HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ’92 : Area Teams Prepare to Kick Off a Season of Change : Preview: This could be the year that traditional powers find their stranglehold on league championships and playoff berths challenged.

The 1992 high school football season begins this week with several changes in league and division alignments, coaching staffs and, perhaps, the balance of power in the San Gabriel Valley.

Although Baldwin Park won a Southern Section championship in 1991, several other teams also enjoyed success.

There are bound to be surprises, so rather than simply presenting a top 10, the following list is made up of some of the area’s most intriguing teams:

BISHOP AMAT

The school that produced such outstanding running backs as Eric Bieniemy, Mazio Royster and Scott Fields apparently has another one in Rodney Sermons, who will make the transition from fullback to tailback this season.

Senior quarterback Mike Smith directs an offense that will also feature running back Randy Guanko, one of three sophomores that will start for the Lancers. Defensive end Korey Minor and defensive back Daylon McCutcheon are the others.

“Smith is going to be a key for us,” Bishop Amat Coach Mark Paredes said. “We have a good crew of seniors, but the thing that worries me is putting sophomores out there.”

Robert Lund is a top offensive lineman and Wilhans Ily and Chris Gallardo anchor the defensive line. Linebacker George Guzman and defensive back Paul Shay are also standouts.

Bishop Amat opens its season against Carson and also plays Damien, Long Beach Poly, Arroyo Grande and Long Beach Jordan during its pre-league schedule.

NOGALES

The running back tradition continues at Nogales where Coach Brian Beveridge will, once again, field an outstanding backfield combination.

Lawrence Lanham graduated, but running back Lamonte Adams, a Times’ 1991 All-San Gabriel Valley selection, returns for his senior season. He’ll be joined by senior Kevin Devine to give the Nobles their trademark speed and big-play capability.

“Lamonte may be our most improved player even though he had a super year last season,” Beveridge said. “He’s done an outstanding job during spring and summer practices.

“But we lost a lot of seniors from last year. We’ll be aggressive and we’ll hit, but we’re inexperienced.”

Lineman Sepo Petero anchors a defensive unit that will also include Devine.

MUIR

Jim Brownfield, who led Muir to consecutive Southern Section championships before stepping aside for health reasons after the 1986 season, returns to a program that has gone through five coaches in five years.

Brownfield inherits a group that includes All-Southern Section running back Saladin McCullough and quarterback Andy Colbert.

McCullough, a senior, gained 1,266 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 1991. He is one of the most dangerous breakaway threats in Southern California. Colbert rushed for 607 yards and passed for 255 in his first season at quarterback in 1991. Those numbers, however, could increase dramatically in Brownfield’s sophisticated offense.

All-Southern Section lineman Jonathan Mosley and defensive back Maurice Simpson return to lead a defense that is fast and aggressive.

As it has the past few seasons, Muir opens with a difficult pre-league schedule that includes Palmdale, Fontana and Eisenhower. The Mustangs, seeking their first league Pacific League championship since 1986, open league play against two-time defending champion Glendale.

BALDWIN PARK

The Braves lost quarterback Marc Ruiz, who was The Times’ San Gabriel Valley Back of the Year, and a corps of talented receivers from a team that won a Southern Section championship.

Coach Tony Zane, however, still has Lawrence Phillips, one of the best backs in Southern California. Phillips averaged eight yards a carry, 35 yards per kickoff return and 15 yards per punt return in 1991. He also caught 10 passes for 150 yards.

“We’re going to build our offense around Phillips and probably run more than we have in the past,” Zane said. “We’re really hoping our defense does the job early in the year and hopefully the offense will come along.”

Senior Raul Rodriguez will step in at quarterback for the Braves.

All-Sierra League cornerback James Higgins returns to a secondary that also includes George Rivera. Joe Rueff and Martin Cuevas are the team’s top linebackers.

ARROYO

The Knights are coming off a 10-4 season in which they advanced to the Division V championship game before losing to Corona, 21-16.

Don MacKinnon, The Times’ San Gabriel Valley Coach of the Year, begins his 13th season with a team led by junior quarterback Steve Hernandez, who started all of last season.

With the graduation of running back D.J. Hoyt, linebacker/running back Keith MacLellan and lineman Manuel Cruz, Hernandez will be counted on to provide much of the leadership.

“Steve is 100% improved from last season,” MacKinnon said. “He’s going to have to step forward and carry some of the load this season.”

Senior linemen Ron Daniels, Eddie Rios and Alex Rodriguez, all of whom started last season, anchor Arroyo’s defense.

SOUTH PASADENA

The Tigers were somewhat of a surprise last season when they finished 7-3-1 and made the playoffs under then-interim coaches Dave Martinez and Jeff Chi.

Martinez, 23, and Chi, 22, are back this season with several key returning players, including quarterback Dan Withers, who passed for 986 yards and 10 touchdowns; running back Jaime Magana, who gained 964 yards; and wide receiver Pat Romero, who averaged 18 yards a reception.

“Last year, we just wanted to get on the winning track and see how far we could go” said Martinez, who is now full-time. “This year, the (Rio Hondo) league championship is well within our range.”

Doug Withers, Dan’s twin brother, will start at middle linebacker after missing much of last season because of an injury. Paul Romero, Pat’s twin brother, is a returning all-league defensive back.

LOS ALTOS

Coach Dwayne DeSpain begins his 26th season with the Conquerors, who feature senior fullback Ben Rosales and a talented collection of juniors.

Rosales missed two games last season and still rushed for 800 yards. Senior defensive back Matt Merrill also returns from a team that upset top-ranked Canyon Springs in the playoffs and extended Damien to triple overtime.

Junior quarterback Darrin Merrill is one of six juniors that will start on offense. DeSpain said six juniors will also start on defense.

Los Altos’ strength is in a linebacker corps that features juniors Tom Rosser, Jake Merrill and Scott Russell, all of whom started in 1991.

“We’re tried to keep this group together from the time they came in,” DeSpain said. “We think that’s really going to help us.”

Los Altos has moved from the Sierra League to the newly formed Miramonte League with Wilson, Walnut, Charter Oak, Garey and Ganesha.

GLENDORA

The Tartans, who have won three consecutive Baseline League championships, are an intriguing team because they have virtually no returning starters.

Junior tailback Todd Alcantara rushed for 600 yards in four late-season games, but Glendora is without its usual mix of experienced seniors and underclassmen.

“This year’s team is the least-known quantity we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Coach Dean Karnoski, who begins his eighth season with the Tartans. “We’re not looking toward next year, though. We want to win now.”

Senior Jose Clemente is the Tartans’ top offensive lineman. Robbie Schult, a junior, will start at quarterback.

CHARTER OAK

Coach Lou Farrar had a team that took its lumps the past two years, but no one will be looking past a Charter Oak team that includes 30 seniors.

“The kids have waited for this year and I’ve waited for this year,” Farrar said. “They got their butts kicked as sophomores and paid their dues as juniors. They’re ready to go.”

Senior running back Mike Harris leads an offense that also includes senior quarterback Jesse Jacobs and offensive lineman Chris Marlow.

Sophomore Joey Strycula will start at defensive back and is the reserve quarterback.

Charter Oak is a member of the newly former Miramonte League.

DUARTE

Like Charter Oak, the Falcons did not have much success in 1991. They finished 3-6-1 and 2-3 in the Mission Valley League.

Duarte, however, is a favorite to win the league title because of nine players that will be playing their third varsity season, including quarterback Greg Ainsworth, receiver Tosh Clark and tight end Nakia Ware.

Johnnie Shelton, who averaged more than 11 yards in 33 carries in 1991, gives the Falcons a legitimate breakaway threat.

“Duarte has a lot of talent,” Arroyo Coach Don MacKinnon said. “Going in, they are definitely one of the teams to beat.”