Fuentes Convinces Even Himself That He Belongs : Football: Talked into coming out, quarterback has led Rancho Santiago to 7-1 record.

There is little doubt quarterback Simon Fuentes has played a major part in the restoration of the Rancho Santiago College football team this fall.

Fuentes has already tied a single-season school record for touchdown passes with 16 and the Dons have won seven in a row after dropping their opener. And Rancho Santiago is assured of its first winning season since going 10-1 in 1989.

But Fuentes’ personal turnaround is almost as impressive as that of the program.

He was the starting quarterback as a senior at Garden Grove High School in the fall of 1991, but he broke his collar bone in the third game and was out the rest of the season. He returned the following spring as an infielder for the Argonaut baseball team, but figured his athletic career was over after graduation.

“It was time to go to college, grow up and get on with my life,” Fuentes said.

Someone else had other ideas, however.

Tom Shine, the Dons’ offensive coordinator, had seen Fuentes play and knew he could contribute.

Fuentes was taking classes at Rancho Santiago and the temptation was too much for Shine, who wouldn’t give up, even if Fuentes had.

Shine continued to pester Fuentes, who didn’t share the coach’s opinion of his skills.

“I always wondered why Coach Shine kept calling me,” said Fuentes, 20. “I didn’t have any confidence in myself. I didn’t think I could play at this level.”

Fuentes, finally tired of the phone messages that said Shine had called, joined the team in the spring of 1993. But he didn’t exactly burst onto the scene.

“He was a little tentative about even coming into the football office,” Shine said. “He just kind of stuck his head in. Maybe he felt like he didn’t belong.”

Fuentes’ first days with the team were a struggle as he questioned his decision to play. But he made it through the spring and summer workouts and was a reserve last season.

Fuentes said it wasn’t until midway through last season that he was comfortable and in tune with the offensive system.

Rancho Santiago had two sophomore quarterbacks--Gabe Garcia and Mister Albritton--so his playing time was limited. He attempted eight passes, completing seven for 69 yards.

“Simon told us that he was nervous all the time last season,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dave Ogas said.

But this season, Fuentes hasn’t shown any of the tension that made it difficult for him to take a snap cleanly. He has calmly led Rancho Santiago to a standout season that began with a 55-28 loss to El Camino. After a week off, Rancho Santiago came back to beat defending national champion Palomar, 31-14, to begin the current winning streak.

The Dons, the top team in Southern California and No. 7 in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll, play Fullerton (5-2-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Titan Stadium for the Mission Conference Central Division title. Each team is 4-0 in divisional play.

Fuentes is hardly the Dons’ only offensive asset. Rancho Santiago has the second-best rushing offense in the 14-team conference. Ernie Wilson leads the team with 620 yards, Kevin Pola has 377 and Ace Riggins 340.

“I don’t mind if we run the ball all the time,” Fuentes said. “Heck, I like to watch Ernie (Wilson) run like everybody else. I just want to make sure we get that ‘W.’ ”

Because of the Dons’ powerful ground game, Fuentes isn’t called on to throw often. He is 87 of 128 for 1,382 yards and four interceptions.

Twelve quarterbacks in the conference have more attempts than Fuentes but only five have passed for more touchdowns.

Fuentes’ most impressive game came Oct. 1, when he completed 15 of 21 for 245 yards and a school-record-tying four touchdowns as the Dons clobbered Long Beach, 50-27. It was Long Beach’s only loss of the season.

“We haven’t taken full advantage of him, because he can do so many things,” Shine said. “Even on plays that are fouled up, he has a way of getting the impossible to happen.”