VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : NORTHRIDGE NOTEBOOK : Cwik Makes Fast Trip Home With Matadors This Week

Cal State Northridge opens Big Sky Conference play Saturday night at Eastern Washington.

For the majority of the Matadors, the trip to the Pacific Northwest is a long way from home.

For Patrick Cwik, it is home.

Cwik, a senior linebacker in his second season with the Matadors, is one of two Northridge players from Washington. Cwik, who transferred to Northridge from Hancock College in Santa Maria, attended Mead High in Spokane, about 15 miles from the Eastern Washington campus in Cheney.

“They recruited me, actually,” Cwik said of Eastern Washington. “Not very heavily, though. I wanted to go to California. My high school coach knew the coaches at Hancock.”

Cwik, 6 feet 1 and 260 pounds, was twice All-Western State Conference at Hancock. Last season, he played in nine games for Northridge, making 40 tackles.

“I’ve got some buddies at Eastern Washington,” Cwik said. “Some friends of mine are on the team.”

Isaac Aronson, a freshman offensive lineman for Northridge, attended Curtis High in University Place, Wash.

Eastern Washington, Big Sky champion in 1997, has three players from California--from Lompoc, Monterey and San Diego.

“We don’t spend any time recruiting in California,” Coach Mike Kramer of Eastern Washington said. “We’ll go after that junior college wide receiver here and there, but we’re pretty locked into these guys.”

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Northridge will play Saturday at Woodward Stadium, which seats 7,000 and has a grass field on the Eastern Washington campus. The Eagles also play home games on artificial turf at Albi Stadium in Spokane.

That should make matters easier for the Matadors, many of whom are nursing injuries sustained on the turf at Kansas two weeks ago.

Cornerback Chazz Moore sprained an ankle at Kansas and practiced sparingly last week but is expected to play against Eastern Washington.

Quarterback Marcus Brady also has been hobbled by a sore ankle.

Kramer said the Eagles prefer to play on artificial surface.

“We’re a team built for speed,” Kramer said. “Playing on [artificial surface] allows us to use more of our foot speed.”

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Kramer, in his sixth season as coach, has seen enough of Matadors receiver Aaron Arnold. The senior, who’s the Matadors’ career receiving leader, appears in his fourth game against Eastern Washington.

Arnold made his first start as a freshman for Northridge against Eastern Washington, replacing injured David Romines. He caught six passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including a 48-yard scoring pass play from Aaron Flowers.

“Aaron Arnold has been in this league as long as I have,” Kramer said.

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The Matadors’ offensive line is decimated.

Guard Joe Bergman suffered a concussion during practice this week and will not play Saturday. Backup Geoff Watson is questionable because of flu.

Guard Ernie Fierro is sidelined because of a stinger. Guard Taffe Aina, the team’s offensive rookie of the year in 1997, is academically ineligible and won’t play this season, Coach Jeff Kearin said.