Sports

RECRUITING UPDATE

El Camino College’s turnaround season on the football field is paying dividends for several players.

After finishing 2-8 in 1993, the Warriors were 9-2 in 1994 and finished in a three-way tie for the Mission Conference title with Long Beach and Rancho Santiago.

Coaches at four-year colleges came calling to scout Warrior players, led by quarterback Steve Sarkisian, holder of nine El Camino and three national community college passing records.

Sarkisian, who accepted a scholarship offer from Brigham Young University, passed for 4,304 yards and 41 touchdowns last season, including 645 yards and four touchdowns in his team’s loss to College of the Desert in the Southern California Bowl.

El Camino, which averaged a remarkable 40 points and 578 yards a game, has seven other offensive players heading to Division I or I-AA schools: running backs Morell Ollis and Robert Jenkins to Fresno State; offensive lineman Tevete Usu to Arizona; wide receiver Leandrew Childs to San Diego State; wide receiver David Saraf and offensive guard Demetrius Hamilton to Wyoming, and center Jimmy Omatsu to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Two defensive players also have landed in Division I-AA programs. All-state defensive end Craig Zimmerman selected Montana State over Hawaii, and Fresno State and defensive tackle Quinn Taylor was deciding between Montana State and Idaho State.

Coach John Featherstone expects several other Warrior players to wind up with Division I and II schools during the national letter of intent signing period, which started Wednesday.

* The Harbor College football team also has several players who will continue their careers.

The Seahawks, who were 2-8, expect to have at least four players receive scholarships from Division I schools.

“We tell them there’s a school out there for everyone,” interim coach Eugene Miranda said. “All they have to do is concentrate on the academics and we’ll do the rest. We’ve been pretty fortunate in getting our players placed in four-year programs.”

Topping the list is 6-foot-6, 295-pound defensive tackle Michael Scott, who has signed a national letter of intent to attend Louisville, and linebacker Demetric Crockett (6-1, 205), who has opted for Northern Illinois.

Tailback Damin Hurst (5-9, 180) has narrowed his choices to Colorado, California and Northern Illinois, and defensive back Carlos Hilliard is deciding between Nevada Las Vegas, Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois.

In addition, linebackers Matt Faraimo and James Franks and wide receiver Dean Halvorson have decided to attend Division I-AA Sacramento State. Harbor has also placed four players at Division II Chico State: guard Mike Frias, center Patrick Dyer, defensive back Eric Crump and wide receiver Ralph Martinez. Defensive lineman Chris Martinez will attend Division III Redlands.

SHOWDOWN

Defending state champion Harbor is on its way to another South Coast Conference women’s basketball title. The last major obstacle appears to be second-place Cerritos.

The Seahawks (23-4, 7-0 in conference), ranked No. 5 in the state and No. 2 in Southern California, play host to Cerritos at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Harbor defeated Cerritos, 88-76, on Jan. 11 at Cerritos. It is the only conference loss for the Falcons (17-8, 7-1), who are ranked No. 14 in the state and No. 7 in Southern California.

Harbor has not lost a conference home game in four seasons and the only two conference losses during that span were road games against Cerritos.

The Seahawks have been sparked by a transfer from Cerritos, sophomore guard Michelle Duckworth, who has averaged 27 points in South Coast games to lead the conference. Sophomore forward Rayjanette Lampkin, a transfer from Long Beach State, averages 13.8 points and 8.5 rebounds.

SNEAKING UP

The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s basketball team hasn’t received a lot of attention, but the Toros have crept into title contention in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Dominguez Hills (14-3, 2-2) trails conference co-leaders UC Riverside and Cal State San Bernardino by a game going into tonight’s 7:30 matchup against San Bernardino (10-10, 3-1) in Carson.

Dominguez Hills played perhaps its best game of the season in a 66-46 victory over Grand Canyon Saturday in Carson.

Junior forward Faye Hagan and senior guard Pam Kirkwood combined for 48 points and 24 rebounds against Grand Canyon.

Hagan, a 5-8 transfer from Cal State Fullerton, averages 19.3 points and 9.5 rebounds, and Kirkwood averages 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds. Hagan also leads Dominguez Hills in field-goal percentage, points, steals and minutes played. Kirkwood leads in three-point baskets and three-point shooting percentage.

DAY IN THE SUN

Former San Pedro High and major league baseball players Garry Maddox, Alan Ashby, John Werhas and Jimmy Reese will have their uniforms retired during the third annual San Pedro alumni weekend starting Friday in San Pedro.

The former players will be honored along with longtime San Pedro booster Joe Amalfitano, third base coach for the Dodgers, during a banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Dalmatian-American Club in San Pedro. Former Angel pitcher Clyde Wright will conduct the ceremony.

The activities start with a tournament at 8 a.m. Friday at Meadowlark Golf Course in Huntington Beach. Participants will include Amalfitano, Maddox, Ashby, Brian Harper of the Milwaukee Brewers, Sean Berry of the Montreal Expos and Chris Donnels of the Houston Astros. The event is open to the public. The cost is $105 including green fees, cart rental and an awards dinner at the Princess Pavilion in San Pedro.

Saturday’s activities start with a free baseball clinic for youths at 10 a.m. at San Pedro High that will feature Maddox, Berry, Donnels and Ashby. It will be followed by the annual San Pedro girls’ softball alumni game at noon. There will also be an all-day baseball card show.

On Sunday, professional baseball players will conduct a photo session from 9 to 10 a.m. and then compete in a home-run derby along with former players from San Pedro and Fermin Lasuen. The event concludes with the San Pedro alumni game and a game matching alumni from San Pedro and Fermin Lasuen.

Information: Tim Ursich at (310) 832-2622 or Tony Rodich at (310) 534-3333.

* The El Segundo High baseball team will kick off its 1995 season with its annual alumni game and family reunion Saturday at Recreation Park in El Segundo.

Longtime Coach John Stevenson has invited players from 1927-1990 to compete in the game and pregame ceremonies. The event starts with batting practice at 10 a.m., a home-run derby at 12:45 p.m., pregame introductions at 1 followed by the game.

The Eagles are coming off a 22-8 season.

Admission for the game and reunion is $3 for adults or $1 for youths age 18 and under. Proceeds will benefit the Eagle baseball program.

Information: (310) 322-1170.

PLAY BALL!

Coming off its best record in six years under Coach George Wing, the Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team will open its 1995 season at 2:30 p.m. today against visiting Southern California College. And the Toros have plenty of reasons for optimism.

Dominguez Hills returns 14 players from a team that finished 38-19 and earned a share of the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 19-11. Dominguez Hills was ranked No. 11 in the final regular-season Division II poll and reached the Western Regional.

It was the best finish for the Toros since 1987, when they went 43-15 and advanced to the Division II World Series.

Dominguez Hills is ranked No. 9 in Division II in a preseason poll by College Sports magazine and tied for 10th with Kennesaw State of Georgia in rankings by Collegiate Baseball.

The Toros are expected to be led by all-conference pitchers Scott Veeder, a 6-5 senior, and Tony Velasquez, a 5-10 senior, along with senior second baseman Jose Lara.

Dominguez Hills also plays host to the South Korea National Team at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

* After starting its season by winning two of three games against Nevada Las Vegas on the road, the Loyola Marymount baseball team will play its home opener against Cal State Northridge at 2 p.m. Friday in Westchester.

The teams will conclude the three-game series with games at 1 p.m. Saturday at Northridge and 1 p.m. Sunday at Loyola.

Loyola (2-1) showed some promising signs in its series against UNLV. Junior starter Andy Collett pitched a complete game, struck out 11 and gave up only one earned run in the Lions’ 9-2 win Sunday over the UNLV. Senior reliever Shawn Hammett pitched 3 1/3 innings of solid relief to earn the decision as Loyola rallied for a 10-5 victory over the Rebels in the series opener.

Collett, also a first baseman, had two home runs and seven run batted in. Junior catcher Travis Wilson was four for nine in the series, including a home run, and sophomore shortstop Marc Mirizzi had six hits in 16 at-bats.

Senior outfielder Mike Peters, who had seven home runs and 44 RBIs last season, is sidelined for four to six weeks because of a broken hand he suffered last week in practice.

MEMORY LANE

Redondo High boys’ basketball Coach Jim Nielsen is searching for members of the 1964-65 Redondo squad that was ranked No. 2 in the nation before it lost in the Southern Section 5-A semifinals.

Team members will be honored in a ceremony at halftime of Redondo’s regular-season finale against visiting Mira Costa on Feb. 10. The Sea Hawks finished with a 27-1 record that season, and suffered their only loss to North Torrance.

Among team members expected to attend are Rex Hughes, former coach of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings; West Torrance baseball Coach Harry Jenkins; Jeff Sims; Paul Hoffman, and Bob Clemo. Former Redondo and UCLA basketball standout Gig Sims will also be honored at halftime.

Team members may contact Nielsen at (310) 798-8665, Ext. 2047.

PUT ON THE GLOVES

The Inglewood Recreation and Community Services Department will present its annual Amateur Youth Boxing Show at 1 p.m. Sunday at Rogers Park, 400 W. Beach Ave. The card will consist of 15 bouts.

Admission is free. Information: Rita Gardner at (310) 412-8750.