It’s Quality, Not Quantity for Golden West’s Volleyball Team

It’s almost impossible to take anything but a quick look at the Golden West College women’s volleyball roster this fall.

There aren’t enough names on the list to make it a lengthy read.

Coach Albert Gasparian would prefer to have between 12 and 14 players but because a few left the program last summer, the Rustlers will have only nine this season.

But that doesn’t worry Gasparian, who has led Golden West to consecutive State titles. He is quick to remind everyone that Golden West’s 1984 team went 20-1 and won the State title with only eight players. Gasparian came into this season with a mark of 180-28 and has won four State titles (1984, ‘88, ’90 and ‘91) in his first nine seasons. Golden West is 1-0 this season.

“Last year, we had 14 players,” Gasparian said. “But realistically, we never got deeper than eight. . . . The thing that could really hurt us this season is injuries.”

Gasparian’s optimism is bolstered by the return of outside hitter Tracy Schriber, who was most valuable player in the State tournament last season. She was an All-State and All-Orange Empire Conference pick as well.

Schriber is joined at the outside hitter position by Becki Gehlke, a freshman from Mater Dei High School. Gehlke was an All-Southern Section selection last season.

Heather Flaherty, an All-Orange Empire pick last year, is back at middle blocker, and Karen Hernandez, who can play setter, middle blocker or outside hitter, also returns. Jessica Lee, a freshman from Capistrano Valley High, is the setter.

The only problem Golden West (1-0) has had so far is having enough players to practice game situations. But with the help of assistant coach Sheri Sanders and others, the Rustlers have been able to overcome that.

“I think the question with this team is firepower,” Gasparian said. “The defense will be solid and we have better ball control than last year. The question is can we get up and rip the ball.”

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No. 1 blues: Few football coaches like the early-season pressure of being the top-ranked team in the nation and Saddleback Coach Ken Swearingen is no exception.

Saddleback started the season as the J.C. Grid-Wire’s top-ranked team and opened play Saturday with a 34-10 victory over No. 15 Santa Monica.

“We ignore it,” Swearingen said. “How can anybody pick that before anybody has played? You have to play some games to be able to tell who is good and who isn’t. I’ve been doing this 31 years and I can’t tell this early.”

Saddleback (1-0), as expected, also holds the top ranking in the Southland poll.

Palomar (1-0), the defending J.C. Grid-Wire national champion, is second and El Camino (1-0) is third.

Cerritos (1-0) is fourth, Pasadena (1-0) fifth and Bakersfield (0-0) is sixth. Fullerton (0-0) is seventh, San Bernardino Valley (1-0) eighth, Moorpark (0-0) ninth and Glendale (1-0) 10th.

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Coming this week: The Orange Empire Conference Cross-County Festival, which will feature the defending men’s and women’s State champions, will be held Friday at Irvine Regional Park.

The Irvine Valley women’s team and the Riverside men’s team, which both won State titles last fall, will take part in the races along with Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West, Orange Coast, Rancho Santiago and Saddleback.

In men’s soccer, the 17th Golden West Cup will be held Friday and Saturday. Moorpark takes on DeAnza at 6 p.m. Friday in the first round, followed by Golden West meeting Cerritos at 7:30.

The title game is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, preceded by the consolation game at 6.

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Community College Notes

Jason Bates and Sean Drinkwater, the double-play combination for Cypress’ 1991 State championship baseball team, will be teammates again this fall. Bates spent the summer playing shortstop for Bend, Ore. (Colorado Rockies). Drinkwater played second base at Cypress but moved to shortstop this summer for Spokane, Wash. (San Diego Padres). Both teams are in the Class-A Northwest League. They will be reunited on the same team in the Arizona Instructional League starting the last week of October.