Fenwick Makes Time for Family on Business Trip

With the football season’s dog days just around the corner, Cal State Northridge’s first-year Coach Jim Fenwick decided to plan a family vacation around the three-day Big Sky Conference summer kickoff meetings that ended Tuesday.

So Fenwick, his wife Gayle, and their son Casey, 14, traveled with friends from Salt Lake City through several northwestern states before arriving in Park City. The Fenwicks’ older son, Tyler, stayed home.

“We had a chance to see some of the country I grew up in,” said Fenwick, who was born in Pocatello, Idaho, but moved with his family to the Valley as a teenager in the 1960s.

“I feel guilty being away from the office,” Fenwick said. “There’s a lot of work to be done and a lot of anxiety waiting for the season.”

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The Matadors, who open camp on Aug. 11, expected to be deep at wide receiver with returning standouts Cameron Perry and Jerome Henry, and two transfers from Cal, Brian Comer and Jason Sharp.

But Perry, a senior from Hart High and Valley College who was Northridge’s second-leading receiver last season with 57 catches for 710 yards and nine touchdowns, might be academically ineligible.

“There’s less than a 50% chance he’ll make it through summer school and will be eligible,” Fenwick said.

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Another potential academic casualty is Portland State’s senior tailback Gary Clemons, who attended Moorpark College.

Clemons led the pass-oriented Vikings in rushing last season with 646 yards in 162 carries and scored four touchdowns.

“He has to finish summer school, first and foremost,” Coach Tim Walsh said. “No. 2, he’s going to have more competition at the position. . . . He’ll be hard-pressed to keep his job.

Walsh said Clemons would be pushed by Chip Dunn, a freshman from Pasadena Muir High, and Duane Goree, a transfer from Hancock College.

Dave Colker, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound junior from Nordhoff High and Ventura College, has the inside track at center for the Vikings.

“What we like about him is his toughness and attitude,” Walsh said. “He needs some work in the technical area but he’ll get there.”

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A poll of coaches, media and sports information directors at the Big Sky kickoff gave Northern Arizona the edge over two-time defending champion Montana to win the conference title.

The predicted order of finish: Coaches’ poll--1. Northern Arizona, 2. Montana, 3. Eastern Washington, 4. Northridge, 5. Montana State, 6. Weber State, 7. Portland State, 8. Sacramento State, 9. Idaho State. Media Poll--1. Northern Arizona, 2. Montana, 3. Eastern Washington, 4. Weber State, 5. Northridge, 6. Montana State, 7. Portland State, 8. Idaho State, 9. Sacramento State.

Northern Arizona is ranked No. 1 in the Sporting News’ preseason national poll. Other ranked Big Sky teams are No. 6 Montana and No. 13 Eastern Washington.

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Wide receiver Troy Searcy, who played at Quartz Hill High and Antelope Valley College, could be an impact player for Northern Arizona this season.

The 5-foot-10 redshirt junior, one of the team’s fastest players, impressed Coach Steve Axman during spring workouts.

“He consistently was making big catches,” Axman said. “He was jumping for balls and diving for balls. When a kid is making those types of receptions every other day, you know you have something special.”

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People in Alaska could watch the Matadors on TV this season but nobody in the Valley without a satellite dish will.

Fox Sports Northwest will televise Northridge’s game against Montana State on Oct. 18 on a same-day delay basis.

The network serves Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska and parts of Montana.