The Times 1992 All-County Football Team : There Was Plenty of Talent to Go Around This Season

Some will say it was a down year for football in San Diego County.

But if Pete Rozelle, formerly of the NFL, were section commissioner instead of Kendall Webb, he would be one happy fellow.

Parity, you know.

In fact, Webb has to be pretty happy, too. When The Times’ No. 1 team, Helix, can win 10 straight and enter the playoffs undefeated, then lose to 5-5 Mira Mesa in the first round, it really is a season up for grabs.

The reason? Of the 23 athletes named to The Times’ All-County first team, 17 schools were represented. And proving that talent can thrive in any environment, two selections came from programs that had losing records during the regular season, Rancho Buena Vista linebacker Gary Cababa and Rancho Bernardo kicker Kevin Kaufman.

Factor in the second-team selections, and 25 teams were represented, including 1-A Francis Parker, which had two second-team receivers, Matt Garrett and Charles Pope. In all, 42% of the county’s 2-A and 3-A schools had at least one representative on the first or second team.

The best teams did not necessarily have the players in the high-profile skill positions, either. Morse, for example, remains the only unbeaten team after two rounds of playoff games, and though the Tigers have multiple representatives, they were offensive lineman David Gates and defensive back Conan Smith. How many times can you point to an offensive lineman and defensive back as the difference between victory and defeat?

Well, El Camino was one team that could do so more often than not. The third-ranked Wildcats were 9-1 this season, and they did it with a first-team offensive lineman, Brian Chapman, and defensive backs Bryant Westbrook and Michael Booker, giving the three-time defending 2-A champion Wildcats more representatives than any other school. The Wildcats also had another defensive back, Mike Flanagan, make the second team. Tough secondary.

How top-heavy is the list? Helix had one first-teamer, linebacker Robert Crayton, and two second-teamers, an offensive lineman and a linebacker. Fourth-ranked San Pasqual had a first team offensive lineman, Phil Busalacchi, and a second-team running back. Fifth-ranked Mt. Carmel had one first-team selection, tight end Josh Eby, and a second-team running back and offensive lineman.

So where were the outstanding skill players, you ask? They were in the lesser ranked programs. Seventh-ranked Kearny had one running back, James Curtis, and 10th-ranked Castle Park had the other, Anthony Davis. Wide receiver Chris Buddin came from ninth-ranked Orange Glen.

But two of the best at their positions, quarterback John Dutton and receiver Jeff Pattison, came from unranked outposts such as Fallbrook and Poway, respectively.

The year proved that teams didn’t need the high-profile player to win big, but instead could take advantage of depth and teamwork, which is what football is all about anyway.

There were plenty of standouts in 1992. From Oceanside in the north to San Ysidro in the south, they stood out everywhere.

The Times 1992 All-County Football Team

JOHN DUTTON: QB/Fallbrook Dutton isn’t the Robo-QB that Todd Marinovich was, but everything he’s been doing since he was a tyke has been geared toward that. With a strong arm, good size and an ability to read defenses well, he is the county’s most highly recruited quarterback. A three-year starter, he was also the county’s leading passer, completing 126 of 267 attempts for 1,912 yards and 10 touchdowns. His size also helps, since he’s 6-4, 200, and he is less than three months past his 17th birthday.

JAMES CURTIS: RB/Kearny The numbers speak for themselves: 4,896 career rushing yards, 59 career rushing touchdowns and 388 career points. Since taking over as the starting tailback in 1990, Curtis has helped the Komets to two City Western League championships and three playoff appearances. Until this year, his contributions were overshadowed by other backs who had bigger years. He finished as the second leading rusher in section history, however, and could be the area’s hottest recruit.

ANTHONY DAVIS: RB/Castle Park Twenty years after Anthony Davis helped the USC Trojans win the 1972 national championship, this Anthony Davis (no relation) led the Castle Park Trojans to their first league championship since 1980. Despite missing 1 1/2 games with a neck injury and running behind an inexperienced line, Davis finished second in the county with 1,457 yards during the regular season, then added 381 more in two playoff games. Preseason rumors that Davis had moved out of state obviously were false.

CHRIS BUDDIN: WR/Orange Glen Buddin is similar to former Orange Glen standouts Kris Plash and Jake Nyberg, being a little on the small end (5-10, 165), running precise patterns and having sure hands. The difference is that Buddin is a little more fluid and has the speed with which to burn defenders deep. He may also be one of the county’s most athletic players; the defending section champion in the pole vault, he caught 47 passes for three touchdowns and averaged 18.9 yards per catch. He has a 3.8 grade-point average.

JEFF PATTISON: WR/Poway There are receivers who caught more passes than Pattison’s 37, but no one was as successful turning them into touchdowns (10). Pattison averaged 18.0 yards per catch, and was most dangerous when running fade patterns, where he was able to take advantage of his height (6-5). He is tough on anything to the outside--or in the end zone. He was a jack of all trades for Poway, starting at safety on a team that allowed just 6.6 points per game, and he also averaged 39 yards per punt.

JOSH EBY: TE/Mt. Carmel Eby would seem to have everything necessary to be a big-time college tight end. Not only is the size there (6-5, 238), but he is strong. He caught 15 passes and averaged 20.0 yards per reception for the Sundevils, but the low number of receptions is deceiving: Mt. Carmel averaged only 13 attempts and 4.7 completions per game. Tailback Marlin Carey scored 18 touchdowns this season, so suffice it to say that Eby was one of the blockers who allowed Carey to find his way into the secondary.

PHIL BUSALACCHI: OL/San Pasqual A two-year starter at center, Busalacchi was the anchor of an offensive line that produced more rushing yards than any team in the county. The Eagles had two 1,000-yard rushers, Jamon Buggs and DeSale Wallace. San Pasqual rarely threw, but they didn’t need to with Busalacchi and tackle Troy Davis opening holes. “We do a lot of misdirection and trapping and Phil’s really the key guy that makes it go,” San Pasqual Coach Mike Dolan said. “And when we run straight ahead, he’s the guy.”

BRIAN CHAPMAN: OL/El Camino A two-year All-Avocado League center, Chapman has also been starting at defensive tackle since John Moore went down with a broken leg last month. But Chapman’s value to El Camino has been on the offensive line. “He’s the guy that’s held us together,” El Camino Coach Herb Meyer said. “He’s the guy we go behind when the chips are down.” Chapman, who is being recruited by Utah State and Hawaii as a nose guard, also played guard this season when El Camino had injury problems on its line.

DAVID GATES: OL/Morse It is a rare occasion for a sophomore to make any all-county football team, but Gates (6-0, 257) is a rare individual. As a freshman last year, he beat Point Loma’s La’Roi Glover in a wrestling match, and Glover went on to finish second in the state heavyweight division before being named San Diego State’s outstanding defensive lineman this fall. Gates, a two-way starter for undefeated Morse, led a line that holes for 1,000-yard backs Conan Smith and Archie Amerson.

JESUS RENTERIA: OL/El Capitan After years of non-representation, Renteria became the second El Capitan lineman in as many years to make The Times first team. And like tackle Eric Thaler last year, Renteria enabled the Vaqueros to rush for more than 3,000 yards, score more than 300 points and win nine consecutive games before losing in the playoffs. Renteria (6-3, 260), a two-year starter, also played defensive line for a 9-2 team that held all but three regular-season opponents to seven or fewer points.

BOB WILLIAMS: OL/Orange Glen One coach said of Williams that “he engulfs people” and that he’s “a masher.” It’s not just because of his size, which is considerable--6-2, 295--and his speed, which is good for someone with his bulk. Williams is the lineman Orange Glen runs behind on its bread-and-butter plays. Since the Patriots have a quarterback, Brady Batten, who averaged 161 yards per game, and a running back, Joaquin Randall, who averaged 153, someone on the line has to get some credit.

LEON BENDER: DL/Santana One of the county’s most dominating players on both sides of the line of scrimmage, Bender (6-6, 240) is being sought after by every major college program on the West Coast and many more across the nation. And who could blame them? While being double- and triple-teamed on passing plays, he still managed to record 10 sacks this season and finished third among the Sultans in tackles. According to Santana Coach Doug Coffin, Bender is “the best DL prospect in the state.”

JOE SALAVE’A: DL/Oceanside “Last year Joe was more of a physical specimen, but this year he became a football player too,” Oceanside Coach John Carroll said of his 6-foot-4 1/2, 245-pound defensive end. In the mold of great Oceanside defensive players of the past, Salave’a dominated games like Sale Isaia and Junior Seau used to. Salave’a had 12 sacks, caused five fumbles and recovered two fumbles for the Pirates. “When Joe’s at full speed, he’s incredibly dominating. He can control one side of the ball.”

RASHAD WRIGHT: DL/Kearny Wright was a starter for three seasons, anchoring a defense that helped the Komets post 29 victories during that span. The 6-3, 198-pound senior had 45 career sacks, including 22 his sophomore year. His productivity in sacks decreased when more Kearny opponents switched to a running attack the last two seasons. Also a standout on special teams, Wright runs 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and is highly recruited. He could be following in the footsteps of his father, Nate Wright, a former SDSU and NFL cornerback.

BRIAN BATSON: LB/Torrey Pines Batson probably could have been an All-County selection at offensive guard too, but he was more dominating on defense. Torrey Pines Coach Ed Burke moved Batson inside after the second game because teams were running away from him at outside linebacker. Burke also used Batson in pass coverage because of his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and 37-inch vertical jump. “With his wing span, he is hard to throw over,” Burke said. Colorado, Stanford, Washington, USC and UCLA are interested in Batson.

GARY CABABA: LB/Rancho Buena Vista Rancho Buena Vista made the playoffs because it won three of its last four games, allowing only 13 points during that stretch, and seven times RBV held opponents to two touchdowns or fewer. Since Cababa was named the Palomar League’s defensive player of the year, it doesn’t take much to add 2 and 2. A 6-0, 210 middle linebacker, Cababa is devastating in his pursuit of the ball-carrier and has good size. One coach called him “a force.” Another said simply, “he has to be on the team.” He is.

ROBERT CRAYTON: LB/Helix After starting for two years at Mt. Miguel, Crayton became a force for Helix this season, leading the Highlanders in tackles and leading them to a 10-0 mark during the regular season. A top-flight Division I prospect, Crayton enabled Helix to record six shutouts this season and yield only 5.1 points per game, second best in the county. At 6-2, 195, Crayton may not have the overall size most college coaches look for in a linebacker but his quickness and instincts are impeccable. Find the ball, you find Crayton.

KEN WILLIAMS: LB/University City At 5-11, 206 pounds, Williams doesn’t have great size. Nor does he have great speed, with a 4.9 timing in the 40-yard dash. But his exceptional football instincts helped him lead a team ranked No. 1 in the county in fewest points allowed--46 in 10 regular-season games. He was the team’s leading tackler and best big-play man. His greatest accomplishment, though, was becoming a leader of a team that was 5-5 in 1991 and finished 9-2 this season. He has a 3.2 GPA in college prep courses.

MICHAEL BOOKER: DB/El Camino Although he’s not as publicized as fellow cornerback Bryant Westbrook, Booker is nearly as talented. Booker, a two-time All-Avocado League selection and a second-team Times pick last year, got more action because teams avoided Westbrook. Booker made 58 tackles, intercepted three passes, recovered two fumbles and blocked a kick. “He’s played pretty consistently all season,” El Camino Coach Herb Meyer said. Miami, Oklahoma, Texas and Ohio State are recruiting Booker.

GREG RYAN: DB/El Capitan Week in and week out, Ryan was El Capitan’s most consistent performer on both offense and defense, and the same could be said of the entire Grossmont 2-A League. At safety, Ryan’s presence and reputation forced teams to throw away from him. And when they failed to do so, Ryan was usually there to make a big play. As a wingback in the Vaqueros’ wing-T formation, Ryan gained more than 700 yards for the second year in a row, and caught a number of clutch passes from quarterback Bobby Vickery.

CONAN SMITH: DB/Morse A three-year starter at fullback, Smith was also a force for Morse at safety, where he led a defense that shut out three opponents and was ranked fourth in the county, allowing only 6.5 points per game. In the Tigers’ first game in Honolulu, Hawaii Kamehameha scored 15 points, and that was the most points given up by Morse all season. Smith, a tireless 5-11, 200-pounder, was a primary reason for that. Smith has also gained more than 1,100 rushing yards and scored 20 touchdowns this season.

BRYANT WESTBROOK: DB/El Camino San Pasqual Coach Mike Dolan said Westbrook could be the county’s offensive or defensive player of the year. Through 12 games, Westbrook averaged more than eight yards a carry and ran for seven touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes, including two for scores, and ran back a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and returned a fumble for a touchdown. On defense, Westbrook intercepted two passes, caused four fumbles, recovered two fumbles and ran one back for a touchdown.

KEVIN KAUFMAN: K/Rancho Bernardo How do you select a kicker? You find one that has plenty of leg strength and who will make the field goal under pressure. And if he also punts, that’s even better. Kaufman did all those things. One coach said “kickoffs are the scariest plays in special teams” and Kaufman’s were consistently in the end zone when the Broncos wanted it that way. He had field goals of 31, 39, 48 and 45 yards, and the 39-yarder beat San Dieguito. He converted 15 of 16 extra-point attempts, and also punted, averaging 38.8 yards.

THE SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE QB--Brady Batten, Orange Glen RB--Jamon Buggs, San Pasqual RB--Marlin Carey, Mt. Carmel WR--Matt Garrett, Francis Parker WR--Charles Pope, Francis Parker TE--Johnny Cotton, Southwest OL--Jack Dailey, University City OL--Reggie Francisco, Montgomery OL--Doug Lichtenberger, Mt. Carmel OL--Eric Moe, Helix OL--Will Plemons, Kearny K--Kevin Brennan, Chula Vista

DEFENSE DL--David Dare, Bonita Vista DL--Jarrett Loggins, Morse DL--Ted Perea, Orange Glen LB--Jamie Crossley, Point Loma LB--Rashad Lewis, Point Loma LB--Marlin McWilson, San Diego LB--Chris Weaver, Montgomery DB--Tom Conner, Montgomery DB--Mike Flanagan, El Camino DB--Keith Harrison, Helix DB--Rashee Johnson, Lincoln