Chatsworth Suffers a Memory Loss, 75-64

Oh, to have an Eric Claus or Scott Goetsch.

You could almost see Chatsworth High Coach Gary Shair looking down the bench for his two former stars Wednesday when his Chancellors played host to San Fernando on Wednesday.

Claus and Goetsch led Chatsworth to the West Valley League title and 4-A final against Crenshaw in 1974, and the Chancellors could have used them against San Fernando, which rolled to a 75-64 Northwest Valley League victory that was not as close as the score would indicate. “They would have helped,” Shair admitted. “We just didn’t have enough.”

Chatsworth (8-7, 2-2 in league play) was without starting center Stuart Thompson, who recently underwent minor surgery, and reserve forward Michael Adams, who sat out the game after missing practice this week.

Goetsch, then 6-10, and Claus (6-8) would have helped on the backboards, where San Fernando (10-4, 4-0) held a 40-28 advantage over the Chancellors.

The Tigers, who shot 57 percent from the field, trailed, 19-17, after one period, but outscored Chatsworth, 23-10, in the second quarter to take a 40-29 halftime lead.

San Fernando built its advantage to 22 points in the third period before settling for a 60-40 lead, heading into the final quarter.

The Chancellors pressed the Tigers into six fourth-quarter turnovers and, sparked by six points each from Erik Merkel and Michael Wu, got within 10 points of San Fernando on three occasions, but never closer.

“I had kids in the game that have a tendency to panic,” San Fernando Coach Dick Crowell said. “I’ve got to practice the four-corners offense for awhile and see who can handle the ball and who can’t.”

One who did not panic was San Fernando guard Joe Mauldin, who led all scorers with 22 points. Tory Stephens added 18 for the Tigers, and Duane Heller scored 14 before leaving the game in the third quarter because of a sprained ankle.

San Fernando was without reserve guard Sean Williams because of eligibility problems.

Rick Garrick scored 15 points for Chatsworth. Merkel, Bryan Addison and Lance Smith each had 12.