City Section : Southern Section

Bell Gardens Lancers

COACH: Dave Newell, 17th year.

1992 RECORD: 5-0 in league; 12-2 overall.

PREDICTION: Bell Gardens is expected to win its second consecutive Almont League title. Last season, the Lancers lost to Hawthorne in the Division III finals. With four returning all-league players on offense, the Lancers expect to go far in the playoffs.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

NAME SIZE POS. YR Junior Samano 5-10/185 RB Sr. Ricky Oropeza 5-9/170 QB Sr. Jose Urias 6-2/210 OG/DE Sr. Gus Soto 6-5/270 OT Sr. Frank Quintana 6-1/160 WR/DB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

NAME SIZE POS. YEAR Tadeo Gonzales 6-0/200 TE Jr. Mario Gonzales 5-10/210 LB Jr. Francisco Lopez 5-10/203 DT Jr.

SEASON SCHEDULE 9/10: at Bell 9/17: Chino 9/24: Downey 9/30: vs. Salesian at Wilson High 10/8: El Rancho 10/15: at Alhambra 10/22: at Schurr 10/29: Montebello 11/5: San Gabriel 11/12: Keppel Games start at 7:30 p.m.

Cathedral Phantoms

COACH: Jerry Razo, first year.

1992 RECORD: 2-3 in league; 5-6 overall.

PREDICTION: Cathedral hopes to make the playoffs and possibly upset perennial league power Murphy. The Phantoms have a strong running game with Omar Garnett and Art Gallegos in the backfield.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

NAME SIZE POS. YR Greg Videles 5-8/150 WR Sr. Hector Villarazo 5-10/220 NG Sr. Omar Garnett 5-7/150 RB Jr. Steve Huerta 5-7/200 OL Sr. Art Gallegos 5-10/190 RB Sr. Albert Alvarado 6-0/215 OL Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

NAME SIZE POS. YEAR German Lizaraga 5-7/160 RB Jr. Jerry Villareal 5-8/150 WR Jr.

SEASON SCHEDULE 9/10: at Pius X 9/18: Maranatha 9/25: Marshall Fund. 10/2: at Orange Lutheran, 2 p.m. 10/9: Harvard-Westlake 10/16: St. Genevieve 10/23: at Bell-Jeff 10/30: La Salle 11/6: at Murphy 11/13: Salesian, 1:45 p.m. Home games start at 2 p.m., others at 7:30 p.m unless noted.

Loyola Cubs

COACH: Steve Grady, 18th year.

1992 RECORD: 4-1 in league; 12-2 overall.

PREDICTION: The Cubs’ only nemesis last year was league rival Bishop Amat, which beat Loyola during the regular season and again in the Southern Section Division I final. The addition of running back Kadar Hamilton, son of former New England Patriot Ray Hamilton, should bolster a perennially powerful offensive attack.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

NAME SIZE POS. YR Kwame Cain 6-1/230 C/LB Sr. Bobby Thomason 6-2/190 QB Sr. Todd Rosa 6-0/210 LB Sr. Eric Scanlan 6-2/225 DT Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

NAME SIZE POS. YEAR Kadar Hamilton 6-0/205 RB/DB Sr. Joey Cesta 6-1/220 TE Jr. Matt Pentecost 6-4/260 OT Jr.

SEASON SCHEDULE 9/11: Hawthorne 9/18: Crenshaw 9/24: at St. Francis 10/1: at Antelope Valley 10/9: at San Diego Morse 10/15: at St. John Bosco 10/23: Crespi 10/30: Alemany 11/5: at Bishop Amat 11/13: St. Paul Games start at 7:30 p.m.; home games at Glendale High.

Salesian Mustangs

COACH: Jerry Scott, sixth year.

1992 RECORD: 3-2 in league; 6-5 overall.

PREDICTION: Salesian will have to knock off Murphy to win its first-ever league championship. The Mustangs’ strength is in the offensive line, where there are three returning starters. Their weakness is that the team has only 19 players.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

NAME SIZE POS. YR Jeff Martinez 5-10/180 QB Sr. Miguel Rodriguez 5-11/230 C/LB Sr. Augustine Moran 5-9/215 OG Sr. Alex Valenzuela 6-3/250 OT/DT Sr. Rudolfo Garcia 5-6/140 WR/RB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

NAME SIZE POS. YEAR Rafael Morales 5-10/165 WR So. Jose Esparza 5-11/195 TE/LB Jr. Javier Rijos 5-8/190 FB/DE Jr.

SEASON SCHEDULE 9/10: at Whittier Chrs 9/17: at Wilson 9/24: at El Rancho 10/1: Bell Gardens 10/8: Western Christian at Wilson 10/16: at La Salle 10/23: at St. Genevieve 10/30: Murphy 11/6: Bell-Jeff 11/13: at Cathedral, 1:45 p.m. Games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted.

Verbum Dei Eagles

COACH: Lalo Mendoza, 24th year.

1992 RECORD: 3-2-1 in league; 3-7-1 overall.

PREDICTION: After spending four years as head coach at Compton College, Mendoza returns to Verbum Dei, where he expects the Eagles to contend for the Camino Real League title. Talented David Williams and Andre Miller will alternate at quarterback for the Eagles, who have only 24 players.

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

NAME SIZE POS. YR David Williams 6-1/210 QB/LB Sr. Eric Colbert 6-4/260 OT/DT Sr. Andre Miller 6-3/190 QB/S Sr. Corey Redeaux 5-10/165 RB/S Jr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

NAME SIZE POS. YEAR S. Shamsu’din 6-4/255 OT So. Damion Wright 5-8/150 CB/WR Jr. Terry Winston 5-10/160 WR/CB So.

SEASON SCHEDULE 9/10: at Torrance 9/17: at Paramount 9/24: at Narbonne, 3 p.m. 10/2: at Serra 10/8: vs. Mary Star at Daniels Field 10/16: Cantwell-S.H. 10/23: Pius X 10/29: St. Monica at Santa Monica College 11/6: Montclair Prep at L.A. Valley College 11/12: at St. Anthony Games start at 7:30 p.m unless noted; home games at Compton College start at 1 p.m.