Improved Hueneme Has View From Top

This is the Hueneme High football team?

This group that practices with military precision and high enthusiasm?

This team that boasts a startling number of talented players--and for once has them all eligible?

Sure enough, the Hueneme Vikings have been reborn and are expected to be the bane of the first-year Pacific View League.

“Hueneme High is the place to be now,” said Viking assistant coach Tony Pinedo. “Every year people say Hueneme has the talent [in school], but it’s not on the field. Well, this year it’s on the field.”

You can’t blame those associated with the program for being excited. Hueneme has won only 14 games in the last seven seasons, but has the skill to make huge strides from last year’s 5-5 record.

The efforts of fifth-year Coach Larry Miller, an All-American halfback for Hueneme in 1969, have begun to bear fruit.

Where his first varsity team had 18 players, the squad this year boasts nearly 50. And where 48 players in the program had to attend summer school to remain eligible in 1997, only seven faced a similar predicament this year.

“Everything we’ve been doing and saying has sunk in,” Miller said.

The Vikings hope to sink their teeth into their new league, which consists of the Oxnard Unified School District’s five high schools. An informal coaches’ poll favors Hueneme, with Oxnard a close second. Rio Mesa and Camarillo figure to battle for third and Channel Islands is likely to occupy the basement.

Hueneme, which returns 43 of 51 players from a team which lost three games in the final 36 seconds, hopes to perfect its wing-T offense.

Senior quarterback Jeff Garcia, who threw for 731 yards and six touchdowns and had six passes intercepted, begins his first full season as a starter.

Senior Donald Thompson is the leading returning rusher with 750 yards and seven touchdowns. He teams with classmate Michael Nurse at wingback.

On defense, Miller is counting on tackle/linebacker George Tapia and end Tiloi Tuitama Jr., who brings his wrestling skills to bear on opponents.

“Tiloi is going to wreak some havoc on quarterbacks this year,” Miller said.

At Oxnard, which finished second in the Channel League last season, the success of the Yellowjackets’ no-huddle offense will depend on whether they can protect platooning quarterbacks.

Juniors Louis Williams and Matthew Merricks, a left-hander, will alternate at quarterback. Junior tailback James McCowan seeks to replace graduated standouts Desmond Davis and Chad Pierson, who combined for 2,668 yards and 26 touchdowns last season.

Seniors Kevin and John Fleener, who are cousins, anchor the offensive line. Kevin Fleener, 6 feet 1 and 304 pounds, can play guard, tackle or center and was a 1997 All-Channel League pick.

Senior Jacob Rogers (6-6, 235) has committed to USC and is a force at tight end and outside linebacker. John Fleener was a 1997 second-team all-league linebacker, and Jacob Galloway is likely to start at defensive back and receiver.

Rio Mesa graduated its top eight rushers and its top passer from a 4-6 team. That leaves senior Jerome Stevens as the top returning rusher with 12 yards and one touchdown, and junior Pancho Tinoco as quarterback. Tinoco completed one pass for 15 yards last season.

Spartan standouts include senior linebackers Stevens (6-2, 245) and Kevin Mack (6-3, 245), who is ranked No. 26 among high school linebackers by SuperPrep magazine.

At Camarillo, the Scorpions went from Southern Section division champions in 1996 to a 1-9 record last season. Five starters who missed last season because of academic ineligibility return and the offense will be run-oriented to save senior quarterback Garrett Valencia from absorbing another pounding.

Another reason for the ground attack is that the Scorpions are plodders, Coach Carl Thompson said.

“Year in and year out, we’re big and slow,” Thompson said. “It’s become kind of a tradition here.”

Channel Islands, with only 25 players and no experienced rushers, could be looking at a winless season. Nonetheless, Coach Jack Willard likes his team.

“These kids are by no means the best football players around, but they’ve stuck it out with me and they’ve done everything I’ve asked,” he said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: Hueneme RB Donald Thompson keys the team’s wing-T attack. Thompson rushed for 750 yards and seven touchdowns last season. QB Jeff Garcia, a part-time starter last season, threw for 731 yards and six touchdowns and had six passes intercepted. DLs George Tapia and Tiloi Tuitama Jr. also figure to be standouts. Oxnard can count on cousins Kevin and John Fleener. Kevin (6-1, 304) earned All-Channel League honors last season and can play anywhere on the offensive line, and John plays G and is a standout at LB. Jacob Rogers (6-6, 235) is one of the region’s best TEs and also plays OLB. Rio Mesa’s defense promises to be strong with LBs Jerome Stevens and Kevin Mack and DE Reggie Curry. Camarillo is led by QB Garrett Valencia, who passed for 917 yards and four touchdowns but who had 15 passes intercepted. Jonathan Carpenter (6-3, 265) and TE Gary Bryce (6-6, 225) anchor the Scorpions’ line. WR Russell Patton led Channel Islands last season with 20 catches for 354 yards and a touchdown.

* THE PROMISING: Hueneme sophomore RB Leslie Lee (5-6, 142)

has the speed and moves to elude defenders. Junior Jason Austin will also have an impact in the Viking backfield. Oxnard will platoon at QB with juniors Louis Williams and Matthew Merricks. David Gorby should have an impact at OG and DT, and Raul Razo steps in at NG for the Yellowjackets. Rio Mesa has newcomers in QB Panco Tinoco and HBs Jonathan Nunnery and Brandon Ramey. Camarillo FB Brent Rose is living “a dream come true” with his move from playing OL on the junior varsity last year. Michael Martinez, now a Scorpion WR, was the program’s junior varsity TB last year.

* FAST FACT: The five-team Pacific View League will be joined by Oxnard’s Pacifico High. The new school is scheduled to open in August of 2001.

* 1997 STANDINGS: 1. Oxnard, 8-3-1 overall, 5-1-1 in Channel League; 2. Hueneme 5-5, 3-4 in Channel League; 3. Rio Mesa, 4-6, 2-5 in Channel League; 4. Channel Islands, 2-7-1, 2-4-1 in Marmonte League; 5. Camarillo, 1-9, 1-6 in Marmonte League.

Pacific View League schedules

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

CAMARILLO

Sept. 11--Canyon, 7

Sept. 18--at Agoura, 7

Sept. 25--at Thousand Oaks

Oct. 2--Buena, 7

Oct. 9--Saugus at Canyons, 7

Oct. 16--*Oxnard, 7

Oct. 23--San Marcos, 7

Oct. 30--*at Rio Mesa, 7

Nov. 6--*at Channel Islands, 6

Nov. 13--*Hueneme, 7

Home Site: Camarillo High

****

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Sept. 12--at Harvard-Westlake, 1:30

Sept. 18--St. Bonaventure, 7

Sept. 25--at Moorpark

Oct. 2--Calabasas, 7

Oct. 9--Buena at Ventura High

Oct. 16--Santa Barbara, 7

Oct. 23--*Hueneme, 7

Oct. 30--*at Oxnard, 7

Nov. 6--*Camarillo, 6

Nov. 13--*at Rio Mesa, 7

Home Site: Channel Islands High

****

HUENEME

Sept. 11--Alemany

Sept. 19--at San Diego Montgomery, 7

Sept. 25--at Hawthorne

Oct. 2--Atascadero

Oct. 9--Muir

Oct. 16--*Rio Mesa, 7

Oct. 23--*at Channel Islands, 7

Oct. 30--Ventura

Nov. 6--*Oxnard, 7

Nov. 13--*at Camarillo, 7

Home Site: Hueneme High

****

OXNARD

Sept. 11--at Santa Barbara

Sept. 18--at Newbury Park, 7

Sept. 25--Inglewood, 7

Oct. 2--San Marcos, 7

Oct. 9--Ventura, 7

Oct. 16--*at Camarillo, 7

Oct. 23--*Rio Mesa, 7

Oct. 30--*Channel Islands, 7

Nov. 6--*at Hueneme, 7

Nov. 13--Buena, 7

Home Site: Oxnard High

****

RIO MESA

Sept. 11--Saugus at Canyons, 7

Sept. 18--Buena, 7

Sept. 25--Agoura, 7

Oct. 2--at Ventura

Oct. 9--Thousand Oaks, 7

Oct. 16--*at Hueneme, 7

Oct. 23--*at Oxnard, 7

Oct. 27--*Camarillo, 7

Nov. 6--Dos Pueblos

Nov. 13--*Channel Islands, 7

Home Site: Rio Mesa High