East Valley Teams Marooned as Others Sail Into Semifinals

Many coaches talk about the level of talent in their schools the same way they talk about the ocean--it comes in waves.

One year, the tide flows and the school wins five league titles.

The next year, the tide ebbs and so does the program.

If that is the case, East Valley League baseball teams were washed away this season.

Two years ago, Grant won the City Section 4-A Division championship and Poly lost to Granada Hills in the semifinals.

Last year, Poly lost to Canoga Park in the final and Sylmar advanced to the semifinals, losing to the Hunters.

This year, only one East Valley League team advanced past the first round and no representative made it to the semifinals. Two West Valley League teams--Chatsworth and Canoga Park--played two Mid-Valley League teams--San Fernando and Monroe--in the semifinals Tuesday.

Poly, the second-seeded team entering the playoffs, lost to Monroe, 4-2, in the first round. Although it is obvious the league had problems, the coaches involved disagree on the reason.

“We were just down this year. The East Valley League has been strong in the past, it was just one of those transitional years,” said North Hollywood Coach Brian York, whose team lost to Kennedy, 19-1, in the first round.

Others, pointing to the Parrots’ surprising loss to Monroe, say the league is not the Least Valley League people make it out to be.

“I don’t think our league is down,” Grant Coach Tom Lucero said. “On paper, Poly should have blown them off the field.

“It takes a little luck to win, a little bad luck to lose.”

Although this year was disappointing, most league coaches feel next year will be high tide for the East Valley League.

Among the reasons:

Seven players return for North Hollywood, including sophomore Duane Braxton (.388 batting average) and junior pitcher Benny Valdez (6-4 record, 3.11 earned-run average).

Pitcher-shortstop Javier Delahoya (.415, 6 home runs and 27 runs batted in; 7-2 record, 96 strikeouts in 63 innings) returns for Grant.

“He’s a definite pro prospect,” York said.

Four second-team, all-league players return for Sylmar, including pitcher Nino Romo (7-4, 2.67) and outfielder Brad McGahan (.377, 17 runs scored, 8 stolen bases).

Walking out of the playoffs: It seemed a fitting end when El Camino Real pitcher Lance Gibson walked home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 10-9, first-round, City 4-A playoff loss to San Pedro.

The Conquistadores (9-12), who came to life with a late-season surge to qualify for the West Valley League’s final playoff berth, died by the walk, according to Coach Mike Maio.

“We put too many people on base and then we put them into scoring position,” he said.

Gibson, sophomore Patrick Treend and junior Steve Smith combined for 77 strikeouts and 93 walks.

Add ECR: Senior third baseman Denny Vigo led or shared the team lead in every offensive category.

Vigo batted .444 and had 5 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, 29 runs batted in and a .764 slugging percentage.

Sophomore first baseman Ryan McGuire posted some impressive statistics in his second varsity season, batting .397 with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 14 RBIs.

Hot times in Tempe: Though Ian Alsen of Granada Hills did not expect much, he blazed to a state high school-leading mark at the Great Southwest Invitational track meet at Arizona State on Saturday.

The 1987 Kinney West regional cross-country champion won the 1,500 meters in a Vallley-area record of three minutes, 50 seconds, defeating Alex Acetta (3:50.9) of Durango, Colo., and national 800 leader Gilbert Contreras (3:51.8) of El Paso, Tex.

“He wasn’t real confident before the meet,” Granada Hills assistant Bob Augello said of Alsen, who had run only 40 miles in the previous three weeks because of Achilles’ tendon and foot injuries. “He wanted to bail out.”

One would never have known by his performance. After trailing Chip Smith of Albuquerque, N. M., and Contreras through 400 (58.7) and 800 meters (2:01.8), Alsen took the lead at the 1,000-meter mark and never relinquished it, passing 1,200 meters in 3:06.5 before scorching the final 300 in 43.5 seconds.

Alsen will run against 1984 Olympic 800 champion Joaquim Cruz of Brazil and leading American Jim Spivey in the Pepsi Invitational mile at UCLA on Sunday.