Times Honors Top Players and Coaches

Mike McDowell of Glendale High and Dollie Lucero of Marshall played similar roles during the 1986-87 basketball season.

Each provided the spark that made their teams winners and they are The Times high school players of the year in the Glendale area.

Coaches of the year are John Goffredo of Crescenta Valley and Bill Sanchez of Flintridge Sacred Heart.

Goffredo impressed his peers by producing a winning boys team, upsetting preseason predictions that he would have a losing season. Sanchez’s girls team was the only one in the area to win a league title.

Each was acclaimed before an audience of 700 players, coaches parents and other guests at the annual Los Angeles Times High School Basketball Awards Presentation on Sunday in the Anaheim Hilton.

USC Coach George Raveling presented awards after speaking about the challenges facing youths in sports. “Basketball,” Raveling said, “permitted me to travel the country, attend a fine university (Villanova) and meet four presidents.”

He added:

“A player who does not do more than he is supposed to will not become greater in skills and character.

“Every successful athlete I ever met first mastered basic fundamentals.

“Most fail because they have not set their goals.

“Those who roll up their sleeves in life will never lose their shirts. He who wants to work will find a job.”

McDowell, a 5-9 senior, was the spark of the Glendale team that won 20 games, more than any other in the area.

“Mike was our floor leader,” said Coach Steve Keith, The Times 1985 coach of the year. “He was great on the open court and could score in the clutch.”

McDowell’s field goals in the final momments won two games. He was named most valuable player of the Loyola Tournament and three times made all-tournament teams.

Lucero, a senior, made The Times all-star team for a second time. The 5-8 center averaged 22 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and four steals.

“Dollie can play any position,” said Beth Ercek, coach at Marshall in the Silver Lake community. “She’s thinking of playing at a community college next fall. It might be Glendale College.”

The all-star selections primarily were based on a Times poll of area coaches.

Goffredo was the choice for coach of the year by half of the coaches. He has had 10 successful years at Crescenta Valley and has won league titles and produced individual Southern Section 4-A scoring champions the past two seasons.

Playing a tough schedule and in a rugged league, Goffredo’s team surprised observers with a 16-10 season.

Goffredo, who played at Burroughs High in Burbank, was an assistant coach at Crescenta Valley before succeeding Ed Goorjian as head coach.

Sanchez, who played basketball at Loyola High, is a graduate of Los Angeles Valley College and Cal State L. A. He coached volleyball at Loyola before moving to coach at the girls high school in La Canada Flintridge.

Sanchez has turned Tolog teams from also-rans into winners in three years. His basketball teams have won 54 and lost only 16.