Trice Rushes Into Spotlight for Northridge

With all the publicity surrounding tailback Jamal Farmer’s arrival at Cal State Northridge, few could have named his backup.

But now that he has run for more than 100 yards two games in a row, Robert Trice has made a name for himself.

Trice is surprised by his performance only because he has been bothered by a nagging tightness in his hamstrings.

“I’m nowhere close to my capabilities,” Trice said Tuesday after re-injuring himself during practice. “I can get to the hole good, but to turn it on . . . to make people miss, to make those 60- to 70-yard runs, I can hardly do it. My leg is too weak.”

After gaining 2,480 yards in two seasons at Porterville College near Visalia, Trice planned to accept a scholarship at East Carolina, not far from his home in Rocky Point, N.C.

But he said he was unable to get into a class that he needed to fulfill requirements for his Associate of Arts degree. Without the degree, he could not transfer to a Division I school and he wound up at Division II Northridge.

Unlike Bill Harris, who would have been the Matadors’ top returning tailback but quit before the season, Trice was not scared off by Farmer.

“I thought, if he’s better, I’ll learn from him,” Trice said. “Plus, he’s a senior.”

Trice was not recruited by Division I schools after high school because he quit the Pender High team five games into his senior season in support of teammates who were kicked off the squad for missing a practice because of a severe rainstorm.

Trice was converted from cornerback to tailback at Porterville when he ran a 4.48 40-yard dash on the first day of practice.

Although he is glad to be playing for the Matadors (2-1), he wonders what might have been if he had played at the Division I level.

“I would have liked the TV exposure,” Trice said, “and being near home.”

REPLACING O.J.

Tim Leonard transferred from Fullerton College to Utah State last fall amid high hopes, but because of a coaching change the scholarship he had been promised never materialized.

Leonard could not afford to stay in school, so after one semester as a redshirt he returned home to Yorba Linda.

During the day he lifted weights and ran. At night he worked stocking a bar and saved money for school.

In June, he decided to try out at Northridge, and despite his walk-on status he believed he could crack the lineup.

“I came to play,” Leonard said.

As circumstance would have it, O.J. Ojomoh, the Matadors’ top returning tackler, became academically ineligible. Leonard is not only a starting inside linebacker, he is the team’s defensive signal caller.

“There’s a lot of pressure,” Leonard said. “I had to learn a new defense, make the calls, and at inside linebacker I’m expected to be a leader.”

Unifying a new defensive team--cornerback Vincent Johnson is the only returning starter--was easy, according to Leonard.

“We all get along,” he said. “Even those who rotate in are immediately part of the same unit. I feel the unity on this team is great.”

In three games, Leonard has made 22 tackles (11 solo) and has recovered one fumble.

HOME REMEDY

Northridge defensive tackle Victor Myles will start Saturday against Central Oklahoma after missing last week’s 22-6 win over San Francisco State because of a deep contusion in his right quadriceps that sidelined him in the Sept. 12 game against UC Davis.

The pain in Myles’ leg did not ease until he called his mother, Sylverina Robinson, for advice. She suggested a home remedy--alcohol and witch hazel lotion soaked on a cloth and applied to the area in 20-minute intervals. The concoction worked.

Although he has played less than five quarters, Myles has 10 solo tackles and 17 overall.

CAN’T KEEP HIM DOWN

Northridge medical experts say fullback Jim Warren will miss two games after sustaining a medial collateral strain of his right knee against San Francisco State, but Warren is talking about returning Oct. 3 against Idaho.

“I can walk,” he said. “I can ride my bike to class and I’m getting every treatment I can--ultrasound, cold tub--plus, I’m a quick healer.”

Warren, whose primary duty is blocking, has 35 yards in 12 carries.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Corey Tucker and Todd Preston will continue to split time at quarterback for Moorpark--to a point.

“If one of those two make progress during the game they may stay in there,” Raider assistant Will Thurston said. “But that’s a game-by-game, almost play-by-play, evaluation.”

In Moorpark’s opener, a 21-9 win over Desert, Tucker completed three of eight passes for 35 yards. He connected with Tim Blakeley on a 25-yard scoring pass and scrambled 36 yards for another touchdown.

Preston, a transfer from California, completed three of nine for 23 yards with an interception.

FAVORS RETURNED

In past seasons, Moorpark’s defense has benefited from its offense--a ball-control running attack that worked the clock and kept Raider defenders fresh.

When Moorpark played Desert in its opener Saturday, the defense finally returned the favor.

The Raiders, ranked seventh in this week’s Southland JC poll, held Desert to 97 yards in 66 plays. Moorpark also recovered four fumbles and intercepted a pass--the turnovers setting up all three Raider touchdowns.

“They were on the field all that time and still maintained a high level of defense,” Thurston said. “That game was won by good defensive play.”

RUSH SURPLUS

Maybe Coach Brent Carder was not exaggerating when he said Antelope Valley had as many as a half-dozen capable running backs. The Marauders have had a different runner gain more than 100 yards in each of their two games.

In Antelope Valley’s opener, fullback Al Dawkins gained 107 yards in 17 carries. Last Saturday against Ventura, Greg Graham ran for 127 yards. Among Graham’s 14 carries were touchdown runs of two and 29 yards.

Dawkins did not play against Ventura because of a bruised back. Running mate Tony Simmons was held out during the second half because of bruised ribs.

“They both could have played,” Carder said, “but we didn’t see much sense in it. We wanted them ready for conference.”

The Marauders will play their Foothill Conference opener Saturday against Chaffey.

Dawkins and Simmons should be ready. Center Brian Lasagna, sidelined against Ventura because of a bruised knee, also is expected to play.

EXPERIENCE PREMIUM

The scoreboard said the difference between Antelope Valley and Ventura was 13 points Saturday. But the coaches agreed that the teams are closer than the 23-10 final score.

The real difference was four quarters of experience, according to Carder, the winning coach.

“It was their first game and our second,” Carder said. “That was an advantage for us.”

Eight freshmen started for Ventura on offense, but the Pirates moved the ball--until they got deep into Marauder territory. Three times in the second half Ventura drove inside the Antelope Valley 20, but the effort resulted in only one touchdown.

“We just were not as confident as they were,” Ventura Coach Dick James said. “We tried hard, but we shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times.”

Carder said Ventura’s performance was “typical of a community college team in its first ballgame.”

“If you’re going to stall, that’s where it happens,” said Carder, who added that his team experienced similar frustration in its opener, a 14-14 tie with Valley.

DOWN AND OUT

Not only was Ventura beaten in its opener, the Pirates were beaten up--especially on offense.

Quarterback Stacy Townsend has a bruised leg and is questionable for Ventura’s home opener Saturday against Bakersfield. Also questionable is running back Delon Smith, who has a hip pointer.

However, there is no question about the status of running back Mike Gee. He has badly bruised ribs and will be out six weeks. Gee, a 48-foot triple jumper, had 44 yards in seven first-quarter carries against Antelope Valley.

The news is even worse for wide receiver Eric Eads. He required reconstructive knee surgery and is lost for the season.

Safety Chris Venturina will miss three to five weeks while a torn knee ligament heals.

The Pirates did have one tidbit of good news: Offensive tackle John Gatling, a 6-5, 280-pound sophomore, will be available for the first time since recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

PLAYOFF WATCH

Walt Ker, the Northridge women’s volleyball coach, said at the start of the season that a good overall record and a solid mark against top 25-ranked teams would play a big role in whether the Matadors qualify for the 32-team NCAA Division I playoffs.

Thus far, Northridge is 2-3 against teams that are either ranked among the top 25 or were ranked at the time the Matadors played them.

Northridge (9-4) defeated then-No. 25 Fresno State on Friday and beat UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 12 when the Gauchos were ranked 15th. Northridge’s losses have come to seventh-ranked USC, No. 18 Arizona State, and No. 25 Colorado State.

The Matadors will play No. 11 Brigham Young in the University of San Diego tournament Friday.

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Devin Hurst scored three goals to lead Pepperdine to a 6-5 water polo victory over USC in the championship match of the UC Irvine tournament last weekend.

Hurst, a junior driver from Royal High, scored his final goal on a breakaway with 52 seconds to play. It pulled the Waves within a goal and Pepperdine forced overtime by scoring again with one second remaining in regulation.

The Waves scored their third consecutive goal, in overtime, to secure the win and the tournament title.

Hurst (6-1, 185 pounds) is second on the team with six goals. As a part-time starter last season, he was fifth in scoring with 26 goals.

With its championship, Pepperdine (4-2) moved from seventh to second in the American Water Polo Coaches Assn. poll.

Staff writers Mike Hiserman, Theresa Munoz and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.