San Clemente Lineman Chooses Villanova

Center Robert Richardson of San Clemente High, The Times Orange County lineman of the year, has committed to play football at Villanova, Triton Coach Mark McElroy said.

Richardson joins former Triton quarterback Chris Boden, who played at San Clemente in 1995 and was the starter for the Wildcats last season.

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Mater Dei soccer player Giancarlo Barzotti, a Times Orange County first-team selection last season, has committed to play at Tulsa, Monarch Coach Martin Stringer said.

Barzotti was a first-team All-South Coast League pick last season, when he helped Mater Dei to the Southern Section Division II title.

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Ryan Cooper, a receiver and defensive back at Corona del Mar High, said he has orally committed to playing football this fall at Georgetown.

Cooper, 5 feet 11 and 180 pounds, was an All-Southern Section selection on offense and defense last season when he caught 40 passes to bring his career total to 71.

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Jason Rowell, a defensive end from Santa Margarita, has orally committed to play football at Sacramento State. Rowell had 50 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks in 1997 and was a first-team All-Southern Section Division V.

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Mike Chavis, a running back and defensive back for Mission Viejo, has orally committed to play football at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, his father, Harlis, said. Chavis was a Times all-county selection on defense, where he made 34 tackles and had seven interceptions. On offense, he rushed for 748 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

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Ron Sipple said he is retiring as Troy High boys’ athletic director effective Friday and will be replaced by football Coach John Turek.

Sipple, 59, said he will continue as an assistant football and track coach at the school, where he also teaches math.

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Marina boys’ tennis Coach Bill Branstetter will step down because he has college classes that conflict with the season, Athletic Director Larry Doyle said. He will remain as girls’ tennis coach. Jim Maynard, the boys’ and girls’ cross-country coach at Marina, has left for personal reasons.

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Today’s Golden West League boys’ soccer game between Ocean View and Servite will be hosted by the Seahawks at Servite, not at Golden West College as originally planned, an Ocean View official said. Game time is 3:15 p.m.

Ocean View lost its football practice field, three soccer fields, softball field and portions of its gymnasium parking lot last summer when the cash-strapped Huntington Beach Union High School District entered into a long-term lease to build a Home Depot store and city-run tennis facility at the corner of Golden West Street and Warner Avenue.

Seahawk playing fields are being condensed onto the remaining parcel of school land, but work is a month behind schedule, a spokesman said, which has led to some scheduling problems.

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Foothill wrestler Ben Balmages, ranked fourth in the county at 130 pounds, fractured his left collarbone in practice Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season, Coach Dan Falt said. Balmages’ season record is 22-2.