STATWATCH : Tagliaferri Might Join Strike Force Next Season

In two seasons at Kennedy, junior Gino Tagliaferri has scored 43 runs, belted 10 home runs and 9 triples among 60 hits and has 56 runs batted in. He is 60 for 152, a .395 average. He also might be a pitcher next year. Tagliaferri, who pitched on youth league teams before undergoing arm surgery two years ago, made his first varsity appearance in Friday’s 12-5 playoff loss to Canoga Park. He struck out the only batter he faced.

Kennedy’s Craig Fleck, who entered the playoffs with one home run, homered in both of Kennedy’s postseason games, including a grand slam against North Hollywood. . . . Of the five infielders selected for the Mid-Valley League first team, three are shortstops. At the end of regular-season play, San Fernando’s Albert Torres was batting .514, followed by Monroe’s Brian Eldridge (.478) and Kennedy’s Tagliaferri (.381). Entering the playoffs, the three shortstops had combined for 63 runs, 95 hits and 58 RBIs.

Pitching: Poly’s Greg Nealon, who missed almost a month because of mononucleosis, still posted impressive numbers. The left-handed senior finished with a 10-1 record, an 0.90 earned-run average and struck out 70 in 62 innings. He allowed 43 hits and walked 15. Nealon had similar statistics last year in a full season of play--the All-City pitcher was 10-2 and had a 1.67 ERA in 75 innings.

Sylmar’s Olonzo Woodfin, who missed a month because of a broken foot, could not rebound like Nealon. Woodfin, also a left-handed senior, was 4-2 and had a 1.25 ERA in 48 innings. Last year, Woodfin had 159 strikeouts in 94 innings, an 11-3 record and 1.19 ERA.

Track and field: Though only five athletes competed for Chatsworth in last week’s City championships, the Chancellors totaled 64 points to place second behind Washington (77). Chatsworth, which placed fifth in the West Valley League in dual meets, scored 64 of a possible 98 points for a .653 scoring percentage.