VALLEY SPORTS : HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALLL PREVIEW : SOUTHERN SECTION

DEL REY LEAGUE

Alemany

Coach: Jim Ozella, 4th year

Last Season: 17-9 overall; 8-4 in league, second place

After winning the L.A. Games last summer, Alemany is beginning the season with confidence. Junior pitcher Brian Rosselli was 8-4 last season and Ozella said he has gotten stronger. Left-hander Bill Lucid (6-6) and right-hander Mike Rooney, who is beginning his fourth varsity season, are also experienced pitchers. Juniors Mike Sims and Jon Beauchemin split time at catcher last season and will do so again. Rooney plays first, Randy Thompson (who hit .350 last season) is at second, leadoff hitter Greg Biley is at shortstop and three-year varsity player Darrell Zavatsky is at third. Pat Aragon hit .340 last season.

Crespi

Coach: Scott Muckey, 1st year

Last Season: 9-14 overall; 4-8 in league, sixth place

Crespi should be strong up the middle. Catcher Joe Testa and infielders Chris Greenamyer and Kevin Thomas are senior starters. First-baseman/outfielder Matt Arnold is another returning starter. Paul Fell, who batted .320 last season, and Pat Murphy are senior outfielders and returning starters. Junior shortstop Ken Franco has emerged as the lead-off hitter. Senior Chris Spears, a left-hander, is the best returning pitcher. He was 3-5 last season with a 2.61 earned-run average. Senior right-handers Tim Knowd, who Muckey calls, “a sleeper,” and Greg Connelly will also pitch.

Notre Dame

Coach: Bob Mandeville, 1st year

Last Season: 7-13 overall; 2-10 in league, seventh place

Mandeville believes this team can contend for a playoff berth. The Knights have three returning infield starters--senior first baseman Kurt Keitzman, senior shortstop Brian Woolley and junior third baseman Jeff Antoon. Senior Greg Haptor is a second baseman/outfielder who split time last season. The only sophomores are second baseman Chad Radliffe and catcher Bobby Hughes, whose father, Bob, and uncle, Bill, were two of the best players in Notre Dame history.

MARMONTE LEAGUE

Camarillo

Coach: Ken Wagner, 6th year

Last Season: 14-9 overall; 7-5 in league, second place

Eleven seniors return and many will be in the starting lineup. Jim Sparks is a returning starter at first base, and second baseman Chris Bannon, shortstop Tim Simonsgaard and third baseman Adolfo Flores were on the varsity a year ago. Seniors Brad Billups and Randy Johnson will split time at catcher as they did last season. Kevin Ochs is a returning starter in center field. Left fielder Jeremy Sumrow and right fielder Jim King also saw action a year ago as juniors. Senior Jim Walsh (6-1, 220 pounds) was the center on the football team and Mike Henry, the quarterback on the football team, is also a returning pitcher.

Newbury Park

Coach: Gary Fabricius, 1st year

Last Season: 10-12 overall; 6-6 in league, third place

Newbury Park has a roster of 22 players. “People say I’m crazy for keeping so many guys,” Fabricius said, “but every player out here can contribute.” Part of the reason for the large squad is the junior varsity was league champion last season and the varsity was laden with juniors. Only two starters return, however. Tim Boling, a first-team all-league choice at designated hitter, may start at first or third base. Wally Thornhill, another all-league pick, will play either left or right field. Junior twins Dan and Don Smith will start at shortstop and center field, respectively.

Royal

Coach: Mike McCurdy, 2nd year

Last Season: 10-13 overall; 6-6 in league, third place

Despite a 6-6 finish last season, Royal is tabbed by many of the league’s coaches as the favorite. McCurdy, who coached Westlake for one season before moving to Royal, is enthusiastic. Dan Presta, Joe Summers and Jim Dollar give the Highlanders an experienced pitching staff. Presta and Summers, both first-team all-leaguer selections last season, also start in the outfield. Shortstop Sean Sullivan, another returning all-league player, had a 19-game hitting streak and batted .383 last season. Other returning starters include third baseman J.P. Hardy, who runs well, and junior catcher Travis Kinyoun. Simi Valley

Coach: Mike Scyphers, 9th year

Last Season: 23-3 overall; 12-0 in league, first place

Gone is Scott Radinsky, the pitcher no one could hit. Although several position players return from last season’s league champion team, Scyphers needs to fill the pitching void. Scott Sharts (6-5), Shawn DeLaittre (6-4) and Tim Laker (6-4) have the size to overpower opponents. But although all have pitched in youth leagues, none has much varsity experience. Sharts played first base last season and Laker was the catcher. They will be back at those positions when not pitching. Darren Lloyd, a senior, will play third base and catch when Laker is pitching.

Thousand Oaks

Coach: Jim Hansen, 14th year

Last Season: 12-12 overall; 5-7 in league, fifth place

Thousand Oaks historically has outstanding hitters and a suspect pitching staff. This year is no exception. Joe Sturges, who will catch or play outfield, and Steve Sisco, who played shortstop last season but has been moved to center field, are the only returning starters. Seniors Chris Kaelin (first base) and Chris Bates (third base) are expected to hit well. Juniors Russell Kellogg (catcher), Mark Skeels (second base), Tom Brozowski (shortstop) and Blake Evans (left field or infield) are being given opportunities to make the lineup.

Westlake

Coach: Dennis Judd, 2nd year

Last Season: 9-13 overall; 3-9 in league, sixth place

Westlake may have the best two players in the league. Shortstop Matt Franco hit a school-record .435 last season and only struck out twice. Catcher Jim Henderson set a school-record for RBIs and is expected to be a top draft choice this season. “They are just outstanding hitters,” Judd said. Greg Struhl, a power hitter and left-handed pitcher, should also be a dominant player. Depth would appear to be Judd’s primary concern, but he said several players have been pleasant surprises. Freshman Mike Lieber is playing second base, “Like he’s been there for years,” Judd said.

FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Burbank

Coach: Leonard Haynes, 6th year

Last Season: 7-14 overall; 6-9 in league, fifth place

Regardless of who is pitching, Burbank always figures to have a strong battery. Bryan Chandler (5-2), Jon Buller (3-2), Wayne Schull and Darren Kruse all are contending for spots in the starting rotation and rifle-armed Eric Vargas returns at catcher. “I see major league catchers all the time and he’s the only high school kid I’ve ever seen who can throw with those guys,” said Haynes, a batting practice pitcher for the Dodgers. Kruse (.289) also will play in the outfield, along with Jeff Scott (.431).

Burroughs

Coach: Paul Heaney, 2nd year

Last Season: 6-17 overall; 1-14 in league, sixth place

Burroughs has an inexperienced pitching staff and that weakness will be complicated by the loss of Rick Hoban, last year’s starting catcher, who is academically ineligible until April 9. Mike Bruse and Larry Hatley (2-6, 2.84) are the starting pitchers. Dean Money, JoJo Carmona, and John Boysen also will pitch. John Butler is the catcher.

Hart

Coach: Bud Murray, 1st year

Last Season: 15-8 overall; 7-8 in league, fourth place

Hart is a young team, but Murray believes pitching is the only area where the team may come up a little short. Murray will choose his two starters from a group five players, including UCLA-bound Jim Bonds, the school’s all-time leading quarterback but who has never pitched before. David Lee, a senior who pitched last season, Jeff Bodeau, Chris Matkins and Scott Bockman also are contending for spots in the rotation.

FRONTIER LEAGUE

Agoura

Coach: John Crowe, 2nd year

Last Season: 15-5 overall; 12-0 in league, first place

Ed Campaniello is Agoura’s only returning starter, but Crowe hopes to offset his team’s inexperience with the addition of assistant coach Gary Gray, formerly the head coach at league-rival Calabasas. “With him on the staff we can get the maximum out of the kids,” Crowe said. Eleven seniors graduated from last season’s team and Crowe said Campaniello, who plays center field, has responded well to his new role as team leader. Campaniello will be flanked in the outfield by David Fatool and Chris LaRussa, a junior transfer from Westlake.

Calabasas

Coach: Art Borgquist, 1st year

Last Season: 7-11 overall; 5-7 in league, tied for third

After last season, Gary Gray gave up his head coaching position at Calabasas and joined Agoura’s staff as an assistant. And this year the Coyotes are loaded with talent. Seven starters return, three of whom are in their third varsity season. Scott Cadenhead (.389), an all-league pitcher two seasons ago, will split time between pitching and catching. Pat Fairly (.250), son of former-major leaguer Ron Fairly, plays third base and pitches. The second baseman is Jared Ricco (.333). David Anzivino, all-league as a sophomore last season, and Glenn Hansen, the MVP of the junior varsity, also will pitch.

GOLDEN LEAGUE

Canyon

Coach: Wally Hammond, 8th year

Last Season: 13-12 overall; 8-7 in league, third place

“We lacked that killer instinct,” is how Hammond described last season’s mediocre performance. Canyon averaged six runs a game, but lost eight one-run games--five of them in a row. Canyon has a couple of improved pitchers this year, Hammond said. Seniors Travis Regnolds (6-0, 175) and Ken Sollom (6-2, 198) are right-handers who can throw 85 m.p.h. and above, Hammond said. Hammond will have the task of replacing five starters, including the middle of the infield. Gone are twin brothers Jay and Joe Kirschner, who were part of the infield that set a Southern Section record last season with 33 double plays.

Saugus

Coach: Coach Doug Worley, 12th year

Last Season: 20-9 overall; 12-3 in league, first place

With seven starters gone, a return to the 2-A championship game for Saugus may be difficult. Among the departed is Chris Joy, last year’s league MVP. Sophomore right-hander Roger Salkheld (6-4, 175) is the only pitcher with varsity experience. Salkheld pitched four innings in the championship game against Artesia at Dodger Stadium last year and showed promise, Worley said. The best of the rest include first baseman Donny Pederson, who hit .417 last year, and third baseman Tom Dodson, who hit .340.

CHANNEL LEAGUE

Rio Mesa

Coach: Richard Duran, 1st year

Last Season: 26-4 overall, 13-1 in league, first place

Duran will have a difficult time trying to duplicate the success of his predecessor, Pat Machado. Machado, who left to take a football coaching position in Northern California, led the Spartans to Southern Section 3-A championships in 1985 and 1986. Only three players return from last year. Right-hander Scott Bush, who was 11-0 last year, is the No. 1 starter.

ALPHA LEAGUE

L.A. Baptist

Coach: Darrell Van Roy , 1st year

Last Season: 11-9 overall; 10-4 in league, second place

With six starters returning from last season, Van Roy has high expectations for this season. “I think we’ll win league and go far in the playoffs,” he said. “Our team is going to be hard to shut down. I think we’ll average at least five runs a game.” Seniors Scott Davison (five home runs in ‘86) and Nathan Hasper supply the power for L.A. Baptist. Senior second baseman Steve Phillips, a good hitter with speed on the basepaths, is expected to be the team’s catalyst leading off.

L.A. Lutheran

Coach: Steve Borth, 1st year

Last Season: 7-14 overall; 4-10 in league, sixth place

Borth has a lot of confidence in his team’s hitting ability but the pitching is suspect. “We’re going to be an exciting offensive team this year,” Borth said. Seniors Paul Johnson, Dave Willweber and Greg Husmann are expected to lead the offense. Johnson hit .304 at shortstop last year and first baseman Willweber was the team’s leading hitter (.406) in ’86 before he broke his arm. Husmann hit well in the second half of last season and has started fast this year. Catcher Gary Dempsey was the team MVP last season and an all-league selection.

Montclair Prep

Coach: Jeff Pressman, 12th year

Last Season: 22-4 overall; 13-1 in league, first place

Montclair Prep has won or shared four straight Alpha League titles since the league was formed in 1983. With six returning starters Montclair Prep has a good chance for its fifth consecutive crown. A strong pitching staff doesn’t hurt either. Scott Hauser (8-0 in ‘86), Jeff Light, Wayne Nogosek (8-1 with the junior varsity) and J.R. Smith comprise a top-notch pitching rotation. Curtis Minks, a three-year starter who hit .457 last season, will ignite an explosive offense and Frank Charles (seven home runs ‘86) and Light (five home runs) provide the power.

Village Christian

Coach: Greg Frazer, 7th year

Last Season: 9-11 overall; 5-9 in league, fifth place

There’s no doubt the Crusaders can hit. The question is can they pitch? Seniors Tyler Victor (.476) and Jordan Nedeff (.350), junior Royce Farrar (.360) and sophomore Kevin Ebenhoch fuel the offense. Victor was a first-team all-league selection in ’86 and Nedeff and Farrar made the second team. Ebenhoch and Farrar are expected to supply the bulk of the power.

SANTA FE LEAGUE

Bell-Jeff

Coach: Hal Krug, 11th year

Last Season: 7-13 overall; 5-7 in league, fifth place

Great speed has always been a Bell-Jeff trademark but this season’s team will rely on pitching. Krug expects James Miljanich, a 6-3, 190-pound senior, to anchor the pitching staff. Miljanich, a right-hander who was 5-9 in 1986 with a 3.30 ERA, has improved greatly, according to Krug.

Chaminade

Coach: Bernie Kyman, 1st year

Last Season: 14-8 overall; 8-4 in league, third place

All-league first baseman Scott Stuber and shortstop Ken Meyer are the only returning starters from last year’s team, but Kyman has a lot of confidence in his offense, which has been restocked with players such as Tim Lavin and Dave Morrison from the 1986 junior varisty team that won the league title. It’s an inexperienced pitching staff that worries him. “The only question mark we have is how fast the pitching staff comes along,” he said. “I think we’re solid in the other positions.”

Harvard

Coach: Jim Brink, 7th year

Last Season: 12-8 overall; 6-4 in Pioneer League, second place

Although Brink refrains from predicting how his team will finish in its new league, he speaks highly about his offense. “We’re going to have a good offensive lineup,” he said. “We’ve got solid hitting with good speed. We should score a lot of runs.” Left fielder John Collins and center fielder Andrew Sikking (five home runs in 1986) will bat third and fourth. Jimmy Ardell, a shortstop who hit .296 in 1986 with good speed, will bat first. Sikking and David Lee are expected to be the top two pitchers.

St. Genevieve

Coach: Dave Galarneau, 2nd year

Last Season: 10-8-1 overall; 8-3-1 in league, tied for first place

St. Genevieve has been hit hard by injuries two games into a rebuilding season. First baseman Todd McMenamin will be sidelined from four to six weeks with a broken right cheek bone, and third baseman Jack Leighton will be out for a week with torn shoulder ligaments. McMenamin, who hit .380 in 1986, was hit in the face by a pitch against L.A. Baptist. Pat Chavez, who started in left field in 1986, will replace Leighton at third base and Eric Gunther, the right fielder, will replace McMenamin. Galarneau is optimistic about his young pitching staff that includes sophomores Roland De La Maza and Dan Parraz. De La Maza was 8-4 on the junior varsity.

TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Oak Park

Coach: Ron Veres, 1st year

Last Season: 6-14 overall; 6-5 in league, tied for third place

Veres has four good pitchers in Jeremy Lipton, Mike Birch, Chris Hall and Scott Ziegler. Center fielder Jason Ornstein, catcher David Bond, outfielder T.J. Humphreys, Lipton, Hall and Birch are the only returners from last year’s team. Infielders John Daley and Joe Gerty and catcher/outfielder Chris Frame played on the junior varsity last season. First baseman Scott Ziegler, shortstop Gary Silverman and outfielder/catcher Mike Benjamine are sophomores. Junior transfers Scott Veres, the coach’s son, and infielder John Rogers round out the squad.

Moorpark

Coach: Mario Porto, 2nd year

Last Season: 7-10 overall; 6-5 in league, tied for third place

Moorpark had five players from last year’s team graduate, including pitcher Eddie Santoro, who won five of the team’s six league games. Despite the loss of Santoro, Porto says the pitching is stronger but the overall team is weaker. The team’s three top pitchers are David Romero, Keith Orford and Frank Fernandez. Fernandez is a freshman who will also play shortstop and third. Ron Delgado, Ralph Velador, Ben Margolis and Kelly Kira are battling for the first base starting job.

DELPHIC LEAGUE

Providence

Coach: Marc Saraceno, second year

Last Season: 23-3 overall; 8-0 in league, first place

The defending Southern Section Small Schools champion had four players, including three pitchers, declared academically ineligible before the start of the season. Saraceno would not reveal the names of the players. Fortunately for Saraceno, his top player, senior pitcher Jeff Cirillo, was not affected. Cirillo was the 1986 Southern Section Small Schools Player of the Year. He was 12-2 with a 1.61 ERA, and had 124 strikeouts in 85 innings. Cirillo drove in a team-high 46 runs and batted .506. Saraceno will use second baseman Steve Ross and shortstop Adam Grant as pitchers until the suspended players return. Grant batted .454 last year and was named to the All-Southern Section second team. Ross, who batted .298 and led the team in steals with 30, was a second-team all-league selection.

Faith Baptist

Coach: Les Estrada, 5th year

Last Season: 15-9 overall; 4-4 in league, third place

Three pitchers return from last year’s team, which finished third in the Delphic League and lost in the quarterfinals to Linfield Christian, 11-8. Junior Shaik Nabi is the No. 1 starter. Nabi, first-team all-league hurler, was 7-6 with a 2.46 ERA. Todd Stadig was 2-1 and had a 2.60 ERA, and Rich Leon was 5-1 with a 3.07 ERA. When they are not pitching, Stadig will start at third and Leon will catch. Left fielder Danny McAdoo is the only other returning starter.

Buckley

Coach: Chris Schultz, 3rd year

Last Season: 9-11 overall; 1-7 in league, fourth place

Four all-league players return from last year’s team that lost in the quarterfinals. Senior third baseman Jason Weisstein (.412) and senior center fielder James Tweedie (.327) were first team all-league. Junior shortstop Jason Brown (.311) and sophomore left fielder Luka Pecel (.278) were named to the second team. Saturday: City Section baseball preview