Prep football: Eagles seek redemption

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Most of this year’s Estancia High football team

remembers Nov. 11, 1999 as an expiration date.

That was the night the Eagles lost a share of the Pacific Coast League

title and, as it turned out, their first trip to the postseason since

1995, in a 48-12 season-ending meltdown at the hands of University’s

Trojans.

This group of Eagle seniors can do much to lengthen it’s 2000 shelf

life by avenging that loss, when Estancia hosts Uni Friday at 7 p.m. at

Orange Coast College.

This year’s clash features a pair of PCL title hopefuls, with the

winner assured of nothing less than a share of the early league lead.

Estancia (4-2, 1-0 in league) has won two straight after back-to-back

nonleague losses put its PCL title candidacy in question.

University (4-2, 1-0) opened league with a 34-20 win over Laguna

Beach, bouncing back from a 7-3 loss to Saddleback in Week 5. The

Trojans’ other loss was to unbeaten Irvine and Coach Mark Cunningham’s

squad owns a victory over Sea View League co-leader Woodbridge.

“They’re getting really good,” Estancia Coach Dave Perkins said of the

Trojans, whom he has not beaten in two previous tries. “They were nearly

flawless the other night (against Laguna Beach).

The Trojans, ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division IX, earned

a 24-3 lead against Laguna Beach, then scored the game’s final 10 points

to prevail.

Cunningham, the dean of PCL coaches in his 14th season, has senior

quarterback Jay Nichols triggering his wing T offense. Nichols, an

All-CIF baseball player last spring, has thrown for 834 yards and eight

touchdowns, completing 51 of 107 with just three interceptions.

The Trojans’ running game is paced by senior Nephi Wheeler, who has

351 rushing yards on 66 carries.

“He’s real quick and dangerous,” Perkins said.

A balanced receiving corps is led by returning first-team all-league

tight end Kevin Conlin, a 6-2, 215-pound senior who also starts at

linebacker.

Zach Sherwood, the All-PCL punter last fall, has seven field goals

this season, with a long of 37. He is also a receiving target, who leads

Trojan pass catchers with four TDs.

Perkins is very happy with the play of his offense in recent weeks and

continued productivity would take some pressure off a defense that gave

up 405 yards to Northwood last week.

“We’ve improved dramatically the last three weeks on offense,” Perkins

said. “We’ve been close to scoring 40 points three weeks in a row.”

Those 112 points the last three weeks, including 84 the last two, have

come despite eight Eagle turnovers, which will need to be minimized

Friday.

Doing his part to protect the ball has been senior quarterback Kenny

Valbuena, who has thrown just one interception while completing 41 of 80

for 755 yards and five TDs.

When Valbuena hand offs, seniors Fahad Jahid and Andy Romo have been a

productive inside-outside tandem. Jahid, a 6-2, 235-pound senior

fullback, has rushed for 544 yards and four TDs. Romo, a 6-2, 185-pound

slasher, has 527 rushing yards and four TDs on 71 carries. He also has a

team-leading 21 receptions for 236 yards and two TDs and has returned a

kickoff for a touchdown.

Senior tight end David Stoddard (11 catches for 305 yards and two TDs)

and junior wingback Freddy Rodriguez (120 rushing yards and two TDs last

week on seven carries) have also become offensive weapons.

Estancia’s offense should also be bolstered by the return of senior

center Tim Valdez, who sat out last week with a knee problem.