Poston Commits Again to Trojans

Darryl Poston, who rushed for 1,593 yards and 19 touchdowns for Edison High last season, has made a firm commitment to attend USC.

Poston had wavered after the coaching change at USC, and he liked Washington and its coach, Rick Neuheisel.

“After Paul Hackett got fired, it gave me an opportunity to visit other schools,” Poston said. “I went to Washington and realized some new things. Coaching staffs matter. I liked Coach Neuheisel. I really felt like I fit in up there. They weren’t interested in stats. They just wanted to win. I didn’t know Coach [Pete] Carroll, but I didn’t think he was going to be as good.

“When I first met him, I felt like I knew him forever.”

Poston said he was more comfortable with the new USC regime, which he met Wednesday, than the old one.

“Coach Carroll is really confident he is going to change this team around,” Poston said, “and I really want to be part of it.”

He said he anticipates signing a letter of intent on Feb. 7, the first day of the signing period.

VOLLEYBALL

Chuck Kaulupali will not return as girls’ volleyball coach at Woodbridge High, the school announced Thursday.

The Warriors, who went 3-19 in the fall and didn’t win a Sea View League match, are looking for an experienced club or high school coach to replace Kaulupali, who guided the program for seven seasons.

“The program wasn’t performing the way we wanted it to perform,” said Alan Dugard, Woodbridge’s athletic director. “[Kaulupali] works at the school [in charge of security], he’s a nice man, and it was a difficult decision to make. We felt we had to go this way. We need someone who can put this thing back on solid footing.”

Those interested should contact Dugard at (949) 936-7975.

* Steffin Rangel, a 6-foot-6 senior middle blocker from Marina, has signed to attend Brigham Young, said Neil Mason, the assistant coach for Rangel’s club team, Surf City 18 Gold.

Rangel chose the 1999 men’s national champion Cougars over UC Santa Barbara, UCLA and USC.

SOFTBALL

Ann Romero, who played softball and volleyball at Concordia, has been named softball coach at Murrieta Valley High, Athletic Director Dave Zirkle announced.

Romero is a 1996 graduate of Murrieta Valley and graduated from UC Riverside in December. She has been an assistant coach in softball at Murrieta Valley for three seasons.

BASEBALL

The California Baseball Coaches Assn. will hold its annual clinic at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sequoia Club in Buena Park.

UC Irvine Coach John Savage will be among the speakers at the event, which is open to high school baseball coaches and the public. The $10 fee per coaching staff includes membership in the CBCA.

Savage will speak on pitching, Santa Ana College Coach Don Sneddon on infield play and Orange Coast College Coach Mike Mayne on catching.

* Angel Manager Mike Scioscia will be speak at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes’ annual Hot Stove Banquet and memorabilia auction Feb. 4 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Ontario.

Tim Wallach, former Angel and Dodger and currently the Quakes’ manager, will also be on the program, which will be hosted by Angel radio play-by-play announcer Mario Impemba.

For tickets and more information, call the Quakes’ front office at (909) 481-5000.