Anaheim Canyon’s Baseball Field Is Damaged by Vandals

The baseball field at Anaheim Canyon High was vandalized Monday night or early Tuesday morning, Canyon baseball Coach Joe Hoggatt said.

Vandals dug two letters six inches deep into the infield grass and a swastika near the backstop, Hoggatt said. They also poured dry concrete mix around the field, broke several sprinklers and stole home plate.

“I’ve worked so many hours on this field, spent so much time,” said Hoggatt, who replaced Mike Najera in 2001.

Hoggatt said two workers spent 4 1/2 hours Tuesday repairing the field, which had undergone $15,000 in renovations during the previous two years. He said many of his players were in disbelief when they saw what had happened, but quickly began cleaning up the mess.

“Even some ex-players came down [Tuesday],” Hoggatt said. “It was pretty cool to see the group bond together.”

Hoggatt filed a police report but said there are no suspects. He also said his field office was broken into Sunday night and his television, VCR and stereo were stolen.

-- Dan Arritt

Tickets for the City Championship and Invitational football games tonight at the Coliseum are $10 for adults, $7 for students and $3 for children under 12. The Invitational game begins at 5 p.m. The 8 p.m. championship game between Woodland Hills Taft and Lake Balboa Birmingham will be televised on tape delay at 10 p.m. tonight and replayed at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday on Channel 36 on most cable systems in Los Angeles.

-- Eric Stephens

Funeral services for Sara Rojas, a basketball player for Phelan Serrano and a trainer for the Diamondback football team, will be held at 11 a.m. today at Desert View Cemetery in Victorville.

Rojas, 17, a senior from Adelanto, was killed in a one-car automobile accident on Dec. 5 after being ejected from a sport utility vehicle.

She and two passengers were navigating a dirt road in Pinon Hills when the SUV rolled over.

The other two female students were not seriously injured.

The football team dedicated last week’s Division VIII semifinal game, a 37-36 victory over Cathedral City, to Rojas.

-- Martin Henderson

Troy Jackson resigned his position as football coach at Lancaster but will remain at the school as a physical education teacher.

In three seasons, Jackson compiled a 9-22 record. The Eagles finished 2-8 this season.

-- Bob Rohwer