TONIGHT’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Aumua Veers Away From Danger

A Rancho Santiago College administrator was admiring the team’s media guide during a football game recently when his pleasant expression disappeared.

There, on the hand and arm of one of the players in the cover photo, was a gang tattoo.

But for the player--Kaio Aumua--the tattoos are all that remain of a lifestyle that kept him out of football as he bounced from high school to high school.

Aumua played on Mater Dei’s freshman team in 1987 but started on a dangerous path soon thereafter. But he has recovered and is now a standout defensive tackle for Rancho Santiago, which plays host to Saddleback at 7 o’clock tonight in a Mission Conference Central Division game at Santa Ana Stadium.

Aumua never played high school football after 1987. Instead, he says, he was involved in gangs and was academically ineligible most of the time.

After Mater Dei, he went to La Quinta and Los Amigos, as well as to a continuation school or two and a work camp.

“It started when I was young,” said Aumua, 19. “I was doing whatever everyone else did. I was a follower. . . . But I just finally got bored with it. Now I know what I want.”

Aumua always thought about playing football, but the desire couldn’t pull him from the streets until the summer of 1991, when he finally went to Rancho Santiago.

Aumua, who is 6 feet and 210 pounds, began as a third-team defensive end at Rancho Santiago but it didn’t take long for his speed and quickness to help him move up the depth chart.

Aumua was a starter by the third game and went on to have an outstanding season. He was the Dons’ second-leading tackler, he had seven sacks and two interceptions and was an All-Mission Conference pick.

Aumua said he was occasionally involved in gangs early last season, but last summer he made the break completely.

Now he’s on a different path.

“He’s the best athlete on our team,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dave Ogas said. “He can slam-dunk a basketball. He plays at one speed--all out. We can’t even block him in practice. He can make it at Division I as either a rush end or a linebacker.”

Aumua’s best game this season was the Dons’ first, a 10-7 victory over San Diego Mesa. Aumua had eight tackles for losses, including five sacks, and was in on 12 tackles.

He has had only one shared sack in the two games since and Rancho Santiago has lost both. Aumua said he has had some trouble keeping his intensity up this season, but the most important thing is that he is playing and not hanging out on the street.

“My whole family says I’ve changed,” he said. “Football, church and school have kept me from doing bad things. . . . I played two years in a row for the first time, now I just hope to make it three.”

In tonight’s 7 p.m. Mission Conference games:

Orange Coast (3-1) vs. Golden West (1-2) at OCC--Golden West is the home team in a district rivalry that the Rustlers lead, 14-10-2.

OCC is coming off a 42-7 victory over Palomar, and Golden West beat Southwestern, 30-29, last Saturday.

Both teams have turned to the run for success. OCC tailback Eric Washington has rushed for 603 yards and scored six touchdowns. But Golden West can’t just concentrate on Washington. Quarterback Todd Mather ran for 198 yards last week and has 257 in three games.

Golden West is led on the ground by tailback Derek Ragsdale, who has run for 227 yards, including 155 in the victory over Southwestern.

Palomar (2-1) at Fullerton (0-3)--Fullerton has had trouble on offense, averaging 275 yards and a conference-low eight points a game. Palomar, which uses a no-huddle offense that often utilizes four wide receivers, was pounded last week by Orange Coast.

Saddleback (4-0) vs. Rancho Santiago (1-2) at Santa Ana Stadium--Saddleback remains the top-ranked team in the nation by the J.C. Grid-Wire publication. Marcellus Chrishon remains the focal point of the offense, rushing for 737 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tim Snowden has passed for 837 yards and five touchdowns.

Saddleback’s defense has shone as well, holding opponents to 241 yards a game, which is second-best in the conference.

Rancho Santiago’s struggles have mostly been on offense. The Dons are averaging only 10 points and 284 yards a game; Saddleback is averaging 40 points and 496 yards.