Rancho Santiago Defense Adjusts to New Style

Rancho Santiago switched defensive schemes this season and it took a little while for the players to adjust.

The Dons allowed a single-game team high 452 passing yards in a 55-28 loss to El Camino Sept. 10. The Warriors had 606 yards total offense.

But given two weeks to prepare for Palomar, the J.C. Grid-Wire defending national champion, Rancho Santiago’s new defense, forced six turnovers and the Dons went on to a 31-14 upset Saturday.

Marcello Royal, a sophomore defensive back, led the way with 11 tackles and recovered two fumbles. Andre Holmes also had an interception in the end zone.

Rancho Santiago’s defense is based on the same swarming defense made popular by the University of Arizona.

“I’m really proud of the effort by the kids and the coaches,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dave Ogas said. “We were missing a couple of defensive backs and didn’t have some people in the right places in the first game. But defensive coordinator Tom Nelson and his staff of Bennie Rapp, Joe Jacobs and Derrick Watkins really worked hard.”

The key offensive play for the Dons came midway in the fourth quarter when quarterback Simon Fuentes, ducking a blitz, completed a pass in the flat to tight end Chad Flick, who took off for the goal line. He was tackled at the Palomar one after the third-down play covered 63 yards.

Kevin Pola scored on the next play and the Dons were ahead, 31-14.

Fuentes was 18 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He attempted only eight passes as a reserve freshman, then left with a concussion in the second quarter of the El Camino game.

The loss stopped Palomar’s 20-game winning steak. The Comets’ last loss also came against a team from Orange County.

Orange Coast stunned the Comets, 42-7, Oct. 3, 1992. Palomar won the final eight games of that season, went 11-0 last season and was, 1-0, before Rancho Santiago won Saturday.

Things don’t get any easier for the Dons (1-1) on Saturday in their home opener. Rancho Santiago plays host to Long Beach (3-0) at 1:30 p.m. at Santa Ana Stadium.

The Dons likely will be be without running back Ernie Wilson, who injured his knee in the Palomar game. Wilson had 67 yards rushing before being hurt in the third quarter. He has rushed for 193 yards and two touchdowns in two games. Wilson is also averaging 34 yards in seven kickoff returns.

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One-sided: The early strength of the Mission Conference is clearly with the Northern Division. The seven teams have combined for a 11-2-2 record thus far.

The Central Division, which is made up of the five Orange County teams, Riverside and Southwestern, is 2-11-2.

The Northern Division teams have outscored opponents, 519 to 349, while the Central teams have been outscored, 496 to 355.

Long Beach (3-0), El Camino (2-0) and Cerritos (2-0) are off to the best starts in the Northern Division.

Riverside and Rancho Santiago have the only victories in the Central Division. But things are going to get better. Play within each division starts Oct. 8.

The Northern Division’s strength is also reflected in the weekly Southland poll. Bakersfield (3-0) is ranked No. 1, but the following four teams are from the division. Long Beach (3-0) is second, El Camino (2-0) third, Cerritos (2-0) fourth, Mt. San Antonio (1-0-1) fifth, Los Angeles Valley (3-0) sixth, Chaffey (2-0) seventh, Palomar (1-1) eighth, Ventura (3-0) ninth and Riverside (1-1) 10th.

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This week: South Coast Conference water polo play starts Wednesday, with Fullerton at Golden West in a 3:30 p.m. game. Golden West has won five consecutive State titles and is ranked second in the state behind Long Beach. The Rustlers are 9-1.

Fullerton is also having a solid season as well. The Hornets (8-4-2) are coming off a 9-6 upset of ninth-ranked San Diego Mesa over the weekend.

In women’s soccer: Cypress is at Orange Coast in an Orange Empire Conference game at 2:30 p.m. today. Besides being two strong programs, there is an added note of tension to this game because Cypress (3-0, 1-0) is on a self-imposed probation after making first contact with an out-of-district player who is playing for Orange Coast (4-1, 2-0).

Cypress, the two-time defending conference champion, has won 25 consecutive conference matches.

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Russ Liken, a volunteer shooting coach for the men’s basketball team at Cypress from 1982 to 1990, died of a heart attack Saturday in Las Vegas at age 72.

Liken had been a standout basketball player in the Pittsburgh area and earned a scholarship to Temple in 1943 but joined the Navy instead.

Liken, a retired steelworker, began his involvement with the program after walking on the campus one day and looking in on practice.