HIGH SCHOOLS /JIM LINDGREN : Bonita Vista Has Busy Day at Water Polo Tournament

And you thought presidential candidates had tight schedules.

After flying overnight and arriving Friday morning, Bonita Vista played four matches on Saturday and finished second in the 10th annual Annapolis (Md.) Water Polo Tournament at the Naval Academy.

In the championship, the Barons led Annapolis High until falling victim to fatigue in the final three minutes and losing, 10-8.

Bonita Vista was forced to play all four matches Saturday because of a CIF rule prohibiting competition on Sundays.

“The final was supposed to be on Sunday,” Bonita Vista Coach Tim Reed said, “but they adjusted the schedule because of our situation.”

After routing Lourenville (Pa.) in the semifinals, 12-4, the final started five minutes later.

“We literally had to jump out of one pool and into another for the championship,” Reed said.

What’s more, the Barons traveled with only 10 players, including Emma Deruyter, the only girl in the tournament.

Brian Groat, a two-meter player, led Bonita Vista in scoring, and Reed also cited the outstanding play of defender Josh Bell, goalie Jeff Walkenhorst, sprinter Jason Lohrey and two-meter player Travis Robson. All are seniors as is Deruyter, who scored two goals.

Bonita Vista (17-6 overall) is ranked 10th in a San Diego County coaches poll, and the Barons are nearly unstoppable in the South Bay. On Tuesday, the five-time defending Metro Conference champion Barons won their sixth league match without a defeat, 42-2, and have now outscored Metro teams, 205-25.

But as well as the Barons have played, Reed said nothing compared to the athleticism demonstrated by his players Sunday morning.

“We had 55 minutes to tour Washington, D.C., before we had to get to the airport, and you wouldn’t believe what these kids saw,” Reed said. “The Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, they went by the White House, went inside the Smithsonian (Institute); and they did it all on foot. They ran to all those places in 55 minutes.”

COMING HOME

Vu Dang, the Escondido football player who suffered a severe head injury in a game four weeks ago, is expected to be released from Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas some time next week.

While it’s too early to predict a full recovery, Dr. Rebecca Garrett of the Scripps rehabilitation center, said that is a possibility.

Dang underwent emergency brain surgery at Palomar Medical Center on Oct. 2. Ten days later, he was transferred to Scripps.

On a side note, PacTel Cellular has donated a cellular telephone on Dang’s behalf to Escondido.

On the night Dang was injured, San Marcos trainer Curt Casperson used a cellular phone to call for emergency help and paramedics were able to attend to Dang within four minutes. Casperson’s alertness and the fact that San Marcos had a cellular phone available may have saved Dang’s life.

CAT’S GAME

Bring your sister, and just in case, have her go easy on the lipstick. It’s time for another Grossmont-Santana football game.

Last year’s result: 13-13.

Two years ago: 13-13.

Five years ago: 10-10.

Doug Coffin (Santana) and Judd Hulbert (Grossmont) are each in their sixth seasons coaching at their respective schools. Their records against each other are 1-1-3.

Perhaps they should play this one at Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse in Santee (no ties allowed).

WISHING WELLS

David Wells, who allowed only one hit in four innings of scoreless relief for the Toronto Blue Jays in their World Series triumph over the Atlanta Braves, played at Point Loma and was the San Diego Section player of the year in 1982.

Wells still holds section records for consecutive scoreless innings (42) and shutouts (six) and shutouts in a season (nine) and career (11). Wells’ 0.45 earned-run average in ’82 is the third best in section history, and with him pitching, the Pointers won the 2-A title that year, 3-0, over Hoover.

TIME CHANGES

With the switch to standard time, afternoon football games in the City Conference begin at 2:30 p.m.

Tonight’s Montgomery-Bonita Vista game at Southwestern College has been changed to 6 p.m. because of recent shootings in Bonita.

PASSING FANCY

O’Brian Woods of Southwest, the county’s leading passer heading into last week’s game against Montgomery, completed only three of six passes for 27 yards, but the Raiders still won, 21-12. O’Brian now trails Fallbrook’s John Dutton by 122 yards (1,402-1,280) in passing yards.

Woods leads the county’s 11-man teams with 12 touchdown passes, but Scott Schneider of eight-man Francis Parker has thrown a section-record 38.

Schneider has thrown eight touchdowns in a game three times this season, matching the section record he set last year. In his last two games against Bishop’s, including last week’s 55-37 victory, Schneider has 16 thrown scoring passes.

THE FINAL COUNT

Martina Vitkova, Hilltop’s standout volleyball player from Czechoslovakia, suffered a sprained ankle last week. Hilltop is hoping to get her back for its Lancer Tournament today and Saturday at Hilltop . . .

A week after being shut out, St. Augustine set a school scoring record in last week’s 55-20 victory over Marian. That also represented as many or more points than its totals in 1975, ‘76, ’77 and ’88 . . .

Santana, in its 56-0 rout of El Cajon Valley, also set a school record and outscored its entire 1975 team . . .

Torrey Pines had given up only 22 points before last week’s 42-28 loss to San Pasqual . . .

Chris Buddin of Orange Glen, the county’s leading yardage receiver (625 yards, 34 catches), was the section pole-vault champion last spring with a vault of 14-feet-6 . . .

On Friday, Oct. 23, two of the three Palomar League winners scored 23 points. A fourth game, Poway-Rancho Bernardo was postponed until Saturday, Oct. 24, and Poway won, 24-14.

FOOTBALL LEADERS

RUSHING

Player, School G Att. Yards Avg. Curtis, Kearny 7 153 1,219 173.4 Davis, Castle Park 6 127 901 150.2 Randall, Orange Glen 5 110 748 149.6 Driggs, Sweetwater 7 117 974 139.1 Buggs, San Pasqual 7 125 950 135.7

PASSING

Player, School G PC PA Yards Avg. Dutton, Fallbrook 7 94 187 1,402 200.2 Woods, Southwest 7 72 163 1,280 182.8 Buckner, St. Aug. 7 74 125 1,098 156.9 Moreno, Castle Park 7 55 114 1,065 152.1 Batten, Orange Glen 7 67 118 1,56 150.8

RECEIVING

Player, School G No. Yards Avg. Durley, Oceanside 7 40 475 11.8 Buddin, Orange Glen 7 34 625 18.3 Pattison, Poway 7 30 573 19.1 Diaz, Southwest 7 29 598 20.6 Cecil, Fallbrook 7 29 435 15.0