COMMUNITY COLLEGE NOTEBOOK / STEVE KRESAL : Saddleback’s Swearingen Is a Victory Away From Tying Record

Much has been made about Saddleback’s dominating defense and explosive offense this season.

But one thing overlooked amid all the accolades is Coach Ken Swearingen’s climb toward the top of the all-time national community college victory list.

The Gauchos are 10-0, giving Swearingen 240 victories. He is only one behind all-time leader Hal Sherbeck, who retired last season after 31 years at Fullerton.

Swearingen can tie Sherbeck’s mark if Saddleback beats City College of San Francisco (10-0) in the Simple Green Orange County Bowl at 1 p.m. Dec. 5 at Orange Coast College.

A Gaucho victory would also give Swearingen his third 11-0 season at Saddleback. His teams were 11-0 in 1981 and ’85.

Swearingen had a mark of 98-31-5 in 14 seasons at El Camino and is 142-37-1 in his 16th season at Saddleback.

It’s true that Swearingen has had only one losing season, but it was severe. The Gauchos tumbled to 1-9 in 1989, something Swearingen remembers well.

“To be 10-0 you have got to be lucky sometimes,” he said. “You have to play well enough to win 10 times. Heck, sometimes it’s hard to play 10 games and be good enough to win one. I still remember that year.”

More Saddleback: Swearingen, who is also the defensive coordinator, saw his unit accomplish a great deal this season, including not allowing a point in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the third quarter was the most productive for Saddleback, which scored 108 points.

Several players, including linebacker Jeff Pease, spoke of the importance of the shutout streak and it showed Saturday in the 51-14 victory over Golden West.

The streak looked in grave danger when Golden West had a first and goal at the two early in the quarter. But a personal foul moved the ball back to the 16. After an incomplete pass, the Rustlers tried a reverse, but defensive back Beau LeBreton wasn’t fooled, bringing about a 14-yard loss.

Quarterback John Shipp’s third-down pass was incomplete and then he was sacked for an 11-yard loss by lineman Jason Dreher.

The streak survived again at the end of the quarter, but only because time ran out. Golden West scored from the seven five seconds into the fourth quarter.

Had enough of Saddleback? The Gauchos finished the regular season as the top-ranked team in the Southland Poll.

Moorpark (9-0-1) is second, Palomar (9-1) third, Mt. San Antonio (8-2) fourth, San Bernardino Valley (9-0-1) fifth, El Camino (8-2) sixth, Bakersfield (8-1-1) seventh, Orange Coast (7-3) eighth, Pasadena (8-2) ninth and Glendale (8-2) 10th.

Water story: Golden West won its fourth consecutive State water polo title by beating West Valley, 13-7, in the title game Saturday at Long Beach Belmont Plaza. But the Rustlers’ biggest challenge came in a semifinal match earlier that day, a 10-7 victory over Long Beach.

The Rustlers opened a 6-1 lead but went about 11 minutes without scoring. Long Beach had cut the lead to 6-4 and had a chance to get closer with a penalty shot, but Golden West goalie Brandon Douglas blocked it.

While the save went to Douglas, assistant coach Don Mahaffey should get an assist. After Golden West had won its first match Friday, the Rustlers were sitting in the stands watching Long Beach play DeAnza. A Long Beach player had a penalty shot and scored, shooting into the left side of the goal.

After the shot, Mahaffey turned to Douglas, asked him if he saw the play and made sure he knew the shot went left.

Sure enough, the next day the penalty shot went to the left side and Douglas made the save.

Douglas, who had 17 saves in the final match against West Valley, had 33 saves in three tournament matches.

Sack record: Golden West’s Frank Marvitz, one of the best defensive ends to play in Orange County in recent years, finished his sophomore season Saturday by setting the Golden West single-season sack mark.

Marvitz got Saddleback quarterback Tim Snowden late in the first half for No. 15 this season. On the play, he also forced a fumble, which set up a touchdown.

Women’s volleyball: Golden West, which completed back-to-back perfect regular seasons last week, opens the Southern California playoffs tonight at 7 as the top-seeded team in the 16-team Southern California playoff field.

Golden West (25-0) plays host to San Bernardino (17-3). Orange Coast (12-7) plays host to Palomar (10-8) also tonight at 7. The winners of each match meet Dec. 1 in the regional final. The State tournament is Dec. 4-6 at American River College in Sacramento.

Community College Notes

Cypress’ Sandra Bernardo has set the school’s women’s basketball career mark for three-pointers with 43. The Chargers are 3-1 thus far under first-year Coach Kevin Kiernan after winning only six games last season, two the season before and none the season before that. Cypress won the Citrus tournament over the weekend for the program’s first tournament title since the 1987-88 season.