With Bolsa Grande’s Trio Gone, Coaches Pick Pacifica as Team to Beat

They’re gone.

That’s the best news Garden Grove League football coaches have heard in awhile.

After two years of Damon Fisher, Travin Lui and Ricky Lepule shredding opponents’ defenses for Bolsa Grande High School, the league race is once again a league race. Coaches are talking about the team to beat rather than the team they’d like to beat.

“I think everyone on Bolsa Grande’s schedule has been waiting for them to graduate,” Pacifica Coach Bill Craven said of the trio.

With Fisher, Lui and Lepule in the backfield, Bolsa Grande was nearly unbeatable the last two years. The Matadors were 23-2 on the field with two league titles and one Central Conference championship, although they had to forfeit five games and the league title last season because of an ineligible player.

Now Fisher, Lui and Lepule are gone and so are the 3,000 yards rushing and 300 points they combined for in 1987.

“It’s a shame, I know I feel sorry for Bolsa Grande,” Kennedy Coach Mitch Olson said. “Of course, I’d rather have had those three and lost them than never had them at all.”

Pacifica, Kennedy and Santiago stand to gain the most from Bolsa Grande’s losses, but they are by no means assured of a playoff berth. La Quinta, Los Amigos possibly even the Matadors will be in contention.

“It’s not going to be a runaway,” Kennedy said.

Pacifica is technically the defending champions by virtue of Bolsa Grande’s forfeits. The Mariners were 9-3-1 and reached the semifinals of the playoffs, where they lost to Valencia, the eventual champion.

With eight returning starters, including running back Chris Shockley, and several lettermen, Pacifica is favored by most of the league’s coaches to win the title. Shockley, only a junior, rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1987.

“Their program is strong,” Rancho Alamitos Coach Mark Miller said. “They always have quality kids and they get great coaching.”

But while Pacifica is most coaches’ choice to win the title, Kennedy is the team they are talking about.

In 1986, a year before Olson arrived, Kennedy finished with less than 25 players on its team. This season, there are 53 players on the roster.

Ed Williams, who had more than 600 yards rushing and 500 receiving, returns at tailback, and Pete Montera is back at quarterback. Montera will have a couple of big targets to throw at in wide receiver Greg Hansell (6 feet, 5 inches) and tight end Tom Deep (6-6).

“Kennedy has almost everyone back,” Miller said. “We had to play them last year right after we played Pacifica and Bolsa Grande. I thought it was going to be an easy week. That was a mistake. We won, but it was a struggle.

“If I had to pick the top three teams if would be Pacifica, Kennedy and Los Amigos.”

And where does Bolsa Grande fit into the scheme?

“Let’s say no one’s going to be feeling too sorry for us,” Bolsa Grande Coach Bill Holst said.

BOLSA GRANDE--Replacing Fisher, Lui and Lepule is impossible, but things are not as bleak as they seem. Then again, they may be.

“The thing is, we have more to replace than the backfield. The whole left side of the line is gone and the entire secondary graduated,” Holst said.

The offensive and defensive lines have some size with Scott Peugh (6-1, 245), Rueben Acosta (6-3, 235), Alan Fuaga (6-3, 285) and Frank Moaliitele (6-2, 260) returning. However, they lack the foot speed of last year’s team.

Linebacker Eric Shimomura (6-2, 220), who is the team’s best player, returns at linebacker. He was an all-league selection last year.

Tim Desrosiers also returns at linebacker with Peugh, Acosta and Bill Henry.

On offense, Shimomura moves from tight end to fullback and Ricki Ragsdale will get the first crack at Lepule’s tailback spot. Ragsdale gained more than 1,000 yards on the junior varsity last year.

Brian Nuez takes over at quarterback after missing most of last season with an injury.

GARDEN GROVE--The Argonauts will no doubt see better days, but this year will be rough for first-year Coach Jeff Buenafe, who was hired after Larry Hirt resigned in early August.

Garden Grove was 1-9 last season, as was its junior varsity team. But the freshmen had a 6-4 record.

With only five returning starters, Garden Grove will be inexperienced. Buenafe may start as many as seven juniors.

The Argonauts do have both running backs--J.J. Cortez and Joshua Bove--returning, and Frank Wursthom, a reserve last season, will start at quarterback.

Guard Mike Covin is the only starter returning on the line, which has little size. In fact, there are only two players on the roster who weigh more than 200 pounds.

Newcomers who could help are fullback Jerrold Johnson (5-11, 220) and tight end Pelayo Pelayo.

KENNEDY--People are considering Kennedy as a legitimate contender for the league championship. Quite a change from two years ago, when the Irish didn’t win a game.

In less than two years, Olson has turned the program around.

Last year’s 3-6-1 record is deceiving, as the Irish suffered several close defeats. They lost to Pacifica, 7-5, and Anaheim, 15-14. They tied Santiago, 7-7. All three opponents qualified for the playoffs, and Anaheim reached the final.

Montera has been a starter at quarterback since midway through his sophomore season. In 1987, he threw for more than 1,500 yards.

Hansell was a first team all-league selection last year. Deep caught 35 passes and was also named all-league in his first year of competitive football.

Both are improved, according to Olson.

Williams, a junior, should be even more effective this year as a runner. He weighs 175, up from last year’s 140.

“He went to Alabama over the summer and when he came back, he looked like his older brother,” Olson said. “We may start sending all our kids to Alabama.”

Trevor Waters (6-2, 260), who was second-team all-league, is back at center. The rest of the line weighs more than 200 pounds, including Shawn Peffenroth (6-0, 235) and Jason Mehr (6-2, 230).

LA QUINTA--Jason Cherms may develop into one of the league’s best running backs. That is, if Coach Roger Takahashi can find someone to block for him.

“The big question mark is still the offensive line,” Takahashi said. “But what we have up front is a lot better than what we had there last year.”

Cherms, who moved from wide receiver to running back for the last five games, gained 536 yards on the ground. He also had another 409 receiving.

Quarterback Trent Julian is back after starting three games as a sophomore.

Corie Ryan, a guard, is the lone returning starter. However, senior David Sagiao (6-2, 230) will start at tackle, where he played as a freshman before sitting out two years.

Takahashi picked up two transfers who will help the offense. Dave Posey, a tight end, comes from Manteca and Adrian Ashby, a fullback/linebacker, is from Rhode Island.

LOS AMIGOS--The Lobos are another team looking to the future, but with some breaks that future could be now.

Los Amigos lost a lot from last year, including quarterback Andy Baturevich who was an all-league selection. With only five starters back, Coach Art Michalik will rely on a lot of juniors.

Los Amigos’ junior varsity was 7-3 last year and its freshmen were 8-2.

The only starters back on offense are on the offensive line. Doug Gibb was an all-league center in 1987 and Ralph Ayala was a starting guard.

John Morgan, who was a safety as a sophomore, moves to quarterback. Senior Jeff Norman and Kevin Neff, who is up from the freshman team, will share time at tailback. Jeff Rojek, a junior, will also get some carries.

Los Amigos’ best sophomore may be tight end Matt McCready (6-2, 210), who will also play defensive end.

PACIFICA--Shockley will be the key to the offense. An unknown quantity a year ago, he became a starter after the second game and went on to average more than eight yards per carry.

Pacifica also has a returning starter, of sorts, at quarterback. Bobby Anderson started four games while Shelby Hart was injured. It was Hart, though, who led the team through the playoffs.

The Mariners also have two of the league’s best defensive players.

Defensive end/tight end Kevin Ashworth and linebacker/tackle Scott Parrish were both all-league last year and are being recruited heavily by Division I schools.

The defense had four shutouts last season and held six other teams to one touchdown or less. Its core returns, including defensive back Brandon Emerson, linebacker Bill Bradley and linemen Jason Tarbart (6-2, 235) and John Selof (6-4, 215).

Dan Tepe (5-11, 220), a transfer from Mira Costa, will add bulk to the defensive front.

RANCHO ALAMITOS--Last season, the Vaqueros had their first winning record since 1982. But the loss of Sean Cheatum will make it difficult to do it again this year.

Cheatum was Orange County’s leading rusher (1,904 yards) and scorer (174 points). Other than Bolsa Grande, no team in the league lost more.

However, Miller returns quarterback Rod McCall (6-6, 210). McCall was an accurate passer the few times the Vaqueros didn’t run the ball. He is also one of the most physical quarterbacks in the county.

David Singletary moves from fullback to replace Cheatum at tailback in the power-I. But it will be tough to match his numbers.

Singletary’s brother, David, is the top newcomer. He will start at tight end and on the defensive line.

SANTIAGO--While Rancho Alamitos struggles to find any 200-plus offensive lineman, the Cavaliers start three 200-pounders in the backfield.

Quarterback Dana Ripley (6-4, 228) and running backs Rudy Motley (6-1, 200) and Alex Ripley (6-3, 205) all return this season.

Dana Ripley, a senior, passed for 1,261 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. Motley, a senior, rushed for 600 yards. Alex Ripley, a sophomore, gained another 500.

On the offensive line, four of five starters return, including tackle Gary Wright (6-0, 240).

The defense is led by the Ripley brothers, who are both starting linebackers.

Newcomer Aunkth Faiive (6-3, 240) will add depth and size on the offensive and defensive lines.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEWSGARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

1987 Overall, League Record in Parenthesis

SCHOOL Pacifica (9-3-1, 6-1) Bolsa Grande (6-5*, 4-3) Santiago (5-5-1, 3-3-1) La Quinta (4-6, 4-3) Los Amigos (5-5, 4-3) Kennedy (3-6-1, 3-3-1) Rancho Alamitos (6-3, 3-4) Garden Grove (1-9, 0-7)

SCHOOL ’88 COMMENT Pacifica (9-3-1, 6-1) Chris Shockley is league’s best running back Bolsa Grande (6-5*, 4-3) Starting backfield has graduated Santiago (5-5-1, 3-3-1) Dana Ripley and Rudy Motley are a strong backfield La Quinta (4-6, 4-3) Quality skill-position players Los Amigos (5-5, 4-3) Only five returning starters Kennedy (3-6-1, 3-3-1) Veteran team; plenty of depth Rancho Alamitos (6-3, 3-4) Quarterback Rod McCall vastly improved Garden Grove (1-9, 0-7) Future looks better; freshman team was 6-4

*Bolsa Grande forfeited five victories because of an ineligible player.