Sports

PROUD COACH

Although most people were rooting for a team--either the Dallas Cowboys or the Buffalo Bills--during Sunday’s Super Bowl, Westchester High Coach Larry Wein cheered for a player--former Comet and Dallas Cowboy linebacker Ken Norton Jr.

If it weren’t for Wein, Norton may never have played football.

When he was entering his second season as Comet coach, Wein went searching for players and came across the then 6-foot-2, 220-pound Norton, who was running track and playing basketball and baseball.

“I looked at this guy and I knew that he was a warrior,” Wein said. “One sport he should be playing and he’s not playing it. I went over and talked to him and asked that his father give me a call.”

Norton, the son of the former heavyweight boxing champion, was told by his father that he could not play football. After hearing his son’s pleas, the elder Norton called Wein.

“I just told my wife that I met a player who would make a great tight end,” Wein said. “That night the father called and said Kenny is really enthusiastic about playing football. He asked me ‘Coach Wein. What position do you think he would be good at? I think he would be a good running back.’ ”

“I think he might be a good running back too,” Wein responded. “If he said ‘nose guard’ I would have agreed to that too. It didn’t matter.”

Norton started two seasons at fullback and linebacker at Westchester before he attended UCLA. In 1988, he was drafted in the second round by the Cowboys.

RECRUITING BLUES

Westchester quarterback Seka Edwards, the two-time Times’ Westside offensive back of the year, has yet to receive a scholarship offer from a Division I school.

The 6-1, 170-pound Edwards passed for 2,053 yards and 28 touchdowns last season to help the Comets reach the City Section 4-A Division semifinals. He passed for 3,599 yards and 52 touchdowns in the past two seasons.

“A few schools have shown interest, but they have backed off,” Wein said.

Wein has called college recruiters in an attempt to get a tryout for Edwards. USC assistant Charles White was enthusiastic about Edwards in December, but the Trojans never called again. Edwards also took a trip to Missouri but did not receive an offer.

Wein cannot figure it out.

“What can I tell you?” Wein said. “It’s frustrating. He certainly has the talent, grades and the character to be an outstanding player.”

But scouts appear to be concerned over Edwards’ lack of size.

“I called Cal and the coaches told me that they don’t look at quarterbacks unless they are 6-4 or taller,” Wein said. “I told them, ‘I guess (San Francisco 6-2 quarterback) Steve Young wouldn’t play for you.’ ”

MILESTONE WEEK

Crossroads girls’ basketball Coach Larry Wiener needs three more victories to reach 200 for his career. He may get it by the end of the week.

In 12 seasons as Crossroads coach, Wiener is 197-67. The Roadrunners, last season’s Delphic League co-champions, play six games in two weeks, including games this week against Brentwood, Faith Baptist and Campbell Hall.

After a two-week layoff, the Roadrunners (12-3), rated No. 3 among area teams, struggled on Friday to defeat Holy Martyrs, 42-36.

“We need to regain our sharpness we had during Christmas,” Wiener said. “We need to raise our intensity level. We need to start playing together instead of having five superior individuals not working as one unit.”

THE REMATCH

Three weeks ago, the St. Bernard girls’ basketball team lost consecutive Mission League games to Bishop Montgomery and Alemany.

The Vikings can avenge those loses this week. They played at Alemany on Tuesday and play host to Bishop Montgomery today.

“We need to avoid making turnovers,” St. Bernard Coach Lori Pawinski said. “We must have made 35 in each of those games.”

The Vikings should be helped by the return of 6-4 forward Marte Alexander, who suffered an ankle injury against Alemany and did not play against Bishop Montgomery. Alexander and 6-2 forward Olympia Scott are each averaging 16.3 points a game.

“We’ll probably try and do the same thing against them,” Pawinski said. “We’ll go inside and try and switch up the defenses a bit.”

BIG TURNAROUND

After a 3-11 nonconference record, St. Monica has rebounded to go 5-1 in Camino Real League play.

The Mariners have three players scoring in double figures.

Herman Schultz leads the team with a 14.3 average. Gabe Pagtama, who has recovered from a broken bone in his foot, is averaging 13.9, and Tyler Murphy has improved to 11.9.

BIG LETDOWN

Beverly Hills had a six-point lead with about six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game against Mira Costa. A victory would have moved the Normans into a tie with the Mustangs for the Ocean League lead.

But Mira Costa held the Normans scoreless and won, 52-45, at Beverly Hills. Mira Costa is 5-0 in league play. The Normans are 3-2.

“We had a 45-39 lead and didn’t score from then on,” Beverly Hills Coach Jason Newman said. “Mira Costa just outplayed us at the end. They were tougher, forced the action and took it away from us.”

Norman center Luke Buffum, who averages more than 20 points a game, scored only 10. He played most of the game in foul trouble.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Beverly Hills.

On Jan. 25, the Normans overcame a 21-13 first quarter deficit to beat Redondo, 73-72. Buffum, The Times’ 1993 Westside Player of the Year, had 33 points in the game.

BUNDLE OF JOY

Culver City Coach Jeff Perry and his wife, Jackie, celebrated the birth of their first child, Jazmin, on Jan. 18 at 10:40 a.m.

“She’s an earthquake baby,” said Perry, who has been kept awake taking care of his new child. “The night feedings started Friday (Jan. 21). On top of losing our game to Beverly Hills, I was up three times taking care of her.”

Culver City snapped a four-game losing streak with an 80-66 win over Ocean League rival Morningside on Friday despite playing without leading scorer Louis Baity.

Baity missed the game because of the flu.

The Centaurs (9-10, 2-3 in league) played two games on the road this week against Redondo Tuesday and Morningside on Friday.

DOING IT ALL

Windward freshman guard Kearney Visser nearly had a quadruple-double in the Wildcats’ 44-39 overtime win Jan. 12 against Yeshiva. Visser had 23 points, 16 rebounds, 13 steals and eight blocked shots.

Visser is leading the team in scoring with an average of 10.3 points.

“She’s been our bright spot in a difficult season,” Windward Coach Andy Bernstein said.