Benner Commits to Stanford

Sam Benner, a 1995 All-State lineman from St. Bonaventure High, has made a commitment to play football at Stanford.

“Stanford has a balance between being a great academic institution and having a football program that’s building a winning tradition,” said Benner, who expects to play defensive end. “That’s what I wanted to be a part of.”

Benner, 17, helped St. Bonaventure advance to the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division IX playoffs last season and had 12 sacks. He received All-Southern Section and second-team All-State honors.

Benner, 6-feet-5, 250 pounds, chose Stanford over Northwestern, California, UCLA and Colorado State.

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James Romero, a 6-6, 340-pound offensive tackle from Pierce College, said Saturday he will sign a letter of intent to play football at Cal State Northridge.

“It’s close to home and all my family and friends can watch me play,” said Romero, an El Camino Real High graduate. “They are an up-and-coming program.”

Romero also visited the University of the Pacific, which dropped its program last month.

Robert Mumford, Santa Paula High’s junior varsity coach the past two seasons, has been named the school’s varsity coach.

Mumford, 58, posted an 11-8-1 record with the junior varsity and inherits a varsity team that was 3-7 and 1-3 in Frontier League play in 1995. He also has coached wrestling at Santa Paula.

Mumford replaces Paul Spinner, who compiled a 5-25 record during three seasons and resigned in December.

Volleyball

Viewpoint High has hired Greg Freese as its boys’ coach. In 1994, Freese was an assistant for the USC women’s team.

Soccer

Chatsworth senior midfielder Kim Pickup has been named a West Region All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America.

Miscellany

Kennedy High has scheduled its alumni baseball game for Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. All former varsity players are invited.

California Angel outfielder Garret Anderson is expected to participate.

Information: 818-363-3096.

* Contributing: Jeff Fletcher, Bryan Rodgers, Tris Wykes.