The Preps / Scott Howard-Cooper : Alsen’s Chances Slip Away, in Competition and in Committee

Ian Alsen of Granada Hills High School wanted a good run Saturday at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational. In a way, he needed one. He knew he wouldn’t have another chance to prove his ability, which is why his fourth-place finish at the nation’s largest prep cross-country meet was all the more frustrating.

The big time came and went. For most others it will be back, with the first state meet Nov. 28 in Fresno.

But for Alsen, who would have been a good bet for a top-10 finish, and the L.A. Wilson girls’ team, which had a shot at finishing in the same area, and the rest of the City, there will be no state meet. City teams will not compete in it this year.

After several petitions and appeals were heard, the decision was made last Friday, the day before Mt. SAC.

There could be a change in policy next season, depending on how things work out at a meeting of the cross-country coaches’ committee tonight. One representative from each league will meet to vote on reworking the schedule so that City teams can run in the 1988 state meet. This season, the City Section will be the only one of the 10 sections of the California Interscholastic Federation not represented.

“The only good thing is that next year, nobody will be able to sweep (the situation) under the carpet,” Granada Hills Coach Bob Augello said. “That’s not going to help Ian and the rest of the seniors, but at least we all understand the way things work a lot better.”

Or the way they don’t work. The efforts of Augello and other coaches and parents may be best described as frustrating, with many of the roadblocks caused by City officials, he said. Lack of communication, lack of understanding, lack of knowledge of the rules, all came down from above, he claimed.

The problem started with scheduling. Sectional meets are supposed to provide qualifiers for the state meet. But the City championships are set for Dec. 12, two weeks after the state finals. A proposal to hold a special qualifying meet for Fresno was voted down in a rules committee meeting last Thursday, 6-1, and an appeal was denied Friday.

Goodby, 1987.

“Depressing,” Augello said. “And it’s annoying. Something could have been done, but there were roadblocks in front of us every step of the way. It’s unfortunate. . . . It took months to even figure out how we could propose the qualifying race to the rules committee, and when that happened it was last Monday.”

Hal Harkness, the City’s director of athletics, would not comment on the proposal last week and was unavailable for comment Monday.

As usual, California teams dominate the Volleyball Monthly national top 20.

The girls’ rankings for the November edition, for games played through Oct. 10, have Newport Harbor of Newport Beach No. 1, Corona del Mar of Newport Beach No. 2, Long Beach Wilson No. 5, Marymount of Los Angeles No. 7, Irvine No. 9, El Toro No. 10, Marina No. 12, Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach No. 14 and Fremont of Sunnyvale No. 15.

The strength is in the 4-A, which has all the local schools except Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar and Mira Costa.

Marymount is led by middle blocker Kristin Klein, one of the top prospects in the nation. That makes for quite a year for the children of Bob Klein, the former USC and Ram standout, whose son Jimmy, a year younger than Kristin, is the starting free safety at L.A. Loyola and one of the top players on a defense that has allowed 29 points in seven games. Jimmy is also a good volleyball player for the defending Southern Section 3-A champions.

Changes in Sierra League football abound, for better and worse and, sometimes, for equipment.

To the surprise of many, Charter Oak of Covina, 1-9 last season, has helped make the Sierra one of the most competitive leagues in the Southern Section. The Chargers (6-1) are ranked No. 7 in the Eastern Conference and play No. 5 Los Altos of Hacienda Heights (6-1) Friday at Los Altos in one of the weekend’s best match-ups.

Diamond Bar, on the other hand, has had a couple of weeks only the stock exchange could appreciate. Two weeks ago, the Brahmas were 5-0 and the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference. Now, they’re 5-2 after losing to Rowland of Rowland Heights, 7-3, and last week to Los Altos, 10-7, and are having as many problems off the field.

Two of the most important parts of the offense, quarterback Bill Holstein and running back Sean Trejo, Diamond Bar’s leading rusher last season, missed the Los Altos game with injuries. Trejo, in fact, has been sidelined several times this season with various injuries.

Times’ Prep Polls

SOUTHERN SECTION

No. School, League Record 1. Fontana, Citrus Belt 7-0-0 2. Crespi, Del Rey 6-0-1 3. Loyola, Del Rey 7-0-0 4. Capistrano Valley, South Coast 7-0-0 5. Bishop Amat, Angelus 7-0-0 6. Santa Monica, Ocean 6-0-0 7. Eisenhower, Citrus Belt 6-1-0 8. Palmdale, Golden 6-1-0 9. Hart, Foothill 6-1-0 10. Antelope Valley, Golden 6-1-0 11. Santa Ana, Century 6-1-0 12. Mission Viejo, South Coast 6-1-0 13. Lynwood, San Gabriel Valley 6-1-0 14. Mater Dei, Angelus 6-1-0 15. Los Alamitos, Empire 6-1-0

CITY

No. School, League Record 1. Carson, Pacific 5-0-0 2. San Fernando, Valley 5-0-0 3. Gardena, Pacific 4-1-0 4. Banning, Pacific 3-2-0 5. Granada Hills, Valley 2-3-0 6. Reseda, Pac-8 4-0-0 7. Taft, Sunset 4-1-0 8. Canoga Park, Sunset 4-1-0 9. San Pedro, Freeway 3-2-0 10. Dorsey, Pacific 3-1-0