Voluntarism Alive and Well at Saugus High

Saugus High football Coach Jack Bowman won’t soon be forgotten by the Santa Clarita chapter of the Red Cross. As soon as he decided the damage to his house from the Jan. 17 earthquake was minimal, he called to check on each of his players.

Those who assured Bowman that all was OK instantly were called to duty. Bowman and 46 of his varsity players sprang into action as Red Cross volunteers. Their tasks were varied, but the strong-armed Saugus contingent mainly assisted at the Saugus gymnasium, which served as a Red Cross shelter, or transported food, water and supplies to various sites in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“They thought it was neat,” Bowman said. “They thought they had met some interesting people who responded to the tragedy in different ways. I’ve never been in a catastrophe quite like this. And since we didn’t have much damage at my place, volunteering just seemed like a natural thing.”

Bowman and his wife, Christine--who coaches the Centurions’ award-winning dance team--worked for about a week as relief volunteers. More important, said Bowman, was that 10 of his players logged five days, working eight-hour shifts, assisting the Red Cross.

NORTHWEST VALLEY

QUAKING HOLTZ

Lou Holtz wore a funny look.

If expressions can be translated into the written word, Holtz was thinking something along the lines of, “Why in the heck would you want to stay in L.A. to play football?”

Holtz, the football coach at Notre Dame, dropped by the home of San Fernando High quarterback Leon Blunt two days after the Northridge quake. Of course, the Valley was still shaking periodically.

“He was still here when some of the aftershocks hit,” Blunt said. “I don’t think he’s been in many earthquakes.”

Blunt, who earlier had orally committed to play at Notre Dame, has had the Golden Domers a little concerned. While Blunt has maintained all along that he intends to sign a letter of intent with Notre Dame today, the first day of the NCAA’s winter signing period, published reports have indicated that the option quarterback was still considering attending USC.

In fact, Blunt continued to take recruiting trips after he committed to Notre Dame, a fact that was hardly lost on Holtz and Co.

“They’ve called me almost every day,” Blunt said of the Notre Dame staff. “I think they’re a little worried.”

USC tried until the very end. Trojan Coach John Robinson and assistant Charles White, a San Fernando graduate, also visited Blunt at home.

MID-VALLEY LEAGUE

READY TO RALLY

City Section basketball returns today and Monroe Coach Paul Graber couldn’t be happier.

Monroe, which finished 23-4 and was 3-A Division runner-up last season, is winning very few games a year later, but Graber and star player Kenyatta Niles insist it’s not too late for the Vikings.

“I just have a feeling that my team is going to turn it around,” Graber said.

Monroe’s last game (Jan. 14) boosted Graber’s hopes. Monroe (4-10) led Grant by three points with 90 seconds left before the Lancers rallied for a 76-72 victory.

Despite the loss, Graber was energized by his team’s performance against a Grant (12-3). So was Niles, who scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had eight assists in 14 minutes. Niles, an All-City selection last season, has been slowed because of strained ligaments in his left ankle.

Niles, however, said the ankle is fine and the Vikings are ready to rally. “We’re gonna win the 3-A,” Niles said. “We will not lose any more.”

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE

FOR THE RECORD

Despite what the media have been reporting, the Verdugo Hills High gymnasium was not structurally damaged by the recent 6.6 earthquake, according to basketball Coach Scott Kemple.

The fact is, the Verdugo Hills basketball team has been without a gymnasium since Nov. 13--the day workers began to strip, re-paint and re-finish the hardwood floor. Incidentally, the City basketball season officially started Nov. 9.

“It’s supposed to be done (by next week),” Kemple said.

The Dons expect to play their entire 21-game season on the road.

Around the leagues . . .

* Glendale’s James Fuller blocked six shots last Friday night against Muir, but the Dynamiters lost by 28 points.

* Ventura heavyweight wrestler Sean Burdick is 30-5, including 25 pins.

Staff writers Kennedy Cosgrove, Steve Elling, Jeff Fletcher, Dana Haddad, Mike Lazarus and Paige A. Leech contributed to this notebook.