Barnes brings Los Al flavor to Eagles

Rick Devereux

Football at Estancia High has suffered some pretty lean years

following the departure of Dave Perkins as head coach following the

2000 season.

The Eagles have gone 8-31 in the four seasons since Perkins left,

including a 1-9 year and an 0-9 campaign.

But momentum has shifted slightly as Craig Fertig had Estancia

playing hard with discipline on the field and in the classroom the

last two seasons.

Newly hired Coach Brian Barnes wanted to take the momentum created

and build a winning program during recent spring football practices.

“We wanted to use spring as a time to teach fundamentals,” Barnes

said. “We want to teach them how to win and how to be winners. They

need to learn how to care for each other and come together as a

team.”

The Eagles went 4-6 last year under Fertig using the I-formation

on offense and four defensive linemen and four linebackers on

defense.

Barnes, playing his cards close to the vest, said the Eagles will

run multiple formations on offense and a defensive set featuring four

linemen with three linebackers.

He said more than 60 athletes have participated in spring

football, which concluded with the intrasquad Cardinal and Gold game

at Newport Harbor High.

Barnes was a former standout at Los Alamitos under the winningest

coach in Orange County, his dad John Barnes. The son said his father

has been instrumental in helping Brian transition into his new role.

“He has been a wonderful mentor to me,” Barnes said. “He is truly

my best friend. He has come out to our practices on his days off to

help and to watch. A Griffin [the Los Al mascot] is part eagle, so I

consider him part of our Eagle family here.”

John and Brian Barnes are not the only Los Al links at Estancia.

Jimmy Barnes, a quarterback who will play for the University of

Alabama in the fall after leading the Griffins to the CIF Southern

Section Division I final against Long Beach Poly last season, helped

out his big brother with the quarterbacks.

Wayne Schmida will be the defensive coordinator for Estancia after

spending the past three years on the Los Al staff.

Robert Trice, who was a longtime assistant at Los Al before

recently teaching in Hollywood, is the new offensive coordinator.

Ed Dominguez, who coached and played at Los Al, will be the

offensive and defensive line coach.

About the only member of the coaching staff not affiliated

previously with Los Al is Brandon Thorton, who played at Marina High

before playing for Wingate University in North Carolina. Thorton will

coach the receivers and defensive backs.

Fertig, who threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Rod Sherman

in USC’s 20-17 upset of previously unbeaten Notre Dame at the

Coliseum in 1964, took the Estancia players to watch the Trojans

practice.

Barnes has taken the Eagles to see the Griffins practice.

“It went wonderfully,” Barnes said. “I was worried it might be

funky because [the Los Al players] are kids just like they are, but

the pace of the Los Al practice is second to none. For 99% of them,

playing in college is unrealistic. I think they needed to see kids

their own age practicing at a high level. I think it was one of the

best things we could have done.”

Barnes said there were no major injuries during spring session and

he is looking for seniors-to-be Ryan Watson, Ezequiel Villalvazo and

Nelson Leon to be the leaders as the top returners from last year.

Additionally, Barnes said he was impressed with Travis Todd at

defensive end. Todd has not played football since his freshman year.

Barnes also lauded the efforts of soon-to-be junior Tim Morley.

“We have some tough kids,” Barnes said. “I’m impressed with the

kids and how great they responded to the pace we’re making them work

at.”