COLLEGES / ALAN DROOZ : Runner May Leave Loyola in Her Tracks

The story of Loyola Marymount’s cross-country season might be titled: “Amy, We Hardly Knew Ye.”

The Lions have a standout freshman runner, Amy Harootian, and have hopes of making a mark in Saturday’s West Coast Conference Championships in Belmont, Calif.

But it is possible Harootian’s Loyola career will be short-lived, a disappointment to coaches who consider her the best cross-country prospect at the school in a decade.

While perennial winner Portland is expected to defend the men’s and women’s titles on the hilly Crystal Springs course, the Lions hope to be competitive. Loyola’s coaches say Harootian is capable of placing in the top 10, which would probably qualify her for NCAA Regionals.

Last year the Lion women finished last in the WCC meet.

“That’s something we haven’t had to deal with this year,” Lion Coach Mike Sheehan said. “The team feels very competitive with her in there. This year we had 12 women on the roster. They see good people running, they want to run with her. That’s something we haven’t had (in the past).”

While the slender Harootian is probably more effective on a flat course, Sheehan said that if she is pushed by the Portland squad, the freshman is capable of running the 5-K in 18:30, and could lower that significantly over a four-year career. As a high school track standout in Reading, Mass., she has already run the Boston Marathon.

“With credentials like those, she’s got the strength to run 16:30 with the right training,” Sheehan said. “She’s the best woman I’ve ever coached.”

Sheehan hopes a good showing Saturday will get Harootian an invitation to the Regionals.

“I don’t think she’s really been pushed,” Sheehan said. “With the Portland girls to run with at conference, if she makes the top 10 I’d say there’s a real good chance they will take her to regionals. She deserves it.”

Harootian’s parents are flying out from Boston to watch the meet.

“This is the biggest thing of the whole season,” Harootian said. “I’m in top condition, I’m just totally going to go all out, I’ll pass out on the field if I have to.”

It could be her swan song at Loyola, however. Harootian came to Loyola primarily to concentrate on drama and acting, and has not been bowled over by her drama courses at the school. She has already told the coaches she is considering leaving after the fall semester. It’s something she and her parents will discuss this weekend.

“I love the cross-country team,” she said. “I’m not sure (of leaving) yet, it’s something I’m thinking about.”

Sheehan said: “Her dream is to act. She’s always welcome back. But I would never stand in the way of anybody’s dream.”

Kicking Around the CCAA: The Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s soccer team muddied its chances at winning the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title by losing at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 4-0, Wednesday night.

The loss dropped the Toros into third place at 3-2-1 behind Cal Poly (4-1-1) and Cal State Bakersfield (3-0-2). First-place Bakersfield plays the Toros at Carson at 3 p.m. Saturday, but even with a victory the Toros need some help to win the CCAA title and a possible NCAA playoff berth.

When the Toros played in Bakersfield recently, each team scored in overtime in a 2-2 tie. After Saturday, the Toros have one game left, a conference match at Cal Poly Pomona on Wednesday.

Toro Coach Marine Cano said his team will keep battling.

“We proved we could play (Bakersfield) in their back yard, now they will have to prove what they can do in ours,” he said. “No matter what the situation is, this team knows that it’s capable of winning. They just won’t quit.”

The Lady Toros, who play Northern Colorado at home Saturday at 1, probably ended their slim chances for a return to the Western Regionals when they were tied by San Francisco State on Monday. The Lady Toros (9-5-3) are ranked ninth in the nation but third in the West. They complete their season Wednesday at Pomona. Amy Rubin, third in season scoring, has 14 goals and 42 points.

WCC Volleying: The West Coast Conference volleyball title may be decided this weekend when Gonzaga and Portland travel to face Loyola and Pepperdine. The top three teams are tightly bunched. Pepperdine is 7-0, Gonzaga is 7-1 and Loyola is 6-1. Gonzaga plays Loyola at 7:30 Friday and Pepperdine on Saturday.

The Waves have set a conference record by winning 26 consecutive matches going back to 1988 and are rated 10th this week, the highest ever for a WCC team. Loyola (13-11 overall) is getting outstanding play from all-league hitter Kerry House, setter Anita Irwin and freshman hitter Deanna Doolittle. House has already set a school season record for digs and Irwin has set a record for assists.

However, the Lions, who have lost to Gonzaga four consecutive times. will be without freshman hitter Shawna Mickartz, who will sit out the rest of the season with a back injury. Notes

Two of the most highly touted basketball players in preseason are twin peaks Heather and Heidi Burge, who are expected to lead Virginia into the top 10 and possible NCAA title contention. The former Palos Verdes High stars are also the answer to an interesting bit of trivia: according to the latest Guinness Book of World Records, the 6-foot-4 3/4 sophomores are the world’s tallest female identical twins. . . . More twin news: Dominguez Hills sophomores Amy and Anna Rubin scored goals in a 2-0 victory Saturday against Chapman College. It was the sixth time the sisters have scored in the same game. The Lady Toros are 5-1 in those games.