Grant’s Riney to Be Tried as an Adult

Gino Riney, a senior guard at Van Nuys Grant who was facing two charges of automobile theft with a firearm in juvenile court, will be tried as an adult, Deputy Dist. Atty. Dan Feldstern said Thursday following a hearing.

Arraignment is scheduled for next week.

Riney, who averaged 29.1 points last season, pleaded not guilty to the charges in September. He’s being held in Sylmar Juvenile Hall.

-- Eric Sondheimer

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The CIF’s federated council will discuss increasing the number of sports teams that participate in state playoffs when it meets today at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport.

The council will also discuss the ramifications a federal law offering students the opportunity to transfer from under-performing schools to better ones within the same district based on standardized test scores will have on a transfer rule set to take effect next fall. The CIF rule will require athletes who transfer without a change of residence to sit out a year.

The two-day council meeting starts at 1 p.m. today and runs until 5. The session Saturday runs from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

-- Ben Bolch

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The 67th edition of the East L.A. Classic tonight is expected to draw 20,000 or more to the Coliseum.

But the annual football game between Roosevelt and Garfield will have additional meaning in the Eastern League standings.

The winner will take sole possession of first place with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Roosevelt leads the series, 35-24-7, including a 35-22 victory last year.

“It makes it more exciting,” Roosevelt Coach Jose Casagran said. “This is the first time since I’ve been here that this game has league title implications.”

Roosevelt (6-1, 2-0) is led by running backs Zach Owens and USC-bound Jody Adewale, each of whom has had a 300-yard rushing game this season.

Led by all-purpose player Manuel Torres and linebacker Seferino Diaz, Garfield (4-3, 2-0) has been a surprise and put itself in title contention by defeating Bell, 9-6, in overtime and Jordan, 20-18, last week.

In the Bell victory, Torres -- who is also a running back -- kicked three field goals to account for the Bulldogs’ scoring.

“Everybody is really excited about this year’s team,” Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez said.

“They’ve been in a couple of tight games and they’ve fallen behind a couple of times but they have come back. It shows that we have a lot of heart.”

-- Eric Stephens

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Offensive lineman Sam Baker and tight end Chris Barrett of Tustin have been selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game on Jan. 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The game features top high school football players from around the country and will be televised by ESPN, beginning at 5 p.m. Last year, more than 400 athletes were nominated and the list was narrowed to 74 players, who were chosen based on their accomplishments on and off the field.

-- Bob Rohwer

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Senior Johnny Zendejas of Camarillo will run his first cross-country race in seven weeks today when he competes in the Ventura County championships at Lake Casitas near Ojai.

Zendejas was expected to be one of the top runners in Ventura County this season but was diagnosed with mononucleosis shortly after finishing fifth in a season-opening meet Sept. 12.

“I’m not sure how he’ll do,” Camarillo Coach Coach Mike Smith said. “But I’m sure he’ll help us. He’s a talented kid.”

That talent was obvious in the 2000 Southern Section Division I finals, where Zendejas placed eighth with a 15-minute 21-second clocking over Mount San Antonio College’s 2.91-mile course. He finished 22nd in the section championships last year after being slowed by an injury early in the season.

-- John Ortega