ANTELOPE VALLEY COLLEGE: QUARTERBACK LIKELY GONE FOR SEASON.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - The Antelope Valley College football team will probably have to close out its four remaining regular-season games without quarterback Justin Dion.

Dion, a former Desert High standout who the Marauders were counting on to lead them to their first bowl game appearance since 2001, is undergoing tests for an unspecified medical condition originally diagnosed as pneumonia.

Dion left AVC's Week 2 game against Pierce of Woodland Hills with what was thought to be a mild concussion after taking a blow to the head. After playing in the team's Week 3 game against Chaffey of Rancho Cucamonga, Dion was pulled from a practice the following week after complaining of being light-headed and hasn't returned to the team.

The Marauders (3-3, 1-3 in Foothill Conference play) are 1-2 since starting freshman quarterbacks Ron Hamilton (Quartz Hill) and Michael Woods.

AVC, which is barely clinging to a chance for a bowl game after last week's 30-7 loss to Mt. San Jacinto, is operating under the assumption Dion won't return.

``I don't expect him back,'' Marauders coach Brent Carder said.

A three-time first-team All-High Desert League selection at Desert, Dion's season was highlighted by leading an inspired 20-17 season-opening victory over perennial state power Reedley, when he rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another.

The 6-foot-4 Dion, however, still has the size, arm, athleticism and smarts to play at a four-year school, if not a Div. I college, Carder said.

And whatever Dion has missed out on in the way of exposure due to his illness, Carder said his staff is committed to lobbying for him.

``Our plan is to start calling four-year schools as soon as he gets healthy,'' Carder said. ``I don't know where he wants to go, but I'm going to do everything I can to help him. He's got a good arm, a good head on his shoulders and he's a good student. He's got a lot of things going for him, and hopefully he'll have a chance to play some place next year.''

--Tough adjustment: The Mt. San Jacinto game illustrated the difficulty inexperienced freshman quarterbacks face at the junior college level.

The sputtering Marauders offense showed some life, outgaining its opponent 265-259, but six turnovers, including five interceptions, doomed AVC's chances.

``It's difficult when you lose your starting quarterback,'' Carder said. ``The other three (quarterbacks) are very inexperienced and it's a tough adjustment for them to make, but I think we'll get past it.''

--Depth chart: Woods will start Saturday's 1 p.m. homecoming game against Victor Valley. Hamilton suffered a separated shoulder in the Mt. San Jacinto game and will not play.

Woods, who was questionable going into the Mt. San Jacinto game with a knee strain, took several hard hits and did not complain of pain.

Moving into second on the quarterback depth chart for Saturday's game is former Vasquez standout Kyle Jensen.

--Add Wallace: Former Antelope Valley High star fullback Sean Wallace won't start but will play Saturday after missing a month with a hairline leg fracture.

--School record: Stephanie Meek (Lancaster) set a school record Friday, scoring her 37th career goal in the women's soccer team's 2-2 tie with Victor Valley.

Meek broke a record Stephanie Kneifl set last season.

--Scholar athletes: Kneifl and former track and field star Carl Cassell will be honored as AVC's 2003-04 Scholar Athletes of the Year during halftime of Saturday's football game.

Gideon Rubin [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com