Roberson Plays All the Angles

Ventura St. Bonaventure is 10-0 and seeded No. 1 in the Southern Section Division IV football playoffs because of players such as Dwight Roberson, a 6-foot, 215-pound senior linebacker who’s so fast and athletic that he could play any position in football.

Yes, he’s capable of pulling off the baseball equivalent of playing all 11 positions in a football game.

“He’s that kind of an athlete,” Coach Jon Mack said.

As a freshman, Roberson started at defensive tackle. As a sophomore, he had 17 sacks at defensive end. As a junior, he led the team in tackles at inside linebacker. As a senior, he leads the team in interceptions at outside linebacker. Next season, he might be playing strong safety for a college team.

But what about playing every position in a game?

“I could play offensive line,” he said. “I block on special teams. I can catch. I could be a tight end. I can definitely be a tailback. No, I don’t think I could play quarterback. I can throw a spiral, but I’d be in the pocket and have the urge to run.”

Roberson is so versatile that if St. Bonaventure needed an emergency kicker, he’d gladly volunteer.

“To tell you the truth, when I was in eighth grade, I was a kicker,” he said. “I’m ready for anything. If you need me, I’ll be there.”

Roberson has lost two games in four years of varsity football.

“He’s a great player,” Mack said. “He studies film and our opponent like no other player. Then he has speed and strength. He has the ability to close on players. He loves to hit.”

For those who like to watch football collisions, Roberson would be your favorite player. He never misses the chance to deliver a tackle.

“I love hitting other people for fun,” he said.

His ability to run down offensive players and deny the big play makes St. Bonaventure’s defense tough to score on.

And he’s so nice about it. He’ll gladly offer a hand to an opponent he just sent crashing to the ground.

He makes himself available for whatever task Mack calls upon him to do.

“Wherever Coach Mack needs me, I’ll play,” he said.

Roberson has been forced to get used to Mack spending games up in the press box this season as he recovers from an illness that caused blood clots in his legs. It’s a lot quieter on the sideline, though Roberson said Mack still yells “at halftime, before the game, after the game.”

Mack has produced his share of outstanding players in recent years, from running back Lorenzo Booker to receiver Whitney Lewis, and Roberson is going to end up near the top of the list because of his skills as a defensive player and his dedication to helping others.

“He’s a great role model,” Mack said.

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The most intriguing question of the football playoffs is whether there’s any defense that can stop Anaheim Esperanza’s devastating rushing attack.

In the last two games, Esperanza (8-2) has rushed for 581 yards against Los Alamitos and 531 yards against Huntington Beach while attempting only three passes. The Aztecs are using a variation of the wing-T and fly offenses, relying on misdirection.

“It’s got to be run at high speed or it’s not deceptive,” Coach Bill Pendleton said.

Another reason for the Aztecs’ success is one of the best offensive lines in school history.

If all goes as planned, Esperanza should meet Long Beach Poly in the Division I semifinals. And the winner will go on to win the Division I championship.

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So much for sophomore guard Romeo Miller taking his act to Beverly Hills. After briefly attending classes at Beverly Hills and learning he wouldn’t be eligible unless he moved, he has returned to Los Angeles Windward, where he averaged 14.2 points as a freshman.

Now comes the hard part. How does Windward Coach Miguel Villegas deal with Miller’s previous defection? Last season, Miller’s father, rapper Master P, was banished from the Windward gym for several games after a halftime confrontation with Villegas.

All this intrigue has the makings for a story line for Miller’s Nickelodeon television series.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.