THE BIG GAME/ SAN PASQUAL-ORANGE GLEN : Rankings Mean Little in Neighborhood Battle : High school football: San Pasqual wants to answer a few questions and reverse a trend.

ESCONDIDO â€”  You’re Mike Dolan, the head football coach at San Pasqual High School. You’ve taken the team, ranked No. 7 in the county, to the San Diego Section 2-A finals twice in the past five years. And you’re in a slump. You’ve beaten your neighborhood rival once the past eight years.

And you’ve seen their game films.

Fourth-ranked Orange Glen (2-0) is big and good, and the home-field advantage is no advantage at all. Not in Escondido on Friday night, where the drive south on Bear Valley Parkway from Orange Glen to San Pasqual takes just five minutes.

It’s easy to see why it’s going to be tough to win the annual battle for The Bear, a perpetual wooden trophy that has spent most of the past decade at Orange Glen.

The matter is only complicated by Brady Batten, Orange Glen’s transfer quarterback.

“If we allow him to get the ball off against us,� Dolan said, “it could be a long night.�

San Pasqual (2-0), a blitzing squad, is strong on defense. But Orange Glen counters wtih Batten, who passed for nearly 4,500 yards at East Bakersfield and whose strength is his quick release. His coach, Rob Gilster, says the kid is better than all the other quarterbacks he’s had, and four of them are in the Section record book. He’s not 25 of 32 and the third-leading passer in the county without reason. His primary receiver, Chris Buddin, has a section-high 15 catches averaging 18.6 yards.

The Golden Eagles, with nine defensive starters returning, will have to put some pressure on Batten. But they will have to get around an offensive front that has four linemen--Bob Williams (6 feet 2, 295 pounds), Don Fluegge (6-2, 245), Anthony Wilcox (5-10, 235) and Jeff Johnson (6-0, 220)--who have been starters at least three years, and another guy, Brent Twedt, who is a 6-4, 305-pound junior.

One thing to keep in mind. If Josh Trowbridge (6-6, 200), Joel Marsh (5-9, 170), Tom Callahan (6-3, 225) and Jeff Moss (6-3, 190) are flying at Batten, he just might hand off to Joaquin Randall, who has rushed only 15 times but gained 181 yards.

San Pasqual must be thinking about last week, when it gave up four touchdowns that accounted for 214 yards. They might be able to give up one big play and survive, but not four. Not against Orange Glen.

The San Pasqual offense is solid with Jamon Buggs, who has averaged 186 yards in two games. The Golden Eagles also have DeSale Wallace, who has averaged 129 yards. Even though San Pasqual hasn’t completed any of seven passes attempted this season, it has proven it can move the ball. But Dolan can’t help thinking about those first two games, 7-0 and 29-28 victories, and the eight times the offense failed to score while inside the 30.

“The biggest opponent we’ve faced so far on offense is ourself,� he said.

Morse at Vista--Both schools are undefeated, Vista (2-0) coming off a 42-10 victory over Chula Vista and Morse (3-0) off an emotionally-charged 13-6 victory against Carson. Their meeting Saturday is 3-A title caliber.

Third-ranked Morse may be the most balanced team on both sides of the ball in the county. Sixth-ranked Vista again has the kind of player in the backfield, Dan Sears (4.2 yards per carry, three touchdowns) that helped them reach the finals four times in the 1980s.

This Weekend’s High School Football Games

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Visitor Home Site League Julian (2-0) Bishop’s (0-1) Bishop’s Nonleague Clairemont (0-2) Mission Bay (2-0) Mission Bay Nonleague St. Augustine (2-0) Hoover (0-2) Hoover Nonleague Bonita Vista (1-1) L.V. Valley (0-3) Las Vegas Nonleague Mira Mesa (2-0) L.V. Chaparral (1-2) Las Vegas Nonleague University City (2-0) Madison (1-1) Madison Nonleague Simi Valley (1-1) Serra (1-1) Serra Nonleague Kearny (1-1) Patrick Henry (1-1) Patrick Henry Nonleague Lincoln (0-2) Castle Park (2-0) Castle Park Nonleague Crawford (0-2) Hilltop (0-2) Hilltop Nonleague Southwest (2-0) Monte Vista (0-2) Monte Vista Nonleague Point Loma (1-1) Sweetwater (2-0) Sweetwater Nonleague El Capitan (1-1) Grossmont (2-0) Grossmont Nonleague Valhalla (0-2) Granite Hills (1-1) Granite Hills Nonleague West Hills (0-2) Helix (2-0) Helix Nonleague Mt. Miguel (0-2) Santana (1-1) Santana Nonleague Marian (2-0) El Cajon (0-2) El Cajon Nonleague Escondido (0-2) Temecula Valley (0-2) Temecula Valley Nonleague Poway (1-1) San Marcos (0-1-1) San Marcos Nonleague USDHS (1-1) El Camino (2-0) El Camino Nonleague Torrey Pines (1-1) La Jolla (0-2) La Jolla Nonleague Coronado (1-1) San Diego (1-1) San Diego Nonleague Orange Glen (2-0) San Pasqual (2-0) San Pasqual Nonleague Carlsbad (1-1) San Dieguito (1-1) San Dieguito Nonleague Rancho Bernardo (2-0) Ramona (0-2) Ramona Nonleague Westminster (2-0) RBV (0-2) Vista Nonleague Fallbrook (2-0) Oceanside (1-1) Oceanside Nonleague

Visitor Time Julian (2-0) 3:00 Clairemont (0-2) 3:00 St. Augustine (2-0) 3:00 Bonita Vista (1-1) 5:30 Mira Mesa (2-0) 6:30 University City (2-0) 7:00 Simi Valley (1-1) 7:00 Kearny (1-1) 7:00 Lincoln (0-2) 7:30 Crawford (0-2) 7:30 Southwest (2-0) 7:30 Point Loma (1-1) 7:30 El Capitan (1-1) 7:30 Valhalla (0-2) 7:30 West Hills (0-2) 7:30 Mt. Miguel (0-2) 7:30 Marian (2-0) 7:30 Escondido (0-2) 7:30 Poway (1-1) 7:30 USDHS (1-1) 7:30 Torrey Pines (1-1) 7:30 Coronado (1-1) 7:30 Orange Glen (2-0) 7:30 Carlsbad (1-1) 7:30 Rancho Bernardo (2-0) 7:30 Westminster (2-0) 7:30 Fallbrook (2-0) 7:30

COMMENTS

Julian / Bishop’s: Julian is averaging 54 points per game. Bishop’s gave up 40 in its opener.

Clairemont / Mission Bay: The Bucs are on a roll after victories vs. El Cajon Valley and Christian. Happy scheduling?

St. Augustine / Hoover: Despite 5 turnovers, Saints trounced La Jolla. Jaime Blake, Hoover’s best player, has quit.

Bonita Vista / L.V. Valley: After a crushing defeat to Point Loma, Valley plays host to another San Diego team.

Mira Mesa / L.V. Chaparral: Mira Mesa has the strength to deal Chaparral its third shutout.

University City / Madison: Madison’s one-game winning streak--its longest since ‘90--should end vs. UC.

Simi Valley / Serra: Can Serra stop Jevon Markarian, who rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns last week?

Kearny / Patrick Henry: Edge to Kearny and James Curtis in key game for two schools relying on big plays thus far.

Lincoln / Castle Park: These two teams will continue to go in opposite directions.

Crawford / Hilltop: Hilltop is still looking to spring RB TerryBattle loose; this might be the week.

Southwest / Monte Vista: This is going to look strange: Raiders QB leads the county. His name: O’Brian Woods.

Point Loma / Sweetwater: Victory brings respectability to Sweetwater in Coach Gene Alim’s second year of rebuilding.

El Capitan / Grossmont: Grossmont won 22-21 in ’91 after trailing 21-0 with 4:30 left. El Cap hasn’t forgotten.

Valhalla / Granite Hills: Eagles are fast becoming surprise of East County and should deal Valhalla its third tough loss.

West Hills / Helix: Helix could score 60, but it will settle for 40-something and rest up for Point Loma.

Mt. Miguel / Santana: Santana was hurt by turnovers last week, but it might take a dozen to lose this week.

Marian / El Cajon: It has been awhile since Marian entered a contest as the favorite. So with trepidation ...

Escondido / Temecula Valley: Escondido lost 17-16 heartbreaker last year. Temecula has lost to two very good teams.

Poway / San Marcos: Poway coming off big offensive performance, San Marcos off defensive letdown.

USDHS / El Camino: El Camino offense gearing up for first break in tough schedule.

Torrey Pines / La Jolla: La Jolla lost only three games the previous two years. Falcons are tough against the run.

Coronado / San Diego: With victories vs. Clairemont and Hoover, neither team has proven to be a world beater.

Orange Glen / San Pasqual: Orange Glen has won seven of past eight meetings.

Carlsbad / San Dieguito: Both teams, better than expected,could put on a real show.

Rancho Bernardo / Ramona: In first home game, scoreless Ramona enjoys huge home-field advantage.

Westminster / RBV: Records are deceiving. RBV is better than its 0-2 mark; Westminster isn’t as good as its 2-0.

Fallbrook / Oceanside: No.8 Fallbrook should avoid overconfidence for upset-minded Pirates.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Visitor Home Site League Flintridge (2-0) Francis Parker (2-0) Francis Parker Nonleague S.F. Christian (0-2) St. Margaret’s (0-2) St. Margaret’s Nonleague L.V. Rancho (1-2) Chula Vista (0-1-1) Chula Vista Nonleague Montgomery (1-0-1) Valley View (2-0) Moreno Valley Nonleague Mar Vista (1-1) Christian (0-1) Granite Hills Nonleague Morse (3-0) Vista (2-0) Vista Nonleague

Visitor Time Flintridge (2-0) 1:00 S.F. Christian (0-2) 3:00 L.V. Rancho (1-2) 3:00 Montgomery (1-0-1) 7:30 Mar Vista (1-1) 7:30 Morse (3-0) 7:30

COMMENTS

Flintridge / Francis Parker: Record-setting Parker passing game gets tougher test this week.

S.F. Christian / St. Margaret’s: Defending eight-man champion Santa Fe Christian is having problems this year.

L.V. Rancho / Chula Vista: Picked by many to win the Metro, Chula Vista might not even end up among top four.

Montgomery / Valley View: Montgomery would have it easier breaking into top 10 if it faced a lighter schedule.

Mar Vista / Christian: MV’s Jake Meyer passed for 200 yards last week; Christian’s QB was sacked 10 times.

Morse / Vista: Either of these two teams could reach the Section 3-A final, and either could win.