FOOTBALL ’93 : The High Schools: City / Southern Section : TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Fillmore

1992: Did not make playoffs

OVERALL: 4-6

LEAGUE: 1-3

PLACE: 4th

COACH: Curtis Garner

YEAR: 5th

RECORD AT SCHOOL: 32-21

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Anthony Rodriguez, 6-2, 170 QB CB Sr. Isaac Jimenez, 5-10, 175 RB DB Sr. Rick Vermillion, 5-8, 160 WR FS Sr. Pete Frias, 6-2, 225 TE DE Sr. Felix Zuniga, 5-10, 180 FB SS Sr. Tony Ramos, 6-1, 195 C -- Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Mike Turk, 6-4, 225 OT DE Jr. Felipe Ordaz, 5-6, 135 RB CB Jr.

FAST FACT

Nine of the 17 seniors on the roster have either never played high school football or never played a varsity game.

OUTLOOK

The Flashes could start eight juniors on defense on a squad dominated by underclassmen. Of the 17 seniors on the roster, only eight are experienced lettermen. But Garner is excited by the size of his offensive line and his team’s big-play potential, something missing for several years in Fillmore. Ordaz runs a 4.5 40, Zuniga a 4.6. Vermillion was a Southern Section pole vault champion.

Oak Park

1992: Lost in first round of playoffs

OVERALL: 7-4

LEAGUE: 2-2

PLACE: 3rd

COACH: Dick Billingsley

YEAR: 4th

RECORD AT SCHOOL: 24-11

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Robby Proffer, 5-11, 180 TE LB Sr. Ryan Garth, 6-1, 200 FB LB Sr. Mark Schwanauer, 5-11, 182 WR DB Sr. Todd Buchholz, 5-10, 180 C DE Sr. Ron Meza, 6-0, 184 OT DT Sr. Jared Banks, 6-6, 230 OT DT Sr. Pete Majors, 6-1, 228 OT DT Jr. Roger Atienza, 5-10, 222 OG DT Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Matt Shim, 5-10, 180 OG DT Jr. Kevin Pryor, 5-10, 165 WR -- Jr. Eric Ruhle, 5-10, 150 WR CB Jr. Tyler Bondi, 5-6, 155 WR DB Jr. Rick Rifenbark, 6-1, 160 -- FS Sr. Brian McMullen, 5-10, 172 FB LB Jr. Ron Allen, 5-11, 165 QB -- Jr.

FAST FACT

The Eagles expect 11 starters back, but 22 players took summer-school classes, many of them trying to preserve their eligibility.

OUTLOOK

With 11 returning starters, good size and six key newcomers off a JV team that finished 9-1 in 1992, the Eagles should challenge for the league title. They were close last year when four starters who played both ways were kicked off the team for drinking at a dance. Oak Park, 7-2 at the time, lost its final two games to finish third. Billingsley said the setback has left his players determined. Proffer, who had more than 100 tackles, returns from the area’s No. 4 defense in ‘92, along with Garth and Buchholz. Third-year letterman Schwanauer had 28 TDs in 25 passing-league games.

St. Bonaventure

1992: Did not make playoffs

OVERALL: 4-6

LEAGUE: 0-4

PLACE: 5th

COACH: Jon Mack

YEAR: 4th

RECORD AT SCHOOL: 14-17

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Brad Burnett, 6-4, 194 QB DB Sr. Jimmy Lyon, 5-11, 167 RB SS Sr. Chris Mendez, 6-0, 151 WR -- Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Matt Spruill, 6-4, 245 OT -- Sr. Dewey Payan, 5-10, 210 OG DT Sr. Sam Benner, 6-4, 224 OT DE So. Jake Brown, 6-0, 153 WR CB Jr. Topi Sanchez, 5-7, 182 FB -- So. Chris Waltrip, 5-7, 145 RB -- Sr. Mike Kenyon, 6-3, 283 -- DT Sr. Scott Farnsworth, 6-0, 174 -- LB Sr. Beau Rodriguez, 5-7, 138 -- FS Sr.

FAST FACT

The Seraphs lost four games last year by a total of 11 points, twice in the final seconds.

OUTLOOK

Mack was mystified last year by a team that had too much talent for its record. The 1993 squad is laden with prospects but few experienced players. Mack is starting from scratch. He’s more concerned with building confidence after a last-second, 7-3 loss to Carpinteria fractured his team’s spirits. “We were 4-1 going into that game,” he said. “We should have been great. I can’t figure out why we weren’t.” The three returning starters--Bennett, Lyon and Mendez--will be protected by four linemen who average 240.