Woodbridge Has Right Kind of Return to Win a Title

When you looked at the six teams that formed the Pacific Coast League last season, they seemed assembled more out of mercy than geography.

The previous season, the six teams had compiled a 12-37-1 record playing in different leagues. Orange and Laguna Hills high schools lost all 10 games they played. Costa Mesa and Laguna Beach each won only three. Trabuco Hills managed two victories but did it playing a junior varsity schedule. Woodbridge, at 6-3-1, had the best finish of any of the new league’s teams.

A threat to win a Desert-Mountain championship, this motley crew was not.

So, it was a surprise to many when the Pacific Coast League had Orange County’s best league winning percentage for the first few weeks of the 1986 season.

And this was no duel of the doormats. The Pacific Coast teams were beating up on competition outside the league. Orange’s Panthers, a team that had a four-year record of 4-35-1, defeated Santiago, 44-0, in its first game. Under Mark McMahon, then in his first year as coach, the Panthers had a 7-5 overall record and won their first league championship since 1972.

Meanwhile, Woodbridge and Laguna Beach tied for second place, and the only blemishes on their 8-2 regular-season records came in league play. Even Costa Mesa and Trabuco Hills, both finishing 5-5, won more games outside the league than in it.

“I think we made believers out of some people right off the bat,” McMahon said. “If you just looked at the history of the schools, nobody was doing real well outside of Woodbridge. Coming into the league, nobody was impressive. But several of us had the best teams we’ve had in years. Hopefully, it will continue that way.”

At Woodbridge, that trend of success should continue into this season. The Warriors have several players returning and are favored by coaches to win the league. Although Orange has suffered major losses, the Panthers should still be strong with the return of five veterans who played varsity as sophomores and the rise of a sophomore team that finished 7-3. Laguna Beach and Costa Mesa also should remain solid. Meanwhile, Laguna Hills will be trying to cope with losses and Trabuco Hills continues having troubles finding senior players.

COSTA MESA

2-3, 5-5 (Tied for fourth)

Although players such as quarterback Mike Crowe and running back Tyler Riddell are gone, nine starters are returning, including all-league linebacker Sean McMillan and Shane Talber, who caught 12 passes for 168 yards last year. Seven returning players are three-year lettermen. Although Talber broke his thumb and will probably miss the first game, he should be healthy for the second game.

Crowe’s replacement is junior Rich Schones, who passed for 22 touchdowns as the sophomore team quarterback. Receiver Huy Kieu, who is 5-feet 6-inches tall and weighs 130 pounds, will be one of Schones’ primary targets.

LAGUNA BEACH

3-2, 8-2 (Tied for second)

The story at Laguna Beach is what new coach Lyman Olney will be able to do with the Artists.

Olney, who had coached Desert High School since 1979, replaced Cedrick Hardman, who resigned in February after being arrested for possession of cocaine and resisting arrest. Although transition years can be difficult, Olney could have the talent to ease it. At Desert, the prep school at Edwards Air Force Base, he had a total enrollment of 395 from which to select a team. Having only 900 students, Laguna Beach is the smallest public high school in Orange County. What’s more, Laguna Beach is the only league high school lacking a sixth-period coaching class. And, all the assistants are walk-ons. The spartan conditions won’t be new to Olney.

However, Olney will have some proven talent returning from the only team to beat Orange in league play. Last year, Danny Lane completed 96 of 163 passes for 1,153 yards and 6 touchdowns. Pete Schmitt, who will line up as a tight end this season, was all-Southern Section as an offensive tackle last year. He will be joined on the line by tackles Mike Souadjian and Dylan Candelaria.

LAGUNA HILLS

1-4, 2-8 (Sixth in league)

Coach Paul Weinberger says being shifted to the PCL last year was a double-edged sword. On one hand, his team was plucked out of a tough league (the South Coast League) and supposed to do well. On the other, the competition turned out to be keener than expected. Still, the last-place Hawks managed to upset Woodbridge, 10-3, last season. They could sneak up on some teams this season.

Among the people who could be instrumental is wide receiver Brian Fleming, who was an all-league choice after making 36 catches for 429 yards. He caught all six of the Hawks’ touchdown passes. Also returning is quarterback Chris Leigber, who completed 55 of 105 passes for 600 yards. He will be joined in the backfield with halfback Brad Crescott, who had some starts last season, and fullback Reagan Smith. They will be playing out of a pro-set offense and will be trying to pass about 60% of the time.

“I think we will absolutely have to do it (pass),” Weinberger said. “Our strength is in the skill positions.”

Five starters also will return to Laguna Hills’ 4-4-3 defense. Returning are linebacker Allan Usevich, defensive end Kevin Butler, linebacker Rob Milo, defensive tackle Scott Yarnell and safety Fleming.

Top newcomers: wide receiver/defensive back Mike Helm, wide receiver Al Saldana, defensive end Aric Roman.

ORANGE

4-1, 7-5 (First in league)

Just when the Panthers thought they found the promised land, most of the people who got them there left.

“We lost a ton,” McMahon said.

The losses include: most of the offensive line; Cary Reed, the big-play wide receiver; quarterback Mike Stock; linebacker Chris Macias, and defensive back Robbie Glover, who played in the Orange County all-star game.

Only seven seniors are playing for the Panthers this season. They include fullback Paul Maund, who rushed for 1,475 yards last season. Also returning are all-league guard Steve Giddings and junior wingback Richard Valenzuela.

Players returning to the defense include cornerback Aaron McAffee and defensive end Steve Ward.

Top newcomers: defensive end/offensive tackle Ken Brown, defensive tackle Robert Vasquez, quarterback Scott McMahon, wide receiver/safety Aaron Hinkle.

TRABUCO HILLS

2-3, 5-5 (Tied for fourth)

With all the housing going up in his area last year, Coach Jim Barnett figured he would get some transfers. Well, the homes seem to be continually built and bought, but the senior transfers have yet to materialize. That worries Barnett because only four starters return, and the transfers coming into the program are almost exclusively sophomores and freshmen.

“I can’t say we’re rebuilding because we weren’t ever built,” Barnett said. “The kids are outstanding for sophomores, but if we were really well-established we wouldn’t be starting sophomores.”

The only returning players are wide receiver/defensive back Jeff Dooley, center/linebacker Rick Cherasky, offensive tackle/defensive tackle Wes Pulsipher and quarterback John Barnes, who started at tight end last season.

Top newcomers: cornerback/wide receiver Tim Manning, defensive tackle Jim Farbaniac, offensive tackle Tim Christman.

WOODBRIDGE

3-2, 9-3 (Tied for second)

The Warriors are everyone’s favorite to win the league championship. Even Coach Gene Noji isn’t bucking that notion.

“I think we should have a pretty good shot at it, based on the numbers,” Noji said.

Senior Eric Brougher, the all-league quarterback who passed for more than 1,100 yards, returns to operate Noji’s no-huddle offense. Noji said that having Brougher is like having another coach on the field. The quarterback won’t be a lone veteran. Returning receivers Dax Jordan caught six touchdowns last season and Derrick Odum caught four in spite of missing half the season with a hip injury. Also returning is fullback Jimmy Burke, who averaged more than five yards per carry. He will be running behind returning center Wayne Rapp and veteran guard Mike Goodman.

Because he had as many as six players starting both ways, Noji says he was able to use his no-huddle offense only half the season. This year, he believes he has the depth to employ it for the duration. Only Burke and Odum should start both ways.

“The first year was experimental,” Noji said. “Sometimes we ran it well, sometimes it hurt us. After a year, we’ve ironed out the wrinkles a little bit. I think we’ll be able to run plays faster.”

Five starters return to the Warrior 4-4-3 defense, including tackle Pat Jones, defensive end John DeRosa, linebacker Burke, linebacker John Rios and cornerback Odum. Also coming back is punter Jeff Smith.

Top newcomers: tight end P.A. Emerseon, offensive tackle Dean Vandergriff, offensive guard Kris Pallone, offensive guard Brent George, defensive end Ron Albers, linebacker Mike Yurkovich, safety Danny Seymour.