SPORTS SHORTS (notes and quotes)

ALUMNI: (A look at some former area prep coaches and where they are today.) Brian Gimmillaro--He was 142-15 as a girls volleyball coach at Gahr HS before taking the head job at CS Long Beach. He recently guided the 49ers to a seventh-place finish (out of 16 teams) in a national tournament at UCLA. The 49ers are expected to compete for the PCAA title this year.

SUPER FAN: Ron Palmer--The former Poly HS basketball coach now at Cal State Long Beach is still a regular viewer at Jackrabbit sporting events. He is an ardent supporter of Poly football and often spends his time in the press box during games at Veterans Stadium.

FOOTBALL INJURY REPORT: Dominguez HS--Three bothway starters went down with injuries in the first quarter of a 10-6 San Gabriel Valley League win over Cerritos two weeks ago. Injured were OG/DE Cedric Cleveland (knee) OL/DE Sam McCall (ankle) and DT/OL Navarro Jones (ankle). All are doubtful for the remainder of the year. The Dons are 5-2.

Wilson HS--The Bruins had just 23 men in uniform last week due to injuries. Wilson was drubbed by Jordan, 34-0, and faces defending Moore League co-champion Poly HS Friday night.

Bell HS--In a 7-7 tie with Los Angeles HS last week, the Eagles welcomed back some of the 8 starters lost to injury in a pre-season game with Garfield.

PENALTIES: PARAMOUNT HS--In upping its overall record to 6-1 with a 21-7 San Gabriel Valley League win over Dominguez HS last week the Pirates combined with their opponent for 250 yards in penalties. “I’ve neer been in a game with that many penalties before,” said Paramount Coach Ken Sutch. The teams were flagged 25 times. Paramount (3-0 in league) is at winless Gahr HS Friday. Dominguez (2-1) is at Warren HS.

WHAT’S IN A (NICK)NAME: Lancers--A sample of the dilemma faced by game announcer Charlie LoCommare last week when the Bell Gardens Lancers hosted the La Serna Lancers in a Whitmont League game won by Bell Gardens. 9-7, on a field goal with 15 seconds remaining: “Fumble. . . Ball recovered by the Lancers at the Lancer 38-yard line. . . .First and 10 for the Lancers on the Lancer 38.”

RECRUITING: Victor Elliott--Cal-Hi Sports of Sacramento placed the 6-4, 205-pound Poly HS linebacker on its “should be seriously looked at” list of prospective high school football players.

TIME/SITE CHANGES: Bell Gardens HS--The Lancers host Santa Fe HS tonight in a Whitmont League football game. The game was originally scheduled to be held on Friday night.

Poly HS--The Jackrabbits host Jordan HS Nov. 7 in a Moore League football game at Wilson HS, not Veterans Stadium as originally announced.

PRESS PASSES: Bell Gardens HS--The response of a ticket-taker at the gate of the La Serna-Bell Gardens football game after being shown an official Southern Section press pass by a reporter seeking entrance into the stadium: “I don’t know what that (the pass) is, but you can go in anyway.”

CLOSE GAMES: South Gate HS--In six football games the school has been involved in three one-point and one two-point decisions. The Rams have been on the losing end of three of those contests. Both of its Eastern League losses were by one point.

TOP PERFORMANCES: Eric Rubalcaba, Rio Hondo CC--The former Times all-Southeast quarterback from Schurr HS passed for 367 yards and 4 touchdowns last week to lead the Roadrunners to their second win of the year, 38-37, over visiting Chaffey College. Since coming off the bench a three weeks ago Rubalcaba has thrown nine TD passes.

Miguel Padilla, Rio Hondo CC--He’s the receiver and high school teammate of Rubalcaba’s that has caught 30 passes for 566 yards and 8 TD in football action this year.

Kojuan Williams, Paramount--The quarterback has rushed for 7 TD and passed for 10 more this year.

John Sung, La Serna--Despite being shut out in La Serna’s 9-7 loss to Bell Gardens last week, the senior has been an all-around performer for the Lancers this season. He’s scored on three pass receptions, two kickoff returns (88 and 84 yards), a punt return (72 yards) and has kicked 18 extra points.

Sean Evans, Long Beach--The 25-year old distance runner finished second overall last weekend in the Foot Locker Partners 8K Race at Griffith Park.

Carol Keller, Long Beach--At 26 years old she was the second woman to cross the finish line in the Partners race and the 16th person to finish overall.

STREAKS: Santa Fe HS--The Chiefs’ 16-game losing streak--longest in the Southern Section--was put on hold last week when a Whitmont League game with Whittier HS was postponed. (See accompanying story, this section).

Gahr HS--The Gladiators have not won this season. The team is 0-7.

Cerritos College--A 17-10 win over Long Beach CC last week was the seventh consecutive over the Vikings. Long Beach now has two losses since opening the year with four straight wins.

Lynwood HS--Upped its San Gabriel Valley League win streak to 33 games with a 21-7 victory over Warren HS last week. Lynwood hosts Cerritos Friday.

Mayfair HS--The Monsoons beat Bellflower, 12-8, last week and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Buccaneers. Under first-year Coach Leon Ward Mayfair (3-3-1) has won more games this season than in the past three years combined.

Valley Christian HS--After a 28-0 victory over Whittier Christian the Crusaders have won 11 straight Olympic League games. VC’s last league loss was to WC, 17-0, in 1984.

Compton College--The last victory for the Tartars (0-6 this season) in football was against Hancock College, 34-10, in 1985. That’s a losing streak of 8 games. Compton, 4-32 since 1983, is at El Camino Saturday night.

(Sports Shorts is a weekly feature of Sportsbeat. To contribute call 924-8600.)