AREA COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

Cal State Northridge enters its final Big Sky Conference season Sept. 16 against Northern Arizona at North Campus Stadium.

Several marquee players in the Big Sky return this season, among them Charles Roberts of Cal State Sacramento, who rushed for 2,082 yards last season, including an NCAA-record 409 yards against Idaho State.

Roberts, the Big Sky offensive player of the year last season, is the conference’s career rushing leader with 4,929 yards and is on pace to become the first back in NCAA history to rush for 7,000 yards.

Quarterback Jimmy Blanchard of Portland State set an NCAA record last year by throwing 342 passes without an interception. Blanchard needs 1,748 yards to surpass Neil Lomax as Portland State’s career passing leader.

Quarterback Drew Miller of Montana led the conference with 3,461 yards passing and led the nation in passing efficiency.

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Cal State Northridge will hold its annual Red-White scrimmage and football media day today at North Campus Stadium. The Matadors will be on the field from 10 until noon, then pose for photographs.

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The Glendale College men’s cross-country team could contend for another state title this season behind a solid group of freshmen and four sophomores from last year’s team that finished third in the state championships.

Mike Serratos, who won the 800 meters in the state track and field championships for Chino Don Lugo High in June, heads a freshman class that also includes Ruben Ruiz from Birmingham, Henok Mulugeta from Belmont and Ivan Alvarado from Hoover.

Serratos, a younger brother of Glendale assistant Ramon Serratos, placed 12th in the state Division I cross-country final last year to help Don Lugo to its first state championship.

Ruiz placed 12th in the City Section cross-country final and Mulugeta was 14th.

Alejandro Lemus, Henry Briseno, Marco Arriaga and Walter Navarro return from last year’s Glendale team that totaled 109 points in the state final to finish behind Orange Coast (100) and Mt. San Antonio (108).

Lemus finished 19th in the state championships, with Briseno 27th, Arriaga 43rd and Navarro 98th.

Sophomore Jorge Banuelos placed fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the state junior college track championships in May.

Glendale won state cross-country titles in 1995 and 1998.