NOTEBOOK / SEAN WATERS : St. Monica Football Coach Says USC Made Right Move

St. Monica High football Coach Norm Lacy was among the many USC alumni applauding the return of John Robinson as the Trojan football coach.

In 1976, Lacy was a senior offensive lineman at USC during Robinson’s first year as the Trojan coach. USC won the Rose Bowl that season.

Sunday, Robinson was named as successor to Larry Smith, who resigned Friday after six seasons.

Lacy had no doubts that USC will rise again as an NCAA Division I power.

“It’s great,” Lacy said. “No question about it. USC is back.”

Signings--Santa Monica College running back Brett Washington, strong safety Tyrone Trimble and tight end Danny White recently signed letters of intent to play football at four-year schools, Corsair Coach Owen Hahn said.

Washington, who rushed for 1,080 yards, accepted a scholarship to play for Hawaii; Trimble signed with Utah State, and White agreed to play for Marshall, the Division I-AA champion.

The signing period for community college football players began Dec. 15.

Derrick Stewart, the Corsairs’ top cornerback, has not yet accepted a scholarship offer. Stewart has made trips to Arizona State, San Diego State and Arizona and will visit Washington and Mississippi State the next two weeks.

Andy Dawson, who ranked sixth in the state in punting average, and long snapper Brian McElroy are considering Texas El Paso.

Fullback Jason Patterson, the Southern Section Division I player of the year in 1990, is hoping to sign with either UCLA or Arizona. Patterson will be eligible to play three years at a four-year school.

Tackle Jesus Moreno and nose guard Paul Hatter are expected to sign with Cal State Northridge and Hawaii, respectively. Both were selected to the all-state first team.

Rising power II--The Palisades High boys’ basketball team had an impressive victory Dec. 29 when the Dolphins beat Taft, 58-39, in the final of the 22nd annual Morey Elmore Memorial Classic at Eagle Rock High.

The Dolphins played without starting point guard Kenny Mitchell, who had a cold, and Olin Simplis, who was benched for disciplinary reasons. Simplis, who was selected to the All-City Section 4-A Division team, will return.

Two other players, reserves Clarence Williams and David Shumsky, have left the team.

It was the sixth win in a row for the Dolphins (10-2). Palisades last lost to University in the consolation bracket of the St. Monica tournament.

“It was a very big win for us because Taft beat University in its semifinal game,” Coach James Paleno said. “We changed up on defense and that was really the key for us.”

Big-time performers--The St. Bernard High girls’ basketball team has one of the best point guards in the Southern Section in 5-foot-5 senior point guard Joi Turner. But St. Bernard also has two inside players that make the Vikings stand out from the competition.

Junior Olympia Scott, a 6-2 forward, and junior Marte Alexander, a 6-4 transfer from Marlborough, have developed into productive scorers and rebounders. Last week, the players helped St. Bernard beat Gahr, 51-37, in the final of the Gahr tournament.

“We’re a lot bigger than Gahr was,” St. Bernard Coach Lori Pawinski said. “Actually, we’re a lot bigger than most anyone.”

Scott, who made The Times’ Westside All-Star basketball team last season, has averaged nearly 10 points a game, and Alexander has averaged six points.

“No one on the team averages more than 10 points a game,” Pawinski said. “We’re the same team as last year. We run an up-tempo offense, but we’re mature enough to bring the ball out when we can’t score on our fast break.”

The Vikings, who won the 1991 Southern Section Division III-A title, played Alemany, the defending Southern Section Division II-A champion, in their Mission League opener on Tuesday.