Sports

RECRUITING NEWS

The South Bay version of a Desert Swarm took place last weekend when four of the area’s top football recruits visited the University of Arizona.

Linebackers Mike Wiley of Serra High and Aaron Williams of Leuzinger were joined by offensive linemen Tevete and Ega Usu, brothers who played for El Camino College and Leuzinger, respectively, last season. Also on the trip was Kory Minor, Bishop Amat’s standout defensive lineman.

From all indications, the players had a good time at Arizona, home of the double-eagle flex defense more popularly known as Desert Swarm.

“It was great,” said Ega Usu, who was making his third recruiting trip. “They treated me like a king, just like Arizona State and Utah did.”

The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Usu said he and his older brother are strongly considering attending the same college. Ega has two more trips planned, to Brigham Young University and UCLA. Tevete Usu (6-4, 315), who visited Utah with his brother, has remaining trips to Arizona State and San Diego State.

“At first we didn’t plan to go to the same school, but now its seems like we should,” Ega Usu said. “It would be better for us and our family so they don’t have to go to two different places to see us play.”

Ega said arriving at a decision won’t be easy.

“I’ve been to some great schools,” he said. “I didn’t know signing was going to be this hard.”

Wiley and Williams, regarded as two of the top inside linebacker prospects in Southern California, also have hard choices to make.

Wiley (6-3, 235), who will visit Colorado State, Iowa and perhaps Utah next month, said he is leaning toward UCLA, where he has already taken a trip.

“I told (UCLA) I was real interested,” he said. “It looked like a school that I could adapt to quickly and get a chance to play.”

Williams (6-3, 240) said he does not favor any school after taking his first trip last weekend. He said he will visit USC, Notre Dame and Nebraska, and decide between Washington State and UCLA for his fifth trip. The NCAA limits recruits to five paid visits.

RECRUITING NEWS II

Slowly but surely, major colleges are warming to the idea that Peninsula High running back Petros Papadakis can play Division I-A football.

Papadakis has scheduled his first recruiting trip, to USC on Jan. 20, and has been in contact with several other schools, including California, Boston College, Oregon and UCLA. In addition, family friends have put Papadakis in contact with two of the nation’s heavyweight programs, Penn State and Miami.

“I’ve got a lot of people on my side,” said Papadakis, who expected to hear from Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, in town for the Jan. 2 Rose Bowl.

The sudden interest has caught Papadakis by surprise. He entered the 1994 season as a virtual unknown after missing most of his junior season because of a dislocated shoulder. But as a senior he made up for lost time by rushing for 2,001 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards a carry.

Most important, at least from a recruiter’s perspective, Papadakis (6-1, 200) demonstrated that he has the speed to compete at a higher level, breaking loose for many long runs.

He says schools are recruiting him at several positions: tailback, fullback and on defense as an outside linebacker or strong safety.

“I’ll play anywhere,” he said. “I have no preference.”

The fact that USC was one of the first schools to show interest shouldn’t come as a surprise. Papadakis’ father, John, was an all-conference linebacker for the Trojans and his older brother, Taso, is a backup fullback at USC.

Other news:

* Steve Sarkisian, El Camino College’s record-setting quarterback, was expected to sign a letter of intent Wednesday with Brigham Young. Sarkisian made up his mind after visiting BYU last weekend. He also considered Kansas State. Sarkisian, who will be a junior next season, hopes to replace John Walsh, who is expected to pass up his senior season at BYU in favor of the NFL. Sarkisian and Walsh are both graduates of West Torrance High.

* Robert Jenkins and Morell Ollis, El Camino’s starting running backs, will sign with Fresno State, El Camino Coach John Featherstone said. Other Warriors headed to four-year colleges include wide receiver Leandrew Childs (San Diego State), offensive tackle J.R. Herring (Idaho State), and guard Demetrius Hamilton and defensive end Craig Zimmerman, who will choose between Fresno State, San Jose State and Hawaii.

* Joseph (J.R.) Redmond, the highly recruited running back/defensive back from Carson High, has narrowed his choices to Michigan, Arizona, Washington State, UCLA and USC, according to his father. Joseph Redmond said his son’s decision will depend largely on which school has the best program for sports medicine, the field the younger Redmond intends to pursue.

NO RELIEF

Cliff Warren doesn’t like to lose. Even worse, the Peninsula basketball coach hates it when his team plays poorly.

So you can imagine how Warren felt last week when Peninsula struggled to a 1-3 record in the Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High in Huntington Beach. The Panthers’ only victory came when Dorsey failed to show for a consolation game, resulting in a forfeit.

Peninsula dropped to 4-4 with losses to Mater Dei, Brentwood and Nogales. Mater Dei, the nation’s second-ranked team, beat Tustin in the final after Tustin had upset Westchester in the semifinals.

“I could deal with 4-4 if we were playing good basketball,” Warren said. “But we’re playing bad basketball.”

How bad?

“We’re not focused,” Warren said. “We’re playing selfish basketball.”

Peninsula’s poor showing came a week after it placed second in the Pacific Shores tournament. Warren is confident the problems can be worked out, but it might be a while before the Panthers win again. They open play in the 16-team Las Vegas Western tournament Tuesday against Rancho of Las Vegas, one of the top teams in Nevada.

Before the tournament, Peninsula will play a team of alumni at 6 p.m. Friday. Graduates of Rolling Hills and Palos Verdes also are expected to participate.

PREP NOTEBOOK

* Tony Uruburu has resigned as the football coach at North Torrance and is being considered for the opening at Bishop Montgomery. Uruburu’s teams were 5-16 in two seasons at North, including an 0-10 record last season. Bishop Montgomery is looking for its fifth coach in seven years after the resignation of Matt Giacalone.

* The Peninsula girls’ basketball team begins play Wednesday in the Lady Tiger Holiday Classic in Pickerington, Ohio, against Christ the King of New York, which began the season ranked sixth in the nation.

* Peninsula’s Joe Kelly and Morningside’s Ron Tatum and John Estrada are among six coaches who will be the first inductees into the Sunkist Invitational High School Track Coaches Hall of Fame. The charter members will be inducted at the 36th annual Sunkist Invitational on Feb. 11 at the Sports Arena.

* Seven area football players have been named to All-City Section teams. Running back Joseph Redmond and linebacker Fa’avae Fa’avae of Carson, offensive lineman Andrew Lalau and defensive lineman John Toavalu of Banning, and San Pedro defensive back Mike Lennox were named to the 4-A Division team. Wide receiver DeJuan Gilmore and defensive lineman Roderick Daniels of Gardena were named to the 3-A team.

* Former San Pedro basketball standout Raymond Tutt scored 21 points for Azusa Pacific in a 75-72 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday that snapped the Cougars’ 32-game home winning streak.

* The Peninsula boys’ soccer team won the championship of the South Bay Cup by beating host Santa Monica, 5-4, in penalty kicks Friday. The teams battled to a 1-1 tie in regulation. Rob Helm scored the decisive penalty kick as Peninsula improved to 8-1.

FAST WORKER

It didn’t take long for sophomore Chris Boyd to make an impact with the Cal State Dominguez Hills basketball team. Playing in his first games for the Toros since becoming eligible after his transfer from Southern Methodist University last summer, Boyd led Dominguez Hills with 18 points Saturday against Azusa Pacific and scored 14 in a 75-54 victory Monday over College of Notre Dame.