (6-2, 250) and Matt Heckman (6-6, 280), a converted tight end, are experienced blockers. Bittner also expects big things from freshmen Ricky Lee (6-3, 275), Paul Yerman (6-4, 260), Sean McKeown (6-3, 250) and Eric Simmons (6-1, 270). Key personnel are quarterbacks Corey Tucker and Todd Preston. Tucker, the starter a year ago, passed for 1,626 yards and ran for 244 in the regular season. He was second-team all-conference. Preston, a transfer from Cal, is bigger and has a stronger arm but is less mobile. Tim Blakeley (18 catches in ‘91), Santa Barbara transfer Ryan Kieling and Alex Estrada, a freshman who played eight-man football at Faith Baptist High, are the top receivers. The Raiders’ pass defense is every bit as strong as the offense. Free safety Kenyon Lewis and cornerback Lance Thomas both were all-conference last season and cornerback Brian Vellmure was a starter. Frank Tinoco (6-3, 225), who led the team in tackles in ‘91, returns at inside linebacker where he is joined by Kevin Kalfass (6-0, 230), a starter last season until a knee injury forced him to the sidelines. On the line, nose tackle Jacob James (6-0, 185) will be surrounded by Arturo Hernandez (6-1, 255), Steve Standage (6-2, 235) and Demetrius Jones (6-4, 260), a starter at Ventura last season. OUTLOOK: Moorpark has a string of four consecutive 9-2 seasons and bowl appearances. Bittner would like to break it. “As long as we’re wishing, we might as well wish big,” Bittner said. “We’d like to be 11-0, even though it’s kind of hard to be disappointed with 9-2.”

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Pierce COACH: Bill Norton, 2nd season LAST SEASON: 1-10; 6th in Southern Division, 1-8 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Pierce’s defense should be tough, thanks to a contingent of strong cornerbacks and outside linebackers. The corners will be Leon Glasgow, Kesa Harding and Anthony Martinez. Playing the outside slots in the Brahmas’ four-linebacker set will be Vachon LeCense (6-2, 225), a converted strong safety, and Brad Weaver (6-0, 185), a second-team all-conference selection in ’91. Neimad Durham (6-1, 215), Keith Kershaw (6-2, 225), Brian Getz (6-1, 190) and Al Richardson (6-1, 255) are the candidates at inside linebacker. The front four should be Justin Fix (6-3, 230), Jeff Sardell (6-2, 255), Brian Meza (6-0, 275) and Earl Negrete (6-1, 230). The offensive tackles are Antelope Valley transfer Jesse Cartwright (6-5, 345) and freshmen David Zion (6-5, 265) and Dan Olivis (6-4, 325). The center probably will be Chris Fellows (6-1, 235), a backup last season. Khasha Tabrizi (6-3, 280) and Jesus Gaspar (6-2, 255) probably will start at guard with Mario Olivio (6-1, 240) and Eddie Santiago (6-2, 240) in reserve. Xavier Foreman (6-2, 205) is a good-hands man who can block at tight end. Wide receiver is a strength with Danny Alexander, Francis Howard and Dante Bell all returning. The quarterback will be either Ceasar Parra, a backup last season, or David Erhardt, a freshman from Cleveland High. Pierce’s ground game is buoyed by the return of fullback Anthony Florence (5-11, 220) and freshman Louis Spellman (6-0, 225), a former wrestler, is competing with ’91 backups Danny Reynolds and Kenny Herbs at tailback. OUTLOOK: The official books show Pierce winning only one game last season, but take away forfeits because of the unintentional use of an ineligible player and the Brahmas were 7-3-1. Pierce’s defense will be as good if the line holds up.

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Valley COACH: Jim Fenwick, 2nd season LAST SEASON: 5-5; 4th in Southern Division, 5-4 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Phase II of the Valley reclamation project has started. Eric Moss is a returning starter at cornerback and John Bodemer, Shane Bullock and Joynier Lockett are sophomores with experience. Steve Anthony (6-2, 250) and Avo Avetisyan (6-3, 230) lead the charge up front. Billy Dykes (6-3, 235) and Sam Manu (6-0, 215) are battle-tested inside linebackers. Freshman Albert Contreras (6-0, 230) also has been impressive. Other newcomers on defense include outside linebacker Charles Humas (6-3, 220) and tackles Odis Taylor (6-4, 225) and Brady Bateman (6-3, 250). On offense, one to watch is quarterback Joe Mauldin (6-2, 215). “He can throw deep and he can throw hard, soft, and at the same time can pull it down and run it,” Fenwick said. Tackle Victor Hernandez (6-3, 265) is the only returning starter on the offensive line, but Justin Hlkadky (6-1, 250) was a part-time performer at center last season. Francisco Flores (6-5, 260) is the best of the freshman. Receivers Randolph Brown, Billy Parra and tight end Brandon Best are sophomores. Bakersfield transfer Delvon Hardaway and freshman tight end Pat Fitzgerald (6-3, 220) also should contribute. The tailbacks are Howard Blackwell, a transfer from Oregon, Benny Evans, a part-time player in ‘91, and freshman Hector Ortega. Freshmen Viliami Langi (5-10, 220) and Sam Mason (5-11, 225) play fullback. OUTLOOK: On offense, Valley has installed a modified run-and-shoot. On defense, the Monarchs employ a variety of tactics. “We’re going to do things that make people want to play hard,” Fenwick said. “We’re turning them loose.” With so many new players, Valley might not yet be a title contender but at least the Monarchs should be fun to watch.

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Ventura COACH: Dick James, 13th season LAST SEASON: 3-7; 4th in Northern Division, 3-6 PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Pirates have lost a lot of games while averaging 24 points over the past two seasons, so the recruiting focus was on defense. Ventura has a trio of players to build around: Cornerback Anthony Morales, safety Chris Venturina and 5-10, 200-pound inside linebacker Billy Ray Davis all are returning starters. Jack Meijer (6-1, 205), a backup last season, steps in at outside linebacker. Chris Lambert, a transfer from Nebraska, gives Ventura a heavy hitter at safety. Outside linebacker Jason Griffith (6-3, 204), a freshman, has been impressive during summer drills. Defensive end Brian Righetti (6-3, 225) is the only returning player on the front four. Freshman Orson Allen (6-0, 240) is the other line bookend, and freshmen Bill Dzuro (6-0, 250) and Sam Garcia (6-3, 252) are the tackles. James also has praise for linemen Scott Wilding (6-4, 220), Paul Walls (6-2, 250) and Gilbert Hernandez (6-2, 250), all freshmen. Most of Ventura’s experience is on the other side of the line. The only freshman on the offensive front will be tackle John Schaller (6-3, 315). The other starters are tackle John Gatling (6-5, 280), guards Chet Lindemann (6-3, 270) and Pat Rodriguez (6-0, 260) and center Greg Chase (5-10, 230). Freshman Stacy Townsend, the top candidate at quarterback, is mobile and strong but not polished. At receiver, Charles Thompson, Erik Eads and Steve Waller return; freshman Vince Lampkin, a converted quarterback, is the fastest player on the team. Sophomore Tory Cabral is the top tailback.

OUTLOOK: When he returned to Ventura from Stanford three years ago, James said the Pirates would enjoy a renaissance with players from local high schools. So much for that idea. Ventura has players from its own back yard but nearly as many from out of state. “I wanted to win with high school players from the county, but it didn’t look like we could do it that way,” James said.

FOOTHILL CONFERENCE

Antelope Valley COACH: Brent Carder, 23rd season LAST SEASON: 8-3; 2nd in conference, 6-2 PLAYERS TO WATCH: As if opponents didn’t have enough trouble catching Lamart Cooper, now they might have trouble finding him. Although he starts at wide receiver, Cooper, a 5-4, 145-pound mighty mite who was all-state as a kick and punt returner in ‘91, also will play slotback and running back. Behind Antelope Valley’s mammoth line, he could all but disappear. Center Brian Lasagna is, at 6-2, 235, the runt of the group. The others are freshman Randy Clemons (6-4, 275) and sophomores William Knight (6-8, 320), George Murdoch (6-7, 340) and Sean Evans (6-9, 300). Tailback Greg Graham led the team with 634 rushing yards last season and fullback Al Dawkins (6-0, 245) had 294 yards and is a dependable blocker. Tony Simmons, a starter two seasons ago, will split tailback duties with Graham. On the defensive line, end Rick Nikols (6-4, 265) is the only returning starter, but Carder likes freshmen Ralph Gutierrez (6-4, 230), Carl Taylor (6-0, 265) and Percy Ford (6-5, 265). Jason Mentry (6-1, 235), Richard Presti (6-2, 245), Josh Patterson (6-1, 215) and Robert Haywood (6-1, 235) are a formidable quartet of linebackers. OUTLOOK: Antelope Valley’s strength is its offensive and defensive lines. The Marauders’ weakness? “The same places,” Coach Brent Carder said. “We don’t have much depth.”