Cady Resigns as Coach at San Fernando High

Mick Cady has stepped down as coach of the San Fernando High boys’ basketball team, Assistant Principal Hewitt Hornbeck said Monday.

Cady, who won a Southern Section III-A title at Notre Dame High in 1993, guided San Fernando to the North Valley League title and finished 24-3 this season. The Tigers’ success was the culmination of a four-year rebuilding program. San Fernando was 0-10 in Northwest Valley Conference play in Cady’s first season in 1994-1995. Cady will remain a teacher at the school.

Hornbeck said Darryl McDonald, who has been an assistant coach at San Fernando for parts of eight seasons, is a candidate to replace Cady. However, McDonald was selected coach at Alemany last month.

“I still have to sit down and figure out what I want to do,” McDonald said. “There is some interest. I have talked with [San Fernando].”

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New title: Michael Johnson, Cal State Northridge men’s assistant the past six years, has been promoted to associate head coach by Coach Bobby Braswell.

“Mike’s responsibilities won’t really change, but he has done a great job and deserves this title,” Braswell said.

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New job for Ward: Marc Ward, who compiled a 118-24 record while guiding Crescenta Valley High to four Pacific League championships in five years and coached UCLA-bound standout Michelle Greco for her first three high school seasons, has accepted a position at Capistrano Valley High as girls’ basketball coach.

Ward resigned as Crescenta Valley coach after the 1997 season but has remained at the school as a teacher.

“It was just the right fit,” Ward said of his new job, which will include teaching wood shop. “It was the first time Capistrano Valley had a shop opening in 20 years, and I was looking to get back into coaching.”

Ward is replacing walk-on coach Pete Belanto.

BASEBALL

Mifflin resigns: Dennis Mifflin has resigned as coach at Valencia High. Mifflin, who started the program at Valencia, reportedly quit to spend more time with his family.

Former Saugus High player and current Hart assistant Jared Snyder is among the candidates for the position.

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Bates steps down: Mark Bates, coach at L.A. Baptist High for the past eight seasons, resigned Monday.

Bates said he will continue to coach football at the North Hills campus.

Increased responsibilities as an assistant athletic director caused him to give up his baseball position. He guided L.A. Baptist to five Alpha League championships. No replacement has been selected.

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All-Americans: Fresno State junior right-hander Jeff Weaver, a Simi Valley High graduate, was chosen a first-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Assn. for the third consecutive season.

Benito Flores, a Cal State Fullerton left-hander who attended Cal State Northridge for three seasons before transferring, and Long Beach State outfielder Terrmel Sledge, also a transfer from Northridge, were second-team picks.

Northridge second baseman Nakia Hill was named to the third team.

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All-star curfew: The California League established a 10-inning limit for its 1998 All-Star game, which will be hosted by the JetHawks on June 16 at the Hangar. The decision was made in an attempt to protect the participating pitchers from throwing too many innings.

If the game is tied after 10 innings, it will be halted.

SOCCER

All in the family: Joanna Parker, a forward-sweeper from Glendora High, has signed with the Cal State Northridge women’s team, Coach Brian Wiesner said.

Parker, 5 feet 8, is the younger sister of former Northridge softball catcher Jennifer Parker.

In addition, Wiesner said that the letter of intent signed in April by Citrus College sweeper Mia Nilsson will not be processed because she will not qualify academically.

AUTO RACING

Region leader: Ed Patterson III of Ventura came in eighth and was the top finisher from the region in the Sprint Car Racing Assn. 30-lap feature race Saturday night at Ventura Raceway.

Troy Rutherford of Ojai finished ninth and Jay Drake of Canyon Country was 10th.

Cory Kruseman of Ventura ranks fourth in the SCRA points standings.

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Tight pack: M.K. Kanke of Granada Hills finished sixth in the Featherlite Southwest Series’ NASCAR Touring Division 125-lap main event Saturday to lead a pack of drivers from the region at Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, Colo.

Dennis Dyer of Palmadale followed Kanke in seventh place. Chatsworth resident Keith Spangler finished eighth in the same race. Frank Maronski Jr. of Quartz Hill was 19th, Pat Patterson of Toluca Lake was 21st and Bob Lyon of Agua Dulce was 22nd.