STATWATCH : Lavin Rushes Toward Chaminade Record

Chaminade tailback Tim Lavin has made the most of a big opportunity.

Lavin, playing in place of Sean Burwell, who transferred to Cleveland, has rushed for 1,511 yards and 21 touchdowns. He had 175 yards and three touchdowns in Chaminade’s 27-20 win over La Sierra last Friday, carrying the Eagles into the Desert-Mountain Conference semifinals for the first time. He also had an 80-yard touchdown run nullified by a penalty and threw a 26-yard option pass to set up the winning touchdown.

It was the 10th game this season in which Lavin, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 205-pound senior, rushed for more than 100 yards. Lavin missed almost all of Chaminade’s games against Calabasas and Harvard because of a knee injury. He will attempt to set a Chaminade single-season rushing mark Friday when the Eagles play St. Joseph at Righetti High in Santa Maria. Ron Wangerin rushed for a record 1,645 yards in 1983.

Scoring: With four more touchdowns in Friday’s 45-38 win over Servite, Crespi running back Russell White has moved into the No. 2 position in touchdowns in the state. White, a junior, has 37 touchdowns and trails only Glyn Milburn of Santa Monica, who has 39. White could pass Milburn in Friday night’s Big Five Conference semifinal game against Fontana because Santa Monica was eliminated from the playoffs last week.

White is in a three-way tie for fifth on the state single-season list with former Ram great Dick Bass, who had 37 touchdowns in nine games for Vallejo in 1954. Paul Hewitt of Monrovia also scored 37 touchdowns, in 1983.

The state record is held by Mike Carnell of Fremont Mission San Jose, who scored 44 touchdowns in 11 games in 1977. White broke his own school record (31) earlier this season.

Add records: Crespi placekicker Bill Gould moved into fifth place on the Southern Section list for most conversions in a season. Gould made two of three attempts in Friday’s victory over Servite, giving him 57 on the year. Aldie Tatley of La Mirada kicked 61 in 1984, the current record.