CROSSING THE LINE MOJAVE'S STEVENS GOES FROM LINEMAN TO TAILBACK, LINEBACKER.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer MOJAVE - He'll run roughshod Verb 1. run roughshod - treat inconsiderately or harshly ride roughshod do by, treat, handle - interact in a certain way; "Do right by her"; "Treat him with caution, please"; "Handle the press reporters gently" over opposing secondaries and thrill crowds with big plays, but only because he has to. Meet Chris Stevens Chris Stevens may refer to:
A converted two-way lineman who now excels on both sides of the ball as a tailback tail·back n. Football The back on an offensive team who lines up farthest from the line of scrimmage. tailback Noun Brit a queue of traffic stretching back from an obstruction and linebacker, Stevens would just as soon be back in the trenches. ``At least we're winning,'' Stevens said with a smile. And Stevens has figured prominently in the team's success. He leads the team with 1,502 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns on just 129 carries, and in tackles with 83. Stevens' big year has helped catapult the Mustangs to elite level small-school status. Mojave (10-1), ranked fourth in Div. XII, plays host to No. 6 Aquinas of San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. tonight in a Southern Section quarterfinal. ``The numbers really don't matter to me,'' Stevens said, ``but at least we're winning.'' Stevens had his way for most of his prep career at Mojave, where his size and strength made him among the team's most effective linemen. Last season, he was Southern Section Div. XII's defensive player of the year as a defensive end. But his combination of speed and strength made leaving him on the line seem almost wasteful toward utilizing his full talent. A 6-foot, 195-pound senior, Stevens also excels in track. He runs the 40-meter dash in 4.59 seconds and was last season's Southern Section Div. IV champion in the 200-meter dash. He missed out on qualifying for the state meet by two tenths of a second. Still, Stevens would prefer to mixing it up on the line. ``It doesn't really make sense,'' Mojave senior running back/defensive back Daniel Ashcraft said. ``How can you want to do that with that speed? ``What a waste.'' An avid go-kart racer during the offseason, Stevens by all accounts marches to his own beat. His preference for the unglamorous lineman position does nothing to dispel that notion. ``Usually, it's the other way around, where we have kids on the offensive line who want to carry the ball,'' Mojave coach Larry Satterfield said. ``I guess Chris is just a lineman at heart. He's willing to do whatever the team needs, and that tells you he's a really great kid.'' His combination of size and strength has made him among the state's most coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. small-school prospects. Stevens, who projects to play weak-side linebacker in college, is being recruited by several major Division I programs including Fresno State, Washington and Oregon, all of which have invited him for official visits. For his part, Stevens said big crowds and national rankings aren't a compelling factor in choosing a college, just as long as he can play football and run track. ``I don't care
"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary. where I play,'' Stevens said. ``As long as I get to play I'm happy. If I went to (Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. ) I'd be happy as long as I get to play.'' Even if he's not playing his position of choice. ``I just like the line,'' Stevens said. ``It's more fun. ``You've got the same guy in front of you and you go up against them all night. When you block your man, you're like 'Yes!' and when you make yards, it's even better, and then when you get a touchdown out of the play, then everything's perfect.'' Gideon Rubin (818)713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com GAME OF THE WEEK DOMINGUEZ of Compton (10-1) at NO. 10 LANCASTER (9-2), 7:30 p.m. Player to watch: Sherman Myles, LB, Dominguez Myles has 19 sacks in 11 games this season, including five last week against Chaminade of West Hills. Lancaster must turn his aggressiveness against him and force him to overpursue. Key stat: 11 Turnovers by Dominguez in its past two games. Why Dominguez will win: The Dons have a power running game that is tough to shut down. Four players - Elijah Wesson (891 yards, 11 TDs), James Raby (810 yards, 7 TDs), Darryl Crummie crum·mie n. Scots A cow, especially one with crooked horns. [From Scots crumb, crooked, from Middle English; see crumpet.] (650 yards, 8 TDS) and Marvin Johnson Marvin Johnson (born April 12, 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a former boxer from the United States, who fought in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, winning a bronze medal, and made his way up the professional ranks in the light heavyweight division soon thereafter. (612 yards, 9 TDs) - have rushed for over 600 yards. Why Lancaster will win: Lancaster's defense has been getting better every week. It has allowed 15 points or less in nine of 11 games this year and in five of the past six games. CB Andre Hunter, S Roosevelt Monroe-Truitt and DL Nathan Drakes are having a big season. Outlook: Dominguez is the No. 2 seed in Div. III, so it should be a heavy favorite. But Lancaster has shown an ability to challenge top teams - last season, Lancaster gave eventual champion Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame its closest game of the postseason (35-28) - and shouldn't be intimidated. Home-field advantage should play a factor because the forecast calls for the temperature to be in the 40s. TODAY'S GAMES AQUINAS of San Bernardino (10-1) at MOJAVE (10-1), 7:30 p.m. Player to watch: Chris Stevens, RB/LB, Mojave An impact player on both sides of the ball, Stevens has rushed for 1,502 yards and 27 touchdowns on just 129 carries. He also leads the team with 83 tackles. Key stat: 36.4 Average point differential of games Mojave has been involved in (including its Week 3 35-3 loss to Div. XI power Oak Park) Why Aquinas will win: Like most of its High Desert League opponents, Aquinas is predominantly a running team, but the Mustangs haven't seen anything quite like the backfield threesome they'll face tonight. Aquinas running backs Andrew Adams Andrew Adams may refer to:
Why Mojave will win: For its part, Aquinas hasn't seen anything like Stevens' combination of track speed and lineman brawn brawn n. 1. Solid and well-developed muscles, especially of the arms and legs. 2. Muscular strength and power. 3. Chiefly British The meat of a boar. 4. Headcheese. , or the Mustangs' outstanding overall team speed. Home-field advantage could prove to be a huge factor amid the region's high winds and low temperatures few Southland south·land or South·land n. A region in the south of a country or an area. south  land·er n.Noun 1. teams experience. Last week: Both teams are coming off first-round Div. XII playoff romps - Mojave 40-6 over Whittier Christian of La Habra La Habra (lə hăb`rə), city (1990 pop. 51,266), Orange co., S Calif.; inc. 1925. A suburb of Los Angeles, La Habra was settled in the 1860s by Basque sheepherders. , and Aquinas 53-6 over Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Montebello. Perspective: With no common opponents and no history between the two teams, the unknown is a concern for both teams. Outlook: Mojave hasn't been challenged since the Oak Park game and hasn't been involved in a close game all year. The Mustangs will face their most evenly matched opponent. Mojave is ranked No. 4 in the Southern Section Div. XII coaches poll, and Aquinas is sixth. GRACE BRETHREN of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. (10-1) at VASQUEZ (8-3), 7:30 p.m. Player to watch: Chad Kackert, RB, Grace Brethren His 2,781 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns ranks him among the state leaders in both categories. Key stat: 7.0 Grace Brethren's points allowed average. Why Grace Brethren will win: Another big night from Kackert should send Grace Brethren to the semifinals. Why Vasquez will win: The Mustangs' spread offense creates matchup problems for Grace Brethren, and the team feeds off an exuberant crowd that smells an upset after some early scoring drives. Last week: Vasquez defeated Mammoth 28-14 in a Div A DIV Associate of Divinity . XII playoff opener for a second consecutive year. Grace Brethren trounced St. Genevieve of Panorama City 56-0, with Kackert rushing for 476 yards and seven touchdowns. Perspective: Results against common opponent Rio Hondo Rio Hondo may refer to:
Outlook: Regardless of the outcome, sit back and enjoy one of the region's most exciting small-school running backs in recent history. MARSHALL of Pasadena (9-2) at ROSAMOND (6-5), 7:30 p.m. Player to watch: Eric Leon, TE/LB, Rosamond, A standout on both sides of the ball with Division I collegeaspirations, Leon is the team's emotional leader. Key stat: 6-0 Marshall's road record Why Marshall will win: Heavily favored Marshall, ranked No. 3 in the most recent Southern Section Div. XII poll, is arguably ar·gu·a·ble adj. 1. Open to argument: an arguable question, still unresolved. 2. That can be argued plausibly; defensible in argument: three arguable points of law. the division's most athletic team. Why Rosamond will win: The Roadrunners are beaming with confidence after an inspired first-round playoff upset and have nothing to lose. Junior running back Spencer Rodney (1,225 yards, 12 touchdowns) and sophomore quarterback Nicholas Gutierrez (997 yards) feed off that confidence to pull off another shocker shock·er n. One that startles, shocks, or horrifies, as a sensational story or novel. Noun 1. shocker - a shockingly bad person bad person - a person who does harm to others 2. . Last week: Rosamond stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. host Bell-Jeff of Burbank; Marshall defeated Boron boron (bōr`ŏn) [New Gr. from borax], chemical element; symbol B; at. no. 5; at. wt. 10.81; m.p. about 2,300°C;; sublimation point about 2,550°C;; sp. gr. 2.3 at 25°C;; valence +3. 48-17. Perspective: Rosamond is in the playoffs for a second consecutive season after a four-year postseason drought. A 23-16 nonleague victory over Boron, the teams' only common opponent, gives the Roadrunners hope. Outlook: A lot of things will have to go Rosamond's way, but another upset is possible. For that to happen, however, the Roadrunners will have to play a near-flawless defensive game and control the ball with sustained scoring drives. CAPTION(S): photo, 3 boxes Photo: A former two-way lineman for Mojave, Chris Stevens led the team at tailback with 1,502 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. Stevens also recorded 83 tackles. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News Box: (1) GAME OF THE WEEK (see text) (2) TODAY'S GAMES (see text) (3) FIRST AND 10 |
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