Orange County All-Star Football Game : Villa Park Linebackers Plan to Stifle the South’s Ground Game

Much of the pregame buildup for the 29th Orange County All-Star football game on Friday night has, for good reason, focused on South quarterback Bret Johnson.

Last fall, Johnson was named the state’s player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports of Sacramento after he led El Toro High School to its second consecutive Southern Conference title. Johnson was one of the most sought-after players in the nation, and he eventually signed a national letter of intent with UCLA.

Johnson will end his prep career with his father, Bob, calling the plays for a heavily favored South team in LeBard Stadium, the site of El Toro’s two championship victories.

But two players on the North team, linebackers Fred Soares and Scott Creagan of Villa Park, would like to spoil Johnson’s farewell prep performance and gain a little respect for the underdog North team.

Soares will start at outside linebacker and Creagan at inside linebacker. They know what they have to do.

“From tackle to tackle, they’re not getting anything on the ground,� Soares said. “Our main objective is to shut down the South’s running game. They’ve got the big-name players, but we’re going to surprise some people.�

Villa Park certainly surprised Capistrano Valley and its heralded quarterback, Todd Marinovich, last fall in the opening round of the Southern Conference playoffs. The Spartans’ defense sacked Marinovich five times and intercepted him twice in a 21-19 upset, ending Capistrano Valley’s season.

Could the North’s defense, anchored by Soares and Creagan, score another upset against another highly publicized passer?

“We can play with them,� Creagan said. “I think most of our players were sort of embarrassed to read in a newspaper that we were 49-point underdogs. I’m sure they’re going to score, but I’m looking to win.

“They have bigger players, but I’d rather have smaller, quicker players for this game. We haven’t gotten much respect, and they have all those Division I players. But if we play together and get a couple of breaks, anything can happen.�

Creagan, who stands 6-feet 4-inches tall and weighs 225 pounds, was highly regarded by many major colleges before the 1987 season, but he broke an ankle in Villa Park’s seventh game and missed the remainder of the season.

He made recruiting trips to the University of New Mexico and University of Nevada Reno and signed with New Mexico, along with North teammate Roger Roadstrom of Los Alamitos.

Creagan wonders how much the injury affected his college career.

“I only had three (good) films to show the college scouts,� he said. “I was hoping for the best, but the injury was a big blow. I know I have the potential to play at UCLA or USC. My goal was to get a Division I scholarship, and I’m happy to be going to New Mexico.�

Soares, who is 6-2 and 210, was nicknamed “The Mailman� at Villa Park because he delivered some big plays. He is an emotional player who tries to psych out opponents.

Last season, he telephoned Santa Ana quarterback George Tuioti the week Villa Park met Santa Ana for the Century League title to boast how his team was going to shut down Tuioti.

Soares’ assignment Friday night will be to defend Laguna Beach tight end Pete Schmitt, who has signed with Oklahoma.

“I’ll try to shut him down on pass plays and stop (running backs) Kaleaph (Carter) and Robert Lee on the running plays,� Soares said. “Everybody knows what we have to do.

“I’ve read about those three linebackers that are going to USC, but Scott Creagan is just as good as any of the South’s linebackers. (Defensive end) Chris Bell will sack Johnson at least once. I guarantee you, we’re going to surprise people.�

All-Star Notes

Sunny Hills quarterback David Chisum figures to play most of the game for the North after he ran the team’s offense exclusively in practice. Chisum ranked ahead of Bret Johnson and Todd Marinovich last season under the NCAA’s formula for passing. . . . Matt Shackelford of La Habra, who rushed for 236 yards against Sunny Hills, will be Chisum’s backup and also will start at right cornerback. . . . Oscar Ravelo of Pacifica has impressed the North coaches with his rushing and punting skills. . . . Defensive lineman Matt Fosdick of Los Alamitos is out of the game because of a broken hand.