Back to Starting--and Starring--Roles : Football: Tony DaCosta and Ivan Wilson sat out the 1991 season, but they have returned to become prominent players for El Camino this season.

When Tony DaCosta is finished with football practice at El Camino College, he rushes home to care for his 8-month-old son, Joseph, while his wife, Rosa, attends night school at Harbor College.

DaCosta, a Torrance High graduate, is the Warriors’ starting fullback. Juggling school, football and family life is difficult, but the 6-foot-3, 240-pound sophomore is in good company. His backfield partner, tailback Ivan Wilson, also has a schedule that makes it difficult to play football.

The 5-10, 180-pound Wilson commutes from South Gate, where he lives with an aunt because his parents moved to Apple Valley. He often takes a bus, but never misses practice.

DaCosta and Wilson were teammates on El Camino’s 1990 state championship team, which won the Orange County Bowl and finished 9-2.

The players sat out last season. DaCosta quit school to work full-time and support his family. Wilson red-shirted after cracking a bone in his right shoulder in the season’s third game against Saddleback.

In 1990 DaCosta was an All-Mission Conference selection after gaining 322 yards and scoring seven touchdowns in 51 carries. He also had eight receptions for 120 yards.

Wilson was the City player of the year as a junior at South Gate. In 1990, he played behind Anthony Daigle and gained 181 yards and scored two touchdowns in 12 carries. He broke a school record for the longest run from scrimmage (71 yards) in the season opener against Ventura.

Being a spectator in 1991 was not easy for Wilson or DaCosta.

“It was real hard not playing football,” said DaCosta, 20, who lives in Torrance with his parents, wife, son and younger brother. “I never liked the idea of quitting, but it was best for me at the time. I had to work to support my family.

“I didn’t miss a (home) game in 1991, though. I hated it. Sometimes I had to leave early because I couldn’t stand to watch them lose.”

El Camino had one of its worst seasons in Coach John Featherstone’s eight years at the school. The Warriors finished 6-4 and did not compete in a bowl game for the first time in five years.

Wilson, 20, says he often spoke to DaCosta at home games.

“We’d joke around and say, ‘We could do better than that,’ ” Wilson said. “We always said, ‘We’ll be back.’ We knew we’d be back to help this team.”

And they have come through in 1992. Wilson leads the Warriors in rushing (274 yards and five touchdowns in 57 carries) and has proven to be a capable receiver. In last week’s 46-43 victory at Riverside City College, Wilson caught the game-winning, three-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds remaining.

“He has great vision and he makes guys miss,” El Camino assistant Fred Peterson said. “He also came back a little faster than 1990. He’s running a 4.5 (second) in the 40 (yard dash) now. His speed has really improved.”

Wilson credits DaCosta for much of his success. “At my high school, fullbacks just weren’t this big,” he said. “It’s really great to have Tony blocking for me. He’s so good.”

DaCosta gained about 40 pounds during 1991 and has to lose seven pounds before he is in shape, according to Peterson.

“He really gained too much weight but he’s working himself back into shape,” Peterson said. “We call him Thunder. He’s definitely a Division I fullback. He’s probably the best fullback I’ve had at El Camino in nine years. He runs, catches and blocks better than anyone I’ve coached here.”

DaCosta says he weighed 260 pounds before the start of fall practice. A bet with his father motivated him to lose 33 pounds in a month.

“My dad and I made this bet to see who could lose the most weight,” DaCosta said. “If I won I got $500 and if he won I had to paint the house. I was ready to collect my $500, but my dad lost 35 pounds and I lost 33 so I had to paint the house. But it still helped me a lot.”

Wilson remained in condition by playing basketball and lifting weights once his shoulder healed.

“Them sitting out in 1991 was a blessing in disguise for us,” Featherstone said. “Now we have two proven athletes on this team with experience and leadership. Ivan and Tony know they have to carry the load.”

DaCosta was an All-Pioneer League fullback at Torrance after gaining more than 1,000 yards and scoring nine touchdowns as a senior.

Wilson was the City 3-A Division player of the year after leading South Gate to a 14-0 record and the 3-A title as a junior. He gained more than 2,000 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.

As a senior in 1989, he gained 1,500 yards and was an All-Central League selection, but the Rams lost to Franklin in the playoffs.

Wilson was recruited by schools such as UCLA, Nebraska, USC and California, but failed to score the minimum 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test to be eligible for a scholarship.

“He was the top running back out of the City in 1989,” Featherstone said. “Ivan’s better games are ahead of him. He is now just unwinding. He has a tremendous feel for the game.”

DaCosta, who was recruited by San Diego State, Washington State and Brigham Young, also failed to score 700 on the SAT.

The players say they have improved their academics and are hoping to use football to earn a scholarship.

“I would like to be the first in my family to get a college degree,” Wilson said. “I have six brothers and I will be the first to do it. That would be great.”

DaCosta says earning a college degree would set a good example for his son and eventually help him pay back his wife for supporting him through school.

“My wife and son pushed me to come back,” DaCosta said. “I owe it all to them. She works so hard to support me and they come to every game. It’s a big incentive to see my wife and baby there during games. I want to get an education and support them the way they’re supporting me now.”