BORNN WILL CALL PLAYS ON OFFENSE, DEFENSE.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

New Saugus High football coach Jason Bornn, who signed on just 11 days ago, won't hire an offensive coordinator or a defensive coordinator for this season, preferring to carry the full load all by himself.

``At this point, I don't think it would be fair to hand one of those jobs to someone else and then maybe have to take it away because I'm just not comfortable yet,'' Bornn said. ``I'm the offensive coordinator and I'm the defensive coordinator. It might take a year to find someone, so as of right now, I'll be the calling the plays on offense and defense - but that could change as the season progresses.''

Bornn barely has had time to evaluate his players because he was hired just a couple of days before the mandatory three-week summer break. School resumes Aug. 18, and the first day of practice is Aug. 19. Saugus (2-8 last year) opens the season Sept. 12 at Hilltop in Chula Vista.

Among the few holdovers from last year's staff is defensive assistant Jeff Watkins. John Bergstrom, the head coach of the junior varsity last season and the interim varsity head coach this summer, is moving up to varsity and figures to be one of the main assistants. The rest of the staff consists of Rob Duryea, Daryl Green, Scott Monson and Rich Bahr.

Saugus' top returning players include quarterback Travis Babin, multipurpose back Drew DeRousseau, tight end/defensive lineman Kody Kurowski, receiver/defensive back Hunter Schmidt and offensive lineman Alex Dekok.

Babin worked his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore last season, passing for 638 yards and five touchdowns. DeRousseau was the team's leading rusher with 618 yards, the second-leading receiver with 22 catches for 267 yards, and the second-leading scorer with nine touchdowns. He also started much of the season at defensive back. Kurowski, also a top baseball prospect, is a converted lineman who could start on both offense and defense. Schmidt caught 14 passes and had two interceptions last year. Dekok is among the strongest players in the Foothill League.

--Valencia High football standout Geoff Tisdale, one of the league's fastest and most athletic players, still isn't sure whether he'll start at running back or receiver this season.

As a junior playing football for the first time last season, Tisdale rushed for 460 yards - averaging 8.8 yards a carry - as a backup to Charles Burnley (now at Oregon State). He also caught 13 passes for 177 yards and scored a total of seven touchdowns, six rushing. Defensively, he had two interceptions.

At one point, Valencia coach Brian Stiman called Tisdale ``the best second-string running back I've ever had.'' Tisdale further impressed by winning both the 100 meters and 200 at the Foothill League track finals during the spring.

This summer, Tisdale has played mostly receiver, and converted linebacker Torey O'Brien (who didn't carry the ball at all last season) appears to have secured the starting tailback spot heading into fall practice.

``Geoff did very well at both receiver and defensive back. This is something we're just going to have wait about until Aug. 18,'' Stiman said. `'But he'll definitely be a main cog in the wheel.''

Tisdale said he asked Stiman whether Valencia ``planned to throw the ball a lot this year,'' and when the answer was yes, Tisdale decided he wanted to play receiver.

``It really doesn't matter either way,'' Tisdale said. ``I kind of like running back, but I like to play defensive back, too. I had a lot of interceptions this summer. Wide receiver is new for me.''

--Kristin MacRunnels of Saugus High has committed to a softball scholarship at Eastern New Mexico, an NCAA Division II university in Portales, N.M.

``We got a good deal. Just about the only thing we have to pay for is food,'' said her mother, Cindy MacRunnels.

Eastern New Mexico has a new coach, Kevin Blaskowski, the team's third in three years.

MacRunnels is the the only Saugus softball player to accept an offer from a four-year university. Among the other locals planning to play next spring: Valencia's Jaisa Creps (UCLA), Ashley Herrera (UCLA), Tori Rocco (Arkansas Tech), Kristin Reed (Northern Iowa) and Natalie Mueggler (UC Davis), and Hart's Lindsay Tognetti (UC Davis).