NEW PATH TO WSC ROAD; EAST L.A. AND COC GIVE LEAGUE A DIFFERENT LOOK.

Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer

So many things are new in the world of junior college football a fan might need a road map just to find the way around.

For the first time in 17 years, College of the Canyons will field a team, dusting off its stadium for a Sept. 26 home opener against Compton, itself returning to the Western State Conference after a one-year absence. With East L.A. College also coming on line, an already-potent WSC lineup will have young, inexperienced teams to push around.

That is good news for Pierce College, which had more than ample opportunity last season to snap what is now a 28-game losing streak. The Brahmas play all three newcomers in a row, beginning Sept. 26 at East L.A.

``It certainly doesn't hurt us,'' coach Bill Norton said, ``but we have pretty good skill players this year. The morale has been stabilized and we're ready for the season to get here.''

The Brahmas are much improved in 1998, returning two all-WSC wide receivers in Vaughn Corley (70 receptions, 818 yards, 7 TDs) and Basil Duncantell (53 receptions, 673 yards, 2 TDs), who ranked fifth and seventh in the state, respectively, in passes caught per game. Former Moorpark quarterback Calvin Zinck will be charged with getting the ball to them.

The new season is also uncharted territory for Valley College, which is absent from the JC Athletic Bureau preseason Top 20 for the first time since 1992. Instead, Antelope Valley College is the region's most respected team, ranked No. 19 in the state after finishing 7-4 and earning a bowl bid to their own McDonald's Charity Bowl.

The Marauders return six defensive starters and have a load of strong running backs to replace all-region tailback Lafayette Bailey and continue their run-first offensive ways. Three returning offensive linemen give AVC much room for optimism.

In Van Nuys, the Monarchs, who finished an uncharacteristic 6-4 last year, still feature coach Gary Barlow's explosive run-and-shoot offense. Four quarterbacks, including former Boston University passer Mike Adams, are vying for the spot left vacant when Tom Racius graduated and got a full scholarship to Hawaii.

As befits the sometimes unexplainable thought process of JC prognosticators, Moorpark College is the preseason No. 11 team in the Southern California rankings, one better than Antelope Valley. Valley is No. 14.

The Raiders were the other local team to earn a bowl bid in 1997, accepting an invitation to play Santa Barbara in the Western State Conference Bowl. Instead, uncertain weather forced postponement of the game, which was eventually canceled thanks in part to lack of interest, a decision that still bothers Moorpark coach Jim Bittner.

Still, Moorpark is continuing to improve. Bittner, in his 20th season, has added former Birmingham High running back Emmanuel Evans to complement all-WSC back Carl Richardson (1,195 yards rushing, 17 TDs). Also, former BYU quarterback Farhaad Azimi will diversify the offense.

Yet another new twist is Glendale, which has struggled the past five years with low numbers and average talent. After a 2-8 season in '97, coach John Cicuto's group is young but extremely athletic, and might have the region's best player in tailback Darrell Durham, who rushed for 150 yards per game - the third-best mark in the state.

``He's in great shape, but we'll try not to use him as much as we did at the end of last season,'' said Cicuto, who gave Durham the ball an average of 30 times in each of the Vaqueros' final four games.

``I'm done making predictions about football,'' he added, ``but we're excited.''

JC MUST-SEES

A look at the most intriguing games of the junior college season:

Valley at Pierce, Sept. 19

Last season, offensive fireworks, this season Pierce's first win since 96?

Canyons at Antelope Valley, Sept. 19

With COC back, regional rivalry a given

Compton at Canyons, Sept. 26

First home game since '81, and COC could be the favorite

Antelope Valley at San Bernardino Valley, Nov. 7

Last year, it decided the Foothill League title

Moorpark at Valley, Nov. 21

Hard-fought game in '97 decided bowl berth

ONES TO WATCH

The top players in the region to keep tabs of in '98:

Farhaad Azimi, QB, Moorpark; Kevin Carlsen, WR, Valley; Vaughn Corley, WR, Pierce; Adis Davityan, OL, Glendale; Basil Duncantell, WR, Pierce; Darrell Durham, RB, Glendale; Emmanuel Evans, RB, Moorpark; Tim Feirfeil, WR, Canyons; Kevin Giberson, LB, Canyons; Marcus Prevost, FS, Antelope Valley; Carl Richardson, RB, Moorpark; Vinny Walker, RB, Valley; Mark Zimmerman, LB, Valley.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: JC MUST-SEES (see text)