SPORT SHORTS : ELIGIBILITY LEGISLATION:

C Average--The State Department of Education is expected to release guidelines soon for applying California’s new eligibility standard, which takes effect Jan. 1. A bill providing that students in grades 7-12 maintain a 2.0 (“C”) grade point average on a 4.0 scale was recently signed into law by Governor Deukmejian. The bill was sponsored by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and applies to all extracurricular activities in public schools. Students not meeting the new standards would be forbidden from participating in after school events.

FOOTBALL: Leonard Russell, Poly HS--After a slow start, the highly touted running back from Poly HS has begun to show the form many expected from him. Last week against Wilson HS Russell gained 221 yards and scored 4 TD. He now has rushed for 831 yards and scored 12 TD. Poly is 3-0 and tied with Millikan for the Moore League lead. The Hares are 6-2 and have won four straight.

Oscar Meza, St. John Bosco--The St. John Bosco running back also scored 4 touchdowns rushing last week as the Braves (8-0) remained unbeaten with a 37-13 Del Rey League win over Notre Dame HS. Meza has scored 11 TD on the year. He is listed on the Cal-Hi Sports “should be seriously looked at” list.

Brad Alexander, La Mirada--The Matador running back gained nearly 200 yards last week in the Matadors’ 35-20 Suburban League win over Mayfair HS. He has rushed for 752 yards.

Reggie Kennedy, Bellflower--The Times all-area player at Bellflower HS intercepted two passes last week in Bellflower’s 28-14 upset win over Norwalk HS. Kennedy has picked off 5 passes this year, despite having broken his hand in two-a-day drills before the season began.

Titi Teo, Glenn HS--Despite his team’s 0-2-1 Suburban League record, the Glenn HS running back leads the league in rushing. He has gained 757 yards in eight games.

Benji Smith, Leffingwell Christian HS--The dynamic tailback scored 8 TD recently in an 8-man football game with Coast Christian HS of Redondo Beach. Only four players have scored that many TD in a game of less than 11 men in the state’s history.

Eugene Burkhalter, Poly HS--No surprise, despite an early season injury, Cal-Hi Sports lists the Jackrabbit defensive back on its “cream of the crop,” list.

Lolo James, Poly HS--Cal Hi says the Jackrabbit defensive back should be “seriously looked at” as one of the area’s best.

Brethren HS--The Warriors led 28-0 after the first quarter in a 65-27 win over Orange Lutheran last week. Sensing a blowout, Brethren Coach Mike Fitch allowed four starting offensive linemen to share duty as running backs. The group averaged 7 yards a carry and scored a pair of TD.

STREAKS: Santa Fe HS--The Chiefs were beaten for the 17th consecutive time last week. Bell Gardens won, 49-12.

Centennial HS--The Apaches have not won this year. The school’s losing streak is 13 games, dating back to a 32-12 win over Torrance in 1985.

Bell Gardens HS--The Lancers (8-0) have not lost this year.

St. John Bosco HS--The Braves (8-0) have not lost this year.

Lynwood HS--The Knights have now won 34 consecutive San Gabriel Valley League games.

Compton HS--The Tarbabes did not scored a point in their first 11 quarters of Moore League action. The streak was snapped with less than a minute remaining in last week’s game with Lakewood when the Lancers snapped the ball out of the end zone on a punt attempt.

Lakewood HS--A 7-2 victory last week over Compton HS snapped a five-game losing streak.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Two area players have been chosen “players of the week,” and one area team has been selected “team of the week” by a Los Angeles Radio station since it began making the selections eight weeks ago. Kelvin Means of St. John Bosco HS and Andy Emch of Whittier HS were previously honored by KIIS-AM/FM. In addition, SJB was honored for its 28-27 win over Loyola HS two weeks ago.

COACHING ALUMNI: Tom McCutcheon--The former Compton HS football coach is now the defensive coordinator at Dominguez HS.

BOWLING: Jim Hamrick, Mike Schock and Jeff May--The trio from Lakewood ranks 2-3-4 after eight meetings of the men’s Greater Los Angeles Junior All-Star League. Their averages are Hamrick (210), Schock (208) and May (201). Mark Fisser of Buena Park leads the series with a 214 average. The tournament comes to La Habra 300 Bowl Nov. 23 and Del Rio Lanes in Downey Dec. 7 (see standings, this page).

PLAYOFFS: Biola U--Both the Eagles’ volleyball and soccer teams enter District III playoff action this weekend at Fresno-Pacific. The volleyball team is the No. 1 seed after a 10-0 regular season finish. It meets the winner of an earlier match between Cal Lutheran and Cal Baptist. Game time is 7 p.m. Friday. In soccer the Eagles play host Fresno-Pacific at 11 a.m. Saturday. The winners advance to bi-district playoff action the following week.

WATER POLO: City of Long Beach--Will host the NCAA championships at the Belmont Plaza Pool Nov. 28-30.

CROSS COUNTRY: Dave Whithers and Curtis Schlegal, Biola U-The pair was named to the all-District III second team. Biola finished third in the District III championships last week in La Mirada.

Wilson HS--Both the girls and boys teams finished first to win Moore League titles last Saturday.

Cal-Hi Sports--The independent publication says that the state CIF office is considering a proposal for state championships in the sport. If approved, state finals could be held as early as 1987.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Thomas Byrnes--The State CIF commissioner concluding a message in the California State Athletic Director’s Assn. Newsline on the purpose of high school athletics in California: “Each day, as we gather our teams together, we must ask whether our goals are clear. . . .and see to it that the lessons of today are consistent with what really comes first----young people and their continuing education.”