Sports

PREPS

The weeklong period during which high school football players can sign letters of intent began Wednesday with several San Gabriel Valley athletes making formal commitments.

Pasadena quarterback/defensive back Chris McAlister, the son of former Blair High and UCLA standout James McAlister, was expected to sign with the Bruins. Ramogi Huma, a preseason All-American linebacker from Bishop Amat, also was expected to sign with UCLA.

San Marino quarterback Dan Loyd (Arizona) Pasadena linebacker Lester Towns (Washington), Blair defensive back Myron DuBose (Washington State), Bishop Amat defensive end Kory Minor (Notre Dame) and Bishop Amat linebacker Oscar Garcia (St. Mary’s) were also among players expected to sign letters of intent.

Daylon McCutcheon of Bishop Amat, the recipient of The Times’ Glenn Davis Award as the outstanding prep player in Southern California, was not expected to make a decision until Saturday.

* The Northview High wrestling team appears primed for a potential run at a Southern Section championship.

The Vikings, under Coach David Ochoa, improved to 16-2 by winning the Edison tournament last weekend.

John Nieto won the 114-pound division. Carl Smith (132 pounds) and Dalano Rhyne (162) also placed first to pace the Vikings.

Billy Stete of Damien won the 105-pound division at the Canyon Springs tournament. Other San Gabriel Valley-area winners included Mike Kawamura of Rosemead (121 pounds) and Albert Rodriguez of South Hills (heavyweight).

* Pasadena Poly is enjoying a rare double with its boys and girls basketball teams sitting atop the Southern Section Division V polls.

The Poly boys entered the week 16-2, the girls 14-4.

Other area schools that are ranked include Nogales, Alhambra and Glendora, which are ranked eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively, in the Division I boys’ poll.

Pasadena is seventh and Arroyo eighth in Division II.

The Diamond Bar girls are third in Division I, Muir is 10th in Division II and St. Lucy’s is seventh and South Pasadena ninth in Division III.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The Citrus College women’s basketball team is in position to challenge for the Foothill Conference title after defeating Antelope Valley, 93-25, last week.

LaTaya Woods scored 34 points for the Owls in the victory, which improved Citrus’ record to 18-8 and 5-1 in conference.

Robin Seabrook-Chandler scored 29 points for Mt. San Antonio College in a 65-51 South Coast Conference victory over El Camino that improved the Mounties’ record to 9-10 and 3-4 in conference.

COLLEGES

Azusa Pacific’s baseball team opens its season this week, hoping to improve on last year’s 27-23 record.

The Cougars, under 10th-year Coach Tony Barbone, return only two starters from a team that advanced to the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics playoffs, but lost its first two games.

Senior pitcher Ruben Niebla, the district player of the year, was 9-2 with a 2.38 earned-run average last season. Shortstop Jon Chaparro batted .371, outfielder Jeff Kurey .345.

Azusa Pacific plays at Chapman today.

* Mark Reliford, a senior guard, is making his mark for the La Verne basketball team.

Reliford, a former standout at Ganesha High and Mt. SAC, scored 14 points and had eight assists for the Leopards in a 71-63 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over Redlands. He also had 14 rebounds, a school record for a guard.

La Verne entered the week 13-4, 5-1 in SCIAC play and ranked third in the West Region among NCAA Division II schools. The Leopards play at Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday night.

* The Azusa Pacific men’s basketball team remains atop the Golden State Athletic Conference standings, albeit in a tie with Westmont, after losing to Westmont in overtime last week.

Westmont’s 77-76 victory gave Azusa Pacific only its second loss in conference play since 1993 and temporarily knocked the Cougars out of first place for the first time since 1992. Westmont defeated the Cougars last season, 68-67.

Azusa Pacific pulled into a tie for the conference lead on Saturday by defeating Biola, 95-85, to improve to 16-7 and 5-1 in GSAC play.

Senior guard Deric Daniels scored 22 points and had 12 assists against Biola. Forward Raymond Tutt is averaging 27 points a game. He entered the week needing 78 points to become only the sixth Cougar to score 700 points in a season.

* Three Azusa Pacific football players were named to the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics All-Scholar team.

Chris Jennings, a junior receiver majoring in history, was one of four athletes in NAIA with a 4.0 grade-point average.

Junior defensive lineman Mitch Janzen (Christian Ministry) and senior safety Brian Biegert (business) also were honored.

* The Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team is struggling through a sub-.500 season, but the Broncos have a bright spot in freshman forward Jessica Eggleston.

Eggleston scored 31 points Saturday in leading the Broncos to an 81-74 victory over first-place UC Riverside. The victory ended a four-game losing streak and improved Pomona’s record to 8-11 and 1-3 in the CCAA.

Pomona plays to Cal State Los Angeles Friday night.

* The Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team is struggling to regain momentum after losing conference games to Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield last week.

Pomona, which fell out of the national rankings, entered the week 13-6 and 1-4 in the CCAA. The Broncos play host to Cal State Dominguez Hills tonight and travels to Riverside on Saturday.

Tyrone Merriweather is averaging 16 points and eight rebounds for the Broncos. He also had a school record seven blocked shots in the Broncos’ 52-50 loss to Bakersfield.

* Freshman Danny Trejo of Azusa Pacific qualified for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships later this month with his performance last weekend at an all-comers meet at Azusa Pacific.

Trejo qualified in the mile with a time of 4 minutes 6.16 seconds. Teammate Anthony Fisher, a former standout at Maranatha High, also qualified in 4:17.0.

Other Azusa Pacific qualifiers included former Glendora High standout Tim Cockrell (pole vault), Ryan Root (35-pound weight throw) and Carmen Gage (55-meter hurdles).

PREP OF THE WEEK

Matt Evans, Maranatha--Evans scored a goal and had three assists as Maranatha defeated Marshall Fundamental, 5-0, extending its Alpha League unbeaten streak to 42 matches, which tied a Southern Section record.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Jessica Eggleston, Cal Poly Pomona--Eggleston, a freshman from Cypress, scored 31 points in the Broncos 81-74 CCAA victory over first-place UC Riverside.

Eggleston, a 6-foot-1 forward, made 12 of 16 shots and all seven of her free-throw attempts. She is averaging 16 points and seven rebounds a game.

MISCELLANY

Pasadena City College is staging a reunion luncheon on Saturday for athletes from PCC, formerly Pasadena Junior College, and Muir High. Cost is $15. Information: (818) 585-7364.

* A 2-K and 5-K run and a 5-K walk that will benefit the Azusa Pacific track program and the Azusa Unified School District’s physical education/athletic program will be staged on Saturday. Top finishers will receive plaques. Cost: $15 for adults, $10 for children. Information: (818) 815-6000, Ext. 3856.

CALENDAR

A charity golf tournament sponsored by the Pasadena Police Department Athletic Assn. and Foothill Area Community Services will be staged Friday at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena.

Cost is $95. Information: (818) 405-3878.

* The city of El Monte is playing host to its annual Valentine’s Day Classic men’s D slow-pitch softball tournament on Feb. 18 at Mountain View High and Pioneer Park.

El Monte is also accepting registration for men’s and co-ed softball leagues and men’s basketball leagues.

Information: (818) 580-2216.

* Registration begins next week for men’s and co-ed softball leagues sponsored by the city of Rosemead.

Fees are $320 a team for a 10-game schedule.

Registration will also be open for a co-ed volleyball league. Cost is $125 a team for a 10-game schedule.

Information: (818) 288-6671, ext. 256.

* The city of Covina is accepting registration for adult softball leagues. Competition will be open in men’s D, men’s C/D, co-ed D and women’s D divisions.

Play begins Feb. 27. Cost is $440 before Feb. 17, $465 from Feb. 20-22.

Information: (818) 858-7271.

* A basketball league for boys and girls in grades four through eight is being formed in South Pasadena.

Participants will also take part in three instructional clinics. Information: (818) 799-9449.

* The city of Azusa will be sponsoring three-on-three basketball leagues this spring for youths in grades seven through 12. Competition will be staged Sunday evenings at Memorial Park Recreation Center.

Cost is $20 a team. Information: (818) 334-2611, Ext. 336.