Torres Siblings Could Make Running History With Victories Today

Helping their teams advance to the state cross-country championships for the first time will be the top priority for Matthew and Susan Torres of St. Bonaventure High when they compete today in the Southern Section championships at Mt. San Antonio College.

But the Seraphs’ brother-sister act is aware history could be made if they win their respective Division V races.

No brother and sister has ever won Southern Section cross-country titles in the same year. Matthew, a junior, and Susan, a freshman, appear to have a chance based on their performances in the section preliminaries last week at Mt. SAC.

Matthew had the top Division V qualifying time of 16 minutes over the three-mile course. Susan won her heat with a 20:06 clocking, nine seconds behind leading qualifier Katie Newhall of Pasadena Poly.

“I knew Matthew had a chance to be up there at the end of the season, but I wasn’t sure about myself because this is only my freshman year,” Susan Torres said. “I think I shocked a lot of people the other day. I know I shocked myself.”

Matthew Torres has discussed the significance of a double victory with his sister. But he says most of his attention has been focused on helping the Seraphs defeat Orange Lutheran for the boys’ team title.

“I’m not thinking much about the individual stuff,” he said. “We are really focusing on the team part.”

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Mud man: Jon Mack, football coach at St. Bonaventure High, got down and dirty before his team defeated Verbum Dei, 32-8, in a Southern Section Division X playoff game in the rain Thursday night at Ventura High.

Before the game, Mack plopped down in the mud with his players. When he rose, he was covered in brown goo and grinning broadly.

“I wanted to let them know it was just mud and it wasn’t going to hurt,” Mack said.

Once the game started, yard lines and jersey numbers were quickly obliterated by the mud and standing water.

“Every time we got tackled we’d hydroplane for a couple of yards,” Seraph quarterback Teohua Sanchez said. “The mud got in your eyes, your ears, your drawers. . . .”

As St. Bonaventure players struggled to the sidelines, an assistant coach sprayed them down with a garden hose.

The teams combined for 13 fumbles, with four resulting in a change of possession. Only four of a combined 18 passes thrown by Sanchez and Verbum Dei quarterback Phillip Blackmon were completed, for 31 yards.

Back on campus, Mack marched the Seraphs into the shower in full uniform. “What a mess,” the coach said Friday morning. “The poor janitors are still working in there.”

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War room: Burroughs High football Coach Robert dos Remedios is gearing up for another showdown with Hart, this time at the postseason league meeting. Foremost on the agenda will be the debate over which quarterback, Burroughs’ J.K. Scott or Hart’s Travis Carroll, will receive higher honors.

“We’re fully ready for [Scott] to be second-team all-league,” dos Remedios said. “I think he should be MVP of the league. It’s a political thing.”

Indeed, Hart is prepared.

“As far as league numbers, Travis should get it,” Hart offensive coordinator Dean Herrington said. “But who knows what will happen this week. Both these kids should be All-CIF quarterbacks.”

Issue No. 2 will be the crow’s nest upon which dos Remedios coaches during all games. Before a game last week at College of the Canyons, Hart coaches asked game officials to demand that the 15-foot scaffolding be dismantled. They argued that it obstructs viewing, creates an unfair coaching advantage and is a safety hazzard. Umpire Rolfe Rahl denied the request.

Said dos Remedios: “There’s no rule that says how a coach can and can’t call a game. Just the status of Hart making the rules, it’s not going to fly anymore.”

Yep, should be quite a meeting.