Southern Section Baseball Capsules : FRONTIER LEAGUE

Santa Clara

COACH: Lou Cvijanovich, 32nd season

LAST SEASON: 28-0; 1st in league, 10-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Shon Tarver is gone to UCLA, but Santa Clara should again be the class of the league. Two starters on last year’s state championship team are back, led by junior Chris Cole (6-foot-4), a swingman who plays “all over the place,” according to Cvijanovich. Also returning is senior forward Anthony Maestas (6-2). Cvijanovich has at his disposal a wealth of talented juniors, including scheduled starting point guard Art Barone (5-11) and forward Steve Amar (6-4). Two other players vying for starting time include junior Isaiah Mustafa (6-2) and Evan Swanger (6-2). Yet another junior, post player Pat Lampson (6-5) rounds out the rotation for Cvijanovich. Most of the juniors come to the varsity from a championship junior-varsity team.

OUTLOOK: Santa Clara has not lost a league game since 1985 and has won every league title since then. On paper, this year does not seem much different. “I think it’s a helluva league, from what I’ve seen,” Cvijanovich said. But he likes the Saints’ chances. “As the season progresses, this will be one fine ballclub.”

Nordhoff

COACH: Dick Sebek, 16th season

LAST SEASON: 15-9; 2nd in league, 7-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Father will coach son again at the Ojai school, where the Rangers’ star player is junior Tim Sebek (6-3), a guard-forward who averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds last year. Sebek was selected All-Ventura County as a sophomore. The other returning starter for Nordhoff is junior point guard Kevin Cochran (6-0). From there, Sebek will look to new names for starters. Senior Craig Bolton (6-0) is a forward who is “real quick and a good athlete”, according to Sebek. He is also the only senior who will start. From the football team comes junior guard Nacho Vega (5-10), who likes to shoot the ball. Junior Josh Bridge, a 6-4 transfer from Boston, “fits in real well,” according to Sebek. Also vying for playing time is freshman Mark Sebek (6-0), the coach’s son.

OUTLOOK: Nordhoff was the last team to win a Frontier League title before Santa Clara’s dominance of the late ‘80s. Sebek said the teams have had a great rivalry and that 1990-91 should be no exception. From rival Cvijanovich: “Nordhoff has a real good bunch coming back.”

Santa Paula

COACH: Tom Donahue, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 2-19; 5th in league, 2-8

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Donahue inherits a program filled with winning juniors. Leading the way is footballer Joey Ramirez (6-0), a junior guard who can shoot well and is a good ballhandler. Joining him in the backcourt is George Aldanese (6-1), a left-handed transfer from Santa Barbara who, like Ramirez, is a “pretty good shooter.” In the middle is 6-8 junior Terry Bell. “He has good hands and a nice touch,” Donahue said. “His only problem is that he’s a little slow afoot.” Defensive standout Anthony Hernandez (6-2), a senior forward, should start. Then, the onslaught of juniors who have won together ever since arriving at Santa Paula: forward Charles Hyde (6-3), forward Patrick Villa (6-3), point guard Art Marcelo (5-8) and swingman Kevin Crossley (5-11).

OUTLOOK: Donahue downplays this year’s team, but the league’s coaches seem to like the Cardinals--they voted them as preseason favorites to finish second to Santa Clara. In truth, they should battle Nordhoff for that honor. Donahue likes the idea of turning the program around, citing experience in that vein from his coaching days in Pennsylvania. Said Donahue: “I think that’s one of my fortes in life.”

Fillmore

COACH: John Wilber, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 11-11; 3rd in Tri-Valley League, 4-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Four starters return for Fillmore’s jump to the Frontier League. Leading the way is returning all-league guard Richard Aguilera (5-10), a senior who scored 16.7 points a game last year. He is joined in the backcourt by senior Pokey Sanchez (5-10), an outstanding athlete who is the one of the team’s best defenders. From the football team comes quarterback Art Sosa (5-9), a third guard who will push the ball up the court. In the middle there is size--senior center Mike Richardson (6-6) is back after leading the team in rebounding last year. Two juniors who will be counted on to contribute are forward Rudy Alcantar (6-3), a good jumper who runs the floor and forward Danny Ocegueda (6-2), a solid inside player. Also from the football team is linebacker-turned-guard Jason Rangel (5-11), who will be counted on to do some running off the bench.

OUTLOOK: In Wilber’s first season, he is looking to field a running team. “We’re going to try to push it up,” he said. “We want to take advantage of our speed.” By Wilber’s calculations, Fillmore’s first year in the league will be marked by a battle with Santa Paula and Nordhoff for second or third place.

Calabasas

COACH: Bill Bellatty, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 10-13; 4th in Frontier League, 4-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Calabasas will only carry eight players--a manpower problem that also afflicted the football team. But one of the eight is a prize--senior center Greg Waugh (6-8), who is being recruited by small East Coast schools and possesses a “nice touch,” according to Bellatty. Senior guard Tom Hoover (6-3) will shoot the jump shot for the Coyotes and senior point guard Jason Young (5-11) will run the three-guard offense. Another senior, 6-foot Chuck Sergis, will play the post and will be counted on to help Waugh rebound. Joining him in that duty will be senior Nick Carpol (6-0). Junior shooting guard Brian Bruskurd (5-11) and point guard Jeff Marin (5-10) will come off the bench.

OUTLOOK: Calabasas need not worry about the relative strength of its league competition entirely: “It’s always one of my goals to reach the playoffs,” said Bellatty, who is returning to the head coaching post after a two-year layoff. “And we’ve reached that already.” Bellatty was referring to the new Southern Section rule allowing all teams to make the playoffs. But he feels his Coyotes have another goal--to improve on last year’s record. “This year we’re going to pick it up,” he said. “We’re going to try and run a little bit.”