Old Cowboy Welch Rides Again

Santa Clarita Valley football coaches each have been visited by a surprise celebrity guest during the past two weeks. Former Canyon Coach Harry Welch, bicycle in tow, has popped up on the sidelines of Hart and Saugus, his old rivals, and Canyon and Valencia highs.

“I’m trying to get into shape,” said Welch, who cycles 30 miles a day around the area, “and I’ve stopped by all the schools. Actually, I’ve never seen a high-school practice before.”

The former Cowboy coach Tuesday actually hung out in the Saugus coaches’ office with Jack Bowman and his staff. Welch, who was 120-31-2 in 12 seasons at Canyon, said he is not interested in a return to coaching at this point.

“There are three terrific teams in this valley this year,” Welch said. “All three might make some noise in the playoffs.”

Another headliner: Village Christian High Coach Mike Plaisance seems to have a knack for finding newsworthy kickers. Last year, Ignacio Brache tied a state record with 16 field goals. So when Brache graduated, Plaisance needed to find a way to revitalize his kicking game. Enter Kim Wolf.

Wolf, a junior from Sun Valley, is the first female to play football at Village Christian. Plaisance spotted her playing on the boys’ soccer junior varsity last year and invited her to spring practice.

“I encourage participation by everybody in football,” Plaisance said. “And when I saw Kim kick I thought it would be great to have a girl on the team.” Plaisance said he will use Wolf mainly on conversion kicks, leaving the longer field goals and kickoffs to the stronger, but less accurate, leg of sophomore Andy Rotunno.

“She has a very, very accurate leg,” Rotunno said. “From 30 yards in, she is deadly accurate.”

The only pitfall in Plaisance’s plan is that Wolf stepped in a hole during practice and twisted an ankle. She might not be ready for the first game but Plaisance probably will survive that one without her.

“I’ve been here for 16 years without a girl on the team,” he said. “We’re not going to rush her out when she’s not ready.”

Until then, Plaisance will have to find another way to get his kicking game into the news.

Four-time champs: The streak continues for the Newbury Park Bobby Sox American Girl Division (12-15-year-old) division all-star team. With a 7-1 victory over Central Orange recently, Newbury Park won its fourth consecutive national championship.

Darlene Stokx had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, and pitcher Alyson Blum threw a two-hitter. Assistant coach Ray Blum, who coached the varsity at Grant last spring, thinks the championship string can continue.

“It’s just that we play travel ball and most these other guys don’t,” Ray Blum said. “Of this year’s team, 10 of the 12 players can come back. So our chances of winning again are good.”

Power of the press: It was noted here last week that Cal State Northridge football Coach Dave Baldwin was being needled because he drinks about 15 Diet Cokes a day, despite Pepsico buying a fancy new scoreboard for North Campus Stadium.

This week, Baldwin proudly said he now drinks Diet Pepsi.

Big D and little DHopes are high at La Canada High, where kicker Derrick Dyslin, a midseason transfer last year from Texas, has been booting long-distance field goals with ease. However, younger brother Chad Dyslin is the one who might wind up with his bust in the school gym.

Only a freshman, Chad Dyslin (6 feet 1, 215 pounds) is the Spartans’ projected starter at middle linebacker and guard. Barely 15, Dyslin can bench-press 285 pounds and, according to Coach Jim Clausen, is growing like a stalk of corn.

“By the time we hang up the phone, he’ll be 220,” Clausen said.

Quotebook

“I feel like I just got off the teacups at Disneyland.”

--Cal State Northridge offensive lineman Chris Ohman, in the middle of a drill in which linemen spin while their teammates block them, simulating a defensive lineman trying to spin away from a block.

Things to Do

The Cal State Northridge men’s and women’s soccer teams will play a doubleheader at North Campus Stadium on Monday. The men will meet Cal State Sacramento at 2 p.m. and the women will face Westmont at 5:30.

Compiled by Irene Garcia. Contributing: Jeff Fletcher, Dana Haddad, Vince Kowalick, Tris Wykes, Peter Yoon.