FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK ROAD TEST FOR AVC TOUGH LEAGUE OPENER.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

The road to a bowl game for the Antelope Valley College football program makes its first stop today in El Cajon. The Marauders open Foothill Conference play against Grossmont, considered one of the schools to beat in the nine-team conference.

A victory for the youthful Marauders - who start 13 freshmen, five on offense and eight on defense - would be a small step toward a return to postseason play. The last time AVC earned a bowl berth was three years ago.

Defeating Grossmont, ranked 20th in the state, won't be an easy task for AVC when you consider the home team has won each game of the series dating back to 1994, including last season's 20-14 AVC overtime victory at Marauder Stadium.

The rivalry between the two schools began in 1976 and the Marauders have yet to win a game at Joe Roth Memorial Field. The Griffins hold the series advantage 7 games to 4.

``We're familiar with the things Grossmont likes to do,'' said coach Brent Carder, ``so in order for us to win we'll have to execute our game plan.''

AVC will face a potent Grossmont offense led by quarterback Clint Womack, who averages 231.5 passing yards per game. Running back Dwayne Neabors gained 100 yards and scored three touchdowns last week against Valley.

The Marauders will counter with linebackers Adam Fabela, who Carder calls ``the foundation of the defense'', and David Fetters, an intense outside linebacker.

Fabela is the team's leading tackler with 24 - including a career-high 15 against Santa Monica in the season opener - and Fetters is second with 11. The two sophomores will be assigned to disrupt Womack's rhythm and shadow Neabors coming out of the backfield.

``After the last weeks loss to COC, we got some constructive criticism from the coaching staff,'' said Fabela, who graduated from Littlerock High in 1998. ``The atmosphere at practice this week has been positive and we've been sharper on both sides of the ball. We're eager to get back out on the field.''

``Grossmont is a good football team and they'll be pumped up at home,'' said Fabela. ``We need to come out and match their intensity. It's going to be a war.''

--Grass is greener: Over the summer, Grossmont installed a state-of-the-art artifical-turf field, similar to those at Nebraska and Washington.

According to Griffins sports information director Robert Trevino, ``the surface is far more forgiving than the traditional artificial turf, due to its sand-reinforced bottom. The surface has no seams and it has the look and the feel of real grass.''

Questions have been raised for years about artiificial turf and the injuries it has caused.

--Global village: Die-hard Marauder fans who are unable to make the trip to El Cajon can listen to the game on XTRA Sports 610 (KAVL AM), with Dan Sebastian calling the play-by-play.

Also, for those out of radio range but with access to the Internet, log onto www.xtrasports610.com. The kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

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Photo:

Linebacker Adam Fabela of Antelope Valley College works out in the team's weight room.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News