JC Notes / Irene Garcia : El Camino Cagers Shaken by Van Crash, Lose 2 Games in Tourney

Members of the El Camino basketball team were shaken over the weekend and it’s not just because they lost two games at the Santa Barbara tournament.

On the way to the tournament the player van was involved in an accident that delayed the trip for half an hour.

“Some of the guys got really shook up,” Coach Ron McClurkin said. “I don’t mean to make excuses, but we had to play a game after that.”

The result was ugly. The Warriors managed a victory over Saddleback but lost to Santa Barbara, then fell, 83-67, to Compton in the consolation championship game.

“We have a lot of young minds,” said sophomore guard Kevin Mixon. “By league and midseason we’re going to be a better team. Right now we’re still learning.”

The Warriors, who will start South Coast Conference play on Jan. 7, entered this week’s Pasadena tournament with a 9-3 record.

Harbor basketball Coach Ken Curry says his team needs a heavy dose of confidence before it starts Southern California Conference play Jan. 4 against Compton.

“I really don’t know if we’ll be ready for conference,” Curry said. “I believe we have the talent to be good in our league, but right now confidence is a big factor.

“We could have won every game, but we haven’t done the little things that it takes to win.”

The Seahawks are 6-4 after last week’s 87-83 loss to Grossmont. Sophomore guard Keith Billingslea and sophomore forward Ron Lewis lead Harbor in scoring.

The 6-3 Billingslea is averaging 20 points a game and the 6-5 Lewis averages 17 points and 9 rebounds. Each scored 20 points against Grossmont.

Sophomores James Anderson and Ernie Woods continue to lead the 3-6 Marymount Palos Verdes basketball team in scoring.

Anderson, who also leads the team in rebounding (12.4), is averaging 23 points a game. The 6-3 guard/forward scored a game-high 34 in Marymount’s 91-82 victory over Rio Hondo.

Woods, a 6-3 guard, is averaging 22 points.

Two El Camino wrestlers made it to the semifinals of last week’s state championship.

Sophomore Don Garriott (126 pounds) and freshman Carl Pierce (167) placed fourth after losing to the eventual state champions.

Garriott lost to Lassen’s David Singletary by 3 points and Pierce fell, 17-9, to Lassen’s Scott Boness.

The season may be over, but El Camino is engraved in the Pony Bowl record book. The Warriors established six PONY Bowl records in their 49-22 win over Saddleback.

El Camino scored the most points in the bowl’s history, gained the most total yards on offense (499), rushed for record-breaking yardage (231) and set a record for most pass completions (23).

Sophomore running back Aaron Craver set a PONY Bowl touchdown record by rushing for four and quarterback Frank Dolce, who completed all of the Warriors’ passes, set an individual passing record. He broke Dan Spletz’s 1987 mark of 23.

“I’m really proud,” said El Camino Coach John Featherstone, “and excited that we came back this year and won seven straight games. We really played a very emotional football game.”

L.A. Southwest wide receiver Tim Campbell and El Camino free safety Niu Sale were the only South Bay junior college football players named to the all-state first team.

Southwest defensive back Lorenzo Dickson was picked for the second team and return specialist Fred Leslie and quarterback Herman Tatum were honorable mention.

El Camino wide receiver Bryan Burnett, offensive lineman Mark Merritt, linebacker Greg Franklin and place-kicker Dominic Cefalone made the second team while running back Aaron Craver and defensive back Larry Bonner were honorable mention.

Harbor had only one honorable mention, freshman wide receiver Marcel Bridges.

Harbor College Coach Chris Ferragamo, despite a 3-16-1 record in two seasons, is confident he’ll be the Seahawks’ full-time football coach by spring.

The job he’s held for two years is becoming a full-time position for the spring semester.

But because of district policy, Ferragamo had to reapply for the job along with anyone else interested.

“I put my application in a long time ago,” Ferragamo said. “I know I’m in there.”

Ferragamo said if he turns the position down it would be strictly for money reasons. At Banning High, where he’s taught since 1963, he earns more than $40,000 a year. The Harbor job, which is guaranteed only for the spring semester, pays about $33,000 annually. Harbor Athletic Director Jim O’Brien however, is optimistic that the job will lead to a full-time position, an increase of nearly $7,000 a year.

“When we do get a full-time coach,” O’Brien said, “there is a big pay difference. The salary is near the top of the scale and it’s an 11-month deal.”

Still, accepting the position--which O’Brien says will be filled by January--is a big financial risk for Ferragamo.

“We still have to talk about financial details,” Ferragamo said. “That’s something we have to work out. I’d be taking a pretty good pay cut.”