Buena’s Scott Aims to Greet More Winners

With a twinkle in his eye, Buena High football Coach Rick Scott says his ideal retirement job would be a wholesale warehouse employee who greets customers at the door.

It seems Scott was smitten with the idea this summer while on vacation at his house in Vermont.

“They have a big guy who stands out front, wearing suspenders and saying hello to folks as they walk in,” Scott said. “I can do that.”

For now, Scott must introduce a bushel of first-year varsity players to the rigors of the Channel League. The Bulldogs, defending league champions, are likely to start six sophomores and several other varsity rookies, but are considered league favorites with San Marcos.

Easing the transition somewhat is the league’s downsizing from eight to five teams.

Members will now have six nonleague games instead of three, and four of the league’s five teams will qualify for the playoffs.

“We’re young but the nice thing about this year is we can bring guys along,” Scott said. “Before, with an eight-team league, you didn’t get that chance as much because with more than one [league] loss you could be out of the playoffs.”

Much of the load this season falls on Kyle Loughman, Buena’s junior quarterback who last year threw for 1,603 yards and 12 touchdowns, and had 12 passes intercepted.

“The thing about Kyle is he has all those X factors that college coaches ask for,” Scott said. “If they know a quarterback is talented, they ask about intelligence and character and leadership. He has all those.”

Loughman will operate behind a veteran offensive line that returns starters Greg Pittman, Aron Opplinger, Jake Serrano and Ken Oakley.

That crew will also attempt to clear the way for rookie running backs D.J. Blackledge and Freddie Keiaho.

Blackledge, a junior, last year rushed for 2,000 yards on the 9-1 Bulldog junior varsity and Keiaho is the younger brother of Buena’s

former standout tailback George Keiaho.

Defensively, Buena has more questions than answers.

Jake Scott, the coach’s son, promises to make an impact as a sophomore linebacker and senior Paul Shirey is a returning starter at defensive back. Junior kicker Stephen Howard made his 25 extra-point attempts and six of 11 field-goal tries.

While Buena won the league title last year, cross-town rival Ventura endured an injury-plagued 2-8 season Coach Phil McCune described as “a fiasco.”

The Cougars have returned to their veer option roots, based on McCune’s assessment that senior quarterback Mike Anderson, a three-year starter, is well-suited to such an attack.

Anderson is one of seven returning offensive starters. Another standout is senior Mark Martinez, who moves from center to tight end. The tailback is sophomore Tyler Ebell.

Ventura returns six starters on defense, led by senior linemen and returning starters Shaun Klennert and Alan Boyer.

At San Marcos, senior quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt, son of former New York Giant Brad Van Pelt, is the league’s best player.

A senior quarterback also figures heavily in the plans at Dos Pueblos, where Van Wong (5-8, 150) is a scrambler in the model of former Charger signal-caller Anthony Ramos. Wong last year threw for 638 yards.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: Kyle Loughman, Buena’s junior QB, led the Bulldogs to the league title last season, throwing for 1,603 yards and 12 touchdowns. He will be protected by a line that includes returning starters Greg Pittman, Aron Oppliger, Jake Serrano and Ken Oakley. San Marcos senior QB Bradlee Van Pelt (6 feet 3, 215 pounds) is the league’s top player. He passed for 1,158 yards and rushed for a team-high 850 yards last season. Van Pelt’s favorite target is senior WR Randy Moharram, who caught more than 40 passes in 1997. Dos Pueblos has elusive senior QB Van Wong operating behind center Jeff Dachenhaus, who also starts at linebacker. Nohel Corral, the Chargers’ TB a year ago, has moved to WR and K Tyler Fredrickson has hit from 47 yards in a game and from 58 in practice. Ventura’ veer option is run by senior QB Mike Anderson. The Cougars’ TE is Mark Martinez, their center last season. Santa Barbara counts on junior QB Nick Dominelli and WR Joey Vega.

* THE PROMISING: Buena TBs D.J. Blackshear and Freddie Keiaho must replace three TBs who last season rushed for a combined 2,100 yards. San Marcos C Luke Shipley is the team’s strongest player and LBs Nick Kellams and Hector Perez are first-year starters on defense. Dos Pueblos’ Jason Sutherland adds TB to his duties at S. Ventura goes with sophomore TB Tyler Ebell. Rick Robledo and Doug Caines are promising OL at Santa Barbara.

* FAST FACT: Public address announcers around the region could be faced with a tongue-twister when Dos Pueblos quarterback Van Wong targets receiver Wen Wang.

* 1997 STANDINGS: 1. Buena, 8-3 overall, 6-1 in league; 2. San Marcos, 6-4-1, 5-1-1; 3. Dos Pueblos, 7-3, 5-2; 4. Ventura, 2-8, 1-6; 5. Santa Barbara, 2-8, 0-7.

Channel League schedules

Games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted. Dates and sites subject to change. *-League games.

BUENA

Sept. 11--Westlake

Sept. 18--at Rio Mesa, 7

Sept. 25--Newbury Park

Oct. 2--at Camarillo, 7

Oct. 9--Channel Islands

Oct. 16--*at San Marcos

Oct. 23--*Dos Pueblos at San Marcos High

Oct. 30--*Santa Barbara

Nov. 6--*Ventura

Nov. 13--at Oxnard, 7

Home Site: Ventura High

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VENTURA

Sept. 11--at Simi Valley, 7

Sept. 18--Westlake

Sept. 25--at Royal

Oct. 2--Rio Mesa

Oct. 9--at Oxnard, 7

Oct. 16--*Dos Pueblos

Oct. 23--*at Santa Barbara

Oct. 30--at Hueneme

Nov. 6--*Buena at Ventura High

Nov. 13--*San Marcos

Home Site: Ventura High