Dickerson Gets Into the Swing for Notre Dame

Two years in the batting cage and countless hours of soft toss in the backyard have transformed Chris Dickerson of Notre Dame High into a hitting threat.

At 6 feet 4 and 212 pounds, with arms as thick as dictionaries, Dickerson has always looked like an elite hitter. It was just a matter of bringing out the talent.

He batted .255 last season as a junior in his first varsity season. He continued to improve last summer and showed enough potential that Nevada signed him to a letter of intent.

Dickerson wanted to prove he could perform consistently at the varsity level. After two weeks, he has everyone’s attention.

In 10 at-bats, he has five hits--all home runs.

“I’m at the peak of my hitting right now,” he said. “It’s like being in a zone.”

Dickerson, an outfielder, received hitting tips from Notre Dame assistant Tim Cunningham, the father of Knight catcher Matt Cunningham. In addition, Dickerson has overcome a summer knee injury that required surgery and six months of rehabilitation.

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Westlake (4-0), ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, is about to find out exactly where it stands.

“I’ve been talking about this week for a long time,” Coach Chuck Berrington said.

The Warriors play Crescenta Valley at 7 tonight at Stengel Field. They host Agoura on Wednesday and play at Royal on Friday in Marmonte League games. Then they conclude the week by meeting El Camino Real in the San Fernando Valley tournament final Saturday night at USC’s Dedeaux Field.

If those challenges aren’t enough, Westlake plays a showdown at Marmonte rival Thousand Oaks on March 22.

But help is on the way. Junior pitcher Tyler Adamczcyk, recovering from mononucleosis, could make his first pitching appearance tonight in relief for the Warriors.

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When it comes to tough leagues, the Foothill doesn’t take a backseat to anyone.

Hart (4-1) might be the preseason favorite, but with pitcher Jamie Shields unavailable because of a pulled muscle in his back, Valencia (4-0), Canyon (2-2), Burroughs (2-3) and Saugus (2-2-1) all have title aspirations.

One of the league’s hottest hitters is center fielder Spencer Steward of Burroughs. In five games, he’s 12 for 17 (.706) with 12 runs batted in.