Nicholls Honored in Volleyball

Nancy Nicholls of Cal State Northridge has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Assn. All-West region second team.

Nicholls, a 6-foot middle blocker from Cleveland High, this season helped the Matadors (27-8) to their first appearance in the NCAA Division I playoffs.

She led the Matadors in kills (433) and hitting percentage (.294) and ranked second in digs (377), total blocks (127) and service aces (42).

Tarik Blair and Erik Martin of Village Christian High won the offensive and defensive most-valuable-player awards for football in the Alpha League.

Blair, a senior running back, rushed for 1,120 yards and 13 touchdowns in 205 carries. Martin, a senior linebacker, set a variety of school records, including tackles in a season (110 1/2), solo tackles in a season (80), solo tackles in a career (135) and interceptions in a career (13).

Megan McGowan of the Valley Striders won the bantam girls’ division (for athletes born in 1982 or later) in The Athletics Congress Junior Olympic cross-country championships in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday.

McGowan, 10, a resident of Wrightwood, timed 11 minutes 12.4 seconds over the 3,000-meter course at Spring Hill Golf Course and led the Striders to the girls’ team title with a 41-point total.

The Valley Striders finished second to the Silver State Striders of Reno in the bantam boys’ race, 87-88, and they placed third in the midget girls’ (born in 1980 and ‘81) event.

John Terrones of Canyon Country (12th) and Laurie Ramirez of Simi Valley (15th) were the Striders’ leading finishers in the bantam boys’ and midget girls’ races.

Cal State Northridge is organizing a rooter bus trip to the men’s basketball game against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 22.

Information: 818-885-3215.

A soccer camp will be held at Cal Lutheran from Dec. 28-31 under the direction of Kingsmen Coach George Kuntz. Girls and boys, ages 6 to 16, are eligible to attend either half day, 9 a.m.-noon, or full day, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Information: 805-493-3855 or 805-493-3400.

Dai Nguyen and Stephanie Gainey, Cal Lutheran soccer players, earned third-team Division III All-American honors to lead a list of Kingsmen and Regal honorees.

Midfielder Preben Krohnstad was named the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player of the year.

Nine CLU soccer players earned Division III All-Far West honors, five from the men’s team and four from the women’s team.

Cassidy O’Sullivan and Chris Sestito were honored as co-most valuable players at the Cal Lutheran football banquet. Ben McEnroe was named most inspirational.

Sestito, a senior linebacker, also was awarded the Don Garrison Award for best hitter.

Sestito, running back O’Sullivan, center McEnroe, tight end Scott Wheeler, wide receiver Len Bradley and defensive lineman Tom Pellegrino were named to the all-conference first team by the Southern California Intercollegiate Conference. All are seniors.

The CLU baseball team, which finished second in the NCAA Division III tournament, honored several players at its recent banquet. Outfielder Darrell McMillin was named most valuable player. Steve Dempsey earned most-valuable-pitcher honors.

McMillin was also the team’s outstanding offensive player and catcher Eddie Lample was the outstanding defensive player. The Lu Dawg award, for spirit, was presented to first baseman Jay Lucas and the Sparky Anderson Award, for commitment to excellence, was won by outfielder Bob Farber.