Brown Making Early Progress at Washington

Early indications are that the decision to leave Long Beach Jordan a semester before the rest of the class of 1986 is working out well for defensive lineman Dennis Brown, at least from a football standpoint.

Reports from the University of Washington are that Brown, an all-star on the local, state and national level last season, has lost nine pounds from his check-in weight of 305 and already has jumped from fourth-team defensive tackle to second team in the two weeks of spring practice. And that he could go higher still.

“It appears as though he is ready to help the team as a freshman,” Husky Coach Don James said. “In rating our defensive linemen, he is probably among the top four or five right now and may be able to get to three. But as long as he’s in the top six, that means he will be on the first or second team and seeing plenty of action.

“Of course, I thought he’d be good, but I’m surprised at how mature he is already and how good he is at picking things up, especially for a freshman. We have sophomores and juniors who are having problems grasping some of the things he is (doing) now.”

Trevin Moore, All-Southern Section running back who took a similar route this year by leaving Riverside Rubidoux early in favor of Washington spring workouts, separated his shoulder in a noncontact drill April 9 and is expected to miss the rest of the early practices.

He was considering a switch to cornerback in hopes of making the second team, but James said that Moore will be allowed to return to running back if things don’t work out, although his spot on the depth chart would not be as attractive.

Another L.A.-area player, quarterback Le-Lo Lang of Jordan, an All-City pick in 1984, is in camp with a sore ankle and sore shoulder after being involved in a car accident about five weeks ago. A red-shirt freshman, he is No. 3 on the depth chart, but still slowed by the injuries.

Chances are pretty good that boys’ and girls’ basketball and girls’ volleyball will be expanded from three to five divisions starting with next season. A vote will be taken at a meeting in Sacramento in May.

Such a change would be especially beneficial for the Southern Section, which starts with six division champions. The City 3-A schools would probably welcome it, too, since they have yet to win a game in Division I competition in the regionals.

So you think you know baseball, high school brand: The free-substitution rule can make for some confusing scorebooks at times, as witnessed in a game between Granada Hills and Westchester earlier this season.

Mark Kessler pitched the first six innings for Granada Hills, then was taken out at the start of the seventh with a 7-2 lead. The relief pitcher gave up two walks, two hits, a sacrifice fly and two runs, which made the next batter the potential game-tying run.

Highlander Coach Darryl Stroh then brought Kessler back in from first base to pitch. He gave up a hit for another Westchester run, which made the score 7-5, but retired the next two batters, preserving his victory.

Should he also get credit for a save?

Credit Kessler with a win, but not a save. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations rule book, the same pitcher cannot get both. And, of course, there has to be a winning pitcher.

Simi Valley is the No. 1 baseball team in the country in the latest poll by Collegiate Baseball, but the Pioneers are ranked second in the San Fernando Valley behind Granada Hills by both the The Times’ Valley edition and the Daily News.

Three other Southern California teams are in Collegiate Baseball’s top 20. Redondo is 6th, Lakewood 11th and Anaheim Esperanza 20th.

The fourth annual Community Cage all-star basketball game, to benefit Mid-Cities Assn. for retarded children, will be played Saturday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The girls’ game, with Cynthia Cooper coaching the East and Kathy Hammond Cotton the West, will begin at 6 p.m. The boys are scheduled for 8, with Maurice Williams and Larry Hollyfield coaching the East, and Gary Maloncon and Ralph Jackson the West.

Emory Lewis of San Bernardino, Bryant Walton of Santa Ana Saddleback, Kevin Walker of Brea-Olinda, Elden Campbell of Inglewood Morningside, Dion Brown of Crenshaw and Keith Harris of Santa Monica are scheduled to compete in the boys’ game.

The girls’ lineup includes Geannine Jordan of Pasadena Muir, Linda Staley of Palmdale and Stacy Parson of Granada Hills Kennedy.