VALLEY ROUNDUP : Village Christian’s Brache Will Get His Kicks for Cal

Village Christian kicker Ignacio Brache committed Monday to play football for California next season.

Brache, who kicked 10 of his 16 field goals from 40 yards or longer last season, said he was prepared to commit to Idaho--a Division I-AA team--until he was contacted by California last week. Cal had been courting Notre Dame High kicker Chris Sailer exclusively until Sailer committed to UCLA last week.

“I never thought I’d be playing in the Pac-10,” said Brache, the first Village Christian athlete to earn a Division I scholarship.

Simi Valley High receiver J.J. Washington, the Marmonte League co-offensive player of the year, has committed to Arkansas State.

Ventura College freshman tight end Jason Bendinelli said he will sign a letter of intent to play at UCLA.

Track and Field

Jack Farrell, longtime cross-country coach at Thousand Oaks High, will take over the girls’ track program. Farrell replaces Art Green, who resigned.

Boys’ Basketball

Chatsworth 91, Granada Hills 72--Jerome Joseph scored 29 points for the Chancellors (15-4, 6-0) in a Northwest Valley Conference game.

Oxnard 73, Hueneme 72--Geoff Phillips made a five-foot jump shot with seven seconds left in the second overtime for the Yellowjackets (11-8, 7-3).

Girls’ Basketball

Buena 78, San Marcos 50--Nicole Greathouse scored 13 points to lead Buena (15-2, 9-0) in a Channel League game.

Contributing: Paige A. Leech, Jeff Fletcher, Dave Desmond and John Ortega.