Prep fooball: Estancia grid pre: Going one better

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - After settling for just one win in 1998, the Estancia

High football team came within a single victory of a Pacific Coast League

title last fall.

Now, with a nucleus of senior veterans who have experienced the tumult

and the tease, third-year coach Dave Perkins believes this team may be

the one Eagle fans have longed for. Or, at least, a unit which can do

last year’s 6-4 squad one better.

“Our goal is to improve on last year,” Perkins said. “Actually, if we

improve by one league win, we’re league champs. We’re real excited about

this year.”

Championship dreams fizzled in a 42-12 loss to University in the

regular-season finale last fall. It was a defeat resounding enough to

allow CIF officials to pass over the Eagles for the lone at-large

Division IX playoff berth (awarded 5-4-1 Western).

“We had an opportunity to control our own situation and we didn’t play

very well at all (against Uni),” Perkins said. “We’ve talked at length

about that.”

Talk of the Eagles’ strengths begins with defense, where coordinator

Bob Brockie, who installed the double flex in his debut season last fall,

has been elevated to assistant head coach.

After surrendering nearly 33 points per game in ‘98, the Eagles

yielded just more than 18 last season. Further, they intercepted 20

passes to help forge a plus-eight turnover ratio.

Linemen David Rodriguez and Cesar Romero, as well as linebacker Fahad

Jahid and linebacker-turned-cornerback Andy Romo, return with All-PCL

credentials, while free safety Freddy Rodriguez, a starter as a

sophomore, adds to the experienced talent on that side of the ball.

“I think our defense is going to be pretty doggone good,” Perkins

said. “We’re more comfortable with the flex system and I think we’re a

little quicker.”

Last year’s opponents quickly realized stacking the line of scrimmage

was the best way to combat a talented ground game keyed by then-senior

Marshall Hendricks.

For while Hendricks rushed for a school-record 1,477 yards, five

different passers completed just 32 of 108 attempts for a mere 481 yards

and two touchdowns (with 11 interceptions).

So, Perkins has shifted Jeremy Valdes from quarterback to running back

and returned the reins to three-year varsity veteran Kenny Valbuena, who

was second-team all-league as a sophomore.

In addition, Perkins believes the Eagles’ passing game will be

bolstered by the addition of quarterback coach Bill Lux, a former All-CIF

signal caller at Costa Mesa High.

Lux has not only sharpened Valbuena’s skills, he has helped develop a

“West Coast” short-range passing scheme which Perkins believes will not

only keep defenses honest, but move the chains, as well.

“I think we’ll be throwing the ball about 15 times a game,” said

Perkins, who will count upon a committee or running backs to fill the

void left by Hendricks.

Among those who could produce big plays is junior Shane McGuire, who

starred on the Estancia freshman team, but has sat out last year while

getting his life in order.

“(Romo and Jahid) have been giving us good leadership, but Shane is

also one of our leaders,” Perkins said. “He brings a lot of maturity with

some of the things he’s been through and he’s done a lot to be able to

come back and play. He has the attitude that ‘This is my last chance, so

let’s get focused.’ ”

Perkins will place much of his early season focus on the offensive

line, where first-team all-league left tackle Robert Aguilera anchors a

group that must live up to expectations and avoid injury.

Romero and fellow senior Tim Valdes are three-year starters at guard

and center, respectively, but newcomers Bobby Arroyo and unheralded but

huge senior Sergio Perez (6-foot-5, 270 pounds) will need to come

through.

From there, the drop off is marked and Perkins would prefer to allow

Rodriguez (5-10, 245) to focus on defense and see spot duty as a fearsome

blocking fullback.

Perkins believes this group must overcome its penchant for playing to

the level of the competition. A 21-12 nonleague setback to Anaheim last

season was the Colonists’ lone win in their last 31 games, while a 34-14

thumping of league co-champ and cross-town rival Costa Mesa was a

highlight.

But, he believes, the elements are in place to earn the Eagles’ ninth

trip to the postseason in 36 seasons and potentially procure the school’s

first playoff victory since 1980, it’s fourth overall.

“The kids feel real good about themselves,” he said. “We have good

team chemistry and everyone is pulling in the right direction.”