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Eagles hope to scratch 20-year itch

Barry Faulkner

FULLERTON - Punk rock was raging, a peanut farmer had just been

elected President and Dick Vermeil sobbed weekly in the Philadelphia

Eagles’ locker room, en route to his first Super Bowl.

And, oh by the way, the Estancia High football team won a CIF Southern

Section playoff game.

Twenty years later, hip-hop is hot, the presidential election has

taken on a shelf life and Vermeil is resting comfortably in retirement

after his St. Louis Rams captured pro football’s ultimate prize.

And Estancia is still awaiting its next taste of postseason success.

“Our players weren’t even born yet and I was an assistant coach at La

Sierra High School,” Estancia Coach Dave Perkins said of the 1980

milestone, which his Eagles hope to equal by defeating first-round CIF

Division IX host Fullerton Friday at 7 p.m.

“We’ve talked about getting to the playoffs and getting a chance to

get a win,” Perkins said. “This would be a big one.”

The Eagles (7-3) earned their first playoff game since 1995 with a

second-place finish in the Pacific Coast League. They were ranked No. 10

in the final Division IX poll.

The Indians (8-2), ranked No. 6 in the final Division poll, finished

second in the Freeway League.

Fullerton, which has won more football games (436) than Estancia has

played (356), also has as many CIF championships (three) as the Eagles

have playoff wins.

Fullerton won its first section crown in 1918, adding titles in 1927

and 1984. It lost in the title game in ‘19, ’50 and ’82.

But Estancia is more interested in making history than learning it.

“We’re trying to be the ones to bring Estancia back up,” said senior

Andy Romo, who leads the Eagles in rushing (988 yards on 134 carries),

receptions (24 for 258 yards) and touchdowns (15).

Romo, combined with senior fullback Fahad Jahid (921 rushing yards and

nine TDs), senior quarterback Kenny Valbuena (1,211 yards and eight TDs

passing with only two interceptions in 129 attempts) and senior tight end

David Stoddard (averaging 25.5 yards on 23 catches), the Eagles have set

a school single-season scoring record of 305 points.

“Our offense is hard to stop,” said Perkins, whose unit, coming off a

62-point windfall against Laguna Beach, will face a Fullerton defense

that allowed just 97 points, fourth-fewest in Orange County.

“(The Indians) are really athletic and they really run to the ball,”

Perkins said. “It’s going to be a heck of a hitting game, because both

teams hit. There should be a lot of collisions.”

Coach Julien Smilowitz, 48-47-1 in his nine seasons at Fullerton, also

boasts a balanced and productive offense.

Junior quarterback Michael Echaves, in his second season as the

starter, has already eclipsed the school career passing yardage record

with 2,399. This fall, the 5-foot-11, 170-pounder is 93 of 162 (57.4%)

for 1,291 yards and 17 TDs with only two interceptions.

Ryan Murray, another junior, keys the running game with 1,086 yards on

116 carries. He has 14 touchdowns.

Daniel Fells, a 6-5, 215-pound senior, will be the primary challenge

for an improving Estancia secondary. He has 41 catches for 620 yards (a

15.1 average).

Estancia’s flex defense, which has surrendered 232 points and more

than 2,900 yards this fall, will counter with linebackers Ivan Garcia,

Jahid and Bobby Arroyo, as well as end David Rodriguez (seven sacks).

The teams share two common opponents. Fullerton defeated Magnolia,

42-6, and Santa Ana Valley, 38-0. Estancia topped Magnolia, 25-8, but was

upset by Santa Ana Valley, 35-28.

The Eagles have lost four first-round games since that 1980 triumph,

while Fullerton was 3-4 in the playoffs in the 1990s, including a trip to

the semifinals in ’95 and a quarterfinal appearance in ’98.

Friday’s winner advances to the quarterfinals to meet either No.

3-seeded Brea Olinda or Baldwin Park.

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