SAN DIEGO COLLEGE NOTEBOOK : Bailey-Dolph Matches Loom as Final Preview

In a preview of what could be the NCAA wrestling final at 150 pounds, former Valhalla High star Richard Bailey, now at Cal State Bakersfield, defeated Indiana’s Brian Dolph, 6-2, last week at an all-star tournament in Portland, Ore.

The meet, sponsored by the National Wrestling Coaches Assn., pits the top two wrestlers in each weight. Dolph had been No. 1 at 150 pounds, Bailey No. 2.

It was tied, 2-2, after two periods. Bailey chose the down position in the third and scored on an escape. Midway through, he got two points for a takedown and finished with a point for riding time.

“I felt good,” said Bailey, whose only loss this year was to Dolph, 7-4 in the Midlands in January. “Earlier in the year, I had the flu, but I didn’t want to say anything because that’s a cop-out. (On this night,) he wasn’t wrestling well. You could tell that.”

Bailey and Dolph split matches last year in the NCAA Tournament--Bailey winning in the quarterfinals and Dolph in the third-place match.

“We have about a month and a half to go to nationals, and that’s where I’m focusing,” Bailey said. “My main goal is to win nationals. I’ve still got a lot of improving to do. I need to get in better shape before nationals.”

Grossmont Community College will not be eligible for the men’s basketball playoffs this season because the Griffins played too many games according to Coach Rick Wilkerson.

With two games remaining, Grossmont is assured of at least a second-place finish in the Pacific Coast Conference. The Griffins (18-12, 8-2) trail Imperial Valley (28-1, 9-1) by one game. The top three teams in the PCC make the playoffs.

Conference rules state that a team gets 28 scheduling points in a season on the basis of one point per game and two points per tournament.

“You’re allowed to schedule 28, and we scheduled 30,” Wilkerson said. “It was an oversight. We tried to come up with all kinds of solutions, but none of them seemed to be workable.”

“I just feel bad for the kids. They’re the ones getting punished, and they didn’t do anything wrong. They deserve to be in the playoffs.”

Allison Shapcott, a former U.S. International University golfer, finished third in her first tournament on the Asian Tour. Shapcott was a second-team All-American winning two tournaments (the USIU Tournament at Rancho Bernardo and the Calif. Collegiate at Stanford) last year. She was also a two-time NCAA qualifier finishing 17th in 1989.

USIU’s softball team, which finished 15-38 last season, is making some waves in the top 20 early in 1990.

The Gulls opened the season by splitting double-headers against No. 1 UCLA, the defending NCAA champion, and No. 3 Arizona. USIU (3-3) then split with unranked UC Santa Barbara giving the Gauchos (5-1) their first loss.

In all, USIU plays 10 of the preseason top 20 teams, including the top five teams.

Christian Heritage, winner of five in a row and 14 of 15, is the No. 1-ranked men’s basketball team in the National Christian College Athletic Assn. for the seventh week in a row.

According to Coach Swen Nater, the Hawks are winning because of their shooting touch from the free-throw line and from three-point range.

In 10 of its victories, Christian Heritage has been outshot from the floor, but an NAIA District III-leading .761 free-throw percentage and .418 three-point percentage has helped make up the difference.

On a recent five-game road trip, the Hawks made 49% (67 of 137) of their three-point attempts and broke a couple of school records. The single-game Hawk record was 13. On that trip, Christian Heritage made 13, 14, 3, 20 and 17.

The previous individual single-game record was seven. That was tied by both Mark Kraatz and Rundy Foster and broken by Brad Soucie, who made eight.

In the NAIA District III three-point percentage leaders, four Hawks are among the top 11--Kraatz (.440) is fourth, Will Cunningham (.432) seventh, Soucie (.429) eighth and Foster (.410) 11th.

Ironically, Christian Heritage plays today at Cal State San Bernardino, where they set a futility record missing all of 17 attempts last season.

It was a full moon Thursday night, but . . . ?

At nearly the same time Thursday night 1,000 miles apart, the University of San Diego’s men’s and women’s basketball teams were both tied with Gonzaga, 43-43.

USD’s men, playing in Spokane, went on to win, 73-65. USD’s women, playing in San Diego, won 76-56.