VALLEY DIGEST : Lertzman Resigns as Monroe Football Coach

Due to his unhappiness with his teaching assignment, Dave Lertzman resigned as football coach at Monroe High, Lertzman confirmed Monday.

Lertzman, who teaches social studies at Monroe, came to the school five years ago from Hamilton High, where he was head of the physical education department and football coach.

When Lertzman was hired and took over the Monroe program in 1989, he was assured by Monroe administration that his full-time position as a social studies teacher would eventually evolve into a teaching assignment that would include 50% social studies and 50% physical education classes, he said. However, his teaching assignment has remained the same after 4 1/2 years: four U. S. history classes and football.

Lertzman, who is 9-36-2 in five seasons at Monroe, said that not being in contact with potential players in a physical education setting has hurt his ability to build a strong program. The Vikings finished 2-8 this season and have made the playoffs only twice in 11 years.

“I really feel it has an effect on the football part of it,” Lertzman said. “A big part of coaching is being able to deal with kids and seeing kids in a P. E. class. I was never able to have that kind of contact.”

Lertzman said he will continue to teach at Monroe, but is actively pursuing other coaching and teaching positions.

Tennis

Top-seeded Julia Feldman of Taft High and teammate Brahna Pastorini, the second-seeded player, both advanced Monday in the City Section individual girls’ tennis quarterfinals at The Racquet Centre in Studio City.

Feldman, a junior, defeated Dana Sykulski of University, 6-0, 6-0. Pastorini, a senior and the defending City champion, beat Jennie Lowry of Granada Hills, 6-0, 6-2.

In doubles, second-seeded Alicia Whelan and Astra Ramyead of Taft also advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jaime Lowe and Lise Marken of University.

It was a bad day for Chatsworth. Lilian Ore, seeded fourth in singles, and the fourth-seeded doubles team of Erin Stendler and Maggie Daniele were upset. Kendra Seguara (Dorsey) defeated Ore, 6-4, 6-1, and Jennie Wilson-Alison Fischer (Palisades) defeated Stendler-Daniele, 6-4, 6-1.

The semifinals are 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Racquet Centre.

Football

Newbury Park High’s Southern Section Division III football semifinal at Bell Gardens has been switched from Saturday to Friday, the section announced Monday. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Top-ranked Newbury Park (12-0), the two-time defending Marmonte League champion, routed Montebello, 41-20, in the quarterfinals Friday. Bell Gardens (9-2-1) of the Almont League, the division runner-up last season, defeated Peninsula, 20-17.

Cal State Northridge assistant men’s and women’s track coach Tony Veney was named to the United States’ coaching staff for the 1995 Pan-American Games in Argentina, Northridge sports information director Barry Smith announced Monday.

Veney will coach the women’s sprinters and the sprint relay team. He served the same roles for the U. S. in the 1991 Pan-Am Games. He is in his 11th season at Northridge.