By Phillip Brents

Posted Jan. 7, 2003

Al Schoffstall knows what playing a system can do after serving as an assistant coach for the Ventura Mariners during the Junior B team’s drive to win the 2000 national championship title in Minnesota.

He’s hoping to bring that same focus to the Escondido Cougars roller hockey club.

Thus far, it appears to be working. The Cougars opened the 2002-03 San Diego County High School Roller Hockey Conference by winning their first four games to establish themselves among the top 10 teams in the conference. Last season, the Cougars finished 2-8-1 and out of playoff contention.

"The kids are playing like a team. They’re building and growing from it -- going in the right direction. They see that now and are doing much better," said Schoffstall, who is coaching his second season with the team.

Maturity and sticking to a system appear to be paying dividends for a Cougar squad that appears yet to have its better days in the making.

"Last year, they were predominantly freshmen. We had one sophomore and one junior," said Schoffstall, who played college football at Cal Lutheran in Ventura and who also serves as an assistant football coach at the North County San Diego high school. "They had dominated their junior high league with strength and size rather than teamwork. We’ve worked to improve on the teamwork and strategy. We’re sticking to it even when it doesn’t work."

Standouts on this season’s Cougar squad include forwards Ryan Engstrom and Mat Schreyer, defensemen Nate DeWint and Keven Johnson and goaltender Colin Reischl. Engstrom, DeWint and Reischl are all sophomores while Johnson is a junior and Schreyer is a senior.

The Cougars jump-started the season with victories against Mission Bay, La Jolla, San Marcos and Fallbrook -- building a formidable 39-8 goal-differential in the process -- before tasting their fist loss of the season against the Vista Panthers in a matchup of unbeaten squads. The Cougars trailed the Panthers 4-2 entering the third period before Vista pulled away to win 7-3.

"We played about five minutes of bad hockey. They (the Panthers) capitalized on it," Schoffstall said.

The Cougars faced an equally tough test against three-time conference champion Monte Vista in their first game of 2003. While they came out on the short end of a 5-1 decision against the Monarchs to see their early season record fall to 4-2-0, the Cougars otherwise exemplified themselves well against the conference’s first and ongoing dynasty.

"That’s a good team," said Monte Vista’s Matt O’Brien in reference to the Cougars, who one day hope to copy the Monarchs’ formula for long-term success.

As the Escondido team continues to build, Schoffstall is dutifully watching the team tackle its short-term goals -- and meet them. "One of our goals is to get better every time we play. The other goal is teamwork. We strive to play in a system and stick with it -- whether it’s a diamond or a box. Another goal, of course, is to play tough, strong defense," he said.

The final grade on the Cougars' report card, of course, will be delivered at the end of the season. Hopefully, it will read: "promoted to playoffs."

Defending conference champion Rancho Bernardo is off to a 4-0-1 start to lead the Inland League ahead of runner-up Mt. Carmel (3-1-1) while Vista’s 4-0-1 start has put the Panthers in the lead of the North County League ahead of fellow contenders Escondido and Carlsbad. Monte Vista (3-1-2) appears headed for a showdown with St. Augustine (3-0-2) for the Southeast League title.

Playoffs start Feb. 19 and culminate with a championship game Feb. 28 at 7:15 p.m. at Skate San Diego in National City.