HIGHLAND'S TRIPLE THREAT : DEMPS RARELY OFF THE FIELD FOR BULLDOGS.

Byline: Kirby Lee Daily News Staff Writer

Highland High football coach Lin Parker says Will Demps is a perfect double for golfer Tiger Woods.

``It's very intriguing,'' Parker pondered. ``They look so much alike, we call him our version of Tiger Woods.''

Demps doesn't golf but the Lancaster senior is involved in just about everything else at Highland.

Demps plays offense, defense and special teams for the Bulldog football team. He is a guard on the basketball team and plans to go out for volleyball in the spring. As a sophomore, he was a sprinter on the track team.

But for now, football comes first for Demps.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Demps has helped the Bulldogs to a 4-2 start and into a contender for its first league title entering Friday night's Golden League opener at Palmdale High School.

On defense at free safety, Demps leads the area with seven interceptions, returning three for touchdowns. He's intercepted two passes each against Banning, including a 51-yard return for a touchdown, and Stockdale of Bakersfield.

On special teams, Demps returns punts and kickoffs. In Highland's season opener against Silverado in Las Vegas, he had a punt return for a touchdown only to have it nullified because of an infraction of Nevada rules. Demps also has blocked an extra-point attempt.

On offense, Demps plays flanker and fullback. He has a team-high 28 receptions for 340 yards and has rushed for 192 yards in 27 carries, an average of 7.1 yards. He also leads the team in scoring with nine touchdowns.

``I'm not sure what position you would call me,'' Demps said. ``I like defense because you can be aggressive and make tackles. I like offense because you can score points.''

Demps played primarily linebacker as a junior before Parker decided to try him at other positions this fall to take advantage of Demp's speed, which has been clocked at 4.5 seconds for 40 yards.

This summer, Demps attended the Natrone Means football camp at UCLA to gain experience at all positions. He also added 20 pounds adhering to an intensive weight-lifting program.

``I had to get some muscles,'' Demps said. ``I'm a lot bigger and I've improved so much from my first year of varsity.''

Parker also notices the difference.

``We wanted to find a role for him and he stepped right up,'' Parker said. ``It takes somebody with a lot of talent to learn that many positions.''

And stamina.

Demps is on the field for the majority of the game, taking a break for a couple of plays only for instruction from running backs coach Mike Drennan, receiver coach Clay Richardson or defensive coordinator Dan Morrow.

``I wanted to go both ways but sometimes the games seem like they last forever,'' Demps said. ``I only have time to get a drink of water. Then it's back on the field.''

Off the field, Demps has a busy schedule too.

He's on the Highland yearbook staff and the president of the Above the Rim basketball club, which helps plan fund-raisers for the Bulldog basketball team. Once a month, Demps performs community service as a member of his church's youth group.

Next year, he hopes to study pre-med at UCLA, the University of San Diego or UC Irvine, or wherever a scholarship offer to play football arises.

``He could play in the Pac-10,'' said Parker, who has coached at the high school and college levels for 30 seasons. ``He is good enough to start at Cal State Northridge right now. And he would dominate a Division III conference. He's that good.''

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Photo

Photo: Senior Will Demps excels at offense, defense and onspecial teams for Highland High's football team.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News