Idaho quarterback Ryan Fien, a graduate of...

Idaho quarterback Ryan Fien, a graduate of Royal High in Simi Valley and a senior transfer from UCLA, is ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division I in total offense. Fien has completed 94 of 141 passes for 1,277 yards.

Last weekend, Fien completed 25 of 32 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns as the Vandals (1-2) defeated St. Mary’s, 52-17. He was named Big West Conference player of the week for the second time in three games.

Blaine Saipaia, a 1995 graduate of Channel Islands High and a Colorado State freshman, was unexpectedly thrust into action last Saturday when injuries struck the Rams’ offensive line.

Saipaia, who began the season third on the depth chart at strong tackle, entered Colorado State’s 35-28 loss to Oregon early and was in on 65 of the Rams’ 69 offensive plays.

The 6-foot-3, 287-pounds Saipaia is now unable to redshirt this season and Colorado State coaches have said he will be given considerable playing time in the team’s remaining eight games. Saipaia is listed as second string for Saturday’s game against Nevada Las Vegas.

At Brigham Young, former Hueneme High running back Ronney Jenkins is ranked 18th in kickoff returns in Division I with a 25.8 average. Jenkins is also part of a four-man rotation at tailback for the Cougars.

BYU’s starting right tackle is 6-foot-7, 285-pound Eric Bateman, a sophomore from Camarillo High. Oxnard High graduate Charles Jones (6-7, 290) is listed as the Cougars’ No. 2 left tackle and freshman twins Brant and Brock Diediker, 1996 Newbury Park graduates, are likely to use red-shirt years this season.

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California freshman soccer player John Macdonald is small in stature, but early this season he made a big production out of his first college goal.

Macdonald, a former Alemany standout, converted a penalty kick that defeated UC Davis.

In celebration, the 5-foot-6, 140-pound forward ripped off his jersey and sprinted to one of the corner flags. He placed the jersey on top of the flag, then ripped the pole out of the turf and waved it madly above his head.

“The fans went crazy, they were laughing,” said Macdonald, who was inspired by a similar display he saw during a televised Italian League game.

The referee did not share the crowd’s enthusiasm and issued Macdonald a yellow card.

A California assistant athletic director also was displeased and Macdonald said he will tone down his antics.

“I’m not like that usually,” he said. “I’ll still celebrate but not like that. It was just a big-time occasion, that’s all.”

Macdonald has local company in the California lineup. Chris Sawicki, who helped La Canada High to a 50-0 record and Southern Section Division IV titles the past two years, is the Golden Bears’ starting sweeper. Chap Early, another freshman La Canada product, is a midfielder.

The Duke men’s soccer team, ranked No. 1 in Division I, has a pair of starters who are recent graduates of La Canada High. Sophomore striker Josh Henderson has two goals and three assists and freshman midfielder Gaston Haupert has two assists. The Blue Devils (4-0) have outscored opponents, 11-0.

Also at Duke, freshman midfielder Kim Daws from Louisville High has recovered from May 14 surgery to repair a torn ligament in her left knee and played in the last two matches for the Duke women’s team.

The No. 2-ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team, defending national champion, is also undefeated. The Irish (6-0) have two local players: sophomore forward Monica Gerardo and senior midfielder Cindy Daws.

Gerardo, of Simi Valley High, has five goals and three assists, giving her an astounding 54 points in 31 matches. Daws, a Notre Dame co-captain and a Louisville High graduate who is Kim Daws’ sister, has four goals and three assists.

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Volleyball continues to be a huge part of Nancy Hillman’s life.

Pacific League most valuable player at Hoover High in 1984, Hillman was a four-year starter at USC from 1985-88 and now she is Trojan Coach Lisa Love’s top assistant.

As a player at USC, Hillman, 28, twice was named to the All-Pacific 10 Conference team, and she helped the Trojans advance to the NCAA playoffs three years. She still holds the school single-season of 59 aces.