Hence to Resign as Monroe Baseball Coach Following Season

Bill Hence, baseball coach at Monroe High, will step down as the Vikings’ coach after this season to pursue a degree in law.

Kevin Campbell, a junior varsity coach at Sylmar, has been named to take Hence’s place.

Hence, 33, will enter Whittier College in August after earning a master’s degree in administration from UCLA’s graduate school in June. He already has a master’s degree in education from Cal State Los Angeles.

“I’m gonna take a break (from coaching) for a couple of years,” Hence said. “I’ll still teach social studies and history at Monroe and probably help out in the athletic director’s office.”

Hence, who has been varsity coach four seasons at Monroe, said he reached the decision last summer.

Monroe opens the City 4-A playoffs next Friday at Grant.

Kaplan, Ban Named All-District

Paul Kaplan and Mark Ban of Cal State Northridge were selected this week to the NCAA Division II All-District 8 baseball team.

The first baseman Kaplan hit .410. Left fielder Ban hit .337.

In addition to the two Matador selections, three players from Sacramento State, and two players each from Cal Poly Pomona and UC Riverside.

Selected from Sacramento State were third baseman Kevin Kobza, a .466 hitter, center fielder Deron Curran, who hit .435, and pitcher Steve Brueggemann, who had a 13-2 record.

Picked from Cal Poly Pomona were second baseman John Love (.410) and pitcher Mike Munoz (15-6). UC Riverside selections were catcher Pat Britt (.361) and designated-hitter Ty Dabney (.427).

Rounding out the first team were shortstop Mike Halasz of Chapman (.281), right fielder Monty Waltz of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (.399) and pitcher Jim Pena of Cal State Dominguez Hills (10-3).

Race Through Topanga Canyon

The seventh-annual Topanga 10K run will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at Trippett Ranch in Topanga State Park. The course, which weaves through Topanga Canyon along park hiking and fire trails, will have water and aid stations and a mounted patrol.

There’s an entrance fee of $10, which includes a T-shirt for all participants. Proceeds of the event will benefit the Topanga Community Woman’s Club.

Information: (213) 455-3720.

American Legion Baseball Begins

The Conjeo Valley American Legion will begin its baseball season Saturday with a three-day tournament at Westlake High. The tournament runs through Monday.

The event will match local teams against teams from eastern Los Angeles County. Westlake-Agoura vs. San Dimas will be the first game at 9:30 a.m. Conejo Valley vs. El Monte will follow at noon, Simi Valley vs. Pomona at 2:30 p.m. and Oxnard vs. Rosemead at 5 p.m. Winners and losers will be paired for games on Sunday and Monday.

The American Legion teams feature all-star high school and junior college players from the area competing on six teams: Camarillo, Ventura, Conejo Valley, Simi Valley, Oxnard and Westlake-Agoura.

Information: (818) 991-2131

Groff to Race in Indianapollis

Northridge driver Mike Groff is in Indianapolis, awaiting his second race of the 12-race Sports Car Club of America Formula Super Vee season.

The race is Saturday night at Indianapolis Raceway Park, a track about three miles from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the Indy 500 will take place Sunday.

“We got some mechanical ideas after practice,” Groff said by telephone. “Our confidence is up for this one. We’re going to surprise some people.”