Canyons Job Might Lure Herrick Away From Hart

Greg Herrick, the boys’ basketball coach at Hart High, has been selected as women’s coach at College of the Canyons, pending approval next month by the college’s Board of Trustees.

The board will decide June 10 whether to approve Herrick’s appointment, “usually only a formality,” College of the Canyons Athletic Director Joe Gerda said.

Herrick, 39, was chosen over about 10 candidates, according to Gerda.

“We feel really fortunate to be getting him,” Gerda said. “He’s an outstanding and very knowledgeable coach. It’s a really good move for Greg and we’re happy to have him over here.”

Hart (17-11, 8-2 in league play) shared the Foothill League title with Schurr this season. In 1990-91, Hart won the league championship, Herrick’s first at the school.

Herrick, the coach at Hart since 1987, was given a one-game suspension last season by Hart Principal Laurence Strauss for shouting at an official after a loss.

From 1979-85, Herrick compiled a 98-42 record as coach at Cleveland High, leading the Cavaliers to City Section 3-A championships in 1981 and ’82.

He served for two years as an assistant to Canyons men’s Coach Lee Smelser before becoming coach at Hart.

Veronica Barajas, a Channel Islands High distance runner, has signed a letter of intent to attend Colorado, choosing the Boulder school over Fresno State, Cal State Northridge, UC Irvine and Cal State Los Angeles.

Barajas finished second in the 3,200 meters in the Southern Section 3-A Division track finals Saturday to advance to Friday’s Masters Meet at Cerritos College, the qualifying meet for the state championships. As a junior, she placed fifth in the Kinney national cross-country championships and was the runner-up in the state Division I cross-country meet.

Barajas, who plans to go into counseling, said the campus environment in Boulder and the psychology program swayed her toward Colorado.

“There are so many places to train and the entire community seemed supportive of the campus activities,” Barajas said.

Dave Johnson has resigned as baseball coach at Burbank High, one year after leading the Bulldogs to their first league title in 19 years.

Johnson, 33, a walk-on coach, resigned for “personal reasons,” according to Frank Kallem, the school’s athletic director.

Johnson, Burbank’s coach of three seasons, could not be reached for comment.

Burbank finished tied for fifth in the Foothill League this season with a 4-11 record, 7-15 overall. Last season, Johnson led the Bulldogs to their first Foothill title since 1972 with a 12-3 record, 18-6 overall.

“We’re hoping to have a replacement by the end of the school year,” Kallem said.

Baseball America magazine, which has correctly projected the top draft selection in eight of the past nine years, has predicted that two area ballplayers will be selected in the first round when the free-agent draft begins Monday.

Former Chatsworth High pitcher Derek Wallace, now at Pepperdine, has been tabbed as the eighth player to be selected.

Royal High shortstop Dave Landaker has been projected as the likely 11th selection. Landaker is expected to be taken second among high school players, behind another shortstop, Derek Jeter of Central (Mich.) High.

Cal State Fullerton third baseman Phil Nevin is expected to be the first choice.

Ventura Raceway will stage its inaugural Saturday night stock car program this weekend.

The series will present a full program of IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Modified Mini Stocks. Saturday’s program will feature oval and figure-eight racing on Ventura’s quarter-mile oval track.

Gates open at 5 p.m., qualifying is a 6 and racing starts at 7.

Information: 805-656-1122.