Ever-Elusive Van Buren Still Runs Baffling Fade Pattern

On an evening when 2,500 fans recognized his record-setting Newbury Park High football career, and his former guardian, counselor, coach and quarterback wondered and waited, Leodes Van Buren chose to stay away.

Those closest to Van Buren, the state’s all-time leading receiver, said their affection for him remains unconditional, adding that they would have opened their arms to him had he been present Friday night when Newbury Park retired his jersey, No. 22.

Van Buren has lived in Corona with his mother since serving four months in jail last year for firing a gun into an inhabited dwelling, the home of his then-girlfriend, Marcie James. Van Buren and James married in July, 1994, but no longer live together.

“I talked to Leodes on Tuesday and begged him to come,” said Keith Smith, the quarterback on Newbury Park’s unbeaten 1993 team whose No. 12 also was retired.

Smith holds the state record with 9,971 career passing yards and Van Buren holds state records with 269 catches and 4,456 receiving yards.

Smith is an Arizona freshman with a promising career; Van Buren has isolated himself from friends and football.

“I’d love to bring him to Arizona, just grab him and go,” Smith said. “He has so much talent it’s ridiculous. But I have a hard time knowing what to say to him anymore. I don’t know what’s in his head.”

Dick Intlekofer, a Newbury Park counselor, believes it is not too late for Van Buren to overcome his problems.

“He made tremendous strides in high school, and deep inside, that person is still there,” Intlekofer said.

“He may be concerned about how others view him. Maybe that’s why he’s not here. But I continue to feel that things will work out for him.”

At halftime, Ken McGee, Van Buren’s guardian when he attended Newbury Park, and Coach George Hurley stood side by side holding Van Buren’s jersey.

The receiver’s accomplishments were announced, and Panther fans with unshaken memories stood and cheered.

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Smith will be the last Newbury Park player to wear No. 12. Who was the first?

The answer is Lance O’Fallon, Newbury Park’s second quarterback, who graduated in 1970.

O’Fallon, a free-lance reporter for The Times, covered Newbury Park’s 33-0 victory over Royal on Friday and witnessed his . . . er, Smith’s, jersey being retired.

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Crespi, easily the best 3-3 team in the area, simply wants to become one of the best three teams in the Del Rey League and qualify for the Division I playoffs.

Despite losing to St. John Bosco, the Celts took flight in that direction Friday on the wing of Todd McLean, a senior quarterback who, for the first time this season, had Coach Tim Lins’ blessing to throw downfield.

There’s nothing like falling behind, 35-6, to let caution go to the wind.

“I knew we were going to have to pass but never figured we would throw as much as we did,” McLean said.

McLean threw 44 passes, completing 28 for 317 yards, and was 21 of 29 in the second half for 235 yards. This from a passer who had thrown for only 478 yards in five previous games.

His efforts nearly resulted in a phenomenal comeback.

Crespi scored 27 consecutive points before falling, 35-33, when McLean’s final fling was deflected by a defender at the goal line.

McLean pointed to his indefatigable offensive linemen--tackles Anthony Banovac and Ryan Warren, guards Lee Polster and Vince Duffy and center Nick Pellegrini--as the reason Crespi was able to run 96 plays, including penalties.

“Everything was clicking,” McLean said. “This was a huge boost. We hope it leads to league victories.”

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Short gains:

There was a familiar feel to Mike Conn relieving Shaun Fishman at quarterback in El Camino Real’s 34-3 victory over Chatsworth. They are the school’s top baseball pitchers as well. Fishman didn’t play because of a separated shoulder, but Conn stepped in and threw three touchdown passes. . . .

Jason Giovannettone, the area’s leading scorer, gave Chaminade a scare when it appeared he suffered a broken left ankle Friday. X-rays were negative, however, and the senior tailback should miss only one or two games, Coach Rich Lawson said. Before being injured, Giovannettone scored his 16th touchdown of the season. . . .

Buena has hungered for a running game since Brady Phelps quit the team after two games. But Josh Cross has put together three consecutive 100-yard games, scoring nine touchdowns in that span. Cross rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns Friday in a 42-6 victory over Rio Mesa. . . .

Doing what is best for the team turned out to be best for San Fernando’s Keijuan Douglas as well. In his second game at tailback after being bumped from quarterback by Brandon Campbell, Douglas rushed for two touchdowns and caught a pass for another in a 28-13 victory over Birmingham. Douglas also threw a 29-yard touchdown pass, intercepted a pass and had a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown nullified by a penalty. . . .

After enduring a difficult nonleague schedule, Saugus rolled to a 51-6 Foothill League victory over Burbank. Kevin Carrasco passed for 239 yards and five touchdowns after having previously thrown for only 280 yards and one touchdown. Mark Pecaro and Russell Overstreet each rushed for more than 100 yards. Their combined total entering the game was 114 yards. . . .

Thousand Oaks (5-1) has found a big-play receiver in senior Eric Allen, who has 13 catches for 294 yards. He caught touchdown passes of 40 and 33 yards in the Lancers’ 30-14 victory Friday over Simi Valley. . . .

A hobby of Ventura quarterback Kyle Schommer is sky-diving, but jumping from an airplane couldn’t be much more exciting than the aerial show the senior put on in a 31-30 Channel League victory over Hueneme. Schommer took the Cougars 65 yards in the final 70 seconds, completing four consecutive passes, including a 24-yard strike to Jeramie Jackson for the tying score. Matt White, who earlier kicked a 21-yard field goal, booted his fourth extra point to win the game. . . .

The inadvertent whistle that nullified a Serra interception and enabled Notre Dame to maintain momentum in a 31-13 victory was not the only time officials blew a play dead too soon Friday. A 27-yard touchdown catch by Royal’s Dorian Stitt was called back late in the first half, nullifying the Highlanders’ only scoring play against Newbury Park.

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Catching On

The following is a list of the yearly high school reception leaders from the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County areas. Playoff statistics are included.

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YR PLAYER SCHOOL REC YDS TDs ’86 Chris Hite Hart 88 1,190 19 ’87 Kyle Jan Granada Hills 65 950 15 ’88 Matt Young Santa Clara 81 1,438 15 ’89 Clint Beauer Canyon 75 1,235 13 ’90 Seamus Gibbons Westlake 67 1,082 9 ’91 Deriek Charles Hart 85 1,090 18 ’92 Jason Toohey Newbury Park 80 1,162 7 ’93 Leodes Van Buren Newbury Park 101 1,658 20 ’94 Wayne Emerson Crespi 73 900 8

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