New Attitude Helps Tigers Climb to Top

San Fernando High, a last-place league finisher in five of six previous seasons, finds itself in an unfamiliar position: First place in the Valley Mission League.

The Tigers (7-6, 5-1 in league play) have received solid pitching from Jose Montes (1-3, 2.53 earned-run average) and Abraham Gonzalez (4-1, 3.71), and All-City outfielder Manny Flores is batting .405 after a slow start.

Flores and Gonzalez, transfers who helped Poly reach the City Championship final last season, also have brought a winning attitude that was needed at San Fernando.

“Some of these guys that came over know how to win and that attitude is changing the other guys,” Coach Armando Gomez said.

San Fernando has lost one-run games to El Camino Real, Banning, Thousand Oaks, Kennedy and Quartz Hill.

The Tigers have an important two-game series against Sylmar this week. The teams play at 3 p.m. today at Sylmar.

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All eyes will be on catcher John Voita of Granada Hills today when he faces his former teammates from El Camino Real in a West Valley League game.

Voita transferred in February so he could play catcher and help his draft chances.

Asked about playing against Voita, Coach Bob Ganssle of El Camino Real said, “You don’t face a player, you face a team. Yeah, I’ll recognize him. I’ve seen him before.”

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Chaminade will play a critical Mission League game today against visiting Crespi without starting second baseman Ryan Soroka, who was ejected from Saturday’s game against Agoura.

Crespi (11-1-1, 5-0-1) can take a giant step toward wrapping up the league title if it can sweep the third-place Eagles (8-4, 4-2) this week.

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Third baseman John Barbaro of Crescenta Valley had a week to remember. In games against Glendale, Pasadena and Loyola, Barbaro went eight for 13 with nine runs batted in and picked up a pitching victory.