Change of Position Provided Spark for Alemany’s Big Mac Soccer Attack

It’s not the size of the boy in the fight, an age-old adage suggests, it’s the size of the fight in the boy.

Words to live by for John Macdonald of Alemany High.

Macdonald, who stands 5 feet 6 inches, says he is accustomed to being sold short as a soccer player. Opponents take one look at the sandy-haired, freckle-faced senior and figure they’re squaring off against Macauley Culkin.

“I’ve always been the smallest guy on every team I’ve ever played on,” Macdonald said. “I know some people might think I’m too small. But that’s before they see me play. After they see me play. . . .”

It is obvious Macdonald more than measures up.

Macdonald’s pair of goals in a 2-1 Mission League victory against Notre Dame on Friday broke the school’s single-season scoring record of 25 goals, set by Joey Kirk in 1983.

Macdonald had a goal and an assist earlier in the week in a 3-0 victory over Crespi.

Macdonald’s 26 goals make him one of the area’s top scorers. And his ability to rise to the occasion is a big reason he has accepted a scholarship to California.

“He is a human dynamo,” Alemany Coach Lowell Thomas said. “Now that everybody knows about him, everybody is double- and triple-teaming him, trying to knock him off the ball. But he’s just so incredibly balanced.”

Macdonald’s midseason move from halfback to forward has tipped the scales in favor of Alemany (10-8-1, 4-2 in league play). The Indians, St. Francis and Harvard-Westlake are bunched behind league leader Loyola in the race for the league’s final two Southern Section Division III playoff berths.

During the Royal tournament in December, Macdonald, who scored 14 goals last season despite being hobbled by an ankle injury, asked Thomas if he could switch positions. Thomas and his assistants had been thinking the same thing.

Macdonald responded with three goals against Dos Pueblos. He followed with eight goals during the Hart tournament, including a pair of hat tricks.

“Ever since I moved to forward, I’ve been scoring a ton of goals,” Macdonald said. “It used to be I’d have to beat three or four people to get really close to the goal. Now it’s easier.”

Macdonald knew he had the skills to compete. He knew he didn’t need size. Few players do, according to Thomas.

“Soccer is a game of balance,” Thomas said. “Pele was only 5-8.”

Still, tenacity helps.

“That was always the big thing,” Macdonald said. “Everyone knew I could play, skills-wise. But they didn’t know if I could play toughness-wise.

“A lot of college coaches were kind of iffy about me. But . . . I’ve really showed ‘em.”

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A boys’ basketball game for the ages unfolded Wednesday when Chatsworth went to double overtime to defeat San Fernando, 115-107, in a Northwest Valley Conference game at Chatsworth.

The score was tied, 81-81, at the end of regulation. But Chatsworth’s Jerome Joseph and Eddie Miler were just warming up.

Joseph, a senior point guard, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, added four in the first overtime and 13 in the second to finish with 45 points, the highest total of his career.

Joseph made four three-point baskets and was 17 of 21 from the free-throw line. Joseph had a previous best of 33 points this season against Poly.

Miller scored 34 points, including 10 in double overtime.

“I’m gonna remember this,” Miller said. “I’ve never played in double overtime. If we weren’t in such good condition, I think we would have lost.”

Joseph said he didn’t realize how many points he was pouring in until it was over.

“I just concentrated on doing what I had to do,” Joseph said. “We didn’t expect them to be that good and we played terrible. I guess we looked right past them.”

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The spotlight keeps shining on Harvard-Westlake High and twins Jason and Jarron Collins.

Harvard (15-2), ranked No. 1 in The Times’ regional poll, will play Bellflower on Monday at Pauley Pavilion in the second Martin Luther King Holiday Challenge.

Harvard, which plays at 3:30, will participate in one of six games featuring some of Southern California’s top teams, including Crenshaw and Dominguez, ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi Sorts.

For the Collins brothers, who rank among the nation’s most-talented juniors, the scene should be familiar.

Harvard participated in prestigious tournaments last month in Florida and Delaware. Once again, dozens of Division I college coaches are expected to be in attendance--including UCLA Coach Jim Harrick, who next season likely will pay close attention to the twins.

“I’m sure their people will be happy,” Harvard Coach Greg Hilliard said. “We’re coming right to their door.”