ROYAL RELIABLE AS TOP RETURNING RECEIVER, FEARLESS PINNERI WILL BE NO. 1 OPTION FOR NEW QB.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - Nick Pinneri was convinced baseball was so important to him, he should skip Royal High's 2001 football season. Just to avoid any nagging football-related injuries.

``I was playing right field and I broke my wrist and I was like, `Wow, I took a year off from football so I wouldn't get hurt, and here I come out and play baseball and get hurt anyway,' '' Pinneri said. ``It was kind of telling me to go back and play football.''

Why not? Some of his closest friends at school played football for the Highlanders. And Pinneri was good at that other game, too. And when given the opportunity last season, he proved it.

Now a senior, Pinneri is Royal's top returning wide receiver and a college prospect in football in addition to baseball. After catching 34 Kyle Uebelhardt passes last season as a complement to senior standout David Woolever, Pinneri is poised for a similar breakout.

Royal is breaking in a new quarterback in senior Steve Cole, who should benefit from Pinneri's experience.

``With Pinneri's speed and his consistency, that will be very good for Steve,'' Highlanders wide receivers coach Robert Fisher said. ``As a young quarterback, you need a guy you can count on. He's going to get open, and that will build confidence for Cole.''

Pinneri was grateful for now-graduated teammates Uebelhardt and Woolever, who eased his transition back to not only the football field but the higher level of varsity play. Uebelhardt encouraged him to come out again, and Pinneri worked hard in summer 2002 to regain his football legs.

While he played his way into a starting receiver spot, Highlander coaches were doing the ``Who is this guy?'' routine.

``I think people told him he had to play baseball all year around,'' Royal head coach Gene Uebelhardt said. ``Finally, he started listening to the right people and found out that he is probably a better football player than a baseball player.

``Just before the league season started, it was evident that he was a football player.''

Royal won its season opener over Saugus on a Uebelhardt-to-Woolever touchdown pass as time expired.

``Before the game there were those little nerves that you always get,'' Pinneri said. ``But once I went out there and saw the lights, the whole atmosphere, the crowd, everything. And then the fourth-quarter win, five seconds left and a touchdown. There's nothing like that. It's awesome. It just gets your heart racing.''

And the way Pinneri relentlessly chases every football thrown in his direction, every play extracts his emotion. His knack for sacrificing his body to make catches is a trait the coaches know they can't teach.

He caught just one touchdown, but he worked hard for most of the 431 yards gained throughout the season.

``He would lay out for the ball and had no fear. He probably got it from David, I don't know,'' Gene Uebelhardt said. ``And his ability to play center field in baseball made his ability to catch the long ball easier. He would turn (his head) and he had it.

``He's a tough kid. He took some hits, laying out trying to catch balls that maybe shouldn't have been caught and got them.''

Even in summer leagues, which don't require pads, Pinneri doesn't let defenders stand between him and a pass.

He plays baseball with the same fearless attitude. Only he's more injury- prone. In addition to the broken wrist that sidelined him for part of his sophomore baseball season, Pinneri suffered a broken nose sliding headfirst into third base last spring.

That irony makes him laugh. While still leaning toward making baseball his future sport at the next level, Pinneri can't hide his excitement now that Royal's season opener against Channel Islands is just three weeks away.

He cherishes assuming the role Woolever filled as the No. 1 target for a first-year varsity starter at quarterback. Pinneri is slated to alleviate Cole's and the new receivers' stress.

``I would have never been the player I was last year had it not been for (Kyle Uebelhardt and Woolever),'' Pinneri said. ``Kyle told me that (playing football) would be a great experience and he would help me out through the way. Whenever I had any questions, he was right there for me.

``I'm hoping I can pass on the things I learned last year to the younger guys this year and for years to come when they come into my spot.''

Chris Cocoles, [phone]

chris.cocoles(at)dailynews.com

PINNERI FILE

Name: Nick Pinneri

School: Royal

Year: Senior

Position: Wide receiver

2002 stats: 34 receptions, 431 yards, one touchdown

Did you know? Teammates refer to Pinneri as ``The Falcon.'' When he suffered a broken nose playing baseball for Royal last season, the gash left on his nose resembled a claw mark. ``It just stuck,'' Highlanders coach Gene Uebelhardt said.

Quotable: ``He's kind of like Will Rogers, who never met a man he didn't like. Well, I've never met a person who doesn't like Nick. He's like Santa Claus. You can't not like him. Just a phenomenal kid.''

- Uebelhardt

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Royal High's Nick Pinneri had a breakout season (431 yards, one touchdown) last year as a secondary receiver.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(2) Gene Uebelhardt, Royal coach

Box:

PINNERI FILE (see text)