At Least 10 Reasons to Reconsider the Role of Sophomores on Varsity

All over the Valley this season, 10th-graders played anonymously in the shadow of Russell White, Crespi High’s supersonic sophomore. The media malady could have been called the White Blight, as several area sophomores who had creditable varsity seasons were largely overlooked due in part to the dream season of the Celts’ record-busting running back.

It’s not that there weren’t other 10th-graders that rated 10s in the eyes of fans and coaches, it’s just that in comparison, their statistics sort of blanked out. Consider:

Canyon, ranked No. 1 in The Times Valley-area poll for most of the season, used three sophomore starters on defense alone.

Granada Hills, which made it to the City 4-A semifinal, had 10 sophomores on its roster.

San Fernando’s roster included nine sophomores.

Montclair Prep had two sophomore running backs.

A Chaminade sophomore rushed for 1,200 yards.

Whether these teams and others like them raided the sophomore roster out of necessity, because of talent, or both, many often discover some high-grade talent at the lower grade levels.

“We like to bring up sophomores to give them exposure to varsity play,” said San Fernando Coach Tom Hernandez. “Then they don’t have to make that big transition the next year.

“And sometimes you get somebody who has real talent.”

Coaches just love those sophomore sleepers.

At Chaminade, Coach Rich Montanio knew in the preseason that sophomore tailback Sean Burwell would be his probable starter, but Burwell’s role in the team’s success surpassed everyone’s expectations.

With the exception of White, this year Burwell was the class of the Class of ’89.

“Contributions? Seventy-four points and 1,200 yards were his contributions,” Montanio said. “Without him I don’t know where we would have finished.”

With Burwell, who finished second to White among Valley-area sophomore rushers, the Eagles made the Desert-Mountain Conference playoffs.

At Crespi, Coach Bill Redell was doubly blessed. In addition to White, the Celts also had the services of sophomore Quinn Fauria--a 6-1, 210-pound defensive end--for most of the season.

“If he hadn’t broken his hand and missed four games, I honestly think he would have been first-team Times All-Valley and an all-league pick,” Redell said.

Fauria missed a month of the season with a broken hand and a foot injury, but returned in time to make a key fumble recovery in the first half of the Big Five Conference champions’ 25-8 quarterfinal playoff win over Colton.

Good things came in fours at Canyon. Coach Harry Welch has long been a proponent of using sophomores, and this year the Cowboys had a quartet of talented 10th graders. Brian Schroeder started at safety for the Cowboys, Justin Fix started at defensive tackle and Jason Stanley played several games at cornerback. Later in the season, Rick McKeon was called up from the sophomore team to start at offensive tackle. Welch even started a freshman, Chris Peery, at defensive end.

Welch, the sophist of sophs, says if the kids can handle it, so can he.

“If we have players that wish to play at the varsity level and can handle it on a physical, emotional and intellectual level, I’ll send them out there,” Welch said.

More often than not, the move pays off for Welch and the player. This season, Fix was an all-league pick. Brent Parkinson, a former Cowboy lineman who started for Welch as a sophomore, played extensively this year as a redshirt freshman at USC.

For Welch, playing the 10th graders isn’t necessarily a scary occurrence.

“For everybody that has a real horror story about starting a sophomore, I have a story with a happy ending,” Welch said. “I’ll go with the best players we have.

“I have the willies no matter who we go with out there, sophomores or not.”

Darryl Stroh’s Granada Hills team carried 10 sophomores on the roster, and some had the Highlander coach predicting bright futures for several individuals as well as the team. Stroh’s lights included linebackers David Kim and Sebastian Glaze, and defensive back Al Jenkins.

Stroh also believes in putting qualified sophomores on the fast track to the varsity.

“Jenkins has got to be the fastest kid in school, one of those track kids that’s just getting into the game,” Stroh said. “I’d really like to get him more turned on to football. He could really be something.”

Stroh would have liked to use Kim and Glaze more often this year, he said, but Kim missed several games because he had just transferred to the school from L.A. Baptist. And Glaze was only 14 for much of the season, too young for the varsity under City Section rules.

City rules also dictate the size of players on the B level, another reason for the high amount sophomores on the varsity teams at Granada Hills and San Fernando.

This season, Hernandez had a 10th grader that was both big and talented. Anthony Hall, a 6-2, 230-pound tackle, was a starter on the Tiger defense.

While City schools have to deal with the size limitations imposed on 10th graders, other area schools deal with size problems of a different sort. At smaller schools such as Montclair Prep, Chaminade, Bell-Jeff and St. Genevieve, the problem is just having enough personnel to fill all the positions.

Partially as a result of necessity, many sophomores get an extra year at the varsity level. Some make the most of it.

At St. Genevieve, receiver Marc Colon caught 25 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown.

Montclair Prep’s offense utilized sophomore running backs Mike Broussard and Tyler Robuck. Broussard finished the season with 270 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards a carry. Robuck saw limited action at tailback.

Some sophomores made contributions on special teams. Kennedy kicker Geno Tagliaferri was 9 of 13 on conversion attempts for the Golden Cougars and made his only field goal try.

Special is the key superlative. Without a more enlightened sense of perspective, some players could get lost in the sophomore shuffle.

Redell and Welch agreed that it takes a certain maturity to handle a promotion to the varsity. Sometimes, in the glare of the spotlight, the young are too restless.

“I think success for someone of that age at this level really depends on the individual,” Redell said. “Russell handles it well, but there are some seniors who can’t handle the attention.”

Said Welch: “If they can make a significant contribution, then it can be a wonderful experience for them. The people that can handle it should go for it. Otherwise, it might be advisable to leave them on the sophomore team.”

And some, like White, can handle the attention as well as the ball.