No. 4 Ventura Caulks Its Leaks With Brazilian Teixeira in Goal

Brazilian water polo players might not know the way to San Jose but they sure seem familiar with the Ventura highway.

Once again, the Ventura College team has imported a top-notch Brazilian, the third since Coach Larry Baratte took over the program four years ago.

The latest is goalie Paulo Teixeira, a veteran of the Brazilian junior national team. He was preceded at Ventura by drivers Alexandre Martins and Pedro de Lima, a two-time junior college All-American who is now at Queens College, N.Y. All three are from Sao Paulo.

Teixeira, 6 feet and 165 pounds, has a state-high 99 saves and has helped the Pirates to a 7-2 record and the No. 4 ranking in California.

“He’s the best in the state,” Baratte said. “He’s quick as a cat and has great international experience.”

Baratte said the addition of Teixeira has allowed the Pirates to play a different game than in previous seasons.

“We are changing our defense a little bit and allowing people to take shots so we can start our counterattack,” Baratte said. “We are relying on the goalie a little more.”

They’ll have to this weekend, for sure. The Pirates open play today in the Merced tournament with a game against Diablo Valley (5-1-2), ranked eighth.

The one that got away: Members of the Cal Lutheran football team might be inspired in Saturday’s home opener against Division I-AA San Diego by memories of last year’s game against the Toreros. Cal Lutheran built an 18-point lead in the second quarter thanks to a strong running game.

But San Diego outscored the Kingsmen, 19-3, in the second half and pulled out a 29-24 victory.

Cal Lutheran still finished with 224 yards rushing, a school single-game record.

Throwback: Before Russell White, there was Brian Porter.

In 1965, Porter rushed for 1,600 yards--a school record that stood for 21 years--as Crespi High advanced to the Southern Section 3-A Division final. Undefeated in 12 games, Crespi lost to West Covina in the title game, 7-0.

Porter, whose record stood until 1986 when White rushed for 2,339 yards, will be among 20 players and coaches from the ’65 Celts to be honored tonight at Pierce College during halftime of Crespi’s nonleague game against Canyon. Former Coach John Becker, now director of player evaluation for the St. Louis Rams, is expected to attend.

Crespi’s ’65 team was only its third to compete on the varsity level. Porter, center Jerry Falstrom and quarterback-linebacker Steve Hilbert were All-Southern Section selections.

Trivia question: Which assistant coach for the 1965 Crespi football team went on to become one of the region’s most successful high school head coaches?

No pass attack: There’s a glitch in Sylmar’s offense: It’s called passing.

The Spartans are off to a 2-0 start but their air attack is off target.

Last Friday, quarterback Chris Cervantes completed twice as many passes to the opposition as he did to his teammates (one).

Small wonder Sylmar is practicing its passing this week.

“I’m basically looking down the road, because teams are going to load up on us,” Coach Jeff Engilman said, acknowledging that opponents could stack eight players on the line if the Spartans don’t diversify.

No need to tinker with the ground game: Durell Price and Gerrod Taylor have combined for 472 yards and nine touchdowns.

Academics first: Harvard-Westlake High boasts one of the best academic reputations in the area.

More than 90% of its students go on to four-year colleges.

The school’s attitude toward academics is even reflected on the Wolverines’ water polo schedule.

Just in case some of its students should forget, the dates of the Scholastic Assessment Test and a pre-SAT are included.

Quotebook

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“If we had this coaching staff last year, we would have gone 8-2.”

-- Cal State Northridge running back Darren Walton, complimenting his new coaches and criticizing the staff that led Northridge to a 3-7 record in 1994.

Stats

The Cal Lutheran football team is 12-1 in home openers, but the Kingsmen have not won on the road since Sept. 12, 1987, when they beat San Francisco State.

Things to Do

The Cal State Northridge men’s soccer team will play host to Universidad Intercontinental de Mexico on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Trivia Answer

Harry Welch, who led Canyon to consecutive Southern Section championships from 1983-85. Under Welch, Canyon won 46 games in a row from 1983-86.

Compiled by Irene Garcia. Contributing: Mike Bresnahan, Fernando Dominguez, Jeff Fletcher, Vince Kowalick, Bryan Rodgers.