Today we are continuing our preseason football coverage with a detailed review of the 1988 season. It's the fourth part in a series taking a look back at the past quarter century of prep football in the Golden State, beginning with the 1985 season. Football coaches can email ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414 for details on how to make sure your program is included in our upcoming series of team previews for the 2009 season and considered for our preseason state rankings package.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

California Schools With the Most D1 Signers (1988-1989)

Carson (10) - Todd Auvaa (6-3, 190, LB) to New Mexico; Fred Gatlin (6-2, 180, QB) to Nevada; Ray Harris (6-2, 240, DL) to Army; Perry Klein (6-3, 180, QB) to Cal; Jeff Leiato (6-3, 220, LB) to New Mexico; Greg Lindsey (6-2, 185, DB) to Colorado; Samila Manu (6-2, 215, FB-LB) to Pacific; Howard McCowan (6-0, 180, DB) to USC; Errol Sapp (5-9, 165, RB) to Arizona; Morris Unutoa (6-3, 240, OL) to BYU.
Banning (Wilmington) (9) - Andy Gonzalez (6-4, 245, OL) to Cal; Johnny Lawrence (6-1, 190, WR) to Cal St. Fullerton; Carlson Leomiti (6-4, 340, DL) to San Diego St.; Paul Montgomery (6-2, 190, DB) to Oregon St.; Lamont Shedrick (6-0, 165, WR) to Northern Arizona; Tommy Siufanua (6-4, 225, OL) to San Diego St.; Bob Whitfield (6-7, 285, OT) to Stanford; Eric Williams (5-9, 185, DB) to San Diego St; Randy Woolridge (6-1, 205, DE) to Northern Arizona.
Lincoln (Stockton) (6) - Shante Carver (6-6, 210, DL) to Arizona St.; Mark Edwards (6-2, 200, TE) to Pacific; John Garamendi (6-1, 200, LB) to Army; Dan Garcia (6-2, 220, LB) to Pacific; Mike McCarn (6-4, 220, OT) to Pacific; Matt Nichols (6-2, 240, OT) to Pacific.
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) (6) - Rob Arne (6-5, 285, OT) to Northwestern; Steve Harkins (6-1, 195, LB) to Idaho St.; Rob Nicholl (6-1, 220, LB) to New Mexico; Rick Pallow (6-4, 245, C) to Stanford; Brian Turk (6-4, 265, OL) to USC; Jason Uhl (6-3, 240, DL) to USC.
Poly (Long Beach) (5) - James Burton (5-9, 165, DB) to Hawaii; Ed Cabs (6-3, 200, LB) to Oregon; Michael Carter (5-10, 200, QB) to Hawaii; Marcellous Elder (6-6, 275, DT) to Colorado; Earl Oliver (6-1, 250, DL) to Fresno St.
Skyline (Oakland) (5) - Todd Brooks (5-11, 175, DB) to Army; Eric Harris (6-4, 225, TE) to Weber St.; Jim Jones (6-3, 245, DT) to Northern Arizona; Sammy Lynch (6-0, 175, WR) to Northern Arizona; Maurice Smith (5-11, 215, LB) to Utah St.

1988 Season Notes & Highlights: College recruiters signed 19 players from Carson and Banning to letters of intent. Carson's 10 signers and Banning's nine were easily the top two totals in the state. Together the two L.A. City Section powers wound up with more D1 recruits than the entire CIF Central Coast Section, which includes more than 100 schools.

About the only Carson or Banning players who didn't sign were underclassmen, meaning virtually every starter on the field will end up with a scholarship. Look for the Carson-Banning signings to continue high for at least two more years, too. Junior QB John Ma'ae of the Pilots and junior WR Michael Ross of the Colts were both spectacular, while Banning RB Derek Sparks and Carson DB Clayvand Thomas shined as sophomores.

"When you get a coaching staff that's been together more than seven to 10 years, your program tends to get much better,” said Carson head coach Gene Vollnogle, whose Colts routed Banning, 55-0, for the L.A. City Section 4A title and defeated the Pilots, 24-13, in the regular season. "I've got one assistant who's been here 25 years, another 24 years and another 19.”

Carson opened up the season ranked No. 5 in the preseason, but lost 17-13 to Bishop Amat in its second game of the season. At that time, Carson was breaking in a new offense with alternating QBs Perry Klein, a transfer from Palisades, and Fred Gatlin. Klein went down with an injury and did not play in the second half in the loss to Amat, but the Colts improved as the season went on and completely dominated Banning in the second meeting to earn team of the year honors.      

Preseason state No. 1 Loyola of Los Angeles, which was stunned 16-0 by Bishop Amat in the CIF Southern Section Div. I semifinals, had three signers, including USC-bound Matt Butkus, the son of Chicago Bears' legend Dick Butkus. Behind its stingy defense, the Cubs had climbed to No. 1 in the nation and defeated semifinalist Servite of Anaheim and Crespi of Encino, ranked No. 2 in the preseason, to take the Del Rey League title.

Loyola's defense held ballyhooed running back Russell White to 19 yards in a 17-6 victory over Crespi, a year after holding him to 28 yards in a highly-publicized showdown. Servite, led by running back Derek Brown, came closer to knocking off eventual CIFSS Div. I champ Fountain Valley in the semifinals than Amat did in the final.

Servite was able to advance to the semifinals by defeating White and Crespi in the quarterfinals. White rushed for 159 yards to Brown's 130, but Crespi saw its disappointing season come to an end with a 6-6 record. During the regular season meeting, Brown out gained White on the ground, 312-81, after White had out rushed Brown, 253 to 217 yards, during a 1987 playoff game.

It was a bittersweet season for Long Beach Poly, which had five signers. The Jackrabbits, ranked No. 3 in the preseason, defeated both Div. I finalists Bishop Amat and Fountain Valley during the regular season, but were upset in its playoff opener by Crespi. In that game, the Celts received a spectacular performance from White, who ended his prep career as the state's all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns.   

A Look Back at the 1988 Season
(All Selections Made by Cal-Hi Sports)

State Team of the Year: Carson 12-1

Preseason No. 1 Team: Los Angeles Loyola 12-1 (No. 5 final rating)

Number of Undefeated Teams: 16 (44 in the regular season)

Highest Score (11-man only): Laytonville 82, Boonville Anderson Valley 0

Eight-Man Team of the Year: Redondo Beach Coast Christian 12-0

State Coach of the Year: Norm Dow (Live Oak, Morgan Hill) 11-0-1

CalHiSports.com Mr. Football State Player of the Year: Tommie Smith (Antelope Valley, Lancaster) HB-DB

Junior Player of the Year: Jeremy Smith (Bishop Amat, La Puente) FL

Sophomore Player of the Year: Derek Sparks (Banning, Wilmington) FB

Medium Schools Player of the Year: Greg Zomalt (Canyon Springs, Moreno Valley) LB-RB

Small Schools Player of the Year: Jim McKinley (Menlo, Atherton) QB

State Quarterback of the Year: Curtis Conway (Hawthorne)

State Running Back of the Year: Derek Brown (Servite, Anaheim)

State Offensive End of the Year: Bryan Brown (Yuba City)

State Lineman of the Year: Bob Whitfield (Banning, Wilmington)

State Linebacker of the Year: Erik Simien (Serra, Gardena)

State Defensive Back of the Year: Tommie Smith (Antelope Valley, Lancaster)

Individual Scoring Leader: Scott Garcia (Rancho Buena Vista, Vista) 222 pts. (36 TDs, 13 gms.)

Individual Rushing Leader: Garcia -- 2,565 yds. (13 gms.)

Individual Passing Leader: David Lowery (Trabuco Hills, Mission Viejo) 3,325 yds. (14 gms.)

Individual Touchdown Pass Leader: McKinley -- 44 TDs (11 gms.)
   
Individual Receiving Yardage Leader: Jason Lucky (St. Bernard, Playa del Rey) 1,465 yds. (78 rec., 11 gms.)

CalHiSports.com Nickname of the Year: Errol "Quicksilver" Sapp  (Carson) RB

Previous Seasons:

Season in Review (1987)
Season in Review (1986)
Season in Review (1985) 

Note: The above list of reported signers includes players that signed with Div. I-A or Div. I-AA programs; does not include Div. II, Div. III or NAIA. For additions, comments or corrections, send email to ronnie@studentsports.com. To view our various state player of the year lists going back to the late 1800s, our all-time state rankings going back to 1975 and our various all-state teams (first team, second team, medium schools, small schools, underclass, sophomore) going back to 1980, consider ordering the seventh edition of the CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac. For ordering info, call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4431. If you love the content on our site, you'll love the book, so order your copy today.