VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : 1999 PREVIEW: DIVISION IV TEAM CAPSULES

CHANNEL LEAGUE

*

Buena

COACH: Rick Scott, 12th season

LAST SEASON: 7-5, 3-1 in league

COMING BACK: QB Kyle Loughman has led the Bulldogs to consecutive league titles. WR Cody Murphy had 48 catches for 576 yards and seven touchdowns last season. RBs D.J. Blackledge and Freddy Keiaho each could surpass 1,000 yards rushing. LB Jake Scott led the team in tackles.

CHECKING IN: Jake Scott will miss at least the first game because of shoulder surgery, but LB Paul Johnsonbaugh, a QB on the sophomore team, will fill in. DB-WR Garrett Oltz and LB Stuart Smith are juniors.

OUTLOOK: The Bulldogs are favored to win their third consecutive league title. A solid run through the playoffs is likely.

*

Ventura

COACH: Phil McCune, 15th season

LAST SEASON: 5-6-1, 1-3 in league

COMING BACK: TB Tyler Ebell ran for 1,268 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. There is plenty of speed at WR with Clark Goodwin, the Division II champion in the 400 meters, and Chris Foster, the league champion in the 110 hurdles. DB Scott Ellis had three interceptions last year and will also play QB. LB Richard Martinez spearheads the defense.

CHECKING IN: WR-DB Antwaine Richards, a basketball player in his first year of football, improves the Cougars’ speed. Three junior OLs--Jason Gruber (6-6, 270), Casey Andrews (6-3, 265) and Bill Griffin (6-3, 230)--are first-year starters.

OUTLOOK: The Cougars have plenty of skill-position players, but line play will determine whether they improve upon bottom-half league finishes the last two years.

MARMONTE LEAGUE

*

Agoura

COACH: Charlie Wegher, sixth season

LAST SEASON: 3-7, 0-6 in league

COMING BACK: DB-RB Justin Richter is a tenacious hitter and three-year starter in the secondary. TE Mike West and WR Adam Lee are capable receivers who must step up to ease the loss of graduated Garrett Lepisto.

CHECKING IN: QB Chris Denove and WRs Andre Woodert and Steve Tagai are three of nine juniors expected to contribute.

OUTLOOK: Only two starters return, but a strong junior class should make the Chargers competitive. Next year, they could challenge for a league title.

*

Moorpark

COACH: Tim Lins, first season

LAST SEASON: 6-5, 3-3 in league

COMING BACK: The offense will feature RB Art Lopez, who ran for 604 yards and six touchdowns last season. OT Steve Buckles (6-3, 310) will open plenty of holes. WR Chris Vizzi had 14 catches for 223 yards and five touchdowns.

CHECKING IN: Coach Tim Lins takes over after 10 years at Crespi. Lins, who has lived in Moorpark for 15 years, coached Crespi to seven Southern Section playoff appearances, six in Division I.

OUTLOOK: The Musketeers surprised many by qualifying for the playoffs in their first year in the league. With a young defense, they could be hard-pressed to repeat the feat.

*

Newbury Park

COACH: George Hurley, 11th season

LAST SEASON: 7-3, 5-1 in league

COMING BACK: TE Will Svitek, a three-sport athlete, had 17 catches for 180 yards last season, numbers that should rise significantly. The Panthers have size on both sides of the line, anchored by 6-2, 245-pounders Matt Amundson and Elliot Elkins.

CHECKING IN: QB Chris Lombardo is a touted transfer from St. Bonaventure who threw for 2,427 yards and 26 touchdowns last year. Can he learn the Panthers’ diverse offense in just one season?

OUTLOOK: The Panthers will battle Westlake for the league title and could play a major factor in the Division IV playoffs.

*

Royal

COACH: Gene Uebelhardt, 12th season

LAST SEASON: 3-7, 2-4 in league

COMING BACK: LB Mike Martin is a four-year starter and the unquestioned leader of the defense. TE Kevin Krause had 43 receptions for 566 yards and four touchdowns last season. QBs Bryce Klink and Joe Brown will both see action.

CHECKING IN: NG Chad Henley, a 6-2 sophomore, could be the next great defensive lineman for Royal. LB Sanders Marine (5-11, 190) is a transfer from Alta Loma.

OUTLOOK: Despite the presence of impact players Krause and Martin, the Highlanders are looking at a bottom-half finish in league.

*

Simi Valley

COACH: Ron Veres, third season

LAST SEASON: 3-7, 2-4 in league

COMING BACK: WR Calvin Bell ranks among the best in the region. He had 42 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns despite missing four games with a broken finger. QB Ben Santiago was a standout in the secondary last year with four interceptions. His twin, Julian, will complement Bell at WR.

CHECKING IN: LB-FB James Skor III, a 6-2, 225-pound junior, is a converted lineman. Senior LB Matt Campagna returns after sitting out last season to concentrate on academics.

OUTLOOK: The Pioneers must improve on offense after averaging only 17 points and 221 yards per game last season. A healthy Bell should help and a mid-level finish in league is possible.

*

Thousand Oaks

COACH: Mike Kelly, fifth season

LAST SEASON: 5-5-1, 4-1-1 in league

COMING BACK: LB Nick Ciufo (6-0, 205) has speed and strength in the middle of the defense. RB Clint Wilson (5-11, 195) packs a punch as he hits the hole.

CHECKING IN: QB Santo Riccobono was a cornerback last season. He will split time at QB with Ben Olson, a 6-2 sophomore left-hander. WR Dave Anderson, a tailback on a 9-1 freshman team last season, could make an impact.

OUTLOOK: The Lancers must replace nearly 2,500 yards of offense produced by graduated RBs Wes Cobos and Joey Casillas. If they don’t, they could struggle in the touchdown-happy league.

*

Westlake

COACH: Jim Benkert, 11th season

LAST SEASON: 8-2-1, 4-1-1 in league

COMING BACK: QB Zac Wasserman has committed to Penn State and RB Julian Lambert could surpass 1,500 yards running behind a strong line led by T Keith Holt (6-5, 305). WR Chris Catalano is the latest in a long line of talented Westlake receivers. LB Jordan Lampos leads a defense that allowed 259.1 yards per game last season, best in the league.

CHECKING IN: WR-DB Michael Brignac will play after sitting out last season because his transfer from Reseda was invalidated. “How good is he going to be?” Benkert said. “I’m excited about him. We’ll leave it at that.”

OUTLOOK: The Warriors are favored to win the league title. A Division IV championship is a strong possibility.

PACIFIC VIEW LEAGUE

Camarillo

COACH: Carl Thompson, 17th season

LAST SEASON: 8-4, 3-1 in league

COMING BACK: RB Brent Rose is the team’s top returning rusher and will also start at LB. WR Steve Dacre was the Scorpions’ reception leader last year, and Loren Cerny switches to RB after starting at TE. LB Scott Corales is a three-year starter.

CHECKING IN: QBs Johnny Gonzalez and Mike Jasper will battle for the starting spot vacated by graduate Garrett Valencia. Ryan Creadick will start at tight end and Glen Propst (6-3, 300) will be an imposing figure on both lines.

OUTLOOK: Camarillo can run the ball, but the Scorpions need to pass to keep defenses honest.

*

Channel Islands

COACH: Jack Willard, third season

LAST SEASON: 1-9-1, 1-3 in league

COMING BACK: QB Robert Vorba returns, but he might also line up at wing back in the Raiders’ double wing-T offense. T Luis Murillo (6-7, 320) is a two-way starter whose blocking has improved greatly. Ronnie Robles will start at TE and ILB after playing DL last year. TE-OLB Michael Diggs is a three-year starter.

CHECKING IN: RB-DB Phillip Burton, OL-DL Gary Porter and QB-OLB David Herrera are sophomores who played at the freshman level. Herrera is expected to play QB when Vorba is one of the wing backs.

OUTLOOK: Channel Islands struggled defensively last year, giving up 344 yards a game, and Willard isn’t convinced they’ll be better this season. “We’ve tried to address that situation and put the right kids in the right positions,” he said. “But we’re still pretty questionable.”

*

Hueneme

COACH: Larry Miller, sixth season

LAST SEASON: 7-5-1, 4-0 in league

COMING BACK: RB Donald Thompson, The Times’ Ventura County player of the year, graduated, but WR Keary Colbert should give the Vikings another exciting player after catching 31 passes for 769 yards and nine touchdowns last year. Wing back Leslie Lee and FB Jason Austin return. OG Tyrone Tutogi was an All-Division IV selection.

CHECKING IN: QB Gordy Pinedo is a sophomore transfer from St. Bonaventure, and junior RBs Julian Gooden and Duane Taylor improve the Vikings’ depth. DE Russell Henderson becomes a starter.

OUTLOOK: “We’re a much quicker team overall than last year,” Miller said. “But whether our heart is going to be equal to last year’s team is yet to be seen.”

*

Oxnard

COACH: Mark Beckham, first season

LAST SEASON: 2-8, 0-4 in league

COMING BACK: QB Tony Williams, RB James McGowan and WR Aaron Neal last season led the Yellowjackets in passing, rushing and receiving, respectively. OL Eddie Hong (6-3, 305) will anchor a line that needs to protect Williams and open holes for McGowan.

CHECKING IN: HB Robbie Van Antwerp, FB James Cabana, C Ryan Fleener and LB Matt Kaikaina are sophomores who are expected to start.

OUTLOOK: Although Oxnard has speed at the skill positions, the Yellowjackets are inexperienced on the lines.

*

Rio Mesa

COACH: George Contreras, sixth season

LAST SEASON: 3-8, 2-2 in league

COMING BACK: QB Pancho Tinoco and RB Mike Liranzo are returning all-league players, though Liranzo was honored at TE. OL Josh Ferrell is a three-year starter. FB Anthony Manansala rushed for 199 yards and a touchdown in a first-round playoff loss to San Luis Obispo, but he needs to lose weight before becoming a full-time starter again, Coach George Contreras said.

CHECKING IN: Sophomore Mike Dominguez will start at TE and DT after playing at the freshman level. DB Chauncey LaManche and DE Ben Lopez should help a defense that lost several key players to graduation.

OUTLOOK: The Spartans should have a solid double wing-T offense if they can avoid injuries to their linemen. “We have a first-string offensive line and a third-string offensive line,” Contreras said. “We need time for the young guys to develop.”