Bruich Works Magic at Kaiser

Dick Bruich built Fontana High into one of the most dominant football programs in the Southland when he coached the Steelers from 1977 to 1998.

Bruich guided Fontana to Southern Section Division I titles in 1987 and 1989, compiled a record of 209-57-2 and won 12 Citrus Belt League championships.

So when Bruich, 54, left Fontana to become coach at brand-new Fontana Kaiser in 1999, few doubted that he would produce a winner.

The Cats, however, might be ahead of even the most optimistic predictions.

Kaiser, which plays in the Division VIII Sunkist League, is 3-0 after nonleague victories over Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino San Gorgonio and Lake Elsinore Temescal Canyon. It’s a heady start for a school that is playing only its second full varsity schedule and will graduate its first class in June.

With only freshmen and sophomores in 1999, Kaiser won five games against junior varsity teams and went 2-3 against varsity opponents.

Last season, the Cats finished 5-5 in a full varsity schedule and just missed the playoffs when they lost a tiebreaker to Ramona.

“We’re playing with a lot more intensity and we’re a more physical team than we were a year ago,” Bruich said.

The Cats will be even more formidable when senior quarterback Steve Sturdivant returns from a broken ankle. In his absence, Kaiser has attempted only five passes in its last two games, relying on junior running back Allen Wade, who gained 161 yards in 35 carries and scored two touchdowns against Temescal Canyon.

Bruich said the most difficult part of starting a program is overcoming the absence of tradition and continuity.

“There was no one to look up to in the beginning except the coaches,” Bruich said. “You need older players to teach younger players about what coaches expect and the consequences that follow if you don’t do what you’re supposed to. You also need them to help the younger players learn how to play.

“We’re getting there.”

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On the move: Camron Carmona, who played running back for Santa Ana Mater Dei last season and started two games at defensive back for the Monarchs this season, rushed for 55 yards in Fountain Valley’s 20-10 victory over Lake Forest El Toro on Friday.

Carmona said he made the decision to transfer Sept. 16 and enrolled at Fountain Valley two days later.

Not coincidentally, Carmona’s father, Rudy, put his Anaheim home on the market last Tuesday, the first day Camron practiced with Fountain Valley. The family is moving to an apartment near Fountain Valley school property.

Mike Henigan, athletic director at Fountain Valley, said the school would do a residence check about once a week.

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Series swansong: It didn’t matter that his team lost all four games in the series, including two blowouts. Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said he was disappointed the Monarchs had played their last game against national power Concord De La Salle.

“I’d like to continue the series,” Rollinson said after the Spartans defeated the Monarchs, 34-6, Saturday to extend their national-record winning streak to 115 games.

“The fact that we went 0-4 is irrelevant. This was actually good for us. We actually got better.”

Mater Dei recovered from losses against De La Salle in 1998 and 1999 to win Southern Section Division I championships.

Last season, the Monarchs reached the second round of the playoffs after losing to the Spartans.

But interest in the series waned. After an average of 17,200 fans attended the first three meetings, Saturday’s series finale drew only 8,525.

The Spartans have opted to play the defending Hawaiian state champion next season instead of the Monarchs.

“De La Salle is the benchmark program,” Rollinson said. “We want to play the best, whether we win, lose or draw.”

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Key assist: Fremont’s Milvon James broke loose for an 82-yard run that set up Mike Ruiz’s 24-yard game-winning field goal against San Pedro on the final play, but the Pathfinders’ unsung hero was receiver Shelvion Williams, who threw a key block for James.

“People might not have seen it, but that’s the reason that play worked so well,” James said. “It was a great call and everyone did exactly what they were supposed to.”

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Furious finish: Fremont wasn’t the only school that won with last-second heroics.

Norwalk Glenn scored nine points in the final 30 seconds to beat Westminster La Quinta,43-41. Juan Hernandez caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Chris Magallanes with 28 seconds left to tie the score, but a two-point conversion failed.

Glenn recovered the ensuing onside kick and Hernandez kicked a 38-yard field goal on the final play for the victory.

Carpinteria’s Agustin Rivera kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to give his team a 9-6 victory over Santa Paula. Carpinteria drove 89 yards in 17 plays after stopping Santa Paula on a fourth-and-goal at its one-yard line.

Last-play heroics were not enough for Bloomington, however.

The Bruins scored on the final play of regulation on a three-yard run by Durell Thomas and added a two-point conversion with no time on the clock to tie Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, 54-54, and send the game into overtime.

Bishop Gorman’s Quintin Jones scored on a 10-yard run on the first play of overtime. Bloomington was unable to answer, leaving the Bruins with a 60-54 loss.

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Bad break: Wilmington Banning’s 49-21 loss to Crenshaw was not the only setback the defending City Section champions absorbed Friday.

Fred Matua, regarded as one of the top linemen in the state, suffered a broken left fibula in the first half and could be lost for the season, Coach Ed Lalau said.

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Fight investigated: School officials at West Covina and Long Beach Wilson are investigating the cause of a bench-clearing brawl during West Covina’s 54-30 victory Friday at West Covina.

The game was called with 5:46 to play after officials cleared the field.

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Staff writers Ben Bolch and Martin Henderson contributed to this report.