Mater Dei’s Vandermade Makes Commitment to USC

Lenny Vandermade, offensive lineman at Mater Dei, has committed to USC, Coach Bruce Rollinson said Tuesday. Vandermade, 17, also had considered UCLA.

Vandermade, a three-year starter at Mater Dei, is a two-time Times all-county first-team selection and was named Times lineman of the year in 1997.

He was an integral part of the Monarchs’ 13-1 season in 1998, helping Mater Dei upset defending champion Long Beach Poly in the section Division I final.

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Mission Viejo boys’ tennis Coach Bill Smith said Tuesday that this season, his 19th at the school, will be his last. Smith has led the Diablos into the playoffs the last 11 years and 12 of the last 14. He has been coaching tennis, professionally, collegiately and in high schools, since 1963.

“It’s been great, but I’ll be 59 and it’s time to do some other things,” Smith said. “It’s been a nice run. I’ve had a lot of great kids. I’ve gotten much more out of them than probably I’ve given them.”

Smith’s best season was last year, when he led the Diablos to a 20-4 record and a berth in the Southern Section Division II playoffs.