Ventura, Canyons Get Berths in Bowl Games

Ventura College and College of the Canyons are the only teams from the region playing in bowl games on Dec. 4.

Ventura (9-1) meets Hancock (9-1) in the Western State Conference Bowl at 7 p.m. at Rio Mesa High and Canyons (7-3) faces Chaffey (7-3) in the Southern California Community College Bowl at 1 p.m. at Chaffey.

Ventura, ranked No. 4 in the state, and Hancock, ranked No. 3, were WSC Northern Division co-champions with 6-1 records. Ventura defeated the Bulldogs, 44-26, on Sept. 25 at Ventura High.

The winner of their bowl game is expected to play for the state championship against a team from Northern California on Dec. 11 at Fresno.

Canyons finished fourth in the WSC Northern Division with a 4-3 record.

Moorpark (6-4) did not receive a bowl berth, snapping a streak of 11 consecutive appearances.

Antelope Valley College is the site of the third McDonald’s Bowl at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4, pitting Southwestern (8-2) against L.A. Southwest (6-4).

BASKETBALL

* Crespi High is seeking former players to participate in its alumni game Saturday at 7 p.m. Information: (818) 881-4578. The Celts will host Campbell Hall and Bishop Montgomery in a three-team scrimmage tonight at 7.

SOCCER

* Leonard Griffin, a defender from Littlerock High, has committed to UCLA.

* Former Newbury Park forward Casey Schmidt, a freshman at Boston College, has been selected to the Big East Conference’s all-rookie team. He was Boston College’s leading scorer with 11 goals and two assists.

SOFTBALL

* The 10-and-under Simi Sizzle of Simi Valley won the Hart Winterfest tournament in Santa Clarita last weekend.

VOLLEYBALL

* Moorpark College hosts Palomar at 7 p.m. today in the first round of the Southern California women’s regional playoffs.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and children.

* Setter-outside hitter Lauren Mills of Westlake was selected Marmonte League player of the year.

Mills, a senior, helped the Warriors win their fourth league title in five years.

* Stephanie Cisneros of Sylmar was selected Valley Mission League player of the year.

A junior opposite hitter, Cisneros was the kill leader for the Spartans, who lost to Palisades in the City Championship final.

MOTOR SPORTS

* Sean Woodside of Saugus concluded his third season in the NASCAR Winston West series by clinching the points championship with a fifth-place finish Saturday in the Coca-Cola 500 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.

Woodside’s title marks the first time in NASCAR’s 50-year history that a series championship was determined outside of North America.

Kevin Richards of Spokane passed Eric Norris, son of actor Chuck Norris, from Dallas, on a late-race restart to win the first NASCAR points race to be held outside North America.

Woodside, who only needed to finish 28th or better to clinch the title, held back and ran between 12th and 19th place for the first half of the race. He worked his way up to second late in the race before damaging the front and rear of his car during a restart.

Austin Cameron of El Cajon, who trailed Woodside by 109 points for the championship before the race, finished second and Norris was third in the standings.

The race will be televised by SpeedVision at noon, December 11.