THE BIG GAME : San Pasqual Tries to Dethrone El Camino : Football: Eagles can clinch a share of Avocado League title with a victory.

The last time San Pasqual beat El Camino was 1988, the year George Bush defeated Michael Dukakis in the presidential election.

But Tuesday the American people decided four years of Bush leading the country was enough. San Pasqual has the opportunity tonight to make the same kind of change at the top by knocking off three-time defending Avocado League champion El Camino. Game time is 7:30 at El Camino.

The third-ranked Eagles (8-0, 5-0) can clinch at least a tie for the league title, and they can ensure that fourth-ranked El Camino (7-1, 4-1) will not win the Avocado. If El Camino wins, a three-way tie for league title between El Camino, San Pasqual and Torrey Pines (5-2, 4-1) looms with one week remaining in the regular season.

El Camino appeared headed out of title contention when it was drubbed by Torrey Pines, 22-3, in the league opener five weeks ago, but San Pasqual Coach Mike Dolan said he knew better.

“All Torrey Pines did was wake El Camino up,” Dolan said. “People have written them off. You don’t ever write El Camino off.”

The El Camino team that was routed five weeks ago had injuries on its offensive line, an untested quarterback in junior Trey Crayton and a confused defense that looked nothing like the traditionally dominating Wildcat units of the past three years. But now, the offensive line is healthy, Crayton is playing with more confidence and the defense is forcing turnovers and making big plays.

But no matter how well the El Camino defense plays against San Pasqual’s offense, ranked No. 1 in the North County, El Camino Coach Herb Meyer said the game probably will be decided by his offense.

“The real key is whether we generate offense against their defense,” Meyer said. “Our offense is going to have to move the ball and keep their offense off the field.”

Crayton, who has completed 48 of 83 passes for 652 yards and five touchdowns, leads the Wildcat offense, but he must get help from tailback Mike Flanagan, who has run for 579 yards and six touchdowns in 100 carries. Flanagan injured his ankle in the first quarter against Torrey Pines and never returned.

Defensively, Meyer and defensive coordinator Bill Kovacevich have changed their scheme since the Torrey Pines drubbing. Cornerbacks Bryant Westbrook and Mike Booker have been playing more safety to take away opponents’ inside running game. Meyer felt Booker and Westbrook were almost being wasted in pass defense--teams have completed only 27% of their passes against El Camino this season.

So expect Westbrook and Booker to be preoccupied with San Pasqual running backs Jamon Buggs (1,004 yards, 10 touchdowns) and DeSale Wallace (835 yards, 11 touchdowns) instead of the passing game of San Pasqual quarterback Ryan Hill.

“If we allow them to make big plays on offense, we’re in trouble,” Meyer said. “Overall, we have to play our best game of the year to beat them.”