PREP BASEBALL / CITY PREVIEW : History Says Champion Will Come From Valley

San Fernando High defeated Wilmington Banning in the City Section 4-A final last May for its first baseball title since the school opened in 1895.

The Tigers’ championship was the 19th in a row for a San Fernando Valley school.

Two teams from the Valley have been in the final 11 times during that streak, and Valley schools have won 24 of the last 28 4-A titles. Venice was the last school from outside the Valley to win the large-schools title, in 1972.

“If you don’t feel the pressure to keep the string going, there is always someone egging you on to build pressure,” said Granada Hills Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado, who guided the Golden Cougars to the 4-A crown in 1989. “There is a little aura.”

That 16 of the 24 City 4-A schools are from the Valley doesn’t hurt the region’s winning percentage, either.

“They put together solid teams ‘over the hill,’ and there are solid programs down here, too,” University Coach Frank Cruz said. “There are a lot of variables, but there are just more teams out there.”

That trend is reflected in The Times’ City rankings. Five of the top six teams are from the Valley, including all four members of the North Valley League: Granada Hills, Kennedy, Cleveland and San Fernando.

Granada Hills has won five City titles--the most by any school during the streak. The Highlanders defeated San Fernando in three of four meetings and shared the league championship with Kennedy last season.

San Fernando finished third and got an at-large bid to the playoffs. No more than three teams from any league can advance to postseason play.

“One of the four teams will not even get to the playoffs, and the quality of each of the representatives will be as good as any of the other teams in the league,” said San Fernando Coach Steve Marden, who predicts that an 11-7 record will win the league title.

Marden credits the year-round emphasis on baseball as a factor in the Valley’s dominance. Most players are on their schools’ winter league teams and on American Legion teams during the summer.

“While we’re playing baseball games in off-season classes, other teams haven’t even met,” Marden said. “In Central L.A., you go out to the playground to play basketball, and you have to wait an hour to get on the court. It’s not like that with baseball. There’s no waiting for the baseball diamond. The field is always empty.”

Still, Marden is reluctant to include San Fernando’s championship as part of the Valley tradition. San Fernando lost to Monroe in its only other appearance in the final in 1988.

“We were not playing for the Valley mystique,” Marden said. “We just didn’t want to go home as a two-time loser. We played the game for San Fernando High School.”

A look at the top teams:

No. 1 KENNEDY

League/Division: North Valley, 4-A.

1991 Record: 16-9.

Ten of Kennedy’s 14 players were underclassmen last season. The entire infield returns, including junior first baseman Jeff Tagliaferri (who batted .351 last season), shortstop Billy Ramirez (.373) and junior catcher David Bourne (.310). Outfielders Rick Nadeau (.344) and John Davis (.301) also started.

No. 2CLEVELAND

League/Division: North Valley, 4-A.

1991 Record: 8-12.

First-year Coach Steve Landress inherits several experienced players. Catcher Doug Rubin, an all-league selection who batted .444, heads a list of six returning senior starters. First baseman Robert Rundquist, second baseman Julio Marcial (.415) and shortstop David Cipolla return, and Brian Basowski (.328) and Mario Macias are back in the outfield.

No. 3GRANADA HILLS

League/Division: North Valley, 4-A.

1991 Record: 17-9.

The Highlanders scored 51 runs in five games to win the San Fernando tournament last week. Shorstop Gary Matthews, third baseman Heath McElwee (.400) and catcher Sam Voita (.333, 24 RBIs) are the top returners. McElwee and right-fielder Scott Berger also will pitch.

No. 4 SAN FERNANDO

League/Division: North Valley, 4-A.

1991 Record: 17-11.

The heart of the Tigers’ pitching staff returns in juniors Ray Rivera (3-1, four saves), a right-hander who earned the victory in the City final, and left-hander Jorge Gonzales (3-1). First baseman Jose Nunez led the team in batting at .425, in home runs with four and in RBIs with 25 as a junior.

No. 5 UNIVERSITY

League/Division: Western, 4-A.

1991 Record: 19-7.

The Warriors will rely on Javier Mejia (9-1, 1.22 ERA), an All-4-A selection as a junior. Mejia also is the team’s leadoff hitter and plays the outfield. Center fielder Randall Harris and catcher Joey Gandara (.368) are all-league returners.

No. 6 MONROE

League/Division: Mid-Valley, 4-A.

1991 Record: 14-8.

The Vikings are in a good position to win their second consecutive league title. Right-handers Jorge Dorado (6-1, 1.08 ERA) and Adrian Lovrich (5-3, 3.55 ERA) return. Four of Monroe’s top five hitters are back, among them outfielders Juan Navarro (.351) and Robert Ingleses (.370).

No. 7 SOUTH GATE

League/Division: Eastern, 3-A.

1991 Record: 14-5.

The Rams have seven players back from last season’s Eastern League champion team. South Gate has two experienced starting pitchers in Ernie Oliden (6-2) and Cesar Garcia (5-1). Oliden also will play second base in an infield that includes shortstop Rick Valencia (.320) and third baseman Roy Beltran.

No. 8 WASHINGTON

League/Division: Southern, 3-A.

1991 Record: 14-5.

The Generals have won a share of the league championship in nine of the last 10 seasons under 20-year Coach Kermit Taylor. Sheldon Anderson (.378) and Quiva Beason (.305) head a group of six returners. Anderson will split time on the mound and in the outfield.

No. 9 SAN PEDRO

League/Division: Pacific, 4-A.

1991 Record: 15-7.

Catcher Jose Duarte (.380) and third baseman Luis Montes-De Oca (.311) return from last year’s team, which finished second in the league. Right-hander Mark Miller (2-1), who had a 2.85 ERA, and left-hander Larry Cannon are the primary starting pitchers.

No. 10 WESTCHESTER

League/Division: Western, 4-A.

1991 Record: 13-15.

The Comets figure to improve upon last season’s record with two returning all-league selections, third baseman Mike Hayes and shortstop Al Watson. Tremayne Noles and sophomore Rod Washington are other returning starters. Right-handers Jose Flores and Andrew Spencer will handle most of the pitching.