Dodgers Already Know the Name of Harvard Catcher O’Malley

Kevin O’Malley, starting catcher for the Harvard-Westlake High baseball team, might not develop into another Roy Campanella, John Roseboro or Mike Scioscia.

But bet your bottom Dodger Dog that O’Malley one day will have a position in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. And probably not behind the plate, in the dugout or on the road with a clipboard and speed gun.

We’re talking the big job behind the big desk at the end of the long, Dodger blue carpet.

O’Malley, a junior, is the son of Dodger owner Peter O’Malley and is perhaps heir to the throne of one of the nation’s most prosperous sports franchises.

Today, dealing with a Bell-Jeff baserunner. Tomorrow, dealing with the commissioner.

“He’s very low-key about the whole thing,” Harvard Coach Jim Brink said. “He doesn’t go around wearing a lot of Dodger gear.”

Just a lot of catching gear. O’Malley has been behind the plate for all of the Wolverines’ 49 innings and is batting .227 (five for 22). His attitude, Brink said, is exceptional.

“He’s one of the nicest, down-to-earth kids you would ever want to meet,” Brink said. “He loves the game and he’s very coachable. He doesn’t mind putting on the gear every day and he’s done everything he’s been asked to do.”

Does that include coming through with box seats at Dodger Stadium?

“I don’t know,” Brink said with a laugh. “I haven’t tried.”

Still waiting: Shocking news traveled slowly this weekend for many involved with the El Camino Real boys’ basketball team.

On Friday, Mike McNulty, the team’s coach for the past 10 years, announced his resignation and was replaced by Neils Ludlow, a boys’ varsity basketball assistant more widely known as the school’s softball coach.

The abrupt decision by McNulty, 38, who said he wanted to devote more time to his family and personal business, caught everyone from principals to point guards off guard.

“I just kind of kept it quiet and I made my decision on Thursday,” McNulty said. “Nobody knew.”

Sam Sarpong, a junior point guard for the Conquistadores, picked up a newspaper Saturday morning and there it was.

“It came as a real shock,” Sarpong said. “I think some of the guys on the team still don’t know about it. Some of the guys who live in L. A. don’t get the Valley papers.”

Junior forward Markee Brown, who lives in Los Angeles, might still be in the dark had he not bumped into McNulty on campus late Friday. McNulty’s news hit Brown like a bump on the head.

“It was kind of hard for me,” Brown said. “I’ve been with him since I was a freshman. He helped me out when I had problems. Anything I needed, he was there for me. I’m going to miss him.”

But perhaps no one was more stunned than Canoga Park Coach Jeff Davis, a 1978 El Camino Real graduate who served as McNulty’s assistant from 1982-89. Davis, who has made no secret that he yearns to return to his alma mater as head basketball coach, learned of McNulty’s resignation via a reporter’s phone call Friday.

“You’re kidding me,” Davis said. “I’ve wanted that job my whole life and they don’t even ask me? I can’t believe they didn’t open it up (to other candidates), especially with me a mile away.”

Davis, 32, said he took the job at Canoga Park in 1989 because the opportunity arose. But he has waited for the chance to throw his hat into the ring for the El Camino Real job.

Yet when McNulty hung it up, Davis’ phone didn’t ring.

“I’m upset that I wasn’t considered,” said Davis, who taught at El Camino Real from 1986 to 1989. “After spending three-quarters of my life there, they don’t even call me?

“I was waiting for it. Waiting and waiting. I would have loved to have had a chance at it. It’s always in the back of your mind, that that’s your alma mater. I think every coach in the Valley figured that if Mike ever resigned, I would be next in line.”

The decision by school administrators to replace McNulty with Ludlow was necessitated by budgetary concerns and a shortage of teaching positions at El Camino Real, McNulty said.

“We discussed it, but they didn’t even talk about going outside the school (for a replacement),” McNulty said. “It was just the easiest thing to do.”

Ludlow, 52, coached El Camino Real’s girls’ varsity basketball team from 1985-89. Since 1989, he has served as McNulty’s assistant and as boys’ junior varsity coach.

Sarpong expressed mixed emotions about the change in coaches.

“I played for Ludlow and he is a great coach,” Sarpong said. “But I’m really upset too that Davis wasn’t considered. I think El Camino kind of owes it to him.”

Powers that be: Is the balance of power among Santa Clarita Valley softball teams shifting? Recent developments suggest so.

Longtime power Hart, with a string of five consecutive Foothill League titles and 11 since 1978, has struggled to a 2-3 start. Meanwhile, Canyon and Saugus are enjoying unprecedented success.

On March 12, Canyon defeated Hart, 5-1, in a nonleague game. It was the Cowboys’ first victory over Hart since 1981. Canyon is 5-3 after finishing third in the Glendale tournament last week. The Cowboys’ coach is Greg Hayes, also the boys’ basketball coach.

Saugus has been even more impressive, rolling to an 11-1 record and finishing first in the Hart and Laguna Hills tournaments.

Saugus senior Kerry Coudry (7-1) and junior Adria Lombardi (4-0) form a strong rotation. Senior Kerri Volpe is batting .800.

“We’ve never been off to this good a start,” Saugus Coach Ron Hilton said.

As for Hart, seventh-year Coach Al Weil cannot remember the Indians starting so sluggishly. It is not difficult to see why.

“We don’t have the dominating pitcher we’ve had in the past,” Weil said. “I’m not sure if this is a rebuilding year, but we should make a pretty good showing.”

Weil’s daughter Kym, a 1990 Hart graduate now attending Hawaii, and Samantha Ford, a 1985 Hart graduate who attended UCLA, each led the Indians to four league titles. Last season, Krissy Carpenter, now at Oklahoma, was the staff ace.