San Diego Sports et Cetera : El Cajon’s Rick Johnson Motocross Favorite Today

El Cajon’s Rick Johnson, the 1987 250cc and 500cc national champion, is favored among the world’s top riders in Round 4 of the Golden State Nationals motocross races today at Carlsbad Raceway.

Johnson will battle longtime rival Jeff Ward of Mission Viejo in the 250cc division. Johnson is coming off a Round 3 victory in Brentwood Jan. 10, which Ward was unable to finish because his bike’s ignition failed.

El Cajon’s Ron Leichen leads the Golden State Nationals series in the 250cc class after finishing third in the opening event at San Bernardino and second at Brentwood. The third round at Hollister was canceled last week because of rain.

Gates open at 6 a.m., and racing begins at 9:30. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the gate.

HOCKEY

Brent Mowery had a goal and an assist to lead United States International University to its fifth straight victory, 2-1, over St. Cloud State at the San Diego Ice Arena. Dewey Wahlin scored the game-winner on a power play with 9:03 remaining.

Steve Witucki scored St. Cloud’s goal with 24 seconds left. USIU improved to 13-11. St. Cloud is 6-20-1.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Ann Duffy, Shelly Stokes and Suzi Jones scored 20 points each to lead Point Loma Nazarene College to a 78-64 overtime victory against the Master’s College in a nonconference game at Newhall. Point Loma (13-6) outscored the Master’s, 15-1, in overtime.

RUNNING

Terry Cotton of El Cajon led most of the way to finish first in 28 minutes 47 seconds and win $600 in the $5,000 McClassic 10-kilometer run at Mission Bay Park.

Tucson’s Fernando Lopez (28:58) edged Coronado High School alumnus Thom Hunt (28:59) for second.

Menlo Park’s Nancy Ditz, who has won the past two Los Angeles Marathons, ran 33:05 to win the women’s race and $600. Cathy Pfiefer (33:14) of Albuquerque finished second and Sweden’s Bente Moe (33:42) third.

SOCCER

Mick Lyon of Evansville University scored a goal with less than a minute left in the game to give the West team a 3-2 victory over the East in the Soccer Bowl Senior All-Star match at Santa Ana Stadium.

The winning team was coached by San Diego State’s Chuck Clegg. SDSU forward Chris Keenan, playing in his final college soccer match, failed to score.

TENNIS

Christine Behrens defeated Denise Kincaid, 6-0, 6-4, to lead the UC San Diego women’s team to a 9-0 victory over Cal State Northridge in the home opener for UCSD (2-0).

YACHTING

Despite mild winds, Seattle’s Mark Laura took the lead in the second day of racing in the Championship Division of the Thistle Midwinters West Regatta on Mission Bay.

Earlier in the day, winds were recorded between 8 and 12 knots on the course, which is about 1 1/2 miles off Mission Bay. But as the racing concluded, winds had died to less than 5 knots.

Laura’s two-day point total (low score wins) is 12 3/4. Matt Burcar of Tacoma is second with 14, and Sacramento’s Mike Gillum, the first-day leader, is third with 17 1/2.

In the Commodore Division, there is a three-way tie for first between Dick Godfrey (San Jose), Dave Miller (Phoenix) and Chris Gedrose (San Diego), all with 10 points.

The finals begin at 11 today.