BORCHARD BENT ON BETTERMENT : CAMARILLO QUARTERBACK EXCELS IN THREE SPORTS AND CLASSROOM.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer

As the sun set, the wind swirled and an endless stream of cars motored by on the 101 Freeway as Camarillo High School football players prepared to end practice last week.

``C-A-M-A-R-I-L-L-O'' - the players shouted a letter in unison after each jumping jack. Then they hustled off toward the locker room to escape the chilly wind - all except quarterback Joe Borchard and four of his receivers. They stayed behind to keep practicing.

Borchard's spirals whisked by like cruise missiles homing in on targets. The pure power of the ball flying through the air could sting the hands of any receiver.

Hidden behind the silver helmet was a 6-foot-4 teen-age herowho acts as if he were born in a different time and a different era.

``He's above and beyond the All-American boy,'' Camarillo football coach Carl Thompson said. ``He should be on a Wheaties box. Everybody would buy that box.''

``He's the kind of young man you want your son to be,'' baseball coach Scott Cline said.

Coaches, teachers, teammates, fans - they're all inspired by Borchard. In four years at Camarillo, he has never missed a game and never missed a practice. He's an honor student with a 3.9 grade-point average. He's a three-sport star likely to end up at Stanford playing football and baseball (California also is making a recruiting run).

This season, he has led the surprising Scorpions (6-2, 5-0) to a share of the Marmonte League lead by passing for 1,844 yards and 19 touchdowns.

If Borchard is not practicing at Camarillo, he's probably at home hitting baseballs at his batting cage, shooting jump shots at his hoop or lifting weights in his makeshift weight room.

There's never a day he's not trying to become better; there's never a moment he's not enjoying life to its fullest.

``My dad told me a long time ago, `If you're not going to do it hard, don't do it all all.' That's what I believe,'' Borchard said.

Cline shakes his head in astonishment as Borchard goes from one sport to the next, always giving his best.

``Each time I watch him play football, he's a better football player,'' Cline said. ``Each time I watch him play baseball, he's a better baseball player. Even during football, he's hitting a baseball in his cage. During baseball, he's throwing a football around.''

This has been Borchard's most satisfying football season because the Scorpions have finally become a Marmonte title contender.

``I think that quarterback is the best I've seen,'' Westlake assistant coach John Kidder said. ``We knocked him down; we sacked him. He got back up. He's tough.''

The top quarterbacks are the ones with resiliency, the ones with such determination and dedication that even when they face difficult times, their second wind kicks in.

Borchard has been knocked around like a punching bag at times during his three-year varsity career. But he has always gotten back up to continue the fight. Finally, with Camarillo's success, he and his teammates are receiving the attention they deserve.

``You know it comes with playing the position,'' he said of taking hits. ``You can't show any emotion because the whole team is looking to you. Sometimes you don't want to get up, but you know you have to if you want to win. You have to keep playing.''

Camarillo's football team was picked to finish no better than fourth place this season, but the Scorpions can clinch at least tie for the league title Friday with a win over host Thousand Oaks.

``We started believing in ourselves and making big plays when we needed to,'' Borchard said. ``I'm just glad that things are starting to turn out not only the way I wanted but the rest of us wanted. We've worked hard.''

Despite all of Borchard's natural physical talents, his most precious gift rests deep inside his soul. It's his commitment to success.

``Dedication, to me, is coming out every day and giving it all you got,'' he said.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Camarillo High quarterback Joe Borchard is being recruited by Stanford and California. He is probably going to play football and baseball in college.

Tina Gerson / Daily News