Christensen Proves You Can Lose the Game but Remain a Winner : His Play Adds Up on Field

John Christensen of Kennedy High School is standing on the practice field at Orange High surrounded by successful figures.

There are nose guard Danny Rovira and linebacker Brian Malavar, cornerstones of Loara High School’s Empire League championship team. They helped the Saxon defense record six shutouts and allow only 45 points in 11 games.

There’s Shawn Racobs of Valencia, a two-way lineman who was the Orange League’s Defensive Player of the Year, and a leader of the Tigers’ playoff successes the past three seasons.

There’s Nick-John Haiduc, Servite’s fast wide receiver who caught 15 receptions in a game last season and was the state runner-up in the 800 meters in track and field.

They are members of the North team preparing for the 28th Orange County All-Star football game July 17 at Orange Coast College. They have all-star credentials.

And Christensen?

He was not the Empire League’s rushing or receiving leader. He didn’t have the most tackles. Nor was he the league’s most valuable player.

Christensen was a starter on three losing teams that won a total of only four games. Last season, Kennedy, which was outscored, 326-74, finished 0-10.

But success doesn’t always figure--at least when the parameters are wins and losses and individual statistics.

In spite of Kennedy’s record, Christensen, 6-feet, 180 pounds, had an all-star season. He played every skill position except quarterback and also was an outside linebacker. He rarely came off the field.

“It wasn’t easy losing,” Christensen said. “I thought we did our best with what we had. I enjoyed playing football and the camaraderie with the players. But losing every week was no fun.”

Kennedy started the season with 30 players, but only 22 remained at the season’s end.

“We really had only 13 players, and the others played on the scout teams,” Christensen said. “Everybody went both ways. We were a close group. We all wanted to win so bad. I thought we played with everybody for a half, but then we got worn out.”

Kennedy’s closest game and seemingly its best chance for a victory in 1986 turned into the most disappointing memory of Christensen’s high school career. It came in the Irish’s homecoming game against Katella.

Kennedy trailed, 21-19, but mounted a late fourth-quarter drive to move to Katella’s five-yard line with three seconds left. The last play called for a halfback option pass in which Christensen took a pitch from the quarterback and either ran or passed.

Christensen got the pitch, but he was hit almost immediately. He managed to spin off the would-be tackler and pitched the ball to an open receiver for what appeared to be a sure touchdown.

“The ball bounced off the receiver’s chest and went right into the hands of a defensive back,” Christensen said. “The guy turned the play into a 98-yard touchdown. I couldn’t believe it.

“That game hurt the most of all. We had come so close to our first win, and then to lose like that.”

Losing was commonplace at Kennedy. Christensen said he would arrive to school on Mondays and classmates wouldn’t ask who won, but how bad the team lost.

“I took it personally sometimes,” he said. “It bothered me because I was out there trying and they weren’t, but they were the ones who were so quick to put us down. I learned to savor those four wins.”

Christensen’s athletic fortunes were expected to change in the spring. Kennedy’s baseball team, which had six returning starters and of which he was a member, was expected to contend for a Southern Section playoff berth. But the Irish were 9-16.

“We have a lot of individual talent, but we never came together as a group,” Christensen said. “I learned last season that you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t play together as a team, you won’t win.”

Christensen has been the consummate team player for North Coach Mark McMahon of Orange. Christensen is playing wide receiver, tailback and outside linebacker. He is enjoying the challenge of learning the wingback position in the Delaware Wing-T.

“This will likely be my final game playing in the offensive backfield,” he said. “I’m going to Fullerton College next year, and the coaches have told me I’ll be playing either strong safety or free safety.

“I wish we would have run this offense at Kennedy. We ran a single-back offense that was almost predictable.”

Opposing defenses keyed on Christensen, but he remained among the county’s rushing leaders until he suffered a neck injury in a midseason game against El Dorado. Christensen pulled a muscle in his neck after a jarring tackle, sat out one game and was unable to play offense in two games.

“I got hit low and my face mask stuck in the grass,” he recalled. “I stretched my neck and heard a pop. When I started to lose feeling in my arm, I got really scared. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to play football again.”

Christensen wore a neck brace and did not participate the week after his injury. He was limited to playing linebacker the next week. But even after his return to the lineup, Kennedy was outscored, 87-0, in its final two games.

Though it was tough, Christensen says he’ll never forget his football experiences.

“I’ll be friends with those 21 guys on the team for the rest of my life,” he said. “We stuck together through some hard times, but we never quit.”

Prep Notes

Pitcher Kevin Shaw of Katella High has signed a major league contract with the Kansas City Royals and reported earlier this week to the team’s rookie league club in Sarasota, Fla. Shaw had signed a national letter of intent with Brigham Young University after tying Valencia’s Dennis Burbank as the county’s strikeout leader with 109. . . . Los Alamitos pitcher Rob Nen signed with the Texas Rangers and reported to the club’s Class A team in Port Charlotte, Fla. Nen, son of former Dodger first baseman Dick Nen, had signed a national letter of intent with the University of Nevada Reno. . . . Those interested in officiating prep football games this fall should contact Bud Rhymes, secretary-treasurer of the Orange County Football Officials Assn., at 638-9196.