He Does More Than His Share at Costa Mesa : Division VIII: DeWayne Crenshaw has contributed quite a bit in the shadow of Binh Tran.

Most folks would consider Binh Tran the best player on the Costa Mesa football team. After all, he has run for more than 2,200 yards and scored 23 touchdowns this season, one of the highest rushing totals in county history.

Costa Mesa Coach Myron Miller says DeWayne Crenshaw is his best, though. Say what? Better than Tran?

“He’s our best pure athlete by far,” Miller says of his 6-1, 190-pound junior defensive end and fullback. “He does things that few athletes can do. He’s big enough to take on a lineman and fast enough to run around them. His explosiveness is incredible. People have to key on him as much as Binh, although DeWayne doesn’t carry the ball as much.”

Trabuco Hills knows well what Crenshaw can do. His 61-yard touchdown run and four sacks were the difference in a 10-3 Pacific Coast League victory over Trabuco Hills on Oct. 29. It allowed Costa Mesa to win the league title. Trabuco Hills finished second.

Saturday, the teams meet again for the Division VIII championship. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Trabuco Hills.

Though Tran and linebacker Bryan Luxembourger usually carry the load for Costa Mesa, Crenshaw has done his share.

In Costa Mesa’s 35-15 victory over South Pasadena in the opening round of the playoffs, Crenshaw scored three touchdowns. Against Riverside Norte Vista a week later, he returned a fumble for a touchdown in a 35-12 victory.

Overall, he has rushed for 849 yards and 13 touchdowns in 114 carries (7.4 average) in addition to clearing holes for Tran. Crenshaw also has 13 sacks, tops on the team.

Though his numbers aren’t overwhelming or even Tran-like, Crenshaw has put them up in only his second full season of playing football. He didn’t start playing until he was a freshman at Edison High. Before that, he never played. While other youths played Pop Warner ball, Crenshaw had to rush home to baby-sit little sisters Denisha and Kimberly and handle other chores around the house.

Last November, Crenshaw transferred to Costa Mesa after his family moved within the school’s attendance boundaries. He wasn’t eligible to play, though, because of his poor academic record at Edison.

On Crenshaw’s first day on the Costa Mesa campus, Miller immediately noticed him and struck up a conversation.

“I went up and asked him did he play football. He said he did, but that he was ineligible,” Miller said. “He had a lot of trouble at Edison, on the field and academically. I found out just how bad his grades were.”

Miller found him a tutor. He also motivated Crenshaw to push himself harder in the classroom. By then, playing football was almost an afterthought, Miller said. His objective was to help Crenshaw succeed academically, he said. However, others soon became suspicious of the coach’s motives.

Crenshaw’s transfer was followed by that of cornerback Charles Chatman from Foothill. His family had moved to Costa Mesa, too. However, since both players are black, some believed Miller had a hidden agenda.

“The word was I was recruiting these kids because they are black,” said Miller, still amazed by the accusations. “I’ll coach any athlete. Color’s got nothing to do with it. But I’ve taught at places like Compton and Ramona and I’ve worked with lots of black athletes. So that’s why they thought I was going after them.

“There were even rumors they were living with me. It was just one of those lucky things where two great athletes moved into our district.”

Said Crenshaw: “There were all kinds of rumors about Charles and me. They weren’t true. The truth is, my family moved to Costa Mesa for financial reasons. I blended in well here. That didn’t happen at Edison. All the kids here are cool. I didn’t have any problems.”

That’s all behind them. The focus now is Trabuco Hills and winning a Southern Section title. Crenshaw, despite being bothered by a shoulder injury he suffered against South Pasadena, would love to be the difference again. It would be his way of repaying Miller, he says.

“I wouldn’t be playing if it weren’t for him,” Crenshaw said. “He’s really helped me out. He helped me get my grades up and motivated me to work harder, so I’m grateful to him. It would be great if we could win the title for him.”

Division VIII Facts and Figures

COSTA MESA

Starting Lineup

OFFENSE

Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. QB 24 Jeff Niebling 5-10 175 Sr. TB 1 Binh Tran 5-7 175 Sr. FB 30 DeWayne Crenshaw 6-0 190 Jr. WB 22 Charles Chatman 5-10 170 Jr. TE 88 John. Schroeder 6-2 240 Jr. RG 53 Bill Vaverka 6-0 220 Sr. LG 64 Bryan Luxembourger 6-2 220 Sr. RT 51 Brian Smith 6-5 285 Sr. LT 78 Jared Wilson 6-8 283 Sr. C 67 Ariel Heredia 6-1 216 Sr. TE 9 Adam McNally 6-1 180 Sr. PK 64 Bryan Luxembourger 6-2 220 Sr.

DEFENSE

Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. OLB 9 Adam McNally 6-1 180 Sr. OLB 12 Ryan Taylor 5-11 157 So. ILB 24 Jeff Niebling 5-10 175 Sr. ILB 64 Bryan Luxembourger 6-2 220 Sr. DE 30 DeWayne Crenshaw 6-0 190 Jr. DE 56 Jason Weir 6-2 230 Jr. DT 59 Alvaro Cervantes 5-8 165 So. NG 57 Wayne Herzog 5-10 197 Jr. FS 21 Steve Owen 5-10 175 Sr. CB 81 Corey Sides 5-9 142 Sr. CB 22 Charles Chatman 5-10 170 Jr. P 56 Jason Weir 6-2 230 Jr.

SEASON RESULTS (9-2-2)

55: Ocean View: 0

20: Rancho Alamitos: 20

24: Los Amigos: 28

13: Troy: 14

25: Calvary Chapel: 7

58: Laguna Beach: 20

39: Laguna Hills: 36

13: Trabuco Hills: 3

7: Century: 7

35: Estancia: 7

Playoffs

35: So. Pasadena: 15

25: Norte Vista: 20

35: San Marino: 7

TRABUCO HILLS

Starting Lineup

OFFENSE

Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. QB 13 J.C. Pintsak 6-1 165 Jr. RB 1 Bobby Johnson 5-10 145 Jr. RB 12 Jake Galasso 6-2 210 Sr. RB 19 Serge Gudowski 6-2 205 Sr. WR 8 Devin Martin 5-9 145 Sr. WR 11 Gerry Beckham 5-10 164 Sr. LG 74 Dan Mertins 6-4 275 So. RG 55 Zane Champion 6-0 215 Jr. C 69 Justin Poe 6-2 245 Sr. LT 66 Robby Jacobs 6-3 265 Jr. RT 70 Jeff Collins 6-3 230 Sr. PK 3 Toby Svarc 6-2 160 Sr.

DEFENSE

Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. DE 42 Ryan Renzi 6-4 200 Sr. DE 85 Brad Cervantes 6-4 225 Sr. DT 75 Torrey Parker 6-0 240 So. DT 91 Scott Gronsky 6-2 198 Jr. LB 32 Chris Clayton 5-10 170 Jr. LB 35 De Sha Runnels 5-10 180 Jr. LB 44 Randy Ortiz 5-9 165 Jr. LB 51 Jeremy Taylor 6-1 180 Jr. C 5 Geoff Beckham 5-10 165 Sr. C 7 Matt Rechner 5-9 167 Sr. FS 21 Jake Anderson 5-9 165 Jr. P 11 Gerry Beckham 5-10 164 Sr.

SEASON RESULTS (10-3)

21: El Toro: 7

10: Dana Hills: 9

28: Villa Park: 21

7: West Hills Chaminade: 21

13: San Clemente: 22

33: Laguna Hills: 6

24: Century: 0

3: Costa Mesa: 13

42: Estancia: 7

49: Laguna Beach: 21

Playoffs

35: Temple City: 7

33: Bellflower: 8

42: Laguna Hills: 20