PREP FOOTBALL ’99 : SUNSET LEAGUE : FOUNTAIN VALLEY

1998 RECORD: 7-4 overall, 3-2 in league

COACH: Eric Johnson (0-0 at school)

RETURNING STARTERS: 4 on offense, 5 on defense

TOP RETURNERS

Steve Fifita, RB/DL, 6-0, 240, Sr.; Sean Thompson, C, 6-1, 260, Sr.; Brian Dopler, LB, 5-11, 205, Sr.; Eddie Irwin, TE, 6-1, 195, Sr.; Steve Webber, WR/DB, 5-8, 165, Jr.; Bernard Fano, DL, 6-2, 250, Jr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

Nedal Abul-Mutie, RB/FS, 6-0, 195, Jr.; John Duilo, QB, 6-0, 180, Jr.; Casey Clark, QB/S, 6-0, 195, So.; Robert Chavez, OL/LB, 5-11, 205, Jr.

OUTLOOK

At first glance, the Barons had a pretty good season last year. Ask anyone around the program, however, and they will tell you it was disappointing. Fountain Valley had leads in the final minute against league rivals Esperanza and Los Alamitos, but lost both games on late field goals. A total of 53 seconds and three points is all that stood between the Barons and a league title. This year’s is a very different team. Eric Johnson begins his first season as coach after serving 10 years as defensive coordinator at Mater Dei. He plans on revamping the defense at Fountain Valley, which lost four all-league selections to graduation and one (linebacker Tyler Kruse) to a transfer. Johnson still has Fifita, an all-league defensive end, to build his Mater Dei-style defense around. The offense will also get a few new wrinkles with Mater Dei transfer Duilo slated to start at quarterback. Abul-Mutie, a transfer from Edison who played at Fountain Valley as a freshman, will get the bulk of the carries.

SCHEDULE

Sept. 10 vs. Dana Hills at Huntington Beach HS; 17 at Corona Centennial; 24 vs. La Mirada at Huntington Beach HS.

Oct. 2 vs. Servite at Cal State Fullerton; 8 vs. Trabuco Hills at Westminster HS; 15 at Huntington Beach; 22 vs. Marina at Westminster HS; 28 vs. Los Alamitos at Long Beach Veterans Stadium.

Nov. 5 vs. Edison at Orange Coast College; 12 vs. Esperanza at Orange Coast College.