PREPSThe biggest football game in the San...

PREPS

The biggest football game in the San Gabriel Valley this week will take place Friday night at Citrus College when unbeaten Azusa (6-0) plays unbeaten Sierra Vista (6-0) in a Montview League game.

Azusa is led by running back Steve Rodriguez, who gained 257 yards and scored three touchdowns in last week’s 31-13 victory over Gladstone. Quarterback Jack Ramirez has passed for more than 1,000 yards.

Sierra Vista, coming off a 49-14 victory over La Puente, is led by running back Oscar Interiano, who gained 326 yards two weeks ago against Mayfair and has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season.

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Christy Tucker and Laurie Grey, two former standout athletes at Charter Oak who led the Chargers to the Division II softball championship last season, have been selected to the National Softball Coaches Assn. 1993 High School All-American team.

Tucker, who is attending Long Beach State, compiled a 28-0-1 record and 0.17 earned-run average last season. Grey batted .344 and played outstanding defense. She will play at La Verne this season.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The Mt. San Antonio College football team plays host to Long Beach Saturday in a Mission Conference game.

The Mounties (5-1), ranked second in the state, are coming off a 35-34 loss to top-ranked Palomar. Mt. SAC had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, but failed to convert a two-point conversion attempt.

Mt. SAC quarterback Cody Lee Smith suffered a broken arm in the second quarter, but Ryan Merrill came on to complete 17 of 25 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Leonard Green rushed for 101 yards and caught eight passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Steve McHenry had five receptions for 96 yards.

Citrus (3-2) plays host to Rio Hondo Saturday after improving to 1-1 in the Foothill Conference with a 27-14 victory over Chaffey.

Citrus broke a scoreless tie in the third quarter with 27 unanswered points. Curtis Robinson scored on a 12-yard run and connected on touchdown pass plays of 13 yards to Rashon McCall and 14 yards to Nick Paoletto. Aaron Meschuk scored the Owls’ final touchdown on a 17-yard run.

Pasadena City College (2-4) plays host to El Camino on Saturday after defeating San Diego Mesa, 20-14, for its second consecutive victory.

PCC will honor the Junior Rose Bowl teams of 1951, 1966 and 1977 at a dinner following the homecoming game. (818) 585-7384.

COLLEGES

Azusa Pacific will play host to its first night football game Saturday when the Cougars play Redlands at 7 p.m.

Azusa Pacific mounted lights on its stadium after it was awarded the host site for the 1994 National Assn. Intercollegiate Athletics Outdoor Track and Field Championships that will be staged May 26-28.

Azusa Pacific (2-4) is coming off a 37-32 victory over La Verne. Senior fullback Bill Zernickow rushed for 154 yards in 26 carries and scored a touchdown for the Cougars. Quarterback Jack Manu rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown and passed for 111 yards a touchdown.

Danny Pasquil gained 101 yards, and Bill Battin scored on touchdown pass plays of 25, nine and 20 yards from quarterback Ryan Campuzano for La Verne (4-2), which has a bye this week.

Pomona-Pitzer (1-4, 0-3) continues its Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule Saturday when the Sagehens play host to Cal Lutheran.

Pomona-Pitzer suffered a 51-21 loss to Occidental last week. Sagehen running back Tony Fadulu gained 151 yards in 22 carries, but Occidental took advantage of several turnovers and broke open a 21-7 game with 24 points in the third quarter.

Claremont (0-3-1), which ended a 22-game losing streak with a 34-34 tie against Menlo, resumes its SCIAC schedule Saturday against Whittier (2-4), which ended Redlands’ 18-game SCIAC win streak last week.

Claremont quarterback John Shipp connected on touchdown pass plays of 39 yards to Darren Gonzales and 29 yards and 10 yards to Ben Moran. Shipp, who completed 19 of 35 passes for 325 yards, also rushed for a touchdown. Alex Hernandez rushed for two touchdowns for the Stags.

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The Azusa Pacific men’s cross-country team, which is ranked fourth in the NAIA, won its first Golden State Athletic Conference championship last weekend in Newport Beach.

Azusa Pacific’s Tony Bergman was the top finisher in 25 minutes 39.50 seconds over the 8-K course. Anthony Fisher was second in 25:46.62, John Gachau third (25:57.57) and Jeff Burns fourth (25:57.97).

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Claremont water polo Coach Mike Sutton will be seeking his 300th victory this weekend when the Stags and Pomona-Pitzer play host to the Baldy View tournament.

Sutton, in his 15th season, has guided the Stags to 111 consecutive victories in SCIAC matches.

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The Cal Poly Pomona women’s volleyball team, ranked 13th in NCAA Division II, plays host to second-ranked Cal State Bakersfield in a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. match Friday night.

Pomona (14-6, 2-1 in the CCAA) is coming off a victory over ninth- ranked Cal State Los Angeles. Aimee Achenbach had 20 kills and Adriana Valdez added 13 for the Broncos.

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Allison Thompson became Cal Poly Pomona’s all-time leading scorer in women’s soccer when she knocked in a goal during a 2-0 victory over Cal State San Bernardino.

Thompson’s fifth goal of the season gives her 31 for her career, eclipsing the record set by Shannon Payne from 1989-92.

PREP OF THE WEEK

Steve Rodriguez, Azusa--Rodriguez gained 257 yards and scored three touchdowns for the Aztecs in a 31-13 victory over Gladstone.

Rodriguez has gained 859 yards and scored seven touchdowns this season.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF WEEK

John Shipp, Claremont--Shipp helped the Stags end a 22-game losing streak by completing 19 of 35 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-34 tie against Menlo.

Shipp has passed for 778 yards and four touchdowns this season.

MISCELLANY

The city of La Puente is sponsoring youth basketball programs for boys and girls ages 6-12. The programs will stress fundamentals and sportsmanship. (818) 855-1563.

A softball league for men 55 and older is being organized in the west San Gabriel Valley. (818) 573-0129.

Tryouts for the San Gabriel Valley Volleyball Club’s 14-and-under program will be staged Oct. 31 at Cantwell Sacred Heart High. Tryouts for the 16-and-under program are Nov. 7 and 18-and-under tryouts are scheduled for Nov. 21. The club competes in the USVBA Junior Olympic program. (213) 254-8476.