AVC READY FOR ROAD TEST MARAUDERS TRAVEL TO MESA, HOPE TO STAY IN FOOTHILL RACE.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

The Antelope Valley College football team knows what to expect today when it travels to San Diego. First, a four-hour bus drive and then a tough Foothill Conference game against host Mesa.

Both teams enter the game, which begins at 3 p.m., with identical records (4-1 overall, 2-1 in conference) and are tied for second place in conference. The two programs also are ranked among the top 15 in Southern California.

AVC is ninth-ranked and has won three consecutive road games by an average of 22 points. With each victory, the team, with 19 sophomores, gains more confidence. That confidence was evident once again last week in a 40-17 victory over host Southwestern in Chula Vista.

``If you're going to have a good season, you have to play well on the road because you play half of the games there,'' AVC coach Brent Carder said. ``The one thing that helps us is we have the players who've done this before.''

Mesa is ranked No. 11, but that comes as news to coach Martin Moss.

``Yeah, so I've been told. But it doesn't mean a whole lot,'' said Moss, who is 0-3 against AVC in three years as coach of the Olympians.

--Team effort: The AVC offense is playing as well as it has all season after rushing for a season-high 243 yards last week. Running backs DeAndra Cobb, Jason Anderson and Vaeontraye Hughes each averaged more than six yards per carry.

And though the running-back-by-committee backfield, which averages a conference-best 200 yards per game, gets most of the notoriety, the offensive line deserves much of the credit for the resurgence of the ground game.

``It all begins with the line,'' Carder said.

Eric Bonney (6-foot-1, 326 pounds), Blake Gaskins (6-3, 340), Felix Perez (6-2, 275), Dino Toby (6-1, 340), Stan Supernak (6-2, 285) and Rayjon Scott (6-3, 310) anchor the Marauders' formidable unit. They'll face a questionable Mesa defense that is rated next to last in the conference.

``The unit is vastly improved, but we're still looking for consistency,'' Carder said of his offensive line. ``We have the players who are able to pass- and run-block well. And in doing both of those things well, it can make things difficult for a defense.''

--One-man show: As it has done all season with success, Mesa will rotate quarterbacks Michael Rath and Doug Brady. The two freshmen have combined for 1,000 passing yards and 11 touchdowns and the Olympians have already topped last season's win total of three games.

The key to stopping that effectiveness could be best summed up in two words: Anthony Diggs.

Diggs, the Marauders' top defensive lineman, is coming off the best game of his career - a 12-tackle, three-sack performance against Southwestern. The 6-foot-1, 230 pound sophomore from Palmdale High leads the team in tackles (38) and sacks (eight) this season.

``He's played exceptionally well,'' Carder said of Diggs, who had 49 tackles and five sacks as a freshman. ``Now we just need to play with consistency like we know he can.''

ANTELOPE VALLEY AT SD MESA

Kickoff: 3 p.m. at San Diego Mesa College 

Radio/Internet: Fox Sports 610 (KAVL); www.xtrasports610.com.

Records: AVC 4-1, 2-1; Mesa 4-1, 2-1

Injury update:AVC Darryl Richard (knee), out.

Did you know: St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz was a Mesa assistant for three years in the late '70s. ... For their efforts against Southwestern last week, AVC's Cory Allred, Jason Anderson, DeAndra Cobb and Devon Stewart each earned a spot on the All-Foothill Conference player of the week list. Each week, 10 different players are honored by the conference. ... Mesa WR Larry Miles has a team-high 21 receptions for 391 yards and three TDs. The 6-foot-1, 175 pound sophomore is being recruited by Utah and Washington.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

DeAndra Cobb of Antelope Valley teamed with Jason Anderson and Vaeontraye Hughes for 243 yards last week.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer

Box: ANTELOPE VALLEY AT SD MESA (see text)