FOOTBALL ’92 : THE HIGH SCHOOLS: SOUTHERN SECTION : TEAM CAPSULES

TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Fillmore COACH: Curtis Garner, 5th season LAST SEASON: 4-7; tied for 2nd in Frontier League, 2-2 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Eight starters return on defense and some key starters are back on offense. Seven players will play both ways, including third-year senior starters Phillip Chessani (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) and Shane Woods (6-0, 195). Chessani, who also plays linebacker, threw for 763 yards last season. Woods was an all-league selection on the offensive line and also will play linebacker. Junior tailback Issac Jimenez (5-11, 170), who rushed for 620 yards, also returns. The other two-way starters are senior wide receiver-safety Louis Garza (6-0, 165), senior tight end-defensive end Jason Foy (5-11, 185), senior guard-defensive tackle Anthony Arias (5-11, 200), junior center-linebacker Jerry Sandoval (5-9, 200), and junior offensive-defensive tackle Pete Frias (6-2, 215). OUTLOOK: “We need to score more points this year than last year,” Garner said. “We had some stretches where it was real hard for us to put the ball in the end zone.”

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Oak Park COACH: Dick Billingsley, 3rd season LAST SEASON: 10-2; tied for 1st in league, 3-1 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Tarik Smith (5-11, 182) returns for his senior season after rushing for 1,776 yards and scoring 22 touchdowns. Although Smith suffered a bruised shoulder during a passing-league game over the summer, Billingsley expects him to be full recovered for league play. Five or six players will be two-way starters, depending on whether senior Damian Delfino (6-2, 188) is academically eligible. If Delfino makes the grade, he will start at quarterback and cornerback, with senior Alex Eckert (5-7, 160) playing wide receiver-defensive back. If Delfino is ineligible, Eckert will start at quarterback. The other projected two-way starters are seniors Rich Billingsley--the coach’s son--Craig Majors, Chad Collins (6-1, 212), and junior Mark Schwaneur. Billingsley (6-0, 165) is a wide receiver-safety, and Majors (5-9, 185) will play guard and inside linebacker. Schwaneur (5-11, 180) will play fullback and outside linebacker. OUTLOOK: “We are very gifted with team speed and we hit very hard,” Billingsley said. “We have the ability to be just as good, if not better, than last year’s team.”

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St. Bonaventure COACH: Jon Mack, 3rd season LAST SEASON: 8-5; tied for 1st in league, 3-1 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Toby Noblin, who rushed for 1,394 yards, graduated, but junior R.J. Kisling (5-10, 175) appears capable of filling that void, having rushed for 717 yards last year. Senior tight end Erich Zwicker (6-1, 235) will be a three-year starter, as will senior center Bob Scott (6-1, 205). George Lawson (6-2, 245) returns at offensive tackle, and fellow senior Gino Nucci (5-11, 185) will play running back. Junior Brad Burnett (6-3, 185), a left-hander, will play quarterback. Senior Justin Smiley (5-8, 165) and junior Jim Lyon (5-9, 170) are returning defensive backs, with seniors Pat Marasco (5-8, 185) and Tim Lawson (5-10, 175) coming back at linebacker, Lawson for the third consecutive season. Senior tackle Tony Maximo (5-7, 215) anchors the defensive line. OUTLOOK: “The confidence level among the players is much higher this year than before,” Mack said. “They know the system works and that makes a big difference.”