Gershon Receives Two-Year Coaching Ban from Area 6

American Legion Area 6 co-chairmen Chuck Hatfield and Julio Yniguez have banned Lorry Gershon, coach of last season’s District 20 Agoura Oaks team, from coaching in the area during 1998 and 1999.

Hatfield said Gershon is being sanctioned for forging the signatures of an Agoura Oaks player and parent on a transfer waiver form and for playing two players after they were declared ineligible for using multiple transfer forms in their Legion careers.

Gershon admitted to the forgery in an interview with The Times last July and said he did not accept the ruling that declared the players ineligible. Agoura Oaks, one of the most talented teams in District 20, forfeited 16 victories and finished the season winless after Gershon used the ineligible players.

Ravens win: The Conejo Ravens men’s baseball defeated the New Jersey Yankees, 5-2, to win the 1997 Men’s Senior Baseball League World Series on Sunday at Papago Field in Phoenix.

Sparking the Ravens (33-5) were tournament most valuable player Scott Ninneman of Newbury Park and former Mission College player Miles Waller. Ninneman pitched a complete game, giving up nine hits and two runs and striking out nine. Waller went four for four with a home run and a double.

BOXING

Goossen injured: Boxer P.J. Goossen of North Hollywood has pulled out of a 10-round super-middleweight fight against Roberto Duran on Saturday in Johannesburg, South Africa, because of a broken ankle suffered during training.

Goossen, 27, who lost his first professional bout in July after 18 consecutive victories, injured his ankle while running Monday in Johannesburg, promoter Mike Acri said.

SOCCER

Busy times: Birmingham High will host its annual preseason boys’ soccer tournament later this month with six matches involving four teams at three sites.

The tournament kicks off Nov. 21 with three-time defending Northwest Valley Conference champion Birmingham playing host to Sylmar and Monroe visiting San Fernando.

On Nov. 24, Sylmar visits San Fernando and Birmingham plays host to Monroe. Action concludes Nov. 26 with Sylmar at Monroe and San Fernando at Birmingham. All matches are at 3 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Regrets: Saugus High freshman football Coach Jim Phillips said he has apologized for ordering his players to lie down on the field during a game against Valencia last week. Phillips has been suspended by the school for the team’s final game on Thursday.

“I just flipped out,” Phillips said. “Everything I’ve tried to teach them to never give up, I blew it.”

Phillips, 55, has been coaching at Saugus for 21 years. He said he became frustrated after Valencia tried a fake PAT to go up 51-0. The next time Valencia had the ball, Phillips instructed his players to “hit the ground.” The officials ended the game after a Valencia ballcarrier raced untouched into the end zone for a touchdown.

WATER POLO

Playoff seedings: La Canada, Harvard-Westlake, Royal and Crescenta Valley are all seeded in their respective Southern Section water polo divisions for the playoffs that begin later this week.

La Canada, the Rio Hondo League champion, is seeded No. 2 in Division III. Harvard-Westlake (Division I), Crescenta Valley (Division III) and Royal (Division IV) are all seeded No. 3.

Division I and III playoffs begin Thursday, Division IV starts Friday. Seeded teams play host to first-round games at 3:15 p.m.

MOTOR SPORTS

Johnson eighth: Steve Johnson of Chatsworth lost to eventual winner Matt Hines in the second round of the 33rd annual Winston Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship finals last weekend, but finished eighth in the 1997 Winston Pro Stock standings with 634 points.

VOLLEYBALL

Waves drop: The Pepperdine women’s volleyball team dropped two spots to No. 13 in the American Volleyball Coaches Assn. poll. The Waves (20-3) lost to No. 20 San Diego on Saturday.