Contreras Dogged by Husky Voice

Mike Contreras of Rio Mesa High hobbled to the phone in late August, listened to the caller and grew angry. He was recuperating from a severe knee injury suffered during a passing league game and was in no mood for jokes.

The caller identified himself as Mark Brunell, the current Green Bay Packer and former Washington Husky quarterback who is one of Contreras’ favorite athletes. Contreras, a Rio Mesa defensive back, figured his buddies were messing with him. Why would a big-time football player call him, let alone one he admires so much?

“I said, ‘Yeah, right, you’re Mark Brunell,’ ” Contreras said. “I didn’t take it seriously at all and then I asked him a couple of questions that I figured only Mark Brunell would know--and he did! I couldn’t believe it.”

It turns out that Contreras’ father, George, a Rio Mesa assistant football coach, is a friend of Brunell’s father, Dave, the athletic director at Santa Maria St. Joseph. George thought a call from Mark, who suffered a similar injury before his senior year at Washington, might cheer his son.

Father knew best.

“It was great to talk with him,” Contreras said. “We talked about setting goals and all the hard work it would take to get back. He really picked me up.”

So much so that Contreras, selected second-team All-Ventura County by coaches last season, recovered three weeks ahead of schedule and missed only one game. He leads the team with three interceptions.

His father said the effects of the call are still showing.

“I don’t think he would have had the success he’s had this season without getting such a big lift from that phone call,” George Contreras said. “It helped more than I could have imagined.”

SANTA FE LEAGUE

The Good Ol’ Days

Bell-Jeff Coach Doug Woodlief would rather not think about his 0-7-1 football team for a weekend. He’s going to spend the next few days reflecting on when his football life was a little happier.

Woodlief will not coach Bell-Jeff on Saturday against Salesian because he has gone back to Tennessee where he will be inducted into the Memphis State athletic hall of fame. The weekend also marks the 30th reunion for the 1963 Tigers, who were undefeated.

Woodlief, a center and linebacker, started all 10 games as a sophomore for the 1963 team and had four interceptions. In 1964, he led the team with 71 tackles.

After his junior year, he was drafted by the Rams. He played five seasons in the NFL.

FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Welch Sounds Like Holtz

With a bye tonight, Canyon has two weeks to prepare for its championship showdown with rival Hart next week. But Cowboy Coach Harry Welch hinted that not even a month’s preparation would be enough. The deck is stacked against Canyon, Welch said, because the Cowboys can’t stop the pass.

“Saugus threw for 201 million yards,” Welch said, referring to Centurion Greg Marquez’s 252-yard performance in Canyon’s 28-26 victory last week. “We’ll show up anyway.”

The Cowboys have lost two starting defensive backs, the latest being Jared McKeon, who suffered a broken arm against Saugus. Inside linebacker Jim Robles, who had an interception against the Centurions, has a broken hand.

Worst of all, Ed Williams--who has 18 touchdowns and 911 yards rushing--is sidelined with a sprained right ankle and an injured left Achilles’ tendon.

*

As if running a varsity football program five days a week is not enough: Burroughs Coach Gary Bernardi is starting Monday Night Football for Women, a four-week seminar to teach the game to the uninitiated.

Bernardi, a former USC assistant, said he got the idea from Larry Smith’s wife, who did a similar class for years.

“It got a real good response,” Bernardi said. “I want to generate more interest and knowledge for women who are in a football atmosphere but don’t know what’s going on.”

The class will meet each Monday from Nov. 8-29, 7 to 9 p.m., at Burroughs High.

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Canyon volleyball player Darcy Frandsen usually stands in a big shadow--that of 6-foot-5 teammate Susan Brondell, Frandsen’s best friend who earned second team All-Southern Section Division III honors last season.

But Frandsen jumped into the limelight last week. The quiet 5-10 senior had a season-high 32 kills in a five-game victory over league rival Saugus.

“People are finally noticing her,” Canyon Coach Ray Sanchez said. “Susan is 6-5, but Darcy is probably our best all-around player.”

FRONTIER LEAGUE

Champion Via Import?

If championship hopes for Moorpark and Calabasas weren’t running high before the season, both teams were fuel-injected along the way by transfer running backs.

And when the Coyotes and Musketeers meet tonight in Calabasas in a game that carries title implications, Bryan Wilkins of Moorpark and Jeremy Kline of Calabasas will have much to do with the outcome.

Wilkins (from Littlerock) and Kline (Campbell Hall) moved into the enrollment areas of their new schools several weeks ago.

Wilkins established himself as the league’s premier back after his 223-yard, three-touchdown performance against Nordhoff last week.

Kline was initially denied eligibility by the Southern Section before an appeal was approved two weeks ago. In his Coyote coming-out last week, he rushed for 75 yards in eight carries.

“You have to see him to appreciate what he does,” said Calabasas Coach Larry Edwards of Kline, a 6-0, 205-pound junior. “He made some phenomenal runs. He carried four guys 10 yards and he had a 30-yard run where he literally ran through guys. But Wilkins is unbelievable, too. He’s a threat to score any time he touches the ball.”

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Calabasas assistant Wayne Quigley said none of his players lost their homes in the fire that swept through the area earlier this week and interrupted the Coyotes’ preparation for tonight’s game.

How important is this one? Quigley said some players broke through police barricades Wednesday, despite being told by officers that practice had been canceled. After cancellation of Tuesday’s workouts, practice was resumed Wednesday under a cloud of black smoke and a somber spell that had been cast upon the student body--50% of which was absent. “We’re impressed with the attitude of the kids,” Quigley said. “They’re busting their butts just to get to practice.”

ALPHA LEAGUE

A Heavyweight Fight?

The Village Christian-L.A. Baptist football matchup Saturday night has been likened by one of the coaches to a heavyweight title bout.

“It will be a repeat or revenge,” said Coach Mike Plaisance of Village Christian, comparing the game to Saturday’s second heavyweight title fight between champion Riddick Bowe and former champion Evander Holyfield.

Last year, the teams were undefeated in league play when they met for the championship. L.A. Baptist was favored, but Village Christian pulled off a stunning 21-19 victory.

Once again, both are undefeated in league play and L.A. Baptist (8-0, 2-0), ranked No. 1 in the division, is the favorite. The winner will claim the title.

Around the Leagues. . . .

* Montclair Prep’s Wilbert Smith, who leads the state in scoring with 212 points on 35 touchdowns and a two-point conversion, has scored more points by himself than 52 area teams. Only 10, save Montclair Prep, have scored more points than Smith--Quartz Hill (294), Taft (292), Newbury Park (291), Sylmar (287), Buena (248), L.A. Baptist (244), Ventura (228), Kennedy (226), El Camino Real (225) and Van Nuys (213).

* Glendale sophomore Jason Klintworth gained 77 yards and scored a touchdown in 14 carries in his offensive debut last week. Klintworth, who had been playing defense, moved to fullback to replace Neal Sowter, who had moved to quarterback to replace the injured Ramon Jose.

* Burroughs quarterback Scott Boldvich has thrown 139 times for 640 yards and has yet to complete a touchdown pass.

* Saugus should throw the ball more to Woody Kobroob. The senior receiver, who averages 33.5 yards per reception, has caught only four passes.

Kennedy Cosgrove and staff writers Steve Elling, Jeff Fletcher, Dana Haddad, Paige A. Leech and Jason H. Reid contributed to this notebook.