Misaki Is Best in West Coast
Portland midfielder Erin Misaki, a former Hart High All-American, was selected West Coast Conference co-player of the year for women’s soccer.
The sophomore midfielder scored four goals and had seven assists for the WCC-champion Pilots. She shared the honor with senior midfielder Heather Aldama of runner-up Santa Clara.
Lacey Ubaldi of Pepperdine was co-freshman of the year with Veronica Zepeda of Santa Clara. Lauren Orlandos of Portland was defensive player of the year and Paul Ratcliffe of St. Mary’s was coach of the year.
Ubaldi was the only Pepperdine player selected All-WCC, earning a second-team spot. Imani Dorsey of Portland, a Harvard-Westlake graduate, was a second-team selection.
* Chaminade goalkeeper Katie Thomas has committed to Cornell.
Thomas had 11 shutouts last year for the Eagles, who won the Southern Section Division IV championship.
* Casey Schmidt of Boston College, formerly of Newbury Park High, was named Big East Conference offensive player of the year in men’s soccer.
BASEBALL
* Kurt Birkins, former El Camino Real pitcher, has signed with UC Irvine. Birkins, who plays for Pierce College, sat out last season after pitching for UCLA in 1999.
FENCING
* Derek Snyder of Chaminade, one of the top teenage fencers in the nation, has accepted a scholarship to Stanford.
CROSS-COUNTRY
* The Canyon High boys’ team has dropped from ninth to 14th in the national rankings by Harrier magazine.
The Cowboys are ranked fifth in the West region.
Mountain View of Orem, Utah, the top-ranked team in the nation, is first, followed by Long Beach Poly, Flathead (Mont.) and Campbell County (Wyo.).
MOTORSPORTS
* Patrick Long, 19, of Agoura, was selected from a field of seven drivers to receive a $185,000 scholarship to compete in the Barber Dodge Pro series next year.
Long, the first American in more than 20 years to win a European International karting event at the 1998 Winter Cup in Lonato, Italy, has a dozen kart titles to his credit. He was awarded his scholarship by a panel of 10 judges based on his performance in a test at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. He had the fastest lap and the overall lowest average lap time among the contestants.
BASKETBALL
* Guards Joseph Frazier of Muir High and Ian Boylan of Norman (Okla.) High have signed letters of intent with Cal State Northridge.
Frazier (6 feet 3, 175 pounds) averaged 15 points and eight rebounds as a junior. Boylan (6-6, 205) averaged 17 points and six rebounds while leading Norman to the state finals.
* Crescenta Valley will hold its boys’ alumni game Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. As a fund-raiser, the baseball team will sell In-N-Out burgers.
* El Camino Real will hold its alumni games on Nov. 21, with the girls’ game at 6 p.m. and the boys’ game at 7:30 p.m.
