NOTEBOOK : Singular Effort of Maye Changes Royal’s Fortunes

Despite a losing reputation and a first-year coach who is a one-man show, Royal High (15-9, 7-4) has clinched second place in the Marmonte League and qualified for the Southern Section playoffs for the first time since 1978, only the fourth time overall.

“When I came here I didn’t know any names and just held tryouts,” Dan Maye said. “But we didn’t consider it a rebuilding year and set a goal of finishing third or fourth.”

Maye, 28, inherited a 12-17 team that was sixth in the league last year and has directed the team without the benefit of an assistant on the varsity for much of the season.

His brother, Steve, traded his duties as pitching coach to play for the Salinas Spurs Class-A team in the California League. Maye’s father, Frank, coaches the junior varsity, which plays its games at the same time as the varsity.

“The kids have accepted it pretty well,” Dan Maye said. “The hardest obstacle was that our kids have been told they’re losers, that they’ve never made the playoffs and that they can’t win.”

Top teams: One of the week’s more interesting matchups has no bearing on a league race or a playoff berth. But today’s Agoura-Westlake game is more than just another nonleague contest.

Although the teams are concentrating on the playoffs, it’s unlikely that they will look past each other. Besides the rivalry engendered by proximity, the schools will be league opponents in the fall when Agoura leaves the Frontier League for the Marmonte.

Agoura (14-8, 9-0) has won 12 of its past 13 games, clinched its second consecutive Frontier League title, and the Chargers want to finish the league season unbeaten.

Coach Gary Gray said he will use his top pitchers for the league games, but his options remain open. Staff ace Bob Kazmirski, who has accepted a scholarship to Fresno State, pitched two innings in Agoura’s 4-3 win over Santa Ynez on Tuesday.

Joey Medaglia, a senior left-hander, is the probable starter against Westlake, although Kazmirski and right-hander Brian Smith are also ready to pitch.

“More than likely all three of those young men will pitch against Westlake,” Gray said. Agoura would love to beat the Warriors, who are 24-1 and ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section 5-A Division.

Westlake already has concluded a 12-0 Marmonte season, winning the school’s first league title in baseball. Westlake Coach Rich Herrera said he won’t use ace Mike Eby, a senior left-hander with a 9-0 record. Instead, the Warriors will start junior right-hander Donnie Hill.

“Pitching-wise, we’re going to try to work everybody,” Herrera said. “But we’re going with the same lineup as always and we’ll try to win the ballgame.”

Streak talk: Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers’ streak of winning seasons might have ended. Scyphers has coached 20 seasons, including 12 at Simi Valley, without finishing under .500.

The Pioneers are 11-12 with one Marmonte League game remaining, today at Camarillo. “I hardly ever bring that personal-type thing up, whether it’s my 200th win or whatever,” Scyphers said. “But I have some pride and I’d like to keep that record intact.”

If the record falls, it could be the wooden stake in the heart of a disappointing season. Simi Valley will not qualify for the Southern Section playoffs for only the third time in Scyphers’ 12-year tenure.

“Obviously, we feel dissatisfied with the season,” he said. “I don’t see how anybody can have self-satisfaction when they don’t play up to their capabilities. But this type of year is bound to happen.”

Although the league season ends today, the Pioneers have played one game short of the total alloted under Southern Section rules. Scyphers’ attempt to add a nonleague game may pay off this week.

He said he would like to give Joe Gordon, who has tied Scott Sharts’ 1988 school record with 15 home runs this season, an additional opportunity to equal or break the Southern Section record of 16 set by Channel Islands’ Arnold Garcia in 1981.

“I feel you owe it to them to play a complete schedule,” Scyphers said. “I also feel I owe it to Joe Gordon. Scott set the record in 28 games and Joe will have played only 25.”

Up and coming: Recent performances by two Golden League underclassmen provide promising pictures for the future.

Saugus’ Kyle Lonsberry might be the area’s best sophomore player. Lonsberry is batting .400 with seven doubles 19 RBIs.

“I’ve never had a sophomore do what he has done,” said Doug Worley, who is in his 15th year as Saugus coach.

At Canyon, junior right-hander Erik Hiljus (1-2) pitched a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts to lead the Cowboys to a 9-0 win over Ridgecrest Burroughs on Friday.

Scholarship report: Justin Stark, Chaminade’s catcher, has been offered a scholarship to play baseball for UC Riverside next season but has yet to commit.

Stark pounded his seventh home run of the season Friday, breaking the school record set by Scott Stuber in 1987.