PLAYOFF PROFILES : Knights Grow With Dirksen

Don’t be fooled by the youthfulness of Los Angeles Baptist High sophomore quarterback Peter Dirksen.

Although he can’t legally drive a car without adult supervision, the 6-foot, 180-pound Dirksen, 15, has no problem driving 10 other players down the field and into the end zone.

He is the youngest player starting offensively for the Knights and the best sophomore varsity quarterback Coach Mark Bates says he has coached.

The Knights (5-5), who will play host to Bishop (6-4) at Alemany tonight at 7:30 in a first-round game of the Southern Section Division X playoffs, last week completed the most impressive about-face in the region. After losing its first five games, L.A. Baptist won its last five and the Alpha League title.

Bates directs most of the credit for the turnaround toward Dirksen, who was moved from tailback to free safety to quarterback before finding his niche.

“The most-important part [of his success at quarterback] is that he has allowed us to be real versatile,” Bates said. “If teams come to stop him, we run it.”

Dirksen’s presence has enabled Chris Ross to rush for 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns in 165 carries.

Platooned with Robin Woo for the first three games, Dirksen elevated his game in a nonleague matchup against Oak Park, driving the Knights to scores on three of the five series he played quarterback.

“All three touchdowns were a direct result of something he did,” Bates said.

He has been the starting and primary quarterback ever since.

For Dirksen, who played quarterback on the junior varsity last year and shortstop on the varsity baseball team last spring, it was only a matter of time.

“I thought I could do a good job if I got the chance to play,” Dirksen said. “At first I tried to force a lot of stuff but I don’t do that as much now.”

Dirksen, who has completed 45 of 89 passes for 782 yards and eight touchdowns, seems to be improving with age. Three of his first 14 passes were intercepted, but he has thrown only three more in his last 75 attempts.