Another Crusade to Chatsworth

Three times in the 1990s, Chatsworth High has lost to El Camino Real in the City Section 4-A championship baseball game at Dodger Stadium. It hasn’t deterred a steady group of transfer students from joining the Chancellors.

The latest batch of transfers arrived this week. They are Jason and Jeff Spector, senior infielders who have started since their sophomore seasons at Taft, and senior Scott Drake, starting catcher at Alemany.

Chatsworth, considered one of the region’s top baseball programs, has repeatedly attracted top transfers. They have included Jason Evans, Jon Tucker, Bryan LaCour, Bryan Gant, Danny Eisenberg, Jesse Yeomans and Andrew Silver.

Drake will become the fourth member of Northridge Little League’s 1994 U.S. championship team to play for Chatsworth, joining Matt Fisher, Matt Cassel and Gregg Wallis.

The transfers are expected to strengthen a Chatsworth team that returns Mike Kunes, City 4-A player of the year, plus members off a junior varsity that had a 26-1 record. Fierce competition is expected during winter ball for starting spots.

In boys’ basketball, Alemany and Campbell Hall have added key transfers. Alemany picked up three varsity players from San Fernando--Devin Montgomery, Reggie Kinlaw and Bryson Atkins.

Campbell Hall added 6-foot-7 junior Jesse Foster from Birmingham, plus three-point specialist Josh Levy from Chaminade.

In girls’ basketball, Latricia Fleming, a 5-foot-11 junior forward from Monroe, has transferred to Canyon, giving the Cowboys a powerful weapon in the competitive Foothill League.

In soccer, Juan Vega, the leading goal scorer for Poly last season, has transferred to Reseda, defending City champion.

One player who did not transfer was Gilbert Arenas, All-City guard from Grant, who was at the Van Nuys campus on Tuesday, the first day of the fall semester.

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IMPACT TRANSFER STUDENTS

BASEBALL

Name, Pos., Yr. Old School, new school

Jason Spector, SS, Sr. Taft, Chatsworth

Jeff Spector, 1B, Sr., Taft, Chatsworth

Scott Drake, C, Sr. Alemany, Chatsworth

Jesse Kozlowski, P, Jr. Simi Valley, Westlake

Andrew Strickland, C, So. Chatsworth, Cleveland

*

FOOTBALL

Name, Pos., Yr. Old school, new school

Brandon Hance, QB, Jr. Notre Dame, Taft

Carl Cannon, DL, Sr. Cleveland, Taft

Mike Burnes, DB, Jr. Muir, Canoga Park

Eddie Whitaker, QB, Jr. Granada Hills, Cleveland

Joe Mailangi, DL, Sr. Crespi, Birmingham

Larry Brown, QB, Sr. Cleveland, San Fernando

Eric Cooper, DB, Sr. Simi Valley, Royal

Scott Wyly, DB, So. Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park

*

BASKETBALL

Name, Pos. Yr. Old school, new school

Devin Montgomery, G, Sr. San Fernando, Alemany

Reggie Kinlaw, F, Sr. San Fernando, Alemany

Bryson Atkins, G, Sr. San Fernando, Alemany

Byron Joseph, G, Jr., Village Christian, Alemany

Josh Levy, G, Sr. Chaminade, Campbell Hall

Jesse Foster, F, Jr. Birmingham, Campbell Hall

Jared Corpening, C, Jr. Highland, Quartz Hill

Josiah Johnson, F, Jr. Crenshaw, Montclair Prep

Latricia Fleming, F, Jr. Monroe, Canyon

Jessica Cosby, F, Jr. Granada Hills, Cleveland

*

SOCCER

Nick Arroyo, G, So., Kennedy, Cleveland

Juan Vega, F, Sr., Poly, Reseda

Sara Leibowitz, G, Jr. La Reina, Chaminade

*

VOLLEYBALL

Melody Eckmier, S, Jr. Van Nuys, Simi Valley

Maryam Ahmadian, MB, Jr. Chaminade, Calabasas