FOOTBALL ’94 / High School Coaches Show Off Their Tricks! : CITY SECTION : NORTHWEST VALLEY CONFERENCE : NORTH VALLEY LEAGUE

EL CAMINO REAL CONQUISTADORES

1993 OVERALL LEAGUE PLACE 7-3-1 4-2-1 3rd

COACH YR. RECORD AT SCHOOL Bob Ganssle, 1st 0-0 Rick Hayashida

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Jeff Macrea, 6-1, 230 TE LB Jr. Brandon Henry, 6-0, 220 FB DB Sr. Tony Wiltz, 6-1, 205 OG LB Sr. Mike Wolfsohn, 5-10, 175 K DB Sr. Arash Ghassemi, 6-0, 190 TE LB Jr. Eyan Schreibman, 5-9, 170 TB DB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Jermel Jones, 6-3, 190 WR CB Jr. Shaun Fishman, 6-0, 175 QB LB So. Bobby DeMars, 6-3, 190 OT LB So. J.D. Sumlin, 5-10, 187 FB LB So.

FAST FACT

El Camino Real made the playoffs last year by defeating Kennedy in an eight-play California tiebreaker.

OUTLOOK

Only two starters return, but Ganssle will work with several players up from the frosh-soph team, which he coached last season. Several sophomores, including Fishman, will be thrown in as starters immediately. “We’re going to learn a few things the hard way, but we will learn,” Ganssle said. Ganssle thinks Macrea, the lone returning starter on defense, has Division I potential at outside linebacker. Henry is the only returning starter on offense.

GRANADA HILLS HIGHLANDERS

1993 OVERALL LEAGUE PLACE 3-7 3-4 5th

COACH YR. RECORD AT SCHOOL Tom Harp 10th 68-28-1

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Eric Carpenter, 6-1, 180 WR DB Sr. Jason Ascencio, 6-1, 185 WR DB Jr. Brian MacLean, 6-1, 180 QB -- Sr. Charles Batarse, 6-0, 225 C DL Sr. Jiriar Melikyan, 6-0, 255 OT DT Sr. Javier Salar, 5-10, 225 OG DL Sr. Alex Aguilar, 5-8, 160 -- DB Sr. Todd Omer, 5-10, 170 -- DB Sr. Afri Walker, 5-9, 165 WR -- Sr. Raffi Salibian, 5-10, 175 -- LB Sr. Eric Richardson, 5-9, 182 RB DB Jr. Marlon Black, 6-5, 225 TE -- Sr. Chris Ortiz, 5-7, 212 FB DL Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Roger Bausley, 5-7, 155 RB -- Jr. Travell Woods, 6-0, 200 -- LB Jr. Luigi Sanchez, 5-11, 222 OL LB Jr. Devon Rose, 5-10, 176 -- LB So.

FAST FACT

In 1993, the Highlanders scored 13 points in their first three games, then averaged 28.6 the rest of the season.

OUTLOOK

The Highlanders return six starters on both offense and defense. But last year’s starting quarterback, Jimmy Landress, gave up football to concentrate on baseball. MacLean started several games in 1993 when Landress was injured. “He’s really improved on his knowledge, with reading defenses. He’s a lot smarter,” Harp said. An experienced defense, especially on the line and in the secondary, needs improvement after allowing 334.1 yards a game last season, worst among area City teams.

KENNEDY GOLDEN COUGARS

1993 OVERALL LEAGUE PLACE 5-3-2 4-2-1 3rd

COACH YR. RECORD AT SCHOOL Bob Francola 9th 46-38-4

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Dan McMullen 6-4, 195 QB -- Sr. Damion Thompson 6-0, 220 TE LB Jr. Joe Langi, 6-1, 290 TE DT Sr. Flint Hardman, 6-1, 260 OG DT Sr. Karlus Doyle, 6-1, 170 -- CB Jr. Antwan Smith, 5-10, 170 TB -- Jr. Luron Davis, 5-10, 190 -- SS Sr. Ladell Shuler, 5-10, 165 -- CB Sr. Udeka Jenkins, 5-9, 185 FB -- Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Waking Bailey, 5-9, 160 WR FS So. Lonnie Diggs, 6-2, 190 -- LB Sr. Trace Gibson, 6-4, 235 -- LB Sr. Semisi Umufuke, 6-1, 180 FB DT Jr.

FAST FACT

McMullen threw for more yards (1,481) and touchdowns (14) last season than any other returning area quarterback.

OUTLOOK

The Golden Cougars lost tailback Donte Scarbrough (San Jose State), but Francola thinks he has a capable replacement in Smith. Smith caught 23 passes as a receiver and averaged 9.5 yards a carry in limited tailback duty.

SAN FERNANDO TIGERS

1993 OVERALL LEAGUE PLACE 7-4 5-2 2nd

COACH YR. RECORD AT SCHOOL Sean Blunt 2nd 7-4

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Lavell Thompson, 5-10, 180 TB FS Sr. Marcus Jones, 6-2, 200 WR SS Sr. Eric Garcia, 6-2, 280 OT DT Sr. Paul Williams, 6-3, 280 OL DT Sr. Larry Ford, 5-10, 170 RB -- Jr. Larry Logan, 5-11, 175 QB DB Jr. Joey Estrada, 6-0, 190 TE LB Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Keijun Douglas, 5-8, 165 QB DB Jr. James McCrary, 5-11, 175 WR DB Jr. Dominic Walker, 5-10, 175 RB DB Sr. Xaviar Brown, 6-0, 180 WR DB Jr. Tehran Price, 5-11, 170 WR DB Sr. Aldaberto Garcia, 6-3, 250 OG DT Sr. Omar Perez, 6-0, 190 TE LB Sr.

FAST FACT

The Tigers 19-18 victory over Taft last season clinched a playoff berth and was the Toreadors’ only regular season defeat.

OUTLOOK

Douglas and Logan are in a heated battle at quarterback to succeed graduated Leon Blunt, now at Notre Dame. Logan backed up Blunt last season, and Douglas (629 yards) was the starting quarterback at Poly last year. Both are multi-purpose athletes who will play elsewhere if they don’t start at quarterback. “We’ve got to get them both on the field, they both have the credentials to play,” Sean Blunt said.

TAFT TOREADORS

1993 OVERALL LEAGUE PLACE 10-2 6-1 1st

COACH YR. RECORD AT SCHOOL Troy Starr 3rd 19-7

TOP RETURNEES OFF DEF YR Jerry Brown, 5-11, 190 TB DB Sr. DaShon Polk, 6-3, 215 TE FS Sr. Dion Gaston, 6-1, 240 FB DE Sr. Dayon Shaw, 5-11, 175 QB -- Sr. Fernando Pohina, 6-3, 250 OL DL Sr. Antuan Simpson, 6-0, 210 C LB Jr. Melvin Fulcher, 5-7, 225 OG LB Sr. Jon Relles, 5-5, 140 K -- Sr.

TOP NEWCOMER OFF DEF YR Cray Carter, 5-11, 185 -- LB Jr.

FAST FACT

Taft had the top-ranked offense (373.6 yards) and No. 2 defense (192.7) among area City teams in 1993.

OUTLOOK

The Toreadors are loaded with experience and are ready to challenge for the 4-A City championship after being upset in the quarterfinals last season. Brown has gained 3,472 yards and scored 35 touchdowns in the past two years.