LOCAL NOTES

BASEBALL

Gene Lambdin, the first baseball coach at Cypress College, died of heart failure Tuesday in Victor Valley.

Lambdin was the coach at Cypress from 1967 to 1969 then again from 1975 to 1984. His 1979 team won the Southern California Conference title and reached the state tournament.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

FOOTBALL

David Fells of Fullerton High has committed to play football at UC Davis, Fullerton Coach Julian Smilowitz said.

Fells also plays basketball and runs track for Fullerton.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Casey JoAnn Hamel of Santa Margarita High has signed a letter of intent to play soccer for Florida.

As a freshman, Hamel, a second-team Times’ all-county selection, led her team to the Southern Section Division III title. She quit playing high school soccer after her freshman season, electing to play with the Southern California Women’s Blues Soccer Club. She was a member of the Region IV Olympic Development Program until 1998.

The Southern California under-16 girls’ team won the Olympic Development Program national championship Sunday in Phoenix. The team defeated Iowa, 2-0, in the semifinals and Maryland, 2-1, in the championship, on goals by Santa Margarita’s Katie Rivera and Reseda’s Jenny Farenbaugh. Rivera, a sophomore, scored a goal and had two assists, and earned the tournament MVP award. Other county players competing were: Kacie Jewell and Ina Kain (Woodbridge), Stacy Lindstrom (Aliso Niguel), Tori Manchester (Costa Mesa) and Marlene Sandoval (Valencia).

VOLLEYBALL

Matt Wendt, an outside hitter for Huntington Beach High, signed to play volleyball at San Diego State, Oiler Coach Rocky Ciarelli said.

Wendt was second team all-Sunset League last season.

WATER POLO

The U.S. national men’s water polo team will play two games against the Canadian national team tonight and Thursday in Orange County.

Today’s game will be at Corona del Mar and Thursday’s at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Base in Los Alamitos. The next time the U.S. team plays at home will be in July.

Both games start at 7 p.m. and admission is free.

AWARDS

Chris Duran, a basketball/volleyball player at Whittier Christian High, and Paige Elliot, a cheerleader at Foothill, have been awarded the State CIF Winter Spirit of Sport Award, given annually to students who demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship, citizenship, leadership and community service.

Finalists for the award also included two-sport standout Mike Castillo (Foothill) and basketball player Allison Holland (Whittier Christian).