Players Are New but Nothing Is Lost

One dominant pitcher can make all the difference in high school softball. It isn’t unusual to see a team excel for a year or two behind one standout pitcher. Once she graduates, the team usually sinks back into the pack while another rises to the top behind another outstanding pitcher.

El Camino Real High has been an exception. The stars come and go, but Coach Neils Ludlow and the Conquistadores continue to stay at the top of the City 4-A Division.

Despite losing four starters from last year’s team, El Camino Real has extended its state-record winning streak to 54 games with an 18-0 record this season. The Conquistadores attempt to win their fourth consecutive City title today at 2:30 p.m. when they meet Canoga Park at Cal State Northridge.

Canoga Park and El Camino Real met twice this season, with the Conquistadores winning both times, 2-1 and 3-1.

The last City team to win three straight championships was Fremont, from 1946 to 1948. No team has ever won four in a row. Perhaps the key to El Camino Real’s success over the past four seasons is the program’s depth. The Conquistadors haven’t relied on any single player.

“Some of the other teams have quality pitchers, but they don’t have the people to back them up,” Ludlow said.

That’s not to say that Ludlow has all hitters and not much pitching. Sophomore Beth Silverman has earned all 18 wins this season, allowing only one earned run.

Silverman is a dominant force, but she wouldn’t be pitching in the championship game if it weren’t for her supporting cast, Ludlow said. El Camino Real takes a .350 team batting average into today’s game.

“She has quality people to go with her; that’s one of the key things for us,” Ludlow said. “In the close games, that has been a deciding factor.”

Canoga Park Coach Joey Nakasone, who has his own standout pitcher in De Dow (16-3), acknowledges that balance makes El Camino Real a formidable opponent.

“They have more depth overall,” he said. “They’ve always had more depth. Some of their JVs could start on a lot of varsity teams.”

The future looks bright for the Conquistadores. Six of their nine starters are underclassmen. Two freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors and only three seniors start for El Camino Real. Still, the team is stocked with players with playoff experience.

“I’m hoping that one of the edges will be our experience,” Ludlow said.

Whether it’s experience, talent or even luck, one thing is certain: The Conquistadores continue to win.

Ludlow is content to enjoy the streak while it lasts. The way things are going, you’d think he earns a commission on championship rings.

“I’m realistic enough to know, though, that it can’t go on forever,” he said. “Eventually, it’s going to end.”

Ludlow just hopes that it won’t end today.

Beauty behind the mask: Canoga Park catcher Paula Allen has a busy week ahead of her.

She will be behind the plate today at Cal State Northridge for her team’s City championship game against El Camino Real. Afterward, she sheds her shin guards and catcher’s mask in favor of a gown and makeup.

Allen, a senior, has been named as a finalist in the California Miss U.S. Teen Pageant, which will be held Saturday at the Amfac Hotel in Los Angeles. If she wins, she qualifies for the national pageant in August in Indiana.

Add Allen: Because of her commitment to appear in the pageant, Allen will miss an all-star game on 1 p.m. Saturday at Cal State Northridge between 12th-grade players from the Southern Section and the City. The game feature 17 Valley-area players.

The Southern Section team includes: Robin Blair and Delores Decker of Newbury Park, Kim Glavey, Debra Rabin and Cheli Brown of Royal, Robin Long of Alemany, Leslie Plank of Burbank and Cristy Davis of Burroughs.

The City team includes: Lisa Mahl and Debbie Onestinghel of El Camino Real, Diane Nichols of Cleveland, Sheryl Uphoff of Reseda, Kristi Barber and Toni DeSain of Granada Hills, Pauline Madrid and Krissy Erickson of Kennedy and Dow of Canoga Park.

Burbank Coach Chris Krohn will head the Southern Section team. Ludlow will coach the City team.

For the record: If Granada Hills defeats Grant Thursday in the City 4-A championship baseball game, Coach Darryl Stroh will tie the record for the most City baseball titles won by a coach.

Les Haserot won six championships at Fremont from 1939 to 1948. Stroh, who won his first title in 1975, is undefeated in five title games.

“It doesn’t mean that much,” Stroh said about the possibility of tying Haserot. “I’d like to do it, because I want to win. As for it being anything real important in my life, it’s not.”

Big league contract: Pitcher Dana Ridenour, the City 4-A player of the year at Sylmar High in 1983, has signed with the New York Yankees, the major league club announced on Monday.

Ridenour, a 16th-round selection in the regular phase of last week’s amateur draft, will be assigned to Class-A Oneonta of the New York-Penn League.

As a junior this spring at UCLA, Ridenour posted a 1-2 record with six saves and a 3.70 earned-run average. As a senior at Sylmar in 1983, he was 12-4 and hit .486 to lead the Spartans to the City championship game.

Donnie Rea of Agoura High was named the Frontier League and Ventura County Division II baseball player of the year. Rea, a senior, was 6-1 with a 1.56 ERA and hit .400. He struck out 46 batters in 45 innings.