Community College Notebook / Steve Kresal : Cypress Finds Smooth Sailing in Water Polo

Cypress College is joining the ranks of the Southland’s top water polo teams.

Golden West, Long Beach, Orange Coast and Saddleback recently have been considered among the best programs in Southern California.

Now, Cypress is making a move. The Chargers are 8-2 overall and 1-1 in Orange Empire Conference play. Cypress needs four more victories this season to equal its best total in the four previous years under Coach Howie Clarke.

A walk-on coach who teaches at Bolsa Grande High School, Clarke was an assistant to Jim Steveson from 1973-84 before taking over the program when Steveson decided to concentrate on coaching swimming. Clarke’s first team was 2-27, including 11 victories forfeited for using an ineligible player. Cypress was 3-24 overall and 0-14 in the Orange Empire Conference in 1986, improved to 8-19 and 4-10 the following year and 12-14 and 4-8 last season.

“This season has been a long time coming,” Clarke said. “But we realize we still have a long way to go to get to the top.”

Todd Banhidy was a first-team all-conference player last season, Craig Shimomura was a second-team pick and Eric Coolbaugh was named honorable mention. Pat Ruzgerian is back and much improved as a goalie.

Dan Walsh, who was an All-American at Cypress in 1987, is back after sitting out last season for personal reasons. Craig Garcia, a sophomore, has transferred from defending state champion Long Beach.

Cypress faced some of the better teams in Southern California last week in the San Diego Mesa tournament. Cypress surprised Saddleback, the defending Orange Empire Conference champion, in one semifinal match, 7-2.

Cypress then played long-time county power Golden West in the final and lost, 14-6. Golden West has won seven state titles, including five in a row from 1978-82.

“We still have a long way to go to beat a team like Golden West,” Clarke said. “But we’ve been in the pool with them and we know what it’s like to play them.”

Southland poll: El Camino (2-0) moved to the top of the Southland football poll this week in the wake of Fullerton’s 28-23 lose to Cerritos Saturday. El Camino, second last week, defeated Orange Coast, 36-17, Saturday.

Mt. San Antonio (2-0) is second, Cerritos (2-0-1) third, Rancho Santiago (2-0) fourth, Fullerton (1-1) fifth, Bakersfield (1-0-1) sixth, Moorpark (2-0) seventh, Long Beach (2-0) eighth, Santa Monica (2-0) ninth and Riverside (2-0) 10th.

Tough start: Saddleback’s football team is 0-2, losing to San Diego Mesa and Grossmont, both by scores of 17-7.

That has happened only three times since the program started in 1968. Saddleback was 0-2 in 1968 and again in 1976, which was Swearingen’s first season.

The only time Saddleback started 0-3 was in 1986 when the Gauchos forfeited three victories for using an ineligible player.

Saddleback will try an avoid an 0-3 start when the Gauchos play host to Palomar Saturday at 7 p.m.

“We have to figure out something,” Swearingen said. “I just don’t know right know what that something is, but it is time for drastic action before it gets too late.”

Saddleback must play four teams ranked in the Southland poll--Mt. San Antonio, Fullerton, Riverside and Rancho Santiago--in its final eight games.

Community College Notes

Bill Price, who coached at Cypress for 22 years, has retired. Price coached golf for the past 17 seasons, and was the football coach from 1970-72. Marian Dorn moves from women’s tennis coach to replace Price as golf coach. Ron Johnson will be the walk-on women’s tennis coach. . . . Nick-John Haiduc of Fullerton had 255 yards in all-purpose offense in Fullerton’s 28-23 loss to Cerritos Saturday. He had seven pass receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He returned two punts for 66 yards, including a 55-yard scoring play. He also had 80 yards in three kickoff returns . . . Rancho Santiago quarterback Scott Wood missed last Saturday’s 51-13 victory over San Diego City with the flu. He is expected to play this week against Long Beach.