MIDWEEK REPORT / HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS UPDATE : Suddenly, Marmonte Becomes Rookie League

Eight Marmonte League baseball coaches have a combined 12 years’ experience in the league. Six belong to Dan Maye of Royal.

“He’s the dean,” said Tom D’Errico, first-year coach at Simi Valley.

With the departure this season of Mike Scyphers of Simi Valley (17 seasons) and Jim Hansen of Thousand Oaks (21), the Marmonte League suddenly is where coaches are cutting their teeth.

Curtis Scott of Newbury Park, Bill Sizemore of Thousand Oaks and David Wilder of Westlake also are in their first season.

Al Tarazon of Channel Islands is in his fourth, Bryan Maloney of Agoura his third and Scott Cline of Camarillo his second.

All of which made for a fine “How Do You Do?” recently at a first gathering of the group.

“We had so many new faces, I didn’t know who everybody was,” Maloney said. “I knew Bill Sizemore, but I didn’t know who the coach from Simi Valley was. They brought their whole coaching staff.”

Double Threat

A nonleague baseball game between Quartz Hill and Valencia scheduled for Tuesday at Quartz Hill was postponed not by rain but because of a bomb threat.

The school was evacuated at 10 a.m. when police got a threatening telephone call, Quartz Hill Coach Coy Ray said.

This is not the first bomb threat in Ray’s nine-year tenure at Quartz Hill.

“They had another one about three years ago,” he said. “The secretary called me and told me to [lead the evacuation]. I said, ‘Heck, no. I’m getting out of here.’ ”

The Rebels (2-3) could have used the game after falling out of The Times’ regional rankings this week. Valencia is winless.

Back on Fast Track

Second-year Coach Fernando Coronel believes he has pinpointed a major reason Nordhoff has a 4-41 record in softball the last two seasons.

“Until a year or two ago the youth leagues in Ojai for junior high and under were playing slo-pitch,” Coronel said. “Everywhere else in [Ventura County] and probably the state, girls are coming to high school with years of experience in fast-pitch.”

Coronel, who coached the Rangers’ junior varsity for three seasons, has watched many of his players struggle with high-speed high school pitching after years of hitting slo-pitch tosses.

“It’s tough for girls who have been great in [Ojai] softball at younger levels,” he said. “They get to high school and they can barely touch the ball. It’s moving at 60 mph, not 10 anymore.”

Coronel said the benefits of the youth leagues’ new fast-pitch format should become evident this season. He expects the varsity to finish third in league and earn a Southern Section playoff berth.

“Interest in softball at our school is up and more girls are used to the high school game now; they’re not intimidated,” he said.

Baseball Notes

City Section

VALLEY PAC-8 CONFERENCE

Ouch, not a good start for conference affiliates: Pac-8 teams are a combined 7-22-1 to start the season. Four teams are winless and only Poly (3-1-1) is above .500. League openers were rained out Tuesday and makeup dates vary. . . . Sylmar’s losses to Buena and Camarillo both were by one run. Chris Ruley and Javier Ruelas, both batting .500, are leading the Spartan surge. Half of Ruley’s eight hits have gone for extra bases and he leads Sylmar with eight runs batted in. The Spartans’ current trouble is getting runners across the plate. Sylmar left 13 on base against Buena and eight against Camarillo. . . . Reseda is the only conference team that hasn’t played yet. Coach Mike Stone tried in September to get the Regents into a few local tournaments, but found no openings. Reseda played only conference games last season, but will play in the Birmingham tournament over Easter break. Although the players are anxious to play, Stone likes the Regents’ clean-slate position. “Look at Van Nuys, Canoga Park and Grant. They’ve all [played in tournaments and] got the experience, but they’re O-and-whatever and now they’ve got a bad taste in their mouth,” Stone said. “For all intents and purposes, we’re the No. 1 team in the nation. We don’t know yet.” . . . For the record, Van Nuys, Canoga Park and Grant are a combined 0-12. . . . Canoga Park is the youngest team in the conference with only two seniors. But senior shortstop Steve Ramos is top-notch. He hit .409 last season. . . . From a preseason questionnaire it was learned that Grant will be without assistant coach Collyn Nielsen this season for an extraordinary reason: “He’s having a baby this year!!” wrote two-year Coach Jeremy Lawrence.

NORTHWEST VALLEY CONFERENCE

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that nationally-ranked Kennedy lost a San Fernando Valley game. Every team the Golden Cougars faced--Poly, Westlake, Calabasas, Palmdale and Monroe--threw its ace pitcher at Kennedy. Tim Carr of Westlake finally helped beat the Golden Cougars with a 7-6 victory Saturday. . . . Kennedy, Cleveland, San Fernando and El Camino Real completed the San Fernando Valley tournament with 4-1 records. . . . Chatsworth pitcher Andrew Silver hadn’t allowed an earned run in 11 innings until Monday’s 8-7 loss to Kennedy. Before Monday’s game, Chatsworth had allowed only one earned run in five games. . . El Camino Real was the only league team to win its conference opener. The Conquistadores defeated San Fernando, 8-4.

Southern Section

CHANNEL

Hueneme Coach Reg Welker calls this year’s Viking team the youngest and most inexperienced in his 17-year tenure. “We’re bad but that’s because we’re in the learning stages,” said Welker, whose team has one returning starter after several others became academically ineligible. The lone returnee is sophomore first baseman Robert Avila, who batted .343 after earning a starting position late last season. Most of the current varsity players won 13 games with the junior varsity last season but have had a hard time adjusting at a higher level. “They’re just overwhelmed by the pitching they’re seeing right now,” said Welker, whose team entered the week 0-5 and was hitting .181. . . . At the other end of the spectrum is Buena, which began the week at 5-1. “We’re so young that I’m totally surprised,” Coach Stan Hedegard said. “We’re still putting in a lot of time on the fundamentals.” The Bulldog infield features three juniors--first baseman Rudy Delao, second baseman Mario Robledo and shortstop Eddie Loya. None is taller than 5 feet 8. Brian Riley, a senior and third-year varsity player, starts at third while 6-foot-1, 220-pound sophomore Kurt Probasco is the catcher.

FOOTHILL

When Burroughs jumped into The Times’ rankings at No. 10 this week, it caused a minor stir on campus. It appears the Indians (3-1-1) haven’t been ranked in . . . decades? “I was talking to our vice principal [Brian Hurst] about it,” third-year Coach Jose Valle said. “He’s been there a long time and he couldn’t remember when there was a ranked team for Burroughs. It’s nice thing to be ranked, but now teams are going to want to knock us off.” Among the fast starters for the Indians are pitcher Brian Nichols (2-0, 2.92 earned-run average) and left fielder Tom Crowther (.429 average, seven runs batted in). . . . Two major injuries at defending champion and league favorite Hart have left Coach Bud Murray heart broken. Third baseman Mike Bland, batting .625, is expected to miss three to four weeks due to a broken finger. Outfielder Brian Baron, who batted .555 during the American Legion season, has been limited to one at-bat because of a stress fracture in his left ankle. His recovery period will be indefinite. “God, those are two really good players,” Murray said. “These boys are seniors. It’s enough to make you cry.” . . . Hart beat Rio Mesa, 10-6, last week in the Westside tournament but the game won’t count officially because it was played without umpires.

FRONTIER

Nordhoff made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1982. The rewards have extended to this season, as for the first time in his six-year tenure, Coach Steve Blundell had no trouble filling his roster with talented athletes. The Rangers have four senior pitchers--Sky Boulton, Ben Blanton, Brent Kraus and Dusty Dillard. In addition, starting outfielders Todd Turner and Ben Harrold and starting third baseman Mike Sedlak last played baseball in youth leagues. “They’re athletic but . . . they’re still figuring out curveballs,” Blundell said.

GOLDEN

Could Bryan Garcia of Quartz Hill be an emerging star? A 6-3, 175-pound relief pitcher, Garcia twice struck out the side in the seventh inning for saves in his first two appearances. In the team’s season-opening doubleheader, the senior had six hits in seven at-bats. Coach Dave Stradling said Garcia is one of two Rebel pitchers who can throw 90 mph. The other is ace Mark Madsen. “We had three scouts and they came out of their seats [while watching Garcia pitch],” Stradling said. . . . Antelope Valley Coach Ed t’Sas is negotiating with the agent of Kansas City Royals’ pitcher Kevin Appier in hopes of pulling the Antelope alumnus’ heartstrings for a modest donation. Appier has offered to supply shoes for the players but t’Sas hopes Appier can help his financially strapped team buy a portable backstop. “It seems like every school’s got one,” t’Sas said. “Hell, we haven’t had new uniforms in five years.”

MARMONTE

Six sophomores and two freshmen made the varsity at Agoura. Among the peach-fuzzed are sophomore outfielders Ryan McCann and Chris Poling. McCann played quarterback last fall and Poling was among his top receivers. Sophomore Kevin Cruz, a right-handed reliever, is the son of television sportscaster Gary Cruz of KCAL in Los Angeles. “You can look at it like we’re down,” Agoura Coach Bryan Maloney said. “But these kids deserve to be here.”. . . . Joe Borchard and Mike Coral of Camarillo both are batting .450 with 10 RBIs. . . . Robert Gonzalez of Simi Valley has six steals in his first six attempts. Sophomore pitcher Scott Vermette has a 1.40 ERA in 15 innings. . . . Freshman Kevin Howard of Westlake, who transferred in January from Crespi, has more than made an impression on Coach David Wilder. “He bats like Ken Griffey, he runs like Ken Griffey,” Wilder said. “He lopes like a deer and in practice he drives balls . . . up the hill.” Howard (6-3 1/2, 180), who was academically ineligible at Crespi, has raised the eyebrows of observers--because of his youth. “I’ve had a lot of flak, starting a freshman,” Wilder said. “But in all my days, I think this kid is as good as any I’ve seen.”

MISSION

Junior Bill Scott of Alemany is being used as designated hitter while recovering from major surgery on his right shoulder. Scott (6-feet, 195) eventually will play first base, Coach Tim Browne said. No problem with Scott’s bat. He’s batting .533 with five walks in 20 plate appearances. Alemany (2-3), which was 11-1 in league play last season, still is adjusting to the loss of several starters. “This year, we’re finding ways to lose,” Browne said. “Last year, we found ways to win.” . . . Crespi collected 22 extra-base hits in its first five games. . . . Notre Dame’s Jorge Piedra had eight hits in his first 10 at-bats. . . . League opponents will play back-to-back games during the same week this season, similar to the schedule used by City Section schools. For example, Chaminade and Crespi, whose game Tuesday at Chaminade was postponed, are scheduled to play Friday at Valley College, Crespi’s home field. “It’s got some pluses and minuses,” Crespi Coach Scott Muckey said. “If you have a bad streak at the wrong time--Bingo-Bango!--you’re out of the [league race]. The good thing, you won’t see the same pitcher from one team both times.”

PACIFIC

Pitcher Kevin Enright of Crescenta Valley has 11 strikeouts in 11 innings, but no victories to show for it. Or losses, for that matter. Enright has no decision after facing Antelope Valley and Chaminade. Crescenta Valley Coach Tony Zarrillo will have a tough time juggling his schedule this season. Zarrillo’s stepdaughter, Kelley Cook, plays shortstop for the Glendale softball team. “I don’t get to see her play very often,” Zarrillo said. . . . Glendale will go with 12 players on its roster. “Some of them will play two or three positions,” Coach Spiro Psaltis said. Ironically, Glendale converted this season to a four-year school. But the number of quality baseball players, Psaltis said, is scarce. Psaltis initially dubbed his players “Twelve Angry Men,” but the handle drew blank stares from players who admitted they had never heard of the famed film of the same name. The players, however, suggested a similar title. “They call themselves ‘The Dirty Dozen,’ ” Psaltis said. Psaltis might soon have to summon for help if hand injuries continue. During the game against St. Francis on Friday, third baseman Jesus Osuna was stung on his throwing hand by a bee.

TRI-VALLEY

St. Bonaventure began the week 7-0 behind the pitching of senior left-hander Danny Harrison, an all-league and All-Ventura County selection last season. Coach Dennis Johnson said it was the Seraphs’ best start since they entered league play at 7-1 in 1989. He also admits he has occasional difficulty telling Danny Harrison apart from his identical twin Donny, an outfielder. “One’s right-handed and one’s left-handed and that saves my tail,” Johnson said. “I just have to pay attention to which hand the glove is on.”

Softball Notes

City Section

VALLEY PAC-8 CONFERENCE

Five returning starters and a new coach are turning things around at Van Nuys. The Wolves finished 1-14 and last in the East Valley League last season, but are off to a 3-1 start under first-year Coach Kenneth Cordero. . . . Reseda won 19 consecutive games last year before losing in the semifinals of the 4-A playoffs last season. Despite fie returning starters, the Regents (1-2) are off to a tough start after losing to Banning and Verdugo Hills.

Southern Section

CHANNEL

Ventura began the season 0-4 after losing doubleheaders to Westlake and Fillmore. “I told our girls that I loaded up the schedule so we’d be challenged before league,” Coach Felix Cortez said. “But we weren’t ready to play at their caliber.” Cortez has begun calling the pitches for the Cougars’ ace, freshman Crystal Gravlin, who had been making the decisions with catcher Carrie Pulido. “We need to move the ball around more,” Cortez said. “They weren’t fooling anybody.” Tami Vaughn, a first team All-Channel League center fielder last season, has returned to that position after brief trials at catcher and first base. . . . Oxnard got off to a 3-1 start with tournament victories over Morro Bay, Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara, and a loss to St. Joseph’s. Anissa Velasquez, an all-league selection last season, is the Yellowjackets’ top pitcher and had 16 strikeouts in consecutive games last weekend. Freshman Michelle Borgstedte starts at shortstop, making the transition from boys’ youth baseball.

HIGH DESERT LEAGUE

What does it take to break into the top 10? Paraclete did it this week simply by being 1-0. The Spirits scored a 2-1 victory over Alemany, a top area team last season. “I don’t know who’s not ranked,” Coach Margaret Neill said. “There’s some good teams. But I’ve got some good young talent and some speed.” Paraclete has six starters returning from a team that went 22-7 last season.

MARMONTE

This could be the toughest league in the Southern Section. Last season, four league teams earned Division I playoff berths and advanced to the second round. Over the past five seasons, the league has produced six semifinalists, three finalists and two champions. From all indications, this season should be more of the same. After two weeks of nonleague and tournament play, the eight league teams are 22-7. Four teams are undefeated and only one (Channel Islands) has a losing record. . . . Newbury Park and Westlake will open league play Monday, a day earlier than the others. . . . Newbury Park junior outfielder Elisa Muran is seven for 10 after four games. . . . With 22 hits in 12 innings last week, Camarillo has shown early that it has the bats to support the superb pitching combination of Cindy Ball (2-0) and Melanie Richardson (2-0). First-year Coach Nichole Victoria, a former UCLA star slugger, isn’t accepting any praise. “You know what? It’s not me,” she said. “They’re seeing the ball like a big ole watermelon.” The Scorpions’ defense has also been top-notch: Four games, zero errors. . . . It may be only six games into the season, but Westlake has already proven better offensively than last year’s 24-7 team. Last season, only Cathy Davie (Michigan) batted better than .250. So far, five starters are batting above .300 with Kelly DeArman’s .400 average leading the pack. Amanda Martin, Sarah Koppel and DeArman have five RBIs each. . . . Thousand Oaks Coach Gary Walin thinks he has the best team in the league. Many agree because they don’t get much better than junior left-hander Jennifer Sharron (2-0), who pitched a perfect game and struck out 24 in a doubleheader against Moorpark last week. But this team is young. Nine sophomores, six juniors and no seniors add up to one big question mark.

MISSION

Alemany lost eight starters to graduation, including overpowering pitcher Sophie Contreraz. But the Indians gained third baseman Sheila Shilati, a transfer from Chaminade, who had a double in her first at-bat and was three for five in victories over Simi Valley and Buena. Coach Dudley Rooney doesn’t mind observers considering Alemany depleted. “I’m hoping that’s what they think,” Rooney said. “We’re young and we don’t need the pressure of being ranked right now.”

RIO HONDO

Because of the weather, La Canada has only practiced outdoors twice. Coach Tom Parker might want to consider staying inside when the weather gets better. The Spartans are 6-1, averaging more than six runs a game. The Spartans lost third baseman Siarra Geer indefinitely with an undetermined knee injury she suffered during infield practice last week. Geer was batting .500 with a grand slam and nine RBIs in two games.

TRI-VALLEY

Oak Park pitchers Tabitha Tata and Kaylene Boldroff last Saturday combined for the first no-hitter in the program’s 15-year history with a 2-0 Westside tournament victory over Venice. Tata, who finished pitching the Eagles to victory over Notre Dame Academy minutes before the Venice game, threw the first inning against Venice to give Boldroff time for a complete warmup. Tata walked one and struck out one. Boldroff struck out eight without issuing a walk.

Swimming Notes

City Section

Twelve area City Section schools are fielding teams this season. Canoga Park, Granada Hills, Grant, Sylmar and Van Nuys form the East Valley League. Van Nuys and Granada Hills are the favorites. Birmingham, Chatsworth, Cleveland, El Camino Real, Kennedy, Reseda and Taft are in the West Valley League. Birmingham is the boys’ favorite but should get competition from Cleveland and El Camino Real.

Track and Field Notes

City Section

Boys: It’s harder to field a quality team because many schools’ football coaches won’t allow their top players to compete in track, but that’s not a problem at Verdugo Hills. The Dons opened with a 90-37 victory over Marshall last week and three of their individual winners--Sean Standley, Charlie Coronado and Evan Armstrong--were standout players on a football team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the City Section 3-A Division playoffs. Verdugo Hills’ victory over Marshall was the Dons’ first over the Barristers since they moved back to the Northern League in 1989.

Girls: Cleveland senior Satin Lewis, third in the 300-meter low hurdles and fifth in the 100 highs in the City Section championships last year, is academicially ineligible, but could regain her eligibility if her grades have improved when the 30-week report cards are released next month.

Southern Section

Girls: When Courtney Adams of Indianapolis Brebeuf Prep defeated Thousand Oaks senior Kim Mortensen to win the mile in the National Scholastic Indoor championships in Roxbury, Mass., on Sunday, it was the first time since June that Mortensen had lost to anyone except Santa Rosa junior Julia Stamps. . . . Thousand Oaks, defending Marmonte League champion, will be without the services of senior Crystal Crawford. Crawford, the runner-up in the shotput in last year’s league finals, has decided to concentrate on club volleyball. . . . Laurel Grigg of Crescenta Valley set a school record of 35 feet 4 1/2 inches to place fourth in the triple jump in the Eagle Rock Relays at Occidental College on Saturday. Grigg’s mark broke the previous record of 34-10 1/4 set by Brenna Gunn in 1986. . . . With a best of 109-8 in the discus, Bell-Jeff junior Jaclyn Johnson could be a big asset to the Guards’ track program this season. But Coach Jim Couch says she’ll sit out this season to allow a stress fracture suffered during basketball to heal properly.

Volleyball Notes

Southern Section

Granada Hills lost Earnest Yun and Ryan Kamins to graduation last year, but the Highlanders have looked sharp early in the season. In the 25-team Redondo tournament, they defeated Brentwood, Redondo, West Torrance and Northwest Valley Conference rival Kennedy before losing to Edison in the semifinals.

Westlake won the Ventura tournament and Thousand Oaks won the Orange Crush tournament. “It’s good for [the Marmonte] league,” Thousand Oaks Coach James Park said.

Campbell Hall (3-0) is opening some eyes. The Vikings, a Southern Section Division III team, defeated Notre Dame and Crespi, Division I teams. They host Brentwood, another Division I foe, Friday.

“We’ve been building up for a schedule like this for a while,” said Viking Coach Tim Jensen.

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Contributing: Mike Bresnahan, Dana Haddad, Vince Kowalick, Michael Lazarus, Paige A. Leech, Tris Wykes, Peter Yoon.