Westlake Shuts Down Its Wrestling Program

Citing a “general student discipline issue,” Athletic Director Joseph Pawlick of Westlake High on Wednesday announced the suspension of the school’s varsity wrestling program for the remainder of the season.

“This is not a coaching issue,” Pawlick said. “It is an issue of gross team misconduct and pervasive student behavior issues.”

Pawlick declined to elaborate, other than to say the program likely will be reinstated next season under Coach Scott Little. Westlake will remain host school for the Southern Section Division II finals Feb. 20-21.

BASKETBALL

Valley Torah lost to Southwestern, 87-84, in overtime on Monday in a boys’ game, but the team picked up a forfeit victory because Southwestern violated Southern Section rules by playing two players who played on the junior varsity earlier in the day.

“I apologize,” said Southwestern Athletic Director Robert Gibbs, who indicated his coach did not know the rule because this is the first year the San Marino school has had a junior varsity.

SOCCER

Cuba Cabrera resigned as women’s coach at Oxnard College to pursue a graduate degree.

Cabrera guided the Condors for the past two seasons and was girls’ soccer coach at Hueneme High the last two seasons.

Lia Cummins, a starting midfielder on the Chaminade High girls’ soccer team, suffered a chipped ankle bone in a 1-1 tie with Chatsworth on Tuesday and will miss at least four weeks, Eagle Coach Mike Evans said.

Cummins has committed to Florida and was a member of The Times’ all-region team last season. She suffered the injury while being tackled by Chatsworth’s Tonya Schmidt.

BASEBALL

Recently hired Burbank High baseball Coach Sean Martinez was fired last week for allegedly holding illegal practices, using foul language and for a discrepancy over booster club funds, school officials said on Wednesday.

Martinez denied the illegal practice allegations, but did not dispute that he used foul language in front of players or that he had issues with booster club president Steve Pennington.

Martinez was hired early in November to replace Frank Des Enfants, who resigned after last season.