Sports

PREPS

The Southern Section boys’ and girls’ basketball playoffs continued this week with several San Gabriel Valley teams still alive after first-round games.

Boys’ teams from Glendora, La Canada, Pasadena, Wilson, Muir, Temple City, Charter Oak, Pomona, San Dimas, San Marino, Blair and Pasadena Poly participated in quarterfinal games Tuesday.

Girls basketball playoffs also began this week. Some first-round games were Wednesday. Here is a list of Saturday’s games:

Division I-AA: Keppel-Lakewood winner at Diamond Bar; Esperanza-Fountain Valley winner at San Gabriel.

Division I-A: Downey at Arroyo; Rowland at Perris; El Monte at Hart.

Division II-AA: Santa Barbara-Pasadena winner at Ocean View; Rosemead at Crescenta Valley; Glendora at North Torrance.

Division II-A: Whittier at Temple City; Los Altos at Norco; Tustin at Wilson; Kennedy at Muir; Charter Oak at Bishop Amat; Garey at Anaheim Canyon.

Division III-AA: Newport Harbor at South Pasadena; Gladstone at St. Lucy’s.

Division III-A: La Canada at Azusa; Santa Paula at Covina; San Dimas at Rancho Alamitos.

Division IV-AA: Bassett at Costa Mesa; Banning at Flintridge Sacred Heart.

Division IV-A: Bishop-Maranatha winner at Cerritos Valley Christian; Alverno-Whittier Christian winner at Oak Park.

Division V-AA: Pasadena Poly has a bye; California School for Deaf/Riverside at Flintridge Prep.

Division V-A: Rio Hondo Prep has a bye.

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The boys’ and girls’ soccer playoffs also continued this week with second-round games.

San Gabriel Valley boys’ teams that won first-round games included Claremont, Damien, Nogales, Bosco Tech, Diamond Bar, San Marino, Sierra Vista, La Canada, Bonita, El Monte and La Salle.

First-round winners in girls’ play included Claremont, Diamond Bar, Los Altos, Westridge and Pasadena Poly.

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Boys and girls soccer players are eligible to apply for $1,000 scholarships that will be awarded by the county of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and the Ford Motor Co.

Fifteen scholarships will be awarded this spring. Criteria include diligence and commitment to soccer, financial need, grade-point average, soccer proficiency and community service.

The application deadline in March 25. Information: (818) 369-8693 or (818) 443-0017.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Mt. San Antonio College has established a memorial scholarship in the name of Juanita Tolbert, a former Mountie women’s basketball, track and cross-country coach who died Jan. 6.

Tolbert, a former coach at Ganesha High, started the women’s track and field and cross-country programs at Mt. SAC during the 1970s. She coached basketball from 1980 to 1989.

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Mt. SAC won its own baseball tournament last weekend by defeating Chaffey, 6-1, in the championship game.

Brett Tomko pitched a three-hitter and struck out six to earn the victory for the Mounties (5-3-1).

Mt. SAC’s Ryan Opatkiewicz, a sophomore shortstop, was named most valuable player of the tournament after collecting nine hits in 15 at-bats.

Mt. SAC plays Ventura today in the first round of the San Bernardino tournament.

COLLEGES

The Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team concludes its regular season tonight when the Broncos travel to UC Riverside for the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. finale.

Pomona (20-4, 8-1 in the CCAA) has clinched a share of its 13th consecutive conference title. If the Broncos beat Riverside, they can win the title outright if Cal State San Bernardino loses at least one of its two remaining games.

Mildred Conston averages 23 points and nine rebounds for Pomona.

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The Cal Poly Pomona men’s team split its final two games to finish 12-14 and 3-9 in the CCAA.

Damon Ballard scored 28 points to lead Pomona to an 85-78 victory over San Bernardino. Matt Mitchell had 29 for the Broncos in an 87-76 loss to Cal State Bakersfield in the season finale.

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The Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Los Angeles track teams will participate in the CCAA combined relays Saturday at Cal State L.A.

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The Azusa Pacific men’s basketball team, which clinched its second consecutive Golden State Athletic Conference championship last weekend, will attempt to avenge its only conference loss when the Cougars play host to Westmont on Saturday in the regular season finale.

Azusa Pacific, ranked fifth in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics poll, entered the week 21-3 and 9-1 in the GSAC. Westmont, which defeated Azusa Pacific, 68-67 on Jan. 28, is 15-10 and 6-4.

Azusa Pacific freshman Raymond Tutt leads NAIA schools in three-point shooting percentage, having made 46 of 87 attempts (52.9%).

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The Azusa Pacific women’s team concludes its regular season Saturday with a nonconference game against Biola. Azusa Pacific has already assured itself a spot in the semifinals of the inaugural GSAC tournament on March 4.

Azusa Pacific entered the week 18-9 and 6-3 in the GSAC. Suzy Hassell scored 17 points in a victory over Point Loma last week, and Jessica Opfar added 13. Opfar also had 15 points in a loss to Cal State San Bernardino.

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Azusa Pacific is sponsoring an all-comers track meet on Saturday with hopes of qualifying more Cougar athletes for the NAIA Indoor Championships March 3-5 in Kansas City. Twenty Cougar men and six Cougar women have already qualified for the championships.

The Azusa Pacific men’s team features four All-Americans in decathlete David Pope, pole vaulter Luke Walker, and triple-jumpers Ben Beal and Charles Johns.

Debbie Malachowski, who won the NAIA javelin title in 1991 and 1993 and the discus in 1992, leads the Cougar women.

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Jesse Ibarra, a former standout baseball player at Bosco Tech High, hit two home runs for Loyola Marymount in a recent game at the University of Hawaii. He is the first player to homer twice in a game against the Rainbows at home.

Ibarra also saved two games for the Lions during the three-game series and was selected as a Mizuno-Collegiate Baseball national player of the week.

PREP ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Mike Kawamura, Rosemead-- Kawamura, a junior, won the 112-pound division at the Southern Section Division I wrestling championships.

Kawamura helped Rosemead to a seventh-place finish in the team standings.

COLLEGES ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ryan Opatkiewicz, Mt. San Antonio College--Opatkiewicz, a sophomore shortstop, had nine hits in 15 at-bats to lead the Mounties to the championship of their tournament.

Opatkiewicz entered the week with five consecutive three-hit games. He is batting .428.

MISCELLANY

The Lanterman Developmental Center is Pomona is seeking volunteers to help with its Special Olympics program. Volunteers are needed as coaches, timers, starters and award presenters. An orientation meeting is scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the center’s track. Information: (909) 595-1221, Ext. 2202. . . . Glendora Community Services is registering men for its adult basketball leagues that begin play March 28. Information: (818) 914- 8232.

The Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring a wrestling club and tournament competition for participants 10 to 18 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Rowland Heights Park. Information: (909) 865-2401 or (818) 912-6774. . . . The San Gabriel Valley Kids Wrestling Club is conducting sign-ups on Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the small gym at Arroyo High in El Monte. The program, open to boys and girls 5 to 14, teaches fundamentals and offers the opportunity to compete in tournaments. Information: (818) 338-6864.