Chatsworth Gets Fluker This Time

One year after declining the same job, Wayne Fluker accepted the position as boys’ basketball coach at Chatsworth High.

“I’m pretty happy to get this position like this,” Fluker said Friday. “An opportunity like this usually only comes around once. For this one to come around twice is nothing short of a miracle.”

Fluker is replacing Bill Whiting, who had to resign because of an increased teaching commitment at Cal State Northridge. Fluker served as an assistant at Cal State Northridge for four years and also was an assistant at Calabasas High in 1988.

“I’ve got some talent at Chatsworth so there’s going to be quite a bit expected of me. But it’s a challenge that I look forward to,” Fluker said.

Chatsworth advanced to the City Section 4-A Division quarterfinals and lost to Fremont on a last-second basket. Eddie Miller and Jerome Joseph are returning All-Valley players for the Chancellors.

Cycling

Thurlow Rogers of Van Nuys won the first leg of the Mike Nields Stage Race in Ft. Collins, Colo.

Rogers, who rides for the Valley-based Nutra-Fig Racing Team, finished the 68-mile stage in 3 hours 28 minutes. The event, a national points race, continues with the second of three stages today.

Golf

Former Hart High standout Jason Gore of Valencia, a former two-time Pacific 10 Conference individual champion, shot an even-par 70 in a U.S. Open qualifier at Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier.

Gore was one of five in a field of 45 who advanced to the next qualifying leg, to be held June 5 at Valencia Country Club. Gore was the lone amateur to advance.

Softball

El Camino Real High junior Tami Jones was named the West Valley League player of the year.

Jones, who had not pitched before this season, finished with a 15-2 record and a 0.37 earned-run average, leading the Conquistadores to the City 4-A semifinals.

Soccer

Louisville midfielder Danielle Dain has signed a letter of intent to play at Loyola Marymount.

Dain was the Mission League assist leader the past two seasons with 12 in 1993-94 and 11 in 1994-95.

Dain helped the Royals to a Southern Section Division II playoff berth in 1993-94 and to a 9-8-2 record last season. She will receive a partial scholarship.

Miscellany

Paul Foster (basketball) and Tamila Vaillancourt (volleyball) have been named the Moorpark College male and female student-athletes of the year.

Foster, a science major, has a 3.3 grade-point average. Vaillancourt, who will attend Southeast Missouri State, has a 2.8 GPA.

* Contributing: Fernando Dominguez, Steve Elling, Mike Lazarus, Bryan Rodgers, Tris Wykes.