Coach Admits Downplaying Defense Unwise

Some people never learn. Others just take a while. Fortunately for the Hoover High football team, Coach Dennis Hughes is in the latter group.

“It took me three games to figure out that in football you’ve still got to play defense to win ballgames,” Hughes said.

Hughes, whose team beat Temple City, 24-14, last week for its first victory, had been reluctant to use three of his offensive linemen on defense because he wanted them fresh to protect quarterback Nate Dishington, ensuring that the Tornadoes’ newly installed, pass-heavy offense operated as efficiently as possible.

Unfortunately, the defense could stop no one. Hoover gave up an average of 436.7 yards in losing its first three games. But Hughes finally broke down and played Kwang Kim, Steve Choi and Juan Aguilar on both sides of the ball against Temple City. The Tornadoes allowed 319 yards in that game.

“I think when you change offenses you get caught up in trying to have this great offense, but defense is just as important, if not more so,” Hughes said. “No matter how good your offense is, if it’s sitting on the bench while the other team runs up and down the field it doesn’t do you any good.”

SEVERE DOUBTS

Oak Park running back Tarik Smith, who suffered an ankle injury on the first play of last week’s nonleague game against Nordhoff, might not play this week against Moorpark.

X-rays of Smith’s left ankle revealed no fractures, but Coach Dick Billingsley believes the sprain might be severe enough to keep Smith out of the lineup.

Smith, who is considered one of the top recruits in the Southland by several publications, has gained 317 yards in 40 carries and has five touchdowns.

“We’re just not sure yet. We probably won’t know until right before the game,” Billingsley said. “He’s real anxious to get back in, but we’re not going to rush it.

“It’s driving him crazy, but he’s just going to have to be patient.”

PIZZA MAN

Every good offensive back knows that the way to a lineman’s heart is through his stomach.

When it came to crunch time last week against Poly, Canoga Park quarterback David Kreider resorted to bribery to get the most from his front five.

Canoga Park was trailing, 12-6, late in the fourth quarter, but the Hunters were so close to the end zone they could smell it.

“I told them (in the huddle) that if we scored on that drive, I’d buy them all pizza,” Kreider said.

Moments later, Kreider scored on a sneak. His extra-point kick gave Canoga Park a 13-12 lead and an eventual upset.

“They were pretty surprised when I showed up with the pizza (on Monday),” Kreider said. “All of the receivers tried to get some but I told them to get out.”

WANTED: TAILBACKS

Tailbacks have become an endangered species in the Northwest Valley Conference.

Standout players who could be sidelined because of injury Friday night are Raheem Kyle of Granada Hills (sprained knee), Jerry Brown of Taft (bruised forearm) and Dewayne Johnson of Reseda (sprained ankle).

Each leads his respective team in rushing: Brown has 492 yards, followed by Johnson (237) and Kyle (232). Brown and Johnson were injured during last week’s games.

TELL-TALE SIGNS

Immediately after Sylmar’s 13-7 victory over North Hollywood last week, it was obvious which coach had more at stake.

Sylmar (3-0), a highly regarded City Section 4-A Division team, risked enormous loss of face with a loss to North Hollywood (3-1), an upstart 3-A team.

And the haggard, battle-weary appearance of Sylmar Coach Jeff Engilman after the game proved it. Although a hint of relief tugged at his lips to form a fleeting smile, it was obvious that the game had taken an emotional toll on him.

“I know we escaped one,” Engilman said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

In contrast, on the other side of the field, North Hollywood Coach Gary Gray appeared relaxed, satisfied and even cheerful. “We’re proud of this team,” Gray said. “We held an excellent team to 13 points.”

CENTER OF ATTENTION

Danny Batsalkin used to touch the ball on every offensive play. Now he touches it much less frequently, but his possessions are more meaningful.

Batsalkin, a receiver who leads Chatsworth with 10 receptions for 205 yards, was the center last season on the B team. Coach Myron Gibford said it did not take long to see that Batsalkin had the right tools.

In fact, the normally reserved Gibford heaps considerable praise on Batsalkin, an honors student who was born in the former Soviet Union.

“We saw that he had great hands, so we lined him up at receiver,” Gibford said. “We thought he could be a superstar for us, and he has become one.”

STRAIGHT SHOOTER

Crespi fullback Deron McElroy, who grinds out each run and averages a workmanlike 4.0 yards a carry, is a throwback type. He gives you no angles, no cutback moves, no fancy steps in the open field. Nothing but no-nonsense, straight ahead, shoulders-square-to-the-line running.

“He’s a math major,” Coach Tim Lins said.

Meaning?

“What’s the saying? The shortest distance between two places is a straight line,” Lins said.

SHORTHANDED

You can’t give the opponent a power play in football. Or can you?

First Lutheran seemed to Sept. 26 in an eight-man game against Pacific Christian. Entering the game with only the requisite eight players, First Lutheran was forced to play several downs with seven players when fullback John Steurer sustained a twisted ankle and went to the sidelines.

First Lutheran gave the ball to tailback Dan Magallanes on every down while Steurer was out.

Steurer returned five plays later, though, and the Falcons won, 28-6. It was their first victory of the season.

Coach Scott Barker did not face the same problem again last Saturday against Ribet Academy because sophomore James Griffin joined the team, boosting the First Lutheran roster to a whopping nine players.

BROTHERS IN ARMS

Whenever L.A. Lutheran quarterback Trevor Dietrich looks downfield for his favorite receiver, it must be like looking in a mirror. His identical twin, Joel, has been on the receiving end of three of his brother’s touchdown passes.

But theirs isn’t the only football brother act in the area among eight-man teams. Antelope Valley Christian quarterback Kris Kershaw has completed 10 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown to his younger brother, Mike, in the last two weeks.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Saugus girls’ volleyball Coach Bobbi Estes has transformed the Centurions from perennial losers into winners in three years. Just how far Saugus has improved was illustrated Saturday when the Centurions beat Royal, 15-10, in the final of the Royal tournament--the first championship of any kind for the Saugus program.

One of the major reasons for Saugus’ success has been the play of Estes’ daughter, Lindsay, a 5-foot-10 junior outside hitter who was the most valuable player at the Royal tournament.

Even with the wins, however, this particular player-coach relationship can be trying. “She’s the first to tell me when she doesn’t like a drill,” Bobbi said. “We’ve had our moments and it hasn’t always been smooth.”

But the coach is also quick to point out Lindsay’s attributes. “She is a real hard worker,” Bobbi said.

David Coulson and staff writers Kennedy Cosgrove, Steve Elling, Jeff Fletcher, Paige A. Leech and Jason H. Reid contributed to this notebook.