BIG TIME FOR SMALL SCHOOLS OAKS CHRISTIAN-OAK PARK REMATCH TO SHOWCASE TOP TALENT FROM REGION.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

Call it the Little Big Game of the Year.

Area small-school football is flourishing this season, perhaps as never before.

Mojave, Grace Brethren of Simi Valley, Bell-Jeff of Burbank, Montclair Prep of Panorama City, Village Christian of Sun Valley and L.A. Baptist of North Hills are off to a combined 15-4 start and are ranked among the top-10 teams in their respective Southern Section divisions.

Mojave (2-1) has an NCAA Division I linebacker prospect in Chris Stevens. Grace Brethren (3-0) might have the area's quickest back in senior Chad Kackert. Ethan Edwards of Montclair Prep (3-0) leads the region in rushing with 745 yards, a 10.6 yards-per-carry average and a single-game best of 371 yards. Bell-Jeff (3-1) is enjoying one of its best football starts. L.A. Baptist (2-1) defeated Village Christian (2-1) 42-20 last year when it played for the Division XII title.

But the area's best 2004 small-school team should be determined - at least until the postseason - at 7:30 p.m. Friday, when Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (3-0) and Oak Park (3-0) stage a rematch of their 2003 Division XI title game. This one will be in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd at Oak Park.

They are ranked 1-2 among area small schools and 1-2 in Division XI - Oaks Christian holding the top spot in both polls as well as holding the series lead (2-1) in a rivalry that has sizzled since its start in 2002.

Then-3-year-old Oaks Christian won by three touchdowns in the series opener, Oak Park pulled off a last-play victory in the regular season last year, and Oaks Christian won the third meeting 21-16 five weeks later in the Div. XI final.

Both are better teams this year, according to big contributors who were on hand last season.

``This is the strongest team we've had here,'' said Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell, who coached Crespi of Encino to the Southern Section major-division title in 1986 with a team led by sophomore running back Russell White - the state player of the year. Redell believes he has another player of that caliber in 6-foot-5 sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen, one of 17 sophomores who have started for the Lions this season.

``He's a Russell White playing quarterback,'' Redell said of Clausen, who had six touchdown passes in the first half of a 66-36 victory over Div. II Burbank on Friday. ``He has that kind of an impact.''

Oak Park has its own big-time impact player in aptly named senior receiver Gavin Ketchum, a 6-foot-4 returning Daily News All-Area performer who is attracting Pacific-10 Conference recruiting interest and who expects his team to make another section title bid.

``I think we've improved, definitely, on a lot of weaknesses we had last year,'' Ketchum said after making six catches, scoring two touchdowns and blocking a punt in a 35-3 victory over Mojave - ranked No. 4 in Div. XII - Thursday at Oak Park. ``I think we should be contenders this year.''

If offensive balance and defensive quickness have much to do with it, Oak Park seems a strong prospect to give longtime coach Dick Billingsley another shot this year at his first Southern Section title.

``I think we're a good football team, and I think they're a great football team,'' Mojave coach Larry Satterfield said after Oak Park held his Mustangs to 84 total yards and checked Stevens to 10 yards after he had scored five touchdowns on five carries the previous week. ``They're very big up front. We tried to use our quickness, but they're an excellent defensive football team.''

Oak Park has shown more than just an overwhelming defense this year.

``They've got a lot of talent,'' Satterfield said. ``They can throw to Ketchum, they've got the option going (with quarterbacks Sean Sammis and Doug Deakin and running back Josh Moskowitz) and defensively they just swarm to the football. They were in the final in Div. XI last year, and I'm not sure they're really a Div. XI team. I think they could play with a lot of higher divisions.''

The Eagles might need that ability Friday against an Oaks Christian team that opened with a 35-14 victory over longtime upper-division power Muir of Pasadena, smacked Santa Fe Christian 49-24 in Week Two and - similarly to Oak Park - has much more than a marquee player.

``My line has been great all season,'' said Clausen, who seldom was pressured in his school-record passing performance against Burbank. ``And we have (returning All-Southern running back) Aaron Ware, Marc Tyler and all those great athletes.''

It's the same story at Oak Park - especially on the Eagles' Steven Lua-sparked defense - and that kind of combined talent could produce the area small-school game of the year Friday. Or perhaps the first of two games.

Dave Shelburne, [phone]

dave.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Oaks Christian defenders chase Burbank quarterback Mike McDonald on Friday in Westlake Village.

Matthew Simmons/Special to the Daily News