Kennedy Roars On, Aims Toward Dodger Stadium Engagement

Thundering along with the momentum of a buffalo herd, the Kennedy baseball team is stampeding everything in its path en route to the grandest of all green fields: Dodger Stadium, site of the City Section 4-A Division final.

The Golden Cougars have come achingly close each of the past two years, losing in the semifinals in 1994 and the quarterfinals in ’93.

“We’re trying to get the No. 1 seeding,” said Kevin Serr, the team’s third-year catcher. “We’re not being cocky when we say that winning the City championship is what we’ve been gearing toward all season.”

The North Valley League race certainly has not been much of a challenge. Kennedy (20-3, 12-2) holds a five-game lead over Granada Hills with three to play, blending a fearsome offense with a balanced staff of four strong pitchers.

The Golden Cougars simply crush the ball, then call on the hot hand du jour to retire the opposition.

“I’ve never had a lineup like this,” said Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado, who has fielded strong teams in each of his seven seasons.

Serr is the best-known player, but eight teammates have higher batting averages. Four are batting above .400--Jon Garland, George Kassis, Christian Bartlett and David Soto.

The first two batters in the lineup--Terrmel Sledge and Aldo Pinto--have 49 hits between them. The No. 9 batter, Adam Rofer, is hitting .351, slightly less than the team batting average of .357.

“We can score with any part of the lineup,” Alvarado said.

Depth is also important to Kennedy’s pitching. Derek Morse (6-2) is considered the staff ace, but Garland is 6-0, Soto is 5-1 and left-hander Robert Montesdeoca is 2-0. All of their earned-run averages are between 1.30 and 2.60.

No wonder Kennedy has a 13-game winning streak. When someone slips, there are several teammates ready to pick him up.

The message is clear: Any team with designs on a City title will have to run through a gauntlet of Kennedy players.

“We’re not big-headed yet, but watch out for the Cougars,” Serr said.

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Another team with a full head of steam will be satisfied with nothing less than a Southern Section title.

The Alemany softball team has won 18 in a row, including all eight of its Mission League games. And the Indians are just now getting back to full strength.

Esmeralda Macias rejoined the lineup Friday after missing a month with a torn hamstring and had the game’s only three hits in a 2-0 victory over Chaminade.

Hits are nothing new for Macias, who had 62 last season, second best on the all-time single-season Southern Section list.

“It’s great having her back,” catcher Jamie Moore said. “We were playing great without Esmeralda and now we’ll play even better.”

Macias, a senior outfielder, is one of eight players batting over .350.

Combine that hitting with the steady pitching of right-hander Sophie Contreraz and an excellent defense, and it is easy to see why Alemany (23-1) expects nothing short of a division championship.

Contreraz (18-1) notched her 70th career victory and 15th shutout of the season against Chaminade.

Control is Contreraz’s forte. The senior has walked only six in 128 innings while striking out 86.

The defense, led by Moore, shortstop Tammy Alcantar and first baseman Alba Cano, makes the routine plays routinely.

“I prefer to use my defense,” Contreraz said.

The well-rounded, senior-dominated team appears poised to win a championship. The Indians’ only loss was to Lompoc in the final of the Simi Valley tournament two months ago.

“Last year we were a little disappointed with losing in the quarterfinals, but this year we should do it all,” Moore said.

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Jara Goldstein picked up golf clubs for the first time less than two years ago, and already might be the best female high school player in the area.

Goldstein, a Westlake sophomore, shot an 86 to lead area players in the third annual Girls’ CIF individual qualifying tournament recently at Saticoy Country Club. Any girl from Southern, City, Central or San Diego section schools could enter.

Eight area girls broke 100 and qualified for the CIF State tournament, to be held June 7 at Bernardo Heights Country Club in San Diego.

Goldstein, fresh off a round at Lake Sherwood Country Club on Friday, is playing nearly every day in preparation for the State tournament. That’s a far cry from two years ago, when she merely played around on a driving range.

“Now, I’d definitely like to play in college,” she said.

Her performance in the qualifying tournament surprised her. In fact, she wasn’t even paying attention to her score.

“I had a really good round, but I didn’t know how good I was going,” she said. “It’s easier to play when I’m only thinking about golf, not numbers and rankings.”

Other area girls who qualified for the State tournament include Cheryl Musser of Alemany, Ruth Plenn of La Canada, Alicia Um of Newbury Park, Jill Kaopua and Julie Kaopua of Hueneme, Sarah Layman of Louisville and Lesley Hill-Alejo of Cornerstone Christian.

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WHO’S HOT . . .

* Royal High center fielder Kevin Mellinger had three hits--a double, triple and home run--in two games. He drove in four runs and scored five.

* Buena’s Nicole Greathouse pitched her fifth no-hitter of the season in a five-inning, 22-0 victory over Santa Barbara. Greathouse struck out 12.

* Brothers Justin and Troy Dumais of Buena scored the first perfect 10s in Channel League history at the league diving championships, Buena Coach John Siman said.

* Palmdale catcher Chris Paxton had four hits and drove in 10 runs in consecutive games against Highland and Littlerock. He walked four times against Ridgecrest Burroughs.

* Montclair Prep outfielder Tamra Freedman had nine hits in 12 a-bats, including three home runs, two doubles and a triple. She scored seven times and had 11 RBIs.

* In her last six games, Canyon’s Kassi LeMasters is 10 for 20 with four home runs, including two grand slams, three triples and 21 RBIs.