NOTEBOOK : Lincoln, Franklin: On the Road Again

Lincoln, where the bleachers were condemned by school district officials at the start of this football season, is not the only City Section school without a home field.

Franklin, whose bleachers were destroyed in an arson fire three years ago, has been unable to provide temporary seating and has had to move its home games to its opponents’ fields.

“We’ve made attempts to install temporary bleachers,” said Franklin assistant principal George Carone, “but, for whatever reason, the district has not approved the funds.”

So where will the season-finale between the two schools be played?

Under the lights at Wilson High.

Still No. 1--Loyola maintained its No. 1 ranking by Cal-Hi Sports Magazine after defeating St. Francis, 42-0, on Sept. 26.

The Cubs became the first team to be ranked first for two consecutive weeks. Carson and Fontana suffered upsets after being chosen the top team in the state in earlier rankings.

Loyola Coach Steve Grady was unimpressed by the latest poll: “I don’t put much stock in the ratings. Obviously, we have a good program and we win more games than we lose. But we have two defensive starters and four offensive starters coming back from last year’s team. That’s a pretty high ranking for an inexperienced team.”

Cal-Hi Magazine Editor Mark Tennis said he was impressed with Loyola’s opening-game victory over Hawthorne and one-sided wins over Long Beach Jordan and St. Francis.

“Typically, Loyola hasn’t showed a lot of explosiveness in its offense,” Tennis said. “They usually grind it out a yard at a time. This team is more (offense-oriented) and is consistently scoring in the 30s and 40s every game. They had a good group of incoming juniors and solid group of returning players.

“I look at this team going undefeated and playing in the (Southern Section) championship,” Tennis said.

Tennis also has been impressed with Cub senior quarterback Clelio Boccato, who had thrown for 361 yards and seven touchdowns as of the Sept. 26 game.

Boccato “has a strong arm and plays well under pressure,” Tennis said. “He has the tools to lead a team during a big game.”

Charging Sentinels--Things are looking up for the Belmont High girls’ cross-country team.

For the past three years, the Sentinels have won the City Section title, only to take a back seat to the elite teams in the state in the Division I championships.

This year could be different.

Belmont, which has finished 15th, ninth and eighth in the past three state championships, appears to have the talent and experience necessary to make a run at a Top 5 finish.

That was evident Sept. 26 at the Bell-Jeff invitational at Griffith Park, where the Sentinels placed five runners in the Top 10 finishers to easily defeat Newhall Hart, 26-47.

Belmont Senior Patty Trejo won the 2.9-mile race in 18:25, with junior Yolanda Gomez (19:01) and senior Auria Roberto (19:27) placing second and fourth, respectively.

Juniors Alma Herrera and Imelda Flores rounded out the Sentinels’ finish in ninth (20:01) and 10th (20:03) place.

“I’m not really surprised that we won, but I am surprised how easily we won,” Belmont Coach Gordon Weisenburger said. “But the win was not a fluke. This is a good team. I’m expecting us to do real well this year.”

While Weisenburger says that Agoura and Peninsula are untouchable in the race for the Division I title, he figures third place is up for grabs.

“Our goal is to land in the Top 5 in the state meet,” he said. “And I think we’ve got as good a chance as anyone to finish there.”

New agreement--Dorsey and Banning have agreed to a four-year contract to play their football games at El Camino College because the larger facility can accommodate more fans and generate a larger gate, according to Jerelene Wells, Dorsey principal.

The first game will be played Nov. 14 at 1 p.m.

The game was originally scheduled for Nov. 13 at Jackie Robinson Stadium near Dorsey.

Times staff writer John Ortega contributed to this notebook.