DOUBLE DUTY

SYLMAR —  Perhaps early December in Fresno is grand. Perhaps not.

John Valdez doesn’t want to find out.

The Sylmar High quarterback plans to throw spirals in the crisp Friday night air. The City Section semifinals are Dec. 2 and Valdez believes he and his teammates will be there.

Should the Spartans (4-0) be eliminated from the playoffs early, Valdez will find himself in a stuffy Fresno gymnasium adjusting to the squeaky shoes and baggy shorts that basketball brings.

“That’s our first basketball tournament and I want to be there,” Valdez said. “But I want to be in the semifinals way more.

“I’m having too much fun to even imagine football ending that soon. I think we can go all the way.”

Valdez, a senior, is a marksman equally adept at passing for six points or shooting for three.

Lanky and athletic at 6 feet 2 and 195 pounds, he has completed 62.2% of his 82 passes for 634 yards and eight touchdowns.

Valdez has had only one pass intercepted, an ill-advised throw last week in a 49-0 victory over Washington. Coach Jeff Engilman normally lights into a player who makes a blatant mistake and he began to tear into Valdez.

“You could have picked up 25 yards by running on that play,” Engilman screamed.

Then he took a look at Valdez’s face and zipped his own lip. Valdez was cursing himself harder than even Engilman could.

“His expectations are so high he beats himself up,” Engilman said. “I didn’t need to yell at him because he was already [angry] at himself.”

That intensity is why Engilman keeps Valdez off the starting defense. A talented safety, Valdez became so rabid last season it was difficult for him to calm down enough to call signals and audibles on offense.

“We have to gauge him before the game because he gets so pumped up,” Engilman said. “I want him on an even keel.”

Two years ago, Engilman wanted Valdez any way he could get him.

Valdez transferred from tiny L.A. Lutheran after his freshman year to gain exposure as a basketball player. Although he was the quarterback at L.A. Lutheran as a freshman, he did not play football as a Sylmar sophomore.

“I was the new guy on the basketball team and I wanted to make the team,” Valdez said.

He did, starting at guard. Sylmar linebacker Josh Martin, a childhood friend of Valdez and a budding football star, told Engilman in the spring of ’99 that the best quarterback at the school was a skinny sophomore basketball player.

Valdez was hanging out on the blacktop in front of the coaches’ office one day when Engilman tossed him a football. Valdez threw a couple of passes.

“Coach told me I was his quarterback,” Valdez said.

The following summer Valdez informed basketball Coach Bort Escoto he would miss tournaments to play 7-on-7 passing league games. Escoto figured he could share the wealth.

“You’re only in high school once and I’ve always felt kids should play as many sports as they can,” Escoto said. “He’s missed out on exposure from college coaches who watch the July tournaments, but I’ve told people about him.

“I worry about him getting injured playing football, that’s all. Sometimes when he’s scrambling, I feel like running onto the field and making a block for him.”

Valdez was strong in both sports as a junior. He passed for 1,149 yards and eight touchdowns, and rushed for 225 yards and five touchdowns in leading Sylmar to a 7-4 record.

In basketball, he averaged 15.6 points, nearly double what he averaged as a sophomore.

The improvement continues.

“He’s a much better passer than last year,” said Felipe Samano, Sylmar’s leading receiver. “He could always throw the deep ball, but he’s more consistent and more confident.”

Escoto expects the same kind of impact on the hardwood.

“There isn’t a better two-guard in the Valley, in my opinion,” he said.

“He can shoot and he’s very strong going to the basket.”

Valdez is getting recruiting attention in both sports. He said he wants to play college football, but that sentiment could change during basketball season.

“I just like whichever sport I am playing at the time,” Valdez said. “I love basketball, too. I’m looking forward to it.”

Provided football season lasts into December.

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* WEARING THEM OUT: St. Francis’ superior size and depth finally tired out Serra, 34-20. Page 18

* GAME DAY: San Fernando and Taft headline tonight’s high school football games. Page 18