AVC'S DION KNOWS ROLES QUARTERBACK SERIOUS ABOUT HIS PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Justin Dion was still a child when as a result of circumstances in his personal life he had to assume adult responsibilities.

Dion was a Desert High of Edwards Air Force Base senior when he became a father. It was a responsibility he did not take lightly, and for which he originally decided to forgo being a college football quarterback, something he'd always dreamed of doing.

But after a year away from the sport, the former Scorpions star changed his mind, enrolling at Antelope Valley College and going out for the team.

After spending his freshman year as a backup, Dion is now the starting quarterback on what could be one of the Marauders' most successful seasons in recent years.

Dion was involved in three touchdowns including rushing for a game- winning score in a 20-17 Week 1 upset over Reedley - the then-ranked No. 7 team in the state according to the JC Athletic Bureau - that catapulted then-unranked AVC to No. 17 in the most recent Southern California regional poll.

Dion and the Marauders play on the road against Pierce College of Woodland Hills tonight at 7 in a final tuneup for Foothill Conference play.

And although no direct correlation exists between the task of picking up first downs and picking up his 3-year-old daughter Trinity from school each day, Dion believes parenthood has accelerated his development as a person.

``I definitely grew up a little faster than everyone else in high school due to the responsibilities,'' Dion said. ``It made me grow up.''

His development in that area is apparent on and off the field.

``You can trust him,'' AVC coach Brent Carder said. ``Since the day he walked in that door as far as his focus, his ability to control (his) emotions, his reliability, he's just a very mature young man.''

And if the respect he gets from teammates is any indication, Dion must be doing something right.

``He shows good leadership,'' left guard Daniel Taylor (Lancaster High) said.

Said wide receiver Dusten Stowe (Lancaster): ``He's a good motivator; he's very mature. He's college material.''

An athletic 6-foot-4, 215 pounder, Dion has proven to be a ``surprisingly effective'' runner according to Carder, who believes his combination of size, athleticism and intelligence could land him a Div. I scholarship.

``He makes mistakes, but he only makes them once,'' Carder said.

Dion said fatherhood has helped him put football in perspective and stay humble.

And, ironically, what originally caused him to give up the sport is now his source of inspiration.

``It got me back into football,'' Dion said. ``At first I took a year off after high school because it was hard to deal with it all, but now (Trinity's) always coming out to the football games and playing with the other little kids and watching the cheerleaders. It's a motivation for me to play harder and to do it for her and for me and for everything.''

Gideon Rubin [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com

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Antelope Valley College quarterback Justin Dion, who is also a father, has matured on and off the field and is a leader.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer