Hourigan Commits to CSUN

Trying to improve its defense, Cal State Northridge has received a commitment from former Hart High defensive end Ryan Hourigan, an All-Western State Conference Southern Division performer at Valley College.

Hourigan, 6 feet 3 1/2 and 255 pounds, starred at Hart before playing one season at Pierce College. He left on a two-year Mormon mission, then enrolled at Valley.

WRESTLING

Cristobal Gonzalez of Ventura High and Chad Troxler of Simi Valley placed first in their respective weight classes in the 104-team UC Davis tournament Monday and Tuesday.

Gonzalez, ranked No. 1 in the state at 189 pounds, won his six matches to improve to 20-0 this season. Gonzalez, who placed third in the state last season, defeated David Shenck of Anderson, 10-8, in the finals. Shenck placed first in the state last season at 171 pounds.

Troxler, a heavyweight, finished 6-0, defeating John Padovam of Ponderosa, 5-2, in the final.

SOCCER

Steve Lopez, the Moorpark High boys’ coach whose team was involved in a bench-clearing brawl Wednesday with Morningside, said he will file a report on the incident with the Southern Section when school resumes on Jan. 5.

The consolation bracket contest at the South Torrance tournament ended in a 1-1 tie. It was called off midway through the second half after Musketeer sweeper Brian Gilbert and a Morningside player came to blows, leading to a melee.

Lopez, who guided Moorpark to the Division III semifinals last season, said Gilbert was called for a hard foul on the play immediately preceding the minute-long fight.

The fifth-year coach said the Monarchs were awarded four yellow-card warnings in the first half.

In a published report, referee Vladimir Wergeles’ account of the fight says that Gilbert was attacked by the Morningside player.

Morningside was involved in a fight on Dec. 16 against Long Beach Jordan and had altercations with Peninsula and Redondo in 1996. Coach Frederico Becerra said in the report he has canceled the Monarchs’ next game in an attempt to “change our whole attitude.”