NOTEBOOK / GARY KLEIN : Pasadena City College Plays Host to Fullerton in Battle of Top Teams

The two top community college football teams in Southern California meet Saturday when Pasadena City College plays host to Fullerton in a Mission Conference game.

Pasadena (3-0 overall, 1-0 in conference play) is ranked second in the state behind College of the Sequoias and first in Southern California in this week’s JC Athletic Bureau poll. Fullerton (2-0, 1-0) is third in the state and second in Southern California.

Pasadena defeated Southwestern, 42-21, on Saturday in its conference opener. Pasadena is averaging 420.3 yards a game on offense. Running back Darick Holmes is averaging 94 yards a game.

Fullerton defeated San Diego Mesa, 23-9, last week and has the state’s second-leading rusher in John Mountain, who has gained 326 yards.

Mt. SAC is ranked fourth in the state and third in Southern California. The Mounties have been getting an outstanding performance from Andy Norrell, who has made seven of eight field-goal attempts and all 11 extra-point kicks.

Mt. SAC plays host to Palomar on Saturday.

Citrus fell to 1-2 after losing to San Bernardino Valley, 13-12, in its Foothill Conference opener. The Owls lost when Jeff Stephens’ 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked with seven seconds left.

Citrus plays host to Victor Valley.

Triple threat: The La Verne football team is in second place behind Redlands in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but in Phelan Piestrup, Willie Reyna and Rod Zerbel, the Leopards boast the top rusher, passer and receiver in the league.

Piestrup has gained 292 yards in 49 carries in three games for the Leopards (2-1). On Saturday, Piestrup gained 104 yards in 21 carries and scored on runs of seven and nine yards as La Verne defeated Pomona Pitzer, 38-10. Piestrup also leads the conference in scoring with 30 points.

Reyna completed 18 of 29 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns against Pomona Pitzer. Reyna, who has played in two games, has completed 39 of 64 passes for 446 yards.

Zerbel has 19 receptions for 224 yards and three touchdowns.

La Verne plays host to Azusa Pacific Saturday in a nonconference game at 1:30 p.m.

Rank and file: Several San Gabriel Valley water polo, cross-country, girls’ tennis and girls’ volleyball teams are ranked among the Southern Section’s top 10 in their respective divisions.

In water polo, Muir is ranked fourth in the 3-A Division. Alhambra is third in 2-A, followed by Walnut and Pasadena.

In Division II boys’ cross-country, Bishop Amat is ranked third and Claremont and Walnut are sixth and seventh. South Hills is fifth in Division III. Covina and San Marino are eighth and ninth. Maranatha is fifth in Division IV.

In Division II girls’ cross-country, Claremont is fourth and Bishop Amat is 10th. San Marino is ranked No. 1 in Division III with South Hills seventh and South Pasadena 10th. Maranatha is sixth in Division IV.

San Marino is ranked seventh in 4-A in girls’ tennis. In 3-A, Diamond Bar is second, Alhambra is sixth and Arcadia is ninth. Glendora is 10th in 2-A, Pasadena Poly is fourth in 1-A and Bonita is sixth in the Small Schools Division.

Los Altos is ranked No. 8 in the 3-A in girls’ volleyball.

Just for kicks: A soccer clinic featuring Rick Davis, the captain of the U.S. National team from 1979 to 1988, will be held Oct. 19 at Claremont High.

Two two-hour sessions, open to boys and girls age 6 to 18, will include skills instruction and contests.

Registration is $15.

Information: (714) 399-3289.