Cal Poly’s Beeson Takes Knee Injury in Stride

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo swingman Brandon Beeson, formerly of Woodbridge High, missed a Big West Conference basketball game against Pacific recently after injuring his knee. He had the knee wrapped and was in some pain during the Mustangs’ 75-63 loss to visiting UC Irvine on Jan. 27, but said that the injury is just something he will have to play through.

“I was feeling pretty good and then I drove to the basket and it popped,” he said. “It hurt a little bit, but it’s more of a mental thing that I have to get over.”

Beeson averages eight points and eight rebounds.

Former Mater Dei center Mike Vukovich is a key player at UC Santa Barbara, where he starts at center for the Gauchos. When Vukovich is on, Santa Barbara controls the baseline, according to Coach Bob Williams.

“If Mike doesn’t give us the presence we need inside,” Williams said, “we are in trouble.”

Vukovich is averaging 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.

Mike Stowell, a forward from Capistrano Valley High, has decided to redshirt this season at Utah State. Stowell was a 1999 Times’ Orange County first-team selection. He spent a year on a Mormon mission before joining the Aggies.

FIGHT ON

USC has dipped into the county to find an assistant coach for its women’s soccer team.

Former Dana Hills High player Andrea Warner was named to that position last month.

Warner will graduate from USC in May. A midfielder, she completed her four-year career by playing 84 consecutive games dating to 1997. In her career, she had 11 goals and 12 assists.

“Andrea is a great addition,” USC Coach Jim Millinder said. “I always thought she had a great understanding of the game and she will be a great help to our program.”

Millinder recently signed a five-year contract extension with the Trojans.

TRUE TO HIS SCHOOL

Former Marina High and Golden West College standout Truiett Hatton is in his eighth season overall, and third as head coach, with the men’s basketball team at Golden West. He is trying to rebuild a program that was among the best in the Southland two decades ago, but has since fallen on hard times.

It hasn’t been easy. Hatton’s overall coaching mark is 13-67. In contrast, Golden West had a record of 42-20 from 1980-82 when Hatton was a player for the Rustlers. In the 18 years since, the Rustlers have won 20 games in a season just twice.

Hatton’s career as a shooting guard was impressive. He was a two-time All-Sunset League choice at Marina. At Golden West he ranks third in career scoring (1,158 points) and assists (286) and second in career free-throw percentage (88.1%).

X-CELLENT

And you thought football was over?

The county has several former players in the XFL, which began its first season Saturday.

Among them are quarterbacks Pat Barnes (Trabuco Hills High/California) and Mike Palawski (Troy/Cal) and running back Derek Brown (Servite/Nebraska). All three play for the San Francisco Demons, who opened the season Sunday against the L.A. Extreme.

Quarterbacks are among the highest-paid players in the XFL. According to information published by the league, most players expect to make $35,000 a season. Quarterbacks are expected to receive about $50,000 a year.

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