Orange County Community College Notebook / Steve Kresal : OCC Volleyball Succeeds the 2nd Time Around

Five years ago, Bob Wetzel had one of the state’s best men’s volleyball programs at Orange Coast College.

His teams won South Coast Conference titles in 1978, ‘80, ’81 and ‘82, but budget cuts at the college forced cancellation of the program after the 1982 season. Wetzel remained at OCC as a physical education instructor, hoping to revive the program.

After years of being told that there wasn’t enough money in the budget to field a team, Wetzel got tired of waiting.

Before this season, he sold advertising space in a 36-page OCC volleyball program and made nearly $4,000, enough to finance a team.

And the team wasted no time showing it was worth the investment.

OCC is 13-0 in the South Coast Conference and has clinched the title with three matches left. OCC is 25-1 overall, its only loss coming in the Long Beach City pool play tournament. OCC lost the one-game championship to Los Angeles Pierce.

“It’s a beach school and there’s a lot of talent here,” Wetzel said. “I knew we were going to be good, but I didn’t think we’d be undefeated in conference. Now that gives us something to shoot for.”

OCC is led by captain Brian Lewis, who played on Corona del Mar’s 1985 Southern Section 4-A championship team, and Scott Lindquist, who played on Dana Hills’ 1986 Southern Section 4-A championship team. Lewis is hitting .617 on kill attempts.

The South Coast Conference is the only one in the state playing volleyball. At the end of the regular season, the second- and third-place teams meet to decide who plays the first-place team for the Southern California regional championship May 1 at Long Beach City.

“It’s our challenge to keep their heads on straight and get them to May 1 undefeated,” Wetzel said. “You don’t want to have to share the title.”

Johnnie Brooks has been named to replace Barbara Bond as Orange Coast College’s softball coach.

Bond, who announced her resignation Tuesday, will finish her 12th season with the softball team and will continue to coach the women’s soccer team, which won the Southern California Regional championship last fall.

Brooks, 64, will be joined next season by assistants Lisa Bassi, an assistant at Huntington Beach High School, and Cody Murray, an assistant at Golden West.

The Golden West softball tournament opens Friday with four teams from California--Golden West, Fullerton, West Valley and San Joaquin Delta and four from Arizona--Mesa, Western, Scottsdale and Pima.

The championship game is Sunday at 1 p.m.

Orange Coast plays host to a four-team baseball tournament starting Wednesday. OCC opens against Cuesta at 11 p.m., and Cerritos plays Southwestern at 2 p.m.

First-round losers play at 11 a.m. Thursday and the winners at 2 p.m. The championship game is Friday at 2 p.m.

Community College Notes

Offensive linemen Jason Bell and John Kane of Orange Coast have accepted scholarships to Adams State in Alamosa, Colo. . . . Cerritos remains the top team in the Southern California baseball poll this week. Rancho Santiago is second, Los Angeles Harbor third, Orange Coast fourth, College of the Canyons fifth, Fullerton sixth, Mt. San Antonio seventh, Oxnard eighth, San Bernardino ninth and Cypress 10th. . . . Chuck McGavran and Mike Kelly have been voted most valuable players of the Orange Coast basketball team. Kelly, who averaged 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds, will attend Westmont College next season. . . . Golden West’s April Marion, who averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds, has accepted a scholarship to UC Riverside.