HIGH SCHOOL SPRING FOOTBALL: THERE'S NO OFFSEASON FOR SEIDMAN : HARD-WORKING WESTLAKE STAR HAS RECRUITERS IN HOT PURSUIT.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Daily News Staff Writer

Last week, spring practice meant the beginning of football for most high school hopefuls. But Mike Seidman's season never really stopped. Just the games did.

Seidman, a senior-to-be at Westlake High, is by far the most recruited tight end in the West. Many top programs, including Penn State, Ohio State, and UCLA, have already offered Seidman a full scholarship, even begged him.

Perhaps a football scholarship has always been his goal, but Seidman continues to work harder than ever to be the best. Besides competing in three varsity sports - football because it is his life, basketball because he likes it, and track because the team needed a shot-putter and he was nice enough to lend a helping arm - Seidman works out as if he's preparing for the World's Strongest Man competition. He runs Westlake's stadium stairs every day - and it's a big stadium - and spends three-plus hours a day lifting weights.

Seidman is now 6-5 and a rippling 235 pounds, 15 more pounds of muscle since 1997, when he waited in line to catch 50 passes for 740 yards and two touchdowns on a team that featured wide receivers Joey Cuppari (72 catches) and Travis Campbell (57).

Seidman, an honor student and campus leader, has narrowed his college choices to 10, including California campuses USC (he's a longtime Trojans fan), UCLA and Stanford. The only thing he knows for sure is that he will not commit early.

``I definitely want to take my recruiting trips,'' Seidman said. ``It's kind of a lot of pressure on me because of all the expectations and everything - the scholarship offers, the magazines - but I like it.''

Campbell is back, along with quarterback Zac Wasserman (2,825 yards, 54 pct., 30 touchdowns).

``Mike Seidman is looking like the best tight end in the country,'' said Campbell. Ordinarily, such a comment might be sluffed off as casual preseason optimism. But in this one instance, it's probably true.

Wasserman sometimes loses concentration just marveling.

``I don't know what to say about Mike Seidman. He's just a winner.'' Wasserman said. ``It's incredible what he can do. He's fast compared to anyone, but for someone that size . . .''

For coach Jim Benkert, the recruiting onslaught has been about as predictable as the second ring on a phone. Representatives from every major football school in the country have been pleading Benkert to convince Seidman where to go for the one and only certain path to NFL stardom.

``Mike Seidman can absolutely go to any school in the country,'' Benkert said. ``He's already been offered by everyone, and that's something you usually only see this early on the East Coast. But now with Mike, the trend has come west.''

Last year Westlake finished 8-4, losing a heartbreaking second-round Division III playoff game to Righetti. The Warriors were one of just a handful of regional teams that passed more than ran, which meant a lot of attention for the offense.

But Westlake being a one-dimensional football team is a rumor circulating among the naive. Junior linebacker Jordan Lampos, who was a key hitter as a sophomore, sparks a strong defense, along with Campbell, who had eight interceptions last year and 13 for his career. Safety Kevin Howard has opted to concentrate only on baseball, but Campbell, linebacker Matt Warman (an All-Southern Section transfer from Oak Park), and emerging 6-5, 235-pound lineman Joe Boscovitch figure to pick up the slack.

``We have a lot of great players,'' Campbell said.

Junior Tony Muna, sidelined all of last season with a knee injury, is fully healthy and will get a long look at running back. And Cory Miles, a quarterback sensation on the freshman team last year who probably will start at defensive back, could end up on the same level as Seidman one day if prognosticators are even half correct.

This fall Westlake will take over as Marmonte League favorites even though perennially strong Newbury Park (which spent much of last season atop the Daily News football poll) returns star quarterback Nick Czernek, whose 3,381 yards passing (60.4 pct.) and 24 TD passes somehow made people forget the loss of graduated brother Chris Czernek, whose consecutive 4,000-yard seasons went down in national history.

Czernek's only worry is the rebuilding of his entire offensive line, except for 6-3, 220-pound Anthony Foli. But a new blocking corps, heading by 6-0, 230-pound Elliot Elkins, should jell by fall.

``There's pressure to win at Newbury Park just because of the way our program is, and how well we've done in the past,'' Czernek said. ``That was something I really felt last year. We've had three spring practices so far, and I can already tell we've got a pretty good group of guys.''

Returning wide receiver Tyler Johnson will be Czernek's main target. Johnson caught 42 passes (12.9 avg.) for four touchdowns in a possession-type role that figures to expand.

More peaks for Moorpark?: The Marmonte League will welcome Moorpark, which won the Division X championship last season after competing in the lesser Frontier League. It's a big step for coach Ron Wilford and his players, but the vibe on campus is the Musketeers are up for the challenge.

One thing Wilford can't complain about is enthusiasm. Over 60 students are trying out for varsity football this spring. But tangling with Westlake and Newbury Park is a world away from the likes of Santa Clara and Calabasas.

``Oh, there's going to be a big difference,'' Wilford said. ``But it's always been a goal of ours to compete with the best teams. That's why we've always played them in the summer (passing leagues).''

Quarterback Chad Willis and leading receiver Erris Green must both be replaced. Mark Gressman, who completed two passes in 1997, will start at quarterback. Jeremy Shoop (22 catches, 15.7 avg., six TDs) figures to be the primary receiver after finishing second in receptions last year.

``We're not into predictions, but knowing the competition is going to be a lot tougher, I think that, yes, we can be right there. We're known for rising to the occasion. This is a totally different season with a new attitude, but our goals are the same.''

Running backs Art Garcia (585 yards, 4.8 avg., six touchdowns) and Artie Lopez (453 yards, 3.9 avg., three TDs) provide offensive options, but if Moorpark is anything like last year, its strength will be defense.

All-Southern Section linebacker David Oviedo and All-Ventura County defensive lineman Jeff DiNapoli are the hardest hitters. Oviedo is a 5-9, 200-pounder with tools (365 bench press, 4.8 40). Athletic DiNapoli is a converted linebacker.

DiNapoli said Moorpark sinking or swimming will depend solely on attitude.

``I personally think we have the potential to do really well,'' he said. ``If any of us thinks we can't, then we've already lost. We just need to play to our potential. If we can do that, we'll be fine.''

No team made bigger strides than Royal, which last improved from 1-9 to 6-4 last year. But with such stacked competition in the Marmonte League, can the Highlanders fare better?

Coach Gene Uebelhardt thinks so.

``This will be our best team in five years,'' said Uebelhardt, basing his optimism on the return of 18 starters, many of them very good players.

Defensive end Brian Montesanto might be the region's most recruited player this side of Seidman. Montesanto, a 6-5, 240-pounder, treats quarterbacks like his own personal chew toy, totaling 19 sacks as a junior.

``Brian is the mirror image of Ryan Nielsen,'' Uebelhardt said, referring to his prized lineman of two years ago who received a scholarship to USC and will contest for playing time as a redshirt freshman this season. ``Brian is a great pass rusher and a strong tackler. Every Pacific-10 college is interested in him because at his size, he's faster than most linebackers and running backs.''

Meanwhile, a spring quarterback duel between Jon Palacios and Dustin Cruz already is in full bloom. Both were reserves last year with Cruz seeing the bulk of the action in place of Brandon Fien, who went down with a midseason knee injury and never returned. Cruz passed for 471 yards (62.5 pct.) and two touchdowns; Palacios completed his only two attempts for 31 yards.

``The battle between those two has definitely already started,'' Uebelhardt said. ``They're absolutely in competition, and that's very important in the spring. I sure don't think it hurts.''

The winner of the quarterback competition will have the privilege of passing to Kevin Krause, one of the league's most athletic juniors-to-be who caught 31 passes (12.0 avg.) for one touchdown in 1997. Krause was one of just two 1997 All-Marmonte League 10th-graders.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

PHOTO (1) Westlake High tight end Mike Seidman, now 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, has added 15 pounds to his frame since last football season.

(2) Dustin Cruz is battling Jon Palacios for the starting-quarterback spot.

(3) Brian Montesanto is one of the region's most recruited lineman.

Evan Yee/Daily News