High School Notebook / Laura Palmer : Chain Crew at Chula Vista Home Games Is Measuring Up

They are members of a Chula Vista chain gang. They’re the four women who serve as the chain crew for Chula Vista High School’s home football games.

Two of the women, Pat Morgante and Mary Aubuchon, have been doing this for 13 and 10 years, respectively. Three years ago, Morgante’s daughter, Anna Marie, joined the crew and Anna Marie’s friend, Patricia Morris, joined this year.

“We belonged to the booster club and my husband, Tony, is a referee. He told me that if we were to get four people together, he’d show me what to do and I could be in charge of (the chains),” Pat Morgante said about how the original crew was formed.

“Being football-minded, I already had some idea of what to do. And he said we could do this each week as a part of our contribution to the football program.”

The Morgantes’ sons played on the football team so Pat didn’t begin working the chains until after they graduated. After all, she wouldn’t have been allowed to cheer from the sidelines.

Morgante said that having an all-female crew this year produced some “funny looks” from the crowd.

“A couple of weeks ago, Anna Marie overheard a coach say, ‘Well, it looks like (the players) have their mothers out there,’ ” Morgante said. “Anna Marie (who’s 26) said, ‘Do I look like I can be one of their moms?’ ”

Pat said that over the years, she has never been harassed by a coach but she has received a complaint, as do most men who have worked on a chain crew.

Aubuchon, whose sons graduated from Chula Vista, got started on the crew when the booster club was looking for help. Her husband, Bud, is Mar Vista’s athletic director and former football coach.

“Our husbands are busy on Friday nights so we thought we should be too,” Aubuchon said.

Pat said that being on the chain crew has its rewards, such as recognition. Once, when Chula Vista made the playoffs, the chain crew got its names in lights on the San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium scoreboard.

“We have a really good rapport with the coaches,” Morgante said. “They’re almost the same as when our sons played. And we’ve gotten to know all the referees. We have a good reputation and the linesman knows when he walks out on our field that he will have a competent chain crew.”

For the third consecutive year, Army-Navy Academy will play host to the California School of the Deaf in Riverside Thursday.

The School for the Deaf has a person on the sidelines beating a giant drum to begin plays.

“The first time I saw this I forgot I was coaching,” Army-Navy Coach Steve Simmons said. “They’re trying to play what is considered a listening man’s game. They’re trying to mainstream the kids into society and they do this through athletics.”

Army-Navy, which has won the two previous games, always plays host to the game, which will be followed by a barbecue.

“It’s neat to see our kids interact with their kids,” Simmons said. “This is what high school athletics is all about.”

After sweeping the high school tennis championships her first two years at Our Lady of Peace, two-time singles champion and San Diego Section player of the year, Angelica Gavaldon, is taking a year off from OLP to play in professional tournaments. Because of her extensive traveling, Gavaldon is completing her junior year through independent study.

“I was traveling a lot and OLP is such a good academic school that it was hard to keep up my studies,” Gavaldon said. “This way I can make more of a commitment to tennis.”

Gavaldon, 15, who became only the second player since 1979 to win two consecutive singles championships, is testing the professional circuit before turning pro.

“I’m playing in pro tournaments to see how I do,” Gavaldon said. “When I’m ready I’ll turn pro. I want to be sure.”

This summer, Gavaldon defeated Ros Fairbank in the first round of the $75,000 Virginia Slims before losing to Gretchen Magers in the second round. Fairbank and Magers both had reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon this year.

“I’m very pleased,” Gavaldon said. “I think I did pretty good this summer.”

Gavaldon isn’t sure yet if she will return to Our Lady of Peace for her senior year.

Point Loma snapped Rancho Buena Vista’s 16-game winning streak Friday night with a 42-35 victory. RBV ranked fourth on the all-time San Diego Section list for consecutive victories.

“Point Loma outplayed us,” RVB Coach Craig Bell said. “We just weren’t as ready to play as they were.”

Rancho Buena Vista played catch-up the first half and tied Point Loma, 21-21, at halftime. The Longhorns jumped to 35-28 lead but Point Loma pulled ahead late in the fourth quarter.

Danny White completed 14 for 20 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns for Point Loma. Brett Callan had eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown for the Pointers and Kevin Perreira had 14 carries for 91 yards and one touchdown.