Ja Jolla Girls Have Records on Run

Mailee Ferguson and Patty Villarreal are already making tracks on the new 2.43-mile cross-country course at Morley Field.

Ferguson set a course record Friday, breaking the previous record held by Villarreal, a La Jolla High School teammate. Ferguson, a sophomore, finished in 15 minutes 31 seconds to break senior Villarreal’s record of 15:37 set the week before. It was only the fourth week the new course had been in use by members of the City Central, City Eastern and City Western Leagues.

“One of the two girls will probably drop it down to 15 (minutes) soon, and before the season is over, drop it under 15,” La Jolla Coach Bill Stock said.

Last year, Villarreal won every dual meet and the City Western League meet. Ferguson started last year as the team’s No. 3 runner. By league finals, she was only two or three steps behind Villarreal, Stock said.

There’s a healthy competition between the two, Stock said.

“They’re very good friends. In a race, they run hard. Before the race there is no animosity and after the race they hug each other,” Stock said. “Both have a positive opinion that cross-country is a team sport.”

La Jolla, which placed fifth in Division II at the state meet last year and is 2-0 in league this year, should again be a factor at the state competition.

“La Jolla will have no trouble winning the Western Conference,” Stock predicted. His team’s strength is twofold.

First, said Stock, La Jolla is strong from top to bottom.

“Too many times a school will have one or two key runners but the rest will be way back in the pack,” he said.

Secondly, Stock points to his runners’ dedication and discipline, exemplified through their grades in school. The team of 43 girls boasts a 3.6 grade-point average. Seven of the top 10 are 4.0 students.

“This does have a bearing in cross-country,” Stock said. “It goes hand in hand with grades.””

The Orange Glen football team may have solved its receiving problems by moving up sophomore Chris Plasch from junior varsity to replace graduated Jake Nyberg. As a senior, Nyberg, now at San Diego State, led the county with 72 receptions and 1,211 yards--450 more than any other player.

“We were having a hard time catching the ball on varsity and Chris was doing well on JV, so we made the decision to move him up,” Coach Rob Gilster said. “He reminded us of Jake Nyberg.”

Last year, Plasch was a top receiver on the freshman team.

“If the ball is close to him, he’ll catch it,” Gilster said. “We needed someone who caught it consistently.”

Plasch made a 27-yard reception in Orange Glen’s 7-6 victory against Poway Friday.

“I have complete confidence in him,” senior quarterback Daren Wilkinson said. “He catches everything thrown to him.”

It’s only October, but the football bowl season has already begun. Well, sort of.

For the first time in the 26-year rivalry between Morse and Lincoln, the two schools not only fought for a victory, but for the new Southeastern Bowl trophy, which will travel between the two schools.

Lincoln took possession of the trophy after a 26-10 victory against Morse Saturday night. Lincoln holds a 12-9 edge in the 21 games played since 1965.

Though the game had been scheduled since last spring, it was not dubbed a bowl game until last week, when Lonny Fields, a Lincoln booster, came up with the idea and had the cup made.

“I just wanted to get something for the community,” said Fields, who owns a trophy and gift shop in National City. “I wanted to give the kids something to look forward to, something that would give them bragging rights for a whole year.”

The 1-A Desert/Coastal Eleven Man Football League will continue to have only one playoff game after the request for a two-game format was denied.

The Coordinating Council of the San Diego Section last week turned down the request based on a recommendation from the Playoff Committee.

“There are only five teams in the league and instead of sending four of them to the playoffs, the council preferred to leave it at two,” said Jan Jessop, San Diego Section assistant commissioner.

The league is composed of six teams, but member Marion will join the newly-formed Harbor League next year, dropping the Desert/Coastal league to five teams.

Imperial Coach Mike Swearingen, whose team finished in a three-way tie for second place with Marian and Army-Navy last year, said he favored a two-game format after Marian was awarded the second playoff spot.

According to San Diego Section rules, in the event of a tie, the team or teams with the most recent playoff appearance are eliminated from playoff consideration. Because it was Marian’s first year in the 1-A division, it earned the playoff spot.

*HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALLThe Top Ten and statistical leaders. Page 10.