THE HIGH SCHOOLS / SOUTHERN SECTION : GOLDEN LEAGUE

Antelope Valley

1992: Lost in first round of playoffs

OVERALL: 7-4 LEAGUE: 5-0 PLACE: 1st

COACH, YEAR: RECORD AT SCHOOL Brent Newcomb, 16th: 113-68-1

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Keith Schiele, 6-1, 205 TE LB Sr. James Juneau, 6-0, 198 FB LB Sr. David Newman, 6-1, 175 TE DB Sr. Eric Nickols, 6-0, 175 OL DL Sr. C.J. Fagan, 5-10, 175 RB DB Sr. Chris Tapia, 5-10, 165 WR DB Sr. Chad Murphy, 6-1, 175 RB DB Jr. Trymon Redick, 6-0, 178 DB WR So. Jermaine Lewis, 5-6, 142 RB -- So. Mike Gleich, 6-0, 155 QB -- Sr. Keamen Abel, 6-1, 205 OL -- Sr. Chris Rosati, 6-0, 192 OL -- Sr. Jesse Clark, 6-0, 205 OL LB Sr. Chad Shrout, 6-1, 230 K P Jr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Jimmy Long, 6-1, 240 -- DL Jr. Caleb Smith, 6-3, 205 OL DL Jr.

FAST FACT: Last season, two-way threat Trymon Redick became the first freshman in 25 years to start for the Antelopes.

OUTLOOK: This almost isn’t fair. After the first few days of practice, Newcomb sheepishly admitted that he had only one position that wasn’t filled. Antelope Valley has experienced players everywhere. Nickols, Newman, Schiele, Juneau and Fagan were first-team all-league selections last season, and Tapia was a second-teamer. The only downside is that there are only 33 players on the varsity and the Antelopes’ nonleague games include tough tests against Loyola, Bakersfield and West Bakersfield. Schiele, an All-Southern Section pick, and Juneau might be the best pair of inside linebackers in the Valley region.

Highland

1992: Did not make playoffs

OVERALL: 6-4 LEAGUE: 2-3 PLACE: 4th

COACH, YEAR: RECORD AT SCHOOL Lin Parker, 3rd: 15-6

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Mark Carroll, 6-1, 220 OL DL Sr. Jeff Tyler, 5-10, 150 QB -- Sr. Dyntaie Lee, 5-10, 220 FB LB Jr. Derrick Smith, 6-0, 190 RB LB Sr. Devon Harvey, 6-2, 180 WR DB Sr. Demery Windom, 6-2, 180 WR DB Sr. Robert Anamizu, 5-10, 170 WR DB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Kevin Wright, 6-0, 165 OL LB Jr. Ken Morris, 5-6, 130 RB -- Sr. Steven Vital, 6-1, 180 TB LB So.

FAST FACT: Offensive lineman Kevin Wright quarterbacked the frosh-soph team to a 7-2-1 record last year.

OUTLOOK: Highland had its first graduating class last spring, but the Bulldogs will have considerably more experience in 1993 than their counterparts at Littlerock. Highland has 33 lettermen returning. Smith was the team’s leading rusher last year with 536 yards. Tyler, a part-time starter, completed 17 of 43 passes for 135 yards. Harvey and Windom, physical clones, are speed merchants and also double as starting forwards on the basketball team.

Littlerock

1992: Lost in first round of playoffs

OVERALL: 7-4 LEAGUE: 3-2 PLACE: Tied for 2nd

COACH, YEAR: RECORD AT SCHOOL Jim Bauer, 3rd: 13-7

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Bryan Wilkins, 5-11, 180 RB DB Jr. Ron Blair, 6-3, 180 WR DB Sr. Gabe Hernandez, 5-11, 220 OL DL Sr. Chris Towery, 5-10, 195 FB LB Sr. Elvis Richards, 6-0, 215 LB OL Sr. Tommy Moreno, 6-3, 180 QB DB Sr. Robert Moon, 6-2, 205 TE LB Sr. Mario Lilore, 5-11, 195 RB LB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Eugene Dawson, 6-2, 255 TE DL Jr. Jason Behen, 6-5, 245 OL -- Sr. Mike Kieffer, 6-2, 215 OL DL Jr. Dante Hinton, 6-0, 225 OL DL Jr. Cesar Flores, 5-11, 180 P DB Jr. Mike Stewart, 5-8, 190 -- LB Jr. Devin Benjamin, 5-10, 185 RB LB Jr. Andy Drossel, 6-3, 180 WR DB Jr.

FAST FACT: The Littlerock graduating class of 1993, the first in school history, included 36 seniors off the football team.

OUTLOOK: Wilkins, an all-league selection and college prospect who rushed for 1,279 yards as a sophomore in 1992, will get plenty of work. “I’m gonna stand back, give him the ball and watch him run,” Bauer said. “And I may throw him the ball some, too,” he added. Moreno, a starting defensive back as a junior, moves to quarterback. Littlerock is expected to do two things very well: run the ball and play solid defense. “These kids like to play defense,” Bauer said. Behen, who did not play last season because of a back problem, could be a real sleeper. Ditto the Lobos, who are considered a candidate for a playoff berth.

Palmdale

1992: Lost in first round of playoffs

OVERALL: 5-6 LEAGUE: 3-2 PLACE: Tied for 2nd

COACH, YEAR: RECORD AT SCHOOL Jeff Williams, 3rd: 5-16

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Rocque Sandoval, 6-2, 185 QB -- Sr. Tony Coleman, 6-2, 190 WR DB Sr. Albert Lairson, 6-3, 180 WR LB Sr. Ted Mondragon, 5-6, 165 WR -- Sr. Dan Smith, 6-3, 225 TE LB Sr. John Towels, 5-9, 170 RB DB Sr. Josh Bagley, 6-0, 250 OL -- Sr. Robert Payne, 6-1, 250 OL -- Sr. Kevin Nadonza, 5-8, 210 OL -- Sr. Buck Greer, 6-2, 205 OL -- Jr. Anthony Gieser, 6-0, 230 OL -- Sr. Korey Smith, 5-11, 180 WR LB Sr. Nader Choucri, 6-1, 215 -- DL Sr. Mike Witt, 5-11, 225 -- DL Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Brian Vollmer, 5-10, 195 -- LB So. Nick Olivares, 5-10, 210 RB LB So. Rahshad Hayes, 5-10, 170 -- DB Sr.

FAST FACT: Name game: Drew Bledsoe (6-0, 218) is a lineman on the freshman team. He is the son of varsity offensive coordinator Carl Bledsoe.

OUTLOOK: Sandoval was the backup last season to standout Terrence Zenno, the league’s top quarterback. Sandoval is expected to challenge Zenno’s numbers (2,067 yards) and may throw as many as 35 passes a game. Palmdale was 30-6 in passing-league competition, losing three times to Hart. Eighteen starters are back from 1992, giving the Falcons one of the most experienced teams around. Palmdale rolled up 300 yards a game offensively but yielded 304 on defense, but the latter is expected to improve. Lairson, the team’s top receiver in the summer, is also the punter and kicker. Bagley and Mondragon are three-year starters.

Quartz Hill

1992: Did not make playoffs

OVERALL: 3-7 LEAGUE: 2-3 PLACE: 5th

COACH, YEAR: LAST 5 YEARS John Albee, 26th: 39-38

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Brad Norris, 6-4, 175 QB -- Sr. Michael Perry, 6-0, 185 RB -- Sr. Chad Reed, 5-11, 220 OL DL Sr. Kevin Jacobs, 6-3, 245 OL DL Sr. Brian McWhorter, 6-4, 212 OL DL Sr. Oran Dart, 5-11, 205 OL -- Sr. Punche Tuenge, 5-10, 160 WR DB Sr. Tim Barnett, 5-9, 145 WR -- Sr. Troy Searcy, 5-11, 145 WR -- Sr. Damien Kendrick, 5-9, 150 WR -- Jr. Brad Breckenridge, 5-9, 180 FB LB Sr. Brian Stouch, 5-11, 175 FB LB Sr. Bobby Nichols, 6-1, 210 OL DL Sr. Brian Pereira, 6-1, 190 -- LB Jr. Lee Hansen, 5-9, 165 -- LB Sr. Jeremy Sanders, 5-11, 160 -- DB Sr. Eric Williams, 5-10, 170 -- DB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR James Griffith, 5-11, 235 OL -- Sr. Jeff Diamond, 5-10, 165 RB -- Jr. John Allen, 5-10, 160 RB DB Sr.

FAST FACT: Troy Searcy is a receiver for good reason. He is the two-time defending league champion in the 100 meters.

OUTLOOK: Quartz Hill may be the most balanced offensive team in the high desert. Norris completed 113 of 234 passes for 1,673 yards. He tossed 11 touchdowns but threw 16 interceptions. Perry was the team’s starting tailback before he was sidelined for the rest of the season with a separated shoulder at midseason. He gained 235 yards in 51 carries. “We’ve got a whole lot of kids who played football last year,” Albee said. “Things look much better right now than they did at this time last year.” Norris is expected to put up significant numbers again. “He’s as good as any I’ve had here in 25 years,” Albee said.