Repeating No Easy Task for Woodland Hills West

American Legion District 20 baseball, featuring defending World Series champion Woodland Hills West, opens play today at high schools throughout the San Fernando and Antelope valley and Glendale areas.

Defending its title, even on the home front, will be more difficult this year for West. This season, there are 24 teams in the district, an increase of five from 1989.

The Western Division features Woodland Hills East (primarily Taft High players), Woodland Hills West (El Camino Real), Granada Hills, Agoura, Reseda, Chatsworth, Encino-Crespi (Crespi) and Las Virgenes (Calabasas). Woodland Hills West won the division and district titles in ‘89, finishing with a regular-season mark of 19-3.

West again should be the team to beat--perhaps beyond the district level. Eleven players return, including third baseman Del Marine, the 1989 national legion Player of the Year.

Also expected to play for West are Pat Treend, Jason Cohen, Bobby Kim, Jeff Marks and Greg Lederman of El Camino Real High. Left-hander Joey Rosselli of Alemany High, a pitcher-first baseman and newcomer to the team, also will play.

“We went out last year to have fun and everything fell into place,” said West Coach Don Hornback, an assistant with the team last season. “The kids played very, very well. To expect us to repeat (the World Series title) is far-fetched. To hope we do isn’t.”

The Eastern Division includes North Hollywood, Burbank, Sun Valley (Poly), Van Nuys-Notre Dame (Notre Dame), Glendale, Verdugo Hills, Valley Encino-Tarzana (Birmingham) and Panorama City (St. Genevieve). Panorama City (18-4 in district play) is the defending divisional champion.

The Northern Division features Palmdale, Lancaster (Antelope Valley), West Hills (Chaminade), Newhall-Saugus (Saugus), Studio City (Van Nuys), Quartz Hill and San Fernando. Newhall-Saugus (17-5) is the defending champion.

Play in Ventura County’s District 16 begins next Saturday.

Last August in Millington, Tenn., West became the first District 20 team to win a World Series title, defeating Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, in the championship game.

Single games are scheduled each Wednesday and Saturday, with a doubleheader on Sunday.