Sports

AWARD WINNERS

Mira Costa tailback Michael Fikes, Peninsula center-linebacker Jeremy Sparling and Mary Star Coach Dino Andrie were the South Bay award winners Sunday at The Times’ All-Star prep football brunch at the Guest Quarters Hotel in Santa Monica.

Fikes, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior who led the area in all-purpose yards, was named back of the year. Sparling, a 6-3, 215-pound senior whose two-way excellence was a key to Peninsula’s best season, was selected lineman of the year. Andrie, who guided Mary Star to its best season in 17 years, was awarded coach of the year.

El Camino College Coach John Featherstone, a Mira Costa graduate, was guest speaker and handed out certificates and plaques to the players selected to the South Bay and Westside All-Star teams.

Fikes helped Mira Costa (12-2) reach the Southern Section Division VII final for the second consecutive season with his all-around play. He rushed for 1,952 yards and 20 touchdowns in 294 carries, and also contributed as a receiver and return specialist, finishing with 2,610 all-purpose yards and 22 TDs. He sometimes was used at quarterback when the Mustangs ran the option and played defensive back in several games.

Fikes was held to a season-low 47 yards rushing in 14 carries Saturday in Mira Costa’s 16-0 loss to Arroyo Grande in the Division VII final.

Sparling was the leader of a Peninsula offensive line regarded as one of the best in the area. His blocking--he called the assignments at the line of scrimmage--helped the Panthers (11-2) rush for an area-leading 3,845 yards on their way to the Bay League title and the Division II semifinals. On defense, he ranked among team leaders in tackles.

Andrie helped revive Mary Star’s football fortunes in his first season as coach. The Stars, who were 3-26 in three previous seasons, finished 11-2 after tying for the Santa Fe League title and reaching the playoff semifinals for the first time since 1977, when Andrie was a junior at the school. Mary Star lost in the Division X semifinals to top-seeded Orange Lutheran, 7-6, when it failed on a two-point conversion try in an overtime tiebreaker.

KNIGHT MOVES

How can a prep basketball team that starts three juniors and a sophomore still be considered experienced?

Bishop Montgomery Coach Doug Mitchell knows the answer.

“I’ve never had nine returning guys before,” Mitchell said of his team, which won the championship of the El Segundo tournament last week. “This is definitely my deepest and most experienced group despite its youth.”

The Knights had only two seniors on last season’s 15-11 team, which meant extensive playing time for underclassmen. Three sophomores started regularly and the team returned five players with experience as starters.

“All nine (varsity returners) got good playing time (last season),” said Mitchell, in his sixth season at Bishop Montgomery. “I have 10 players who I feel good about.”

The top newcomer is sophomore point guard Delano D’Oyen, a standout on the junior varsity team last season. D’Oyen was named all-tournament at El Segundo along with teammates Brandon McLemore, a senior forward, and Brandon Price, a 6-5 junior wingman who was named most valuable player.

Price, already getting attention from four-year colleges, averaged 16.7 points in Bishop Montgomery’s four tournament victories. The Knights (4-0) beat Crespi, 54-50, in overtime in Saturday’s final after defeating North Torrance, Whitney and Campbell Hall.

Bishop Montgomery’s depth was needed because the team played most of the tournament without starting forwards Eric Bingham, out because of a bad back, and Alvin Dunn, out because of a sprained knee.

“They’re my two best inside guys,” Mitchell said of Bingham, a senior, and Dunn, a junior.

Other key players include junior guard Mateo Camargo and senior forward Geno Malauulu, brother of former Carson High and Arizona quarterback George Malauulu.

The Knights play Schurr today in the first round of the 16-team La Canada tournament as they prepare for what promises to be a rigorous Del Rey League season against Serra, Bishop Amat, St. John Bosco, St. Paul and St. Bernard.

LOSING IN AWE

Peninsula High basketball Coach Cliff Warren called it “a nice little experience.”

We don’t know how nice it was, but the Panthers definitely experienced an assault of talent Monday in their 78-54 loss to Mater Dei in the first round of the Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High in Huntington Beach.

The nation’s No. 2-ranked team pulled away after Peninsula had closed to within six points, 50-44, early in the fourth quarter. Shaun Jackson, a 6-8 senior forward, led Mater Dei with 26 points and 6-5 sophomore Schea Cotton added 19. Junior guard Phil Belin led Peninsula with 15 points.

“They were great,” Warren said of Mater Dei. “It will be interesting to see them play Westchester.”

Mater Dei and Westchester, ranked 15th in the nation, could meet in the final.

NO JINX HERE

Sophomore point guard Jim Williamson is off to a strong start for Loyola Marymount (4-1), which is enjoying its best start since the 1989-90 season.

The former South Torrance High standout ranks second among West Coast Conference players in assists per game (5.8) and is 10th in scoring with an average of 15 points. He also ranks in the top 10 in field-goal shooting (48.2%), free-throw shooting (80%) and three-point shooting (45%).

Williamson, the WCC freshman of the year last season, is one of only two Loyola players who have scored in double figures in every game. In addition, he leads the team in minutes played, is tied for the lead with 10 steals and has three blocked shots, one more than all-conference forward Wyking Jones, who is 6-7. Williamson is 5-10.

Williamson’s best game, at least from a scoring standpoint, came last week when he had 22 points in a 76-73 loss to Notre Dame.

Loyola resumes play Saturday night after a 10-day layoff because of finals when it plays host to Loyola of Chicago.

J.C. NOTEBOOK

* Louie Nelson, Harbor College women’s basketball coach, surpassed 100 victories at the school last weekend as Harbor (10-1) won the consolation championship of the East Bay Classic in Oakland. The defending state champions beat Pima of Tucson, Ariz., 88-74, in the consolation final Sunday for Nelson’s 101st victory in five seasons at Harbor. Guard Latrece Polk (Banning High) led the Seahawks with 24 points and forward Michelle Duckworth added 18. Harbor lost in the first round to College of the Sequoias, snapping the team’s school-record 25-game winning streak dating to last season.

* Wide receiver David Saraf (Beverly Hills High) and linebacker Chi Lam (North Torrance) of El Camino College have been named to the J.C. Grid-Wire Scholar/Athlete All-American team. Saraf, a business major, carries a 3.8 grade-point average and Lam carries a 3.2 average.

* El Camino quarterback Steve Sarkisian, recently named to the All-American first team, has narrowed his college choices to Brigham Young and Kansas State, eliminating Fresno State, Warrior Coach John Featherstone said. Sarkisian set a national record this season with a 203.6 pass efficiency rating, the first community college player to score over 200.

* San Bernardino quarterback Jamie Sander, a former Carson High standout, ranked among the nation’s leading passers after completing 202 of 367 passes for 2,914 yards and 26 touchdowns in 1994.

MILESTONE

Van Girard of Cal State Dominguez Hills became the school’s all-time winningest women’s basketball coach last week as the Toros won nonconference games against Point Loma Nazarene College, 108-76, and Cal State Stanislaus, 79-60. Junior forward Faye Hagan led the Toros in both games with 30 and 22 points, respectively. Girard, Dominguez Hills’ third coach since the inception of the program in 1976-77, has a seven-season record of 85-68. The Toros (6-1) play at Southern California College at 5:30 p.m. Friday.