Estancia Finds Success, Hopes to Ride its Momentum to the Top

If anything could spook Sea View League football coaches this season, it would be the Cheshire cat grin on the face of Estancia Coach John Liebengood.

It’s one of those confident, all-knowing smiles, one that can’t be disguised by conservative talk--”We have a few good men. We’ll try our best”--or daunted by the very real possibility that perhaps this team won’t be able to fulfill its lofty expectations.

Although two-time defending champion Corona del Mar is, by reason of recent tradition, the slight favorite according to league coaches, there is no doubt which team poses the greatest threat to the Sea King throne.

Estancia--a team which, a year ago, had won just two games (and no league games) in the previous two seasons--became the league’s surprise team in 1988, going 7-3-1 overall and tying for second with Saddleback and University.

And this season, the Eagles have 17 starters--30 lettermen overall--returning, including running back Josh Wojtkiewicz, who gained 1,042 yards and scored seven touchdowns last year.

“We feel we can win league, we feel that should be our main goal,” said Liebengood, a man who became downright giddy last year after his team tied Tustin in its league opener.

“You don’t get your gold team and your blue team and your black team ready to play Estancia anymore,” Liebengood said. “Homecoming versus Estancia used to be a sure win. Those times have changed.”

The changes facing Corona del Mar, the Southern Section Division VI defending champion, could spell trouble. Gone are 15 starters, including linebackers John Katovsich and Chris Deuchar, who anchored a very impressive defense.

But the Sea Kings do return seven starters, including two of the county’s best defensive back/wide receivers in twins Warren and Weston Johnson. The Johnson brothers had six interceptions each last season.

A big question with Corona del Mar is at quarterback. Sophomore Todd Kehrli took very few varsity snaps last year, but Sea King Coach Dave Holland appears, as always, unfazed.

Maybe that’s because last year’s quarterback, Ty Price, hadn’t taken a varsity snap before his senior season, and the Sea Kings played their way to their first undefeated season (12-0-2) in school history.

That 14-game undefeated streak--currently the longest-running in the county--will no doubt supply each Corona del Mar opponent with plenty of added motivation.

But aside from Estancia--which faces Corona del Mar in the league opener Oct. 15--Tustin and Saddleback look to be the next biggest threats. Newport Harbor and University are lacking a bit in depth and even more so in experience, but as the typically well-balanced Sea View League has proved many times in recent years, anything can happen once league play begins.

A closer look:

CORONA DEL MAR--The 1988-89 school year was a great one for the Sea King athletic program. Corona del Mar won not only the Division VI football title, but Southern Section titles in water polo and girls’ tennis (team and individual), and a state championship in boys’ cross-country. Plus, the boys’ basketball team was a Southern Section finalist.

What’s the significance? Corona del Mar’s class of ’89 featured the best group of athletes in the school’s 26-year history. That worked especially well for the football team, where the depth of quality athletes was evident.

While graduation didn’t exactly wipe out the football team, it has opened a few holes. “Actually, we have a lot of talent with the juniors coming up,” Holland said. “We’re more inexperienced than we were at this time last year, but we do have talent.”

Senior running backs Brian Lucas, Ron Akin and Jerrott Willard figure to lead the Sea King running game this season. While the Johnson twins are capable receivers, the burden lies on Kehrli as to whether the Sea Kings will have an adequate air attack.

Tight end Jeff Jackson and linemen Mike Kelly and Bobby Hall are the other starters returners for Corona del Mar.

ESTANCIA--On paper, this looks to be the Eagles’ year. And Liebengood, not one to downplay whatever positive thoughts are streaking through his brain, can hardly contain his enthusiasm.

If anything, his hyper-happy mood should help his team--not that it’s lacking confidence after last season. One problem for the Eagles: They won’t be able to surprise many teams this season.

“Everybody knows what we have,” Liebengood said. “I think the key is they (opposing coaches) are thinking how cocky we are. But the kids are confident, not cocky. They know who the teams are that are gonna be good.”

Along with Wojtkiewicz, who Liebengood said is stronger and quicker this year, the Eagles have returning tailback Gary Burrows, all-league tight end Dan Petrone and Kevin Thomas, an all-Southern Section defensive end whom Liebengood may utilize as an extra running back.

Estancia seems to be solid defensively, with nine starters returning. A question exists at quarterback, though. Last year, Dan Ucker was the Eagle main quarterback, with Jeff Desandro the backup. Both return and figure to follow the same test-and-see formula.

For Estancia, the biggest question is simple: Can the Eagles demonstrate this season that their 1988 season was no fluke?

The league opener against Corona del Mar will provide much of the answer.

NEWPORT HARBOR--Although 10 starters return, the Sailors lost to graduation their best running back in Tom Walker and the league’s lineman of the year in Dain Mangall.

But Coach Jeff Brinkley is confident that quarterback Steve Scheck--who started the last four games of the season--can provide a much-needed boost. Scheck, a 6-foot, 185-pound senior, completed more than 60% of his passes last year.

Four of five offensive linemen return, including all-leaguer Hoby Parks and Ian Long, the 6-6, 280-pound son of 1964 Olympic shotput champion Dallas Long. Two linebackers--Ryan Abbey and Wayne Fraiser--also return, but after that, Newport Harbor’s inexperience and lack of depth begins to show.

“It’s going to be tough,” Brinkley said. “There are no breathers in this league.”

SADDLEBACK--Last year was something of a roller-coaster ride for the Roadrunners. They lost their first three games, and were 1-4 going into league play. There were flashes of brilliance (a 21-point third quarter against University) and moments of complete frustration (a scoreless tie against Corona del Mar).

But Saddleback came on toward the end, playing its way into the second round of the playoffs, where it lost to Pacifica, 28-9.

Losing Jeff Blanco, the league’s top quarterback, and Beto Zavala, its best kicker, to graduation didn’t help. But of the eight starters returning, one--wide receiver Juan Acuna--was the team’s leading scorer last year, with eight touchdowns.

Although Acuna is back, junior quarterback Paul Delgado is untested, so look for a lot of work from returning running backs Tony Colthirst and J.J. Fejeran. Both are juniors.

Defensive tackle Kelly Jackson and offensive guard Rey Siller are the only returning linemen.

TUSTIN--Last year at this time, Coach Marijon Ancich was extremely optimistic as his team had talent, size and quickness.

Unfortunately for Ancich, his team also had many injuries.

Quarterback/defensive back Monte Jones, one of the league’s best overall athletes, was out with injuries midway through the league season. The Tillers’ entire linebacker corps was out by the fifth game.

“Some were little things, that ankle, this nose, that whatever,” Ancich said. “It was just crazy things that didn’t make sense.”

The result was an erratic team--one that upset El Toro but won just one league game--and a dismayed coach.

Now, Ancich says he’s just trying to form a cohesive team out of a fairly inexperienced bunch.

“(Practice) has been so fundamental, it’s boring,” he said.

“Our defense must mature quickly (only two starters return), our ball control must improve, and our kicking game needs work.”

Junior quarterback Andy Borza, up from a league champion sophomore team, will guide the team. The highlight of the team may be at running back, where Tustin seems to be blessed with four quality players: returning starters Visko Ancich and Ron Goods, both sophomores, plus Kelvin Love, a senior transfer from Florida, and Chad Faltz, who was injured last season.

UNIVERSITY--With only five starters returning as seniors, the Trojans are very young. Coach Mark Cunningham said four sophomores will start.

University graduated almost every player at a skill position, including Jim Roberson (911 yards, seven touchdowns, five field goals, 13 PATs) and Gary Smarr (636 yards, eight touchdowns).

All-league shortstop Brian Vail, a 5-9, 160-pound junior, will start at quarterback, with 6-4 sophomore Donnell Dowdy as his backup.

“We have good team quickness. Other than that, we’re extremely inexperienced,” Cunningham said. “But since no one knows who’s starting yet right now, everyone’s real hungry. The intensity is there.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW ‘89SEA VIEW LEAGUE

1988 Overall, League Records in Parentheses

SCHOOL: ’89 COMMENT Corona del Mar (12-0-2, 3-0-2): Own county’s longest undefeated streak, 14 games Estancia (7-3-1, 2-2-1): Returns Josh Wojtkiewicz among 17 starters Newport Harbor (3-7, 2-3): Quarterback Steve Scheck may be league’s best Saddleback (4-7-1, 2-2-1): Might have league’s best speed and athletes Tustin (3-6-1, 1-3-1): Overall inexperience, but depth at running back University (4-5-1, 2-2-1): Young, inexperienced, great intensity Tuesday: the South Coast League