Aliso Niguel Accepts Its Seale of Approval

Coaches at Aliso Niguel don’t talk about David Seale the football player as passionately as they talk about Seale the young man. They revel in stories about his character, values and work ethic.

El Toro Coach Mike Milner calls Seale the best defensive lineman the Chargers have faced. Seale blocked the field goal that would have given El Toro a victory.

Steve Bresnahan, Laguna Hills coach, says Seale is the wheel that makes Aliso Niguel’s defense roll. Bresnahan should know. He has watched enough tape in preparation for tonight’s battle of fourth-ranked Laguna Hills and seventh-ranked Aliso Niguel, both 9-0 and 4-0, to decide the Pacific Coast League title.

“It makes me proud [to be recognized] because I’ve put in a lot of time to become a better player,” Seale said. “To hear something like that makes me feel pretty good.”

Seale, who is quiet, was elected team captain for his actions more than his words. And his actions speak volumes, not only to those teammates, but to those close to the program.

“I’m driving down [the street] to my office Sunday,” Aliso Niguel Coach Joe Wood says, “and there he is on the field, working out.”

Seale’s response? It goes back to the team’s visit to Hilliard, Ohio, and to the Ohio State campus.

“This is such a big game,” Seale said. “When we went to Ohio, they had a saying, ‘What have you done lately to beat Michigan?’ That’s the way it has become for us and Laguna Hills. I just felt that I needed to do something a little extra, because they’ll be doing all the normal things that we’ll be doing.”

It seems Seale has always been doing a little extra to get a little more out of a frame that is a little small. He is 5-feet 10 1/2-inches tall, weighs 200 pounds and is a starting defensive tackle. When he attended classes the day Aliso Niguel opened four years ago, he was 5-7, 155 pounds. He attributes his growth to hitting the weights early in life--seventh grade--because he wanted to look better. It wasn’t for the football, though he was playing Junior All-American at the time.

“I just had an unusual interest at that age in getting that strong,” Seale said. “It turned out to be a good high school career decision--lifting weights got me on track early. I knew what hard work was about before most people did.

“I’m just a guy with average talent who worked real hard at becoming a better ball player.”

And that’s what he is. An average guy who wants to be a teacher, one who recognizes the physical limitations that will prevent him from playing major college ball. But they won’t prevent him from being a major player in life.

“Will he succeed? You’re damn right,” Wood says. “If he doesn’t succeed in life it’s because he dropped dead yesterday. I can’t imagine him not succeeding. The whole character, work ethic, overcoming challenges--he attacks everything. And he’s a great kid. It’s not like he’s a jerk who works hard just so he can play football. Every mother ought to have a son like that.

“You’ve got a young man who’s 5-11, 200 pounds, who runs a 4.7 40 [yard dash], benches almost 300 pounds, and is an explosive, intelligent athlete who obviously needs to be bigger to play in college. But he will play in college. It may not be Division I or II, it may be Division III, but someone is going to enjoy every minute of coaching that guy. And they will ask themselves, ‘Why can’t the rest of my team be like that? Why can’t they understand that’s what it takes to be the best they can be?’ ”

Seale’s best on the football field has been pretty good. He has blocked two field goal attempts and a punt. He has seven sacks and 12 other tackles for losses. Defensive coordinator Jim O’Connell has watched Seale for three years: “He has never settled for just getting by.”

Most assuredly, Seale understands that college doesn’t make the man. He has given thought to attending a junior college, though his four-year choice right now would be Azusa Pacific. It is far from the kind of schools interested in Laguna Hills’ Michael Jones, the county’s leading rusher.

But Seale can play an integral part in determining the Pacific Coast League champion tonight by controlling Jones.

Seale likes the idea of facing the best.

“I look at it as another challenge, another obstacle--obviously, the biggest hurdle we’ve faced this season--but I think we can do it,” Seale said. “I know we won’t have a letdown because of the competition we’re facing. We’ve played flat at times because of the teams we’ve played, but we know they’re great and I think they know that we’re pretty good too.

“I know a lot is at stake, but it’s a good kind of pressure.”

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ALISO NIGUEL VS. LAGUNA HILLS

Featured Game

When: 7 tonight.

Where: Mission Viejo High.

Records: Aliso Niguel 9-0, 4-0; Laguna Hills 9-0, 4-0.

Rankings: Laguna Hills is No. 1 and Aliso Niguel is No. 2 in the Southern Section Division VIII poll. They are ranked fourth and seventh in Orange County.

Noteworthy: The Pacific Coast League title is at stake. Laguna Hills running back Michael Jones has scored 28 touchdowns and run for a county-high 1,993 yards despite infrequent second-half appearances, but he had the flu earlier this week. Aliso Niguel counters with quarterback-turned-running back Scott Nemeth, who is averaging 6.4 yards per carry, 17.2 per reception and has scored 18 touchdowns. Andrew Mashburn (six touchdowns) has only 17 receptions (a team high) but is averaging 21.7 yards per catch.