AIR-IT-OUT IS LOOK INTO FUTURE : FLAG FOOTBALL EVENT SET FOR FEB. 15-16.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer Daily News Deputy Sports Editor 

For those interested in a sneak preview of the top quarterbacks and receivers for the 1997 prep football season, next week's NFL Air-It-Out four-on-four flag football competition will include a high school division made up of players from at least 10 local teams.

Leading the entrants will be Agoura High School and quarterback Ryan McCann, who projects as the area's top college QB prospect for 1998. McCann passed for 2,091 yards and 24 TDs this past season. He'll have his two veteran receivers in Chris Poling and Marcus Helfman.

Also entered is L.A. Baptist, led by two-time All-Southern Section quarterback Peter Dirksen, who passed for 2,039 yards and 18 TDs as a junior.

Overall, more than 500 teams are expected to compete Feb. 15 and 16 at Balboa Park in Van Nuys in the annual event, which has divisions for all ages and all skill levels. The Top Gun division will feature a number of ex-high school, college and pro players battling it out in flag football. Already entered with a team is ex-Carson High and Brigham Young quarterback John Walsh.

It's too early to start getting serious about the 1997 prep football season, but Birmingham quarterback Scott Doherty plans to use the Air-It-Out competition as an opportunity to show that the Braves have the skill-position players to compete with anybody.

Last year, Birmingham won a division of the Air-It-Out event. ``We never play against Southern Section teams, so this will be fun,'' Doherty said.

Birmingham could be a title contender in the competition. Doherty, a 6-foot-1 junior, passed for 954 yards and 10 TDs last fall. The Braves have loaded up their five-man team with lots of speed. All-City running back Emmanuel Evans will join track sprinter Demetrus Patterson, plus Bobby Davis and Raheem Chrisman to give Birmingham a formidable group.

``We're good and fast,'' Doherty said.

The Air-It-Out event will mark the debut of a new group of quarterbacks preparing to take over at high-profiled programs. Sophomore Nick Czernek will replace his brother, Chris, as the quarterback on a Newbury Park team that has veteran receivers in Jake Farrel and Paul Sanford. Nick was a receiver last season after leading the freshman team at QB two years ago.

Crespi will introduce an inexperienced but talented 6-3 junior quarterback in Kevin Cork. Hart sophomore Kyle Boller will get his first exposure against varsity-like competition. Westlake junior Kjell Nesen will replace Casey Preston. Simi Valley has put together a five-man team made up entirely of players off its 8-1-1 sophomore team.

Granada Hills quarterback Ricky Mathiesen is back healthy after missing five games last season with a broken hand. He'll have a top receiver in Leon Pimky. Chatsworth quarterback Ryan Martinez has one of the area's most exciting young players to throw to in sophomore Nicholas Lott.

There's no tackling and no blocking. Teams can have one rusher, and the quarterback will have no more than seven seconds to release the ball.

Air-It-Out is also expected to bring out stars from this past football season. Taft quarterback Nick DiPadova, the City 4-A co-Player of the Year, will be on a team. So will Newbury Park quarterback Chris Czernek, the only prep QB in California history to have back-to-back 4,000-yard passing seasons.

Several other schools are expected to enter teams in the high school division. The deadline is Feb. 7. Information: [phone].

THE HIGH SCHOOL LINEUP

AGOURA: Ryan McCann (QB), Chris Poling, Garret Lepisto, Marcus Helfman, Brent Richardson.

BIRMINGHAM: Scott Doherty (QB), Demetrus Patterson, Emmanuel Evans, Bobby Davis, Raheem Chrisman

CHATSWORTH:Ryan Martinez (QB), Nicholas Lott, Kevin Doty, Kenny Johnson, Jorge Rocha.

CRESPI: Kevin Cork (QB), Alex Kropach, Howard Johnson, Ron Lauer, Mike Dillon.

GRANADA HILLS:Ricky Mathiesen (QB), Leon Pimky, Jason De Jong, Chris Cole, Jason Turchin.

HART: Kyle Boller (QB), Scott Hunt, John Lyons, Nicky Mercado, Jared Hicks.

L.A. BAPTIST: Peter Dirksen (QB), Tim Feirfeil, Phil Johnson, Raul Pacheco, Michael Williams.

NEWBURY PARK: Nick Czernek (QB), Jake Farrel, Tyler Johnson, Paul Sanford, Mike Simo.

SIMI VALLEY:Tim Bird (QB), Kenny Davis, Bill Rowerdink, Nick Campanelli, Josh Verdugo.

WESTLAKE: Kjell Nesen (QB), Kevin Howard, Demeko Robinson, Mike Soleri, Brian Bladen.

Note: Deadline to enter Air-It-Out competition is Feb. 7. Information: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Chart

Photo: Left to right, Birmingham High School's Bobby Davis, Demetrus Patterson, Raheem Chrisman and Emmanuel Evans hold up QB Scott Doherty. They are a team in the Air-It-Out competition.

John McCoy / Daily News

Box: THE HIGH SCHOOL LINEUP (see text)