Valko Named La Quinta Coach

Fred Valko, an assistant coach with the Santiago football program for the last 15 years, recently was named walk-on head coach at La Quinta, replacing Steve Castle.

Castle resigned after one season when his wife received a job transfer to Memphis, Tenn.

It’s the first head coaching job for Valko, 45, a union representative with General Motors.

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Dave Bayer, Mission Viejo High School’s 6-foot-8 center whose basketball season was interrupted by gall bladder surgery in January, has committed to Columbia.

Bayer, who has a 4.1 grade-point average and is student body president, returned to the Diablos in time for their Division II-AA first-round playoff game in February.

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Foothill outside hitter Rich Lambourne has committed to Brigham Young. Lambourne chose BYU over Stanford and Cal State Long Beach.

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San Clemente softball pitcher Niclana Tolmasoff has signed a letter of intent to attend Boston University.