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Excitement around Estancia abounds

RICK DEVEREUX

It takes a lot of time, energy and money to run a high school

football program. Getting restaurants to donate food for pregame

meals, finding people to put together the programs, raising funds for

equipment: All of these things are just but the tip of the iceberg

for any football program.

Donations are easier to find, programs are prepared faster, and

equipment is updated more regularly if the school has a winning

tradition.

The situation at Estancia High has been less than ideal. The

Eagles have had 15 seasons of above .500 football in the 39-year

history of the program with an overall winning percentage of .415

(161-214-13). During that time, it was difficult for coaches to get

even basic needs filled.

The addition of Craig Fertig as the head coach before the 2003

season created a sense that things are turning around for the Eagles.

When he was first hired, Fertig, a former assistant with two national

championship USC teams in 1967 and ‘72, told the Daily Pilot he

wanted to instill pride into the players.

“I want this to be a program where people say ‘Wow! I want to be a

part of that,’ ” he said. “We want to make something special. At

least they won’t be embarrassed.”

The Eagles were 3-7 last season, an improvement from the 1-18

record the team accumulated from 2001 to 2002. Estancia is currently

2-2, with the losses coming to Corona del Mar, No. 5 in CIF Southern

Section Division IX, and Orange, No. 4 in Division VII.

“Everybody can tell Estancia is a different team than what it has

been in the past,” senior Daniel Cheesboro said following the 23-21

loss to Orange last week.

It seems that everyone, from the players to the parents to the

community as a whole, can tell Estancia is a different team.

“The booster club meetings used to be just the executive board

members,” booster club vice president Bill Redding said. “Now there

are even parents of freshmen players attending. There has been a

180-degree turnaround in just a year’s time. We’re starting to see

the community donate to the program.”

A seven-man blocking sled was obtained in the off-season, along

with new uniforms and pregame meal sponsors. While things are

improving -- a big-screen TV is being donated to help in film study

-- the Estancia coaching staff is still in need of basic equipment.

There is only one stopwatch for the program, for example.

Redding said the booster club used to come to the coach with a

list of items donated, but the increased community involvement has

allowed for more flexibility.

“Now Fertig can give us a priority list of what he needs instead

of us just giving him whatever,” Redding said.

The sense of excitement stems from Fertig, a legend in USC circles

for throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to Rod Sherman at the

Los Angeles Coliseum in a 21-17 victory over previously unbeaten and

top-ranked Notre Dame.

“When you’ve been down for so long, like this program has been,

it’s hard to think about winning,” Fertig said. “That’s the hardest

part, changing everyone’s mentality.”

At a recent team meeting, Sean Boulton, the school’s vice

principal, talked to the team about the sense of pride the rest of

the students, the administration and the community felt in how tough

Estancia played Orange.

“The rest of the league coaches picked you guys to finish last,

but you went out there and every single one of you gave 100%,”

Boulton said. “I’ve been getting phone calls all day from people that

want to say congratulations.”

Things are indeed turning around for the Estancia program. Redding

presented a game ball to the team before Monday’s practice, but it

wasn’t any ordinary game ball. The Estancia trophy case was raided a

few years ago and the game ball from the first Estancia-Costa Mesa

meeting in 1966, a 14-13 Eagles’ victory, was “borrowed.” A family

friend stopped by Redding’s house Saturday and returned the ball,

which was signed by the entire 1966 Estancia team.

“I think it’s an omen that things are coming back to the program,”

Redding said. “They haven’t had a winning record in a while, but I

think that’s going to change.”

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