JC Notes / Irene Garcia : Decision Time for JC Stars : 13 El Camino Gridders Sign With Major 4-Year Colleges

Once again El Camino was somewhat of a football camp for big colleges. Last year 22 members of the Warrior state champion club went on to play at four-year schools. Twenty are at Division I schools, two at Division II campuses.

This season 17 El Camino players have signed with four-year schools, 13 with Division I programs and four at the Division II level. Seven others are expected to sign in June.

Those who have committed include wide receiver Mike Jones (Washington State), wide receiver Bryan Burnett and running back Aaron Craver (Fresno State) offensive lineman Brian Conners (University of Pacific), offensive lineman Pat Hunt and place-kicker Dominic Cefalone (Texas El Paso), running back Blackie Poti (University of Hawaii), tackle Tim Drevno (Cal State Fullerton) and guard Mark Merritt (Eastern Michigan).

Defensive players who have signed are linebacker Paul Hill (Oregon State), defensive back Larry Bonner and linebacker Ed Ulufanua (Pacific), linebacker Tui Suiaunoa (Texas El Paso), lineman Bruce Clark (Cal State Northridge), linemen Pat Wilkinson and Mark Comings (St. Mary’s) and Alan Banks (Fort Hays State).

Three Harbor football players have signed with Division I schools. Offensive tackle John Taotoai and place-kicker Luis Solorio will be teammates next year at the University of Florida. Wide receiver Archie Jean will play at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and defensive tackle Aaron Pulliam is expected to sign with San Jose State in June.

Harbor’s basketball game against Cerro Coso last week will be remembered for several reasons. First, two key Harbor players didn’t show up. One was involved in a car accident and the other had family problems.

Tip-off was delayed 10 minutes because both teams had gold uniforms. The Seahawks had to break out ragged old blue jerseys that were used about five years ago.

“They were real old and tight,” said freshman guard Vernon Middleton. “It was kind of uncomfortable.”

The evening will also be memorable because it marked the Seahawks’ (12-9, 5-2) first Southern California Athletic Conference loss of the season. On Wednesday they lost their second SCAC game, 87-66, to L.A. City.

Marymount basketball Coach Jim Masterson practically guaranteed before the season that his third-year program would have a good campaign.

Buy now the Mariners are the Southern California Athletic Conference cellar team. Marymount has the state’s fourth leading scorers in guard Ernie Woods and forward James Anderson. Both average 24.9 points a game and Anderson is the state’s top rebounder with an average of 13.

Still, the boost provided by the two sophomores isn’t enough to save the Mariners (4-17, 0-7). Lately they’ve lacked the manpower to run the fast offense that Masterson likes.

For example, in last week’s 98-83 loss to Harbor, Marymount was missing three key players who were academically ineligible. That cut the roster to six, and as if things weren’t bad enough, Trevor Tapscott, the lone reserve, sprained an ankle. That left Marymount with its starting five.

“That’s why we just ran out of gas,” Masterson said. “We’ve had to stop our running game and our break. It’s been pretty difficult because we’ve worked on our running game in the preseason and now we have to slow them down. It’s been a tough transition, but without the horses to run up and down the court we can’t do it. We’ve had to change our style.”

El Camino forward Cheri Bullet is the state’s leading rebounder with an average of 15.9. The 6-foot freshman is also the team’s second leading scorer (12.9 points a game). In last week’s 71-67 victory over Mt. San Antonio College, Bullet scored 28 points for the Warriors, who are 12-4 (4-2 in the SCC) after Wednesday’s 73-60 victory over Pasadena.