AV COLLEGE FOOTBALL GROWING PAINS FOR MARAUDERS TOP-FLIGHT FOES MAKE IT TOUGH FOR AVC.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

In order to be the best, you have to compete against the best. That's the philosophy of the Antelope Valley College football team, which has had a tough time, being outscored 168-66 in losses to four teams ranked in the top 15 in the state.

The most recent loss was 30-10 to No. 8 Southwestern. AVC has also lost to state powers Canyons, Chaffey and Grossmont.

The Marauders (2-4 overall and 1-3 in the Foothill Conference) start 13 freshmen - five on offense and eight on defense - but the coaches believe the experience will be important next year when they're sophomores.

``We need to remain focused and we can't hang our heads now,'' Marauders coach Brent Carder said. ``We had some things happen, but ultimately we'll need to continue in reviewing the tapes. The good part is we won't have to face any better competition this year than we have already seen.''

Freshman quarterbacks Cory Allred and Jamar Culver struggled against Southwestern (6-0, 3-0), which has the conference's No. 2 defense, throwing for a combined 184 yards and no touchdowns.

Fellow freshman DeAndra Cobb was able to provide the Marauders with a spark, gaining 78 yards on 20 carries, including a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Cobb, 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, has a team-high 200 yards rushing and is second on the team in scoring with 18 points.

--Gang-tackling 'D': Southwestern entered the game third in the conference in total offense, but the Marauders defense - led by linebackers Jason Orians, David Fetters and Matt Shaw and free safety Jereniah Freeman - held the Apaches to 95 yards below the season average of 383. Here's a look at the game's defensive stars:

--Orians, a freshman from Cimarron High in Las Vegas, had a career-high 10 tackles, including two for losses.

--Fetters, from Quartz Hill High, was selected as an all-conference honorable mention last year as a freshman. He had nine tackles against Southwestern, including a crucial touchdown-saving leg tackle on running back Mike Frazier, which kept the game close in the third quarter with the Marauders trailing 10-3.

--Shaw, a '97 Littlerock High graduate, made seven tackles, recovered a fumble and had a sack in his best all-around game of the year.

--Freeman, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound freshman from Highland High of Palmdale, is the Marauders leading tackler the last three weeks, averaging 10 per game, including nine against Southwestern.