St. Monica High revealed its football schedule. The Mariners open at against Venice Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. Then St. Monica is at Paraclete Sept. 15, home against Northwood Sept. 23 and at Bosco Tech Sept. 30.

In October St. Monica is home against Mary Star on the 6th, at University on the 13th (3 p.m.), at Hamilton on the 20th (3 p.m.) and at Verbum Dei on the 28th (1:30 p.m.).

The regular season concludes with two home games, Nov. 3 against vs. Cathedral and Nov. 10 vs. La Salle. Since St. Monica doesn't have a football field it plays home games at St. Bernard High in Westchester.

Ex-SMC Star Gasca Begins Head Coaching Career

By Mitch Chortkoff

When Angelo Gasca played quarterback for Santa Monica College he didn't have the strongest arm but knew how to win. Gasca was the conference Player of the Year in 1980.

He had come from Venice High, where he quarterbacked the Gondoliers to the Western League championship.

His future was in coaching. First as an assistant at SMC, then C.W. Post and Northern Illinois. And, finally back home to Venice High.

After learning as an assistant to Tony Chretin, Gasca has moved up to head coach. Chretin retired from coaching after 26 years but remains at Venice High in administrative capacities.

Oh, besides being the head coach at Venice Gasca doubles as a teacher at SMC.

``I've learned from the best,'' said Gasca. ``Chretin, Al Dellinger, Ralph Vidal, Owen Hahn, Kirk Alexander, Pat Young.''

Chretin, Dellinger and Alexander were Venice High head coaches. Vidal, Hahn and Young worked at SMC, all with distinction.

``We're going to have a good team because we have talent and the kids are willing to work hard,'' said Gasca.

Whether or not Venice is good can be determined early locally. Venice opens its season at St. Monica Sept. 8. Two weeks later it will host Santa Monica High.

Gasca has developed some themes.

``We keep saying `We don't want much, we just want all you have,''' he said. ``We're concerned about ourselves and being in the right frame of mind.''

And what about the tough teams on the schedule?

``We have to play them but they have to play us too,'' he said.

What happens early may determine what happens all season. A year ago Venice and St. Monica were locked in a tight struggle into the fourth quarter. St. Monica led, 7-6.

But Venice was able to score on a long drive to win the game. Venice went on to a fine season while St. Monica went 1-9.

``I'm trying to do the same thing for these kids that being at Venice has done for me,'' said Gasca. ``We try to teach them lessons and values that are going to carry them through life. Then these guys go back into the community and teach others.''

Gasca has special praise for Chretin.

``I came to count on him in my life,'' he said. ``He taught us how to focus on our job and do the very best we could all the time.''