HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW : Smith, Van Buren: Opponents’ Nightmare

Cheers spread along the Agoura High sideline as the Chargers drove to the go-ahead touchdown against Marmonte League foe Newbury Park.

About four minutes remained in the emotional game and the momentum buoyed the Charger sideline. Longtime Charger Coach Frank Greminger, however, was not among the celebrants.

What concerned the veteran coach was the big-play ability of opposing quarterback Keith Smith and his wide receiver, Leodes Van Buren.

“I’ve seen those two burn too many teams to not worry,” Greminger said, recalling the 1992 game. “There are only a couple of people around who can stay with Van Buren, and Smith gets the ball away so fast. They can score in one play.”

Greminger didn’t relax until Smith’s pass from the one-yard line on the last play of the game fell incomplete in the end zone, preserving Agoura’s 24-20 victory and giving Newbury Park its lone league loss.

“We did most of the things we wanted to do in that game and we still could have lost on the last play,” Greminger said. “Those two are really something.”

Smith and Van Buren enter their senior seasons as the dominant players in the league--and area--at their respective positions. The Marmonte championship might hinge on which teams can stop--or slow--the prolific passing duo.

Camarillo Coach Carl Thompson has spent many hours trying to devise a plan to defense Smith and Van Buren. He is still searching for answers.

“They’re the best I’ve ever seen in this league,” said Thompson, entering his ninth season at Camarillo. “I’d be the coach of the year if I could figure out how to stop those guys.”

Those guys played major roles last season as Newbury Park (8-3, 6-1 in league play) won its first outright league title since 1970.

As a junior, Smith (6-foot, 175 pounds) finished second in the state in passing to Tim Carey of Los Alamitos, completing 59.6% of his passes for 3,318 yards and 30 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Smith--who has been selected a preseason All-American by Reebok--improved on a dazzling sophomore season in which he passed for 2,409 yards with 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Van Buren (6-3, 185 pounds), who started for the varsity his freshman year, finished second in the state in receiving. He had 79 receptions, one less than George Sagen of Los Alamitos and graduated teammate Jason Toohey.

Van Buren led the Panthers in receiving yards (1,331) and touchdowns (14), and has totals of 2,755 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.

“Smith is just a tremendous passer,” Camarillo’s Thompson said. “And Van Buren is a man playing against boys.”

So, what do you do?

“Well, you can try and put a big rush on Smith, but he has great vision and a great arm,” Thompson said. “If you pay a lot of attention to Van Buren, Smith will just find someone else. And you really can’t leave (Van Buren) alone (in single coverage). It’s tough.”

Simi Valley Coach Roger McCamy will rely on a less-risky approach.

“We’re just going to try and stop them from getting touchdowns on all their passes,” the first-year Pioneer coach joked. “Seriously, though, there really is nothing you can do. Smith and Van Buren will get their due; you have to concentrate on stopping the other things.”

That’s the talk Newbury Park Coach George Hurley enjoys.

“I hope people keep having problems; it would be really nice,” Hurley said. “Truthfully, there are some ways to (defense them). But it is difficult because Keith will get the ball away and Leodes finds a way to get open.”

The team that matches up best with Newbury Park is Royal. Highlander senior defensive back Rommel Butler--also a Reebok All-American--plays Van Buren as well as anyone.

And Butler has five interceptions off Smith.

Still, Royal Coach Gene Uebelhardt does not expect a relaxing encounter when the Highlanders and Panthers battle Oct. 29 at Newbury Park.

“Smith and Van Buren are very good players,” Uebelhardt said. “We do feel we have a secondary that can defend them, but you’re not going to stop them.”

Said Westlake Coach Jim Benkert: “Smith is as good as any football player to come out of the Marmonte League in a long time. Van Buren has the ability to change the outcome of games by himself.”

More than their athletic ability, Smith and Van Buren benefit from excellent instincts, Hurley said. They are especially in tune with each other’s abilities.

To the frustration of their coaches, Smith and Van Buren sometimes alter carefully diagramed plays.

Hurley encourages them to improvise, however, because it often has positive results.

“It’s very rare when you have a great quarterback and a great receiver at the same time,” Hurley said.

“We’ve had some good quarterbacks here when we’ve had receivers who couldn’t catch a cold. We’ve had good receivers when we’ve had bad quarterbacks.

“Keith and Leodes are a great combination.”

Marmonte League at a Glance

1992 STANDINGS OVERALL LEAGUE PROJECTED FINISH Newbury Park 8-3 6-1 Newbury Park Camarillo 9-4 5-2 Westlake Simi Valley 7-5 4-3 Royal Agoura 6-5 4-3 Agoura Thousand Oaks 4-5-1 4-3 Thousand Oaks Westlake 3-7 3-4 Camarillo Royal 3-7 2-5 Simi Valley Channel Islands 2-8 0-7 Channel Islands

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Player School Pos. Ht Wt Class Damon Blechen Agoura TE/LB 6-4 220 Sr. Rommel Butler Royal WR/DB 6-1 185 Sr. Bryan Fernandez Royal DB 5-11 180 Sr. Sheldon Griffith Royal RB/LB 6-2 220 Sr. Jevon Markarian Simi Valley RB/DB 6-0 190 Sr. Billy Miller Westlake WR/DB 6-3 205 Sr. Brad Rubin Camarillo OL/DL 6-2 270 Sr. Keith Smith Newbury Park QB 6-0 175 Sr. Leodes Van Buren Newbury Park WR/DB 6-3 185 Sr. Brandon Zimmerman Westlake DB 5-11 175 Sr.