On Third Try, Redell Makes College Football Hall of Fame

Bill Redell, who was an All-American defensive back at Occidental College in 1963 and became a successful high school coach at Crespi and St. Francis, was elected Wednesday to the College Football Hall of Fame.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Redell, the coach at Oaks Christian High. “I can’t tell you how excited I am.”

Redell was elected to the small-college wing and will be inducted in August in South Bend, Ind.

He played quarterback and defensive back at Occidental for two years and played in the Canadian Football League.

Redell, who lives in Westlake Village, was on the ballot for three years. He celebrated his 60th birthday last week.

“The older you get, some of these things are more meaningful,” he said. “It’s means a lot to me personally.”

* Athletic director Marty Martin has been appointed football coach at Village Christian High, replacing Jim Yencarelli, who resigned after one season.

Martin, in his fourth year as the school’s athletic director, served as defensive coordinator last season under Yencarelli, who plans to return to Arizona.

Village Christian went 4-5 last season and won only one league game, against Pasadena Marshall.

Martin has coached at El Cajon Christian, San Diego St. Augustine and Capistrano Valley Christian, helping turn around all three.

“Everybody has their own niche and I think mine is being able to take a program and get it going in the right direction,” Martin said. “We’ve been very, very fortunate in the places I’ve been.”

The Crusaders have won only two league games in three seasons.

“A lot of the pieces are here,” Martin said. “It’s just a matter of regaining the enthusiasm and getting things in the right direction.”

Yencarelli replaced Mike Plaisance, who resigned after leading the Crusaders to 16 playoff appearances in 20 seasons.

* Russell Kovner, a starting middle linebacker at Chaminade last season, has committed to Drake University in Des Moines.

BASEBALL

* The Southern Section has reached agreement to play its championship games in Divisions I-IV at Dodger Stadium on June 2.

BASKETBALL

* Cal State Northridge signed forwards Ryan Sims of L.A. City College and Chris Davis of Crenshaw High.

Sims, a 6-9, 220-pound small forward, played at Crenshaw before L.A. City, where he averaged 12.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocked shots as a sophomore.

Davis, a 6-8, 230-pound forward, can play inside and outside.

The two join 6-9 forward Armand Thomas of Compton College and Crenshaw High, 6-3 guard Joseph Frazier of Pasadena Muir and 6-6 Ian Boylan of Norman High in Oklahoma as incoming players.

“[Ryan] is a wing player who runs the floor well and his defensive abilities are outstanding,” Coach Bobby Braswell said. “We thought an important goal in this recruiting class was to get some young and extremely talented players and we have done that in [Davis].”

Braswell guided Northridge (22-10) to its first NCAA tournament berth and a Big Sky Conference and tournament title last season.

TRACK AND FIELD

* Seth Amoo of Highland High, who has run the fastest 200 meters in the state this year, has signed with Arizona State.

WATER POLO

* Goalkeeper David Miller of Ventura High, The Times’ boys’ player of the year, has committed to UC San Diego.