Taft, Kennedy Are Far Ahead in Arms Race

Kennedy High quarterback Calvin Zinck and his counterpart at Taft, Nick DiPadova, have a lot in common. Both are returning starters being counted on to lead their teams with their arms--and their heads--to the Northwest Valley Conference championship.

Installed as starters last year, both came out of nowhere to have productive seasons.

Zinck was a little-used backup--he threw two passes as a sophomore--thrust into the starting position after Dan McMullen graduated. With established players Damion Thompson and Antwane Smith running the offense, Zinck took a back seat in the leadership department.

“I didn’t talk much in the huddle,” Zinck said. “I let the other guys do the leading.”

Still, Zinck had more experience at quarterback than DiPadova. DiPadova had played on the Toreador frosh-soph team as a receiver when Coach Troy Starr tabbed DiPadova as the new quarterback.

“He had character,” Starr said. “That’s what we needed.”

Both stumbled occasionally but finished with successful seasons. DiPadova’s consistency helped a young Taft team to a second-place finish in league play and a City Section 4-A Division playoff berth.

After completing two of seven passes in the first game, Zinck gradually improved, leading the Golden Cougars to an undefeated regular season and the semifinals of the City Section 4-A playoffs.

Taft and Kennedy are overwhelming favorites to remain at the top of the conference and both quarterbacks have a deep pool of offensive talent to complement their skills.

Zinck has the best tandem of receivers--seniors Waking Bailey and Aaron Lewis.

Jaret Harris (5 feet 7, 139 pounds) will replace Smith at tailback but Kennedy Coach Bob Francola expects more of a switch to the passing game.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Calvin throws for over 300 yards against Quartz Hill [in the season opener on Friday],” Francola said. “It could be that kind of year for him.”

Zinck (6-2, 220) showed a solid rapport with his receivers in winning the Valley College seven-on-seven passing tournament in the summer, beating pass-happy schools Westlake and Hart.

Zinck must be reliable while the Golden Cougar defense is retooled to replace all-conference selections Thompson, Karalus Doyle and Semisi Umufuke.

Byron Williams (6-1, 205) will replace Thompson, a three-year starter at linebacker; Gary Goss and Tommy Gales will add depth in the secondary but Francola is still searching for a replacement for Umufuke, a pass-rushing end-tackle-linebacker who led Kennedy in sacks last year.

The Toreadors are the only conference team that can match up with Kennedy at the skill positions. Junior Sedric Hurns, Taft’s leading receiver last season, moves to tailback to replace Donald Carpenter (1,214 yards rushing), who transferred to Sylmar after being kicked off the team last spring.

Hurns will split time with sophomore MarquisBrignac , who starred on he frosh-soph team last season. Both bring an element of breakaway speed that Carpenter lacked.

DiPadova (6 feet, 180) will throw to a group of new receivers, all transfers from area schools. They include Damon Coleman, who led Van Nuys in receptions last year, former Montclair Prep starter Keith Johnson and Ryan Long, who played baseball at Taft before attending Faith Baptist for one year. All have impressed Starr in early workouts.

“Nick is in a position to have a really big year,” Starr said. “With receivers like this, he’ll show he’s the best quarterback in the City.”

Behind Kennedy and Taft lie several potential 4-A playoff teams.

The best returning running back might be El Camino Real’s Quincy Wright. The 5-10, 170-pound junior steadily improved over the second half of the season, finishing with 1,048 yards rushing. The development of junior quarterback Aaron Fredette and a sizable offensive line will mark the Conquistadores’ progress.

Birmingham returns nearly everyone from a 3-A playoff team that improved drastically in the second half. The Braves boast the conference’s biggest back, 6-3 1/2, 238-pound Emmanuel Evans, who rushed for 971 yards in 1995 despite being slowed by a back injury.

San Fernando had to forfeit five victories last season for using two ineligible players and was left out of the playoffs with a 2-8 record.

The Tigers must replace several skill position standouts, including multipurpose backs Keijuan Douglas and Brandon Campbell. Junior Sean Atkins and sophomore Terrell Stanley, a transfer from Cleveland, will get the first chance.

The other three teams face rebuilding projects just to make the 3-A playoffs. Cleveland lost nearly everyone from its 4-A playoff team of 1995.

The Cavaliers return quarterback Jared Mills, who will throw to several inexperienced receivers.

Chatsworth and Granada Hills, both out of the playoffs last season, could face another long season with depth problems.

The Chancellors’ top running back from 1995, Ron Atkins, transferred to L.A. Baptist, leaving receiver LaRon Buckner as the only experienced offensive threat.

Granada Hills is coming off one of the worst seasons in school history, having been outscored in 10 losses, 347-110.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: Kennedy safety Waking Bailey (5 feet 10, 170 pounds) is one of the top defensive backs in the area and has intercepted 15 passes over the past two seasons. His senior teammate Jaret Harris (5-7, 139) moves from cornerback to tailback, where he gained more than 11 yards a carry in limited action last season. El Camino Real junior Quincy Wright was one of most improved tailbacks in the City Section the second half of the season, rushing for 1,048 yards and 10 touchdowns for the year. Six starting quarterbacks return--Calvin Zinck (Kennedy), Nick DiPadova (Taft), Scott Doherty (Birmingham), Jared Mills (Cleveland), Ricky Mathiesen (Granada Hills) and Ryan Martinez (Chatsworth).

* THE PROMISING: San Fernando junior running back Sean Atkins (5-7, 150) led the Tigers’ frosh-soph team to the conference title last year. Sophomore defensive end Reggie Kinlaw (6-1, 185) is the son of the former Oakland Raider player of the same name. Aaron Fredette (6-0, 175) takes over at quarterback at El Camino Real, replacing senior Shaun Fishman, who is concentrating on baseball. Kennedy senior Byron Williams (6-1, 205) will take over for three-year starter Damion Thompson at linebacker.

* FAST FACT: No conference school has won the City Section 4-A Division title since Granada Hills upset Carson in 1987.

Northwest Valley Conference Schedules

El Camino Real

Sept. 12--North Hollywood

at Canoga Park High

Sept. 20--at Chaminade

Sept. 27--at Canoga Park

Oct. 4--at Taft

Oct. 11--at Chatsworth

Oct. 18--San Fernando

at Canoga Park

Oct. 25--at Kennedy

Nov. 1--at Birmingham

Nov. 8--Cleveland at Taft

Nov. 15--at Granada Hills

Home Site

Canoga Park and Taft highs

Granada Hills

Sept. 12--Hart

at College of the Canyons

Sept. 20--Royal

Sept. 27--at Simi Valley

Oct. 4--*Chatsworth

Oct. 11--*at Taft

Oct. 18--*Birmingham

Oct. 25--*at Cleveland

Nov. 1--*at San Fernando

Nov. 8--*at Kennedy

Nov. 15--*El Camino Real

Home Site

Granada Hills High

Kennedy

Sept. 13--at Quartz Hill

Sept. 20--Carson

Sept. 27--at North Hollywood

Oct. 4--*Birmingham

Oct. 11--*at Cleveland

Oct. 18--*Chatsworth

Oct. 25--*El Camino Real

Nov. 1--*at Taft

Nov. 8--*Granada Hills

Nov. 15--*at San Fernando

Home Site

Kennedy High

San Fernando

Sept. 13--at Jefferson, 3 p.m.

Sept. 20--Westchester

Sept. 27--at Grant, 3 p.m.

Oct. 4--Cleveland

Oct. 11--*at Birmingham

Oct. 18--*El Camino Real

at Canoga Park High

Oct. 25--*Taft

Nov. 1--*Granada Hills

Nov. 8--*at Chatsworth

Nov. 15--*Kennedy

Home Site

San Fernando High

Taft

Sept. 12--Sylmar

Sept. 20--Fairfax

Sept. 27--at Dorsey

Oct. 4--*El Camino Real

Oct. 11--*Granada Hills

Oct. 18--*Cleveland

Oct. 25--*at San Fernando

Nov. 1--*Kennedy

Nov. 8--*at Birmingham

Nov. 15--*at Chatsworth

Home Site

Taft High

Birmingham

Sept. 12--Canoga Park

Sept. 20--University

Sept. 27--at Reseda

Oct. 4--*at Kennedy

Oct. 11--*San Fernando

Oct. 18--*at Granada Hills

7:15 p.m.

Oct. 25--*at Chatsworth

Nov. 1--*El Camino Real

Nov. 8--*Taft

Nov. 15--*at Cleveland

Home Site

Birmingham High

Chatsworth

Sept. 12--at Reseda,

7:30 p.m.

Sept. 20--Sylmar

Sept. 27--at Poly

Oct. 4--*at Granada Hills

Oct. 11--*El Camino Real

Oct. 18--*at Birmingham

Oct. 25--*Cleveland

Nov. 1--*Kennedy

Nov. 8--*San Fernando

Nov. 15--*Taft

Home Site

Chatsworth High

Cleveland

Sept. 13--at Eagle Rock,

3 p.m.

Sept. 20--Reseda

Sept. 27--Fairfax

Oct. 4--*at San Fernando

Oct. 11--*Kennedy

Oct. 18--*at Taft

Oct. 25--*Granada Hills

Nov. 1--*at Chatsworth

Nov. 8--*El Camino Real

Nov. 15--*Birmingham

Home Site

Cleveland High

*League games

Note: All games begin at 7 p.m. unless noted