SANTIAGO

1995 RECORD: 5-5 overall, 3-3 in league.

COACH: Ben Haley (9-11 at school)

RETURNING STARTERS: 9 on offense, 5 on defense

TOP RETURNERS

Carlos Carbajal, RB, 5-8, 160, Sr.; Tony Cardenas, OL/DE, 5-11, 235, Sr.; Jose Cuevas, OL/DT, 5-8, 245, Sr.; Steve Lopez, WR/DB, 5-10, 185., Sr.; Reynaldo Lua, OL/DL, 6-3, 205, Jr.; Raul Medina , OL, 5-10, 205, Sr.; David Melendez, OL/LB, 5-9, 185, Sr.; Ben Tran, QB, 6-2, 175, Jr.; Octavio Villa, RB/DB 5-11, 170, Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

David Hunga, OL/DL, 5-10, 260, So.; Joe Gonzalez, OL, 6-3, 255, So.; Daniel Melendez, T/LB, 5-11, 210, So.

OUTLOOK

Haley took over a moribund program in 1994 and has given it some respectability. Santiago won five games in the four years before Haley took over and it has won nine games in Haley’s two seasons. The last two years, Santiago has missed making the playoffs by one game. The scenario could be similar this year... Santiago is improved but so are the big three--Pacifica, Rancho Alamitos and Los Amigos. “The first three are proven,” Haley said. “To go to the playoffs, we have to tag one of the three.” The Cavaliers’ hopes start with Tran, a second-team all-league player as a sophomore. Haley has implemented a short passing attack to take some pressure off Tran. “Hopefully, this will reduce the nine, 10-man fronts we were seeing,” he said. Villa and Carbajal combined for more than 1,000 yards rushing and will run behind three returning linemen. “We can run with anybody but we need more balance than we’ve had.”