WINNERS IN THE CLASSROOM FOOTBALL PLAYERS ATTAIN ACADEMIC GOALS.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE Staff Writer

The football field at Van Nuys High School is dreary, its facilities as miserable as the Wolves' 0-7 record.

But on a field dotted with potholes and mud patches, something wonderful is unfolding.

An unheralded and underappreciated offensive line is marching toward a championship every bit as prestigious and venerable as the one for which the best teams in the City Section will play this year.

And the Wolves' triumph will resonate long after the City Championship trophy is locked away in some campus display case.

Each of the eight Van Nuys linemen carries a GPA of 3.0 or better, and each has his sights set on college. At a school where players are taunted by classmates for winning just one game over the past two seasons, this is a victory worth celebrating.

``You look at our record and automatically you think we're losing the battle,'' said senior tackle Michael Johnson. ``And maybe we are, if you just look at winning football games.

``But in the larger scheme of things, we're not losing at all.''

To put the achievement in perspective, Van Nuys coach Chris Johnson fights an uphill battle trying to round up enough academically eligible players to field a team each year. Last season, the Wolves lost 20 players to poor grades.

Priorities

It's difficult to win when your best players are sitting in the stands, watching.

All of which makes the Van Nuys linemen so inspiring. As a group, they decided to prove that academics and athletics can coexist.

``It's just about having your priorities straight and being willing to work hard,'' said junior tackle Anthony Lehman.

It helps when you mix in a passionate coach and a group of parents who convinced their sons long ago not to settle for anything less than excellence.

``Academics have been stressed in our household since Day One,'' said Johnson's father, Ed. ``What he's doing now is a continuation of the hard work he established at an early age.

``We're very, very proud of him, and the other players, too. This is an accomplishment they all should be proud of.''

You won't find the names Edward Mujila, Joseph Calvo, Eduardo Aburto, Debonair Broadnax, Alan Hersh, Dmitry Tarasov, Anthony Lehman and Michael Johnson on any football recruiting lists. In fact, you're unlikely to find a major college football coach anywhere near the Van Nuys campus these days.

Then again, the members of the Wolves' offensive line don't rise from bed each morning at 5:30, work through a full day of school, practice until 6:30 p.m., then head home for a quick dinner and a full night of homework in the hope of eventually winning a football scholarship.

Higher aspirations

``What are the odds of getting one of those?'' asks Broadnax, a junior guard. ``Take it a step further, what are the odds of playing professional football? Not too good, huh?

``If you're asking us why we're working so hard in the classroom and putting academics over everything else, there's your answer.''

No, these guys have higher aspirations than college football -- like professions in medicine and teaching and engineering.

``The sky is the limit for them,'' said Johnson, the Wolves' second-year coach. ``They're an example and, hopefully, other kids are watching. Sports and academics can go hand in hand. It's not always easy, and you're going to have to make sacrifices.

``But for the kids who don't think it can work, I've got a group of kids who say it can.''

Lack of support

Johnson witnessed similar successes during coaching stops at Harvard- Westlake of Studio City and Westlake high schools. There, winning on the field and success in the classroom wasn't just stressed, it was demanded.

His two years at Van Nuys have been a definite eye opener. He was shocked by what he perceived as a lack of financial and moral support from the administration, and the low premium some students place on academics.

His linemen provide a ray of hope. The common denominator is the importance placed on schoolwork, a value each player's parents emphasize.

``C's just aren't accepted by my parents,'' Lehman said. ``They never have been. I guess for some kids a C is fine. But for me, that's just mediocrity.''

A student at Van Nuys High's medical-magnet program, Lehman balances a full load of honors classes with the daily demands of football.

Lehman does the bulk of his homework during lunch and nutrition breaks, allowing him some precious free time between dinner and bedtime.

``Proud isn't the word,'' said his mother, Susan. ``I see how hard he works from dusk till dawn and every hour in between. I worry that it's too much. But he finds a way to get it all done.''

Now if the Wolves can just figure out a way to win a football game.

The team came close two weeks ago before fading in a 10-6 loss to North Hollywood, but they took a few steps back last Friday in a 42-14 loss to Canoga Park.

This week, they play 2-5 Hollywood, offering their best chance to win this year.

It's a victory they want -- badly.

``I just want to be able to walk on campus on a Monday after a win,'' said Calvo, a guard. ``That would be the best feeling in the world.''

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Van Nuys linemen Edward Mujila, Anthony Lehman, Michael Johnson, Alan Hersh, front, from left, and Debonair Broadnax, Joseph Calvo, Dmitry Tarasov and Eduardo Aburto have at least 3.0 GPAs.

(2) Anthony Lehman, a Van Nuys High School junior and football lineman, works on his honors chemistry homework. He is one of eight linemen who have 3.0 or higher GPAs.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer