Sports : A SWELL TIME

Samantha Silva of Long Beach City College will attempt to become the 25th woman to swim the Catalina channel.

Silva, 17, a freshman from Millikan High, will begin the 21-mile swim Sunday night from Long Point and is expected to arrive at Cabrillo Beach. If she is successful, she will be the 76th swimmer to complete the crossing since record-keeping began in 1927.

“Swimming the Catalina channel has been a goal of mine for the past several years,” said Silva, who swam her first ocean competition, the Seal Beach three-mile swim, at age 11.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Patrick Norris of Long Beach City College was selected the state player of the week after rushing for 275 yards in 29 carries and a touchdown as the Vikings held on for a 21-20 victory over Saddleback. Norris, a 6-foot-2 sophomore tailback, leads the state with 370 yards in 44 carries and three touchdowns.

Long Beach (2-0), ranked third in the state behind Bakersfield and City College of San Francisco, will play host to Riverside in a Mission Conference game Saturday night at Veterans Stadium.

Gary Tessitore passed for 167 yards to lead seventh-ranked Cerritos (1-0) to a 35-31 victory over visiting Orange Coast. Charles Ephraim (98 yards) Corey Kelley (86 yards) led the rushing attack for Cerritos, which travels to Saddleback on Saturday.

Deon Hampton of Compton intercepted three passes, one for a 26-yard touchdown return, and had three tackles and seven assists in the Tartars’ 24-10 victory over Victor Valley. Compton (1-0) plays host to Harbor in a Western State Conference Southern Division game Saturday.

There were no last-minute dramatics for Rio Hondo in a 65-19 defeat against Santa Monica. Rio Hondo (1-1), which edged San Diego Mesa, 14-13, in its season opener, begins Foothill Conference play at Mt. San Jacinto Saturday.

FOOTNOTES

City Section opponents have posed little difficulty for St. Paul Coach Marijon Ancich. Garfield was no different.

The Swordsmen defeated the Bulldogs, 30-6, in an intersectional game Friday night. Ancich has won 20 of 21 games against City opponents.

Sophomore Elton Gabourel gained 90 yards in 14 carries and Andy Wilcox rushed for a nine-yard touchdown, kicked a 25-yard field goal and added three extra points.

FANTASTIC FINISHES

Paramount overcame a 20-0 second-quarter deficit and rallied for a 27-26 victory over St. John Bosco on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Mike Fletcher to Jarred Halk with 14 seconds remaining. . . .

Andy George of La Serna caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Mike Hale with nine seconds left to give the Lancers a 20-14 victory over Keppel.

George, who had six catches for 104 yards, also had a 28-yard touchdown reception with under five minutes to play for La Serna, which scored 17 fourth-quarter points to remain undefeated. . . .

Gahr quarterback Jimmy Stout hooked up with Evan Bridges on a 57-yard scoring pass with less than four minutes left to lift the Gladiators to a 29-22 victory over Artesia.

Bridges, who also caught touchdown passes of 42 and 65 yards, caught seven passes for 225 yards. Stout completed 11 of 18 passes for 248 yards.

ORANGE CRUSH

The St. Joseph High girls’ volleyball team won the Division II title of the Orange County championships, defeating Tustin, 15-7, in the final.

The Jesters won seven of eight games. St. Joseph beat Cypress in the quarterfinals, 15-6, and Whittier Christian, 15-11, in the semifinals.

Shannon Buller, a senior outside hitter, notched 57 kills in the daylong competition and was selected the tournament’s most valuable player.

Junior setter Rhea Muchow had 134 assists. Outside hitters Lisa Alley and Carla Workman and middle blocker Lori Sylwanowicz are returning senior starters for the Jesters, who are sixth in the Southern Section Division II rankings.

Moore League rivals Millikan and Long Beach Poly are fifth and seventh, respectively, in the Division II poll.

Millikan is led by middle blocker/setter Hilary Gunsaulus, outside hitter Melissa Haugen and outside hitter Kristin Wintrich.

Setter Jolyn Faatulu is a three-year starter for Poly, which has won a share of the past three league titles. The Jackrabbits also feature junior outside hitter Shannon DeWitt and sophomore middle blocker Robyn Lewis.

Gahr is seeking its 13th league title in 14 seasons. San Gabriel Valley League foes will face a Gladiator front line consisting of 5-11 outside hitter Summer Sellig, 5-11 junior middle blocker Kristy Pesanti and 6-0 sophomore outside hitter Kathy Abell. Jennifer French is a 6-1 setter.

La Mirada is third in Division IV. Kristin Shircliff was selected the Division IV co-player of the year after leading the Matadors to the division title and a fourth consecutive Suburban League title.

Shircliff will be joined by 5-5 setter Monica Salcedo and 5-4 outside hitter LaNae Baer, both returning All-Southern Section first-team selections.

Amber Oliver is a 6-6 outside hitter for Valley Christian, which moves up to Division IV after reaching the Division V final last season. The Crusaders are ranked sixth.

St. Anthony is sixth in Division V. The Saints, who moved from the Del Rey League to the Camino Real League, are paced by juniors Hazel Limfueco and Rachel Olson and sophomore Nicole Wilson.