Soccer Player Will Be Arraigned

Carpinteria High boys’ soccer player Rosario Vargas will be arraigned today in Los Angeles County Superior Court after he was arrested Wednesday for allegedly kicking La Verne Lutheran freshman Cooper Kendall in the face during a fight in a Southern Section Division VI second-round playoff match.

Kendall was taken by La Verne paramedics to Foothill Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora.

According to La Verne Police Lt. Scott Pickwith, Kendall was treated for swelling, contusions, bleeding and a neck strain. He was released Wednesday night.

Vargas, 18, is being held on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $30,000.

“Because he had [a shoe on his foot] and the force he used, the student was booked,” Pickwith said.

Pickwith said police were called to Lutheran High after a fight broke out between the teams. The game was called with four minutes left and Carpinteria leading, 4-1.

The Southern Section has awarded Carpinteria the victory, but its quarterfinal match against Desert Christian was postponed from today to Saturday.

“During the game, tempers flared and it was getting heated,” Pickwith said. “A couple of players lost their temper and started fighting on the field.

“The benches emptied and there was pushing and shoving going on. Within that melee, one of the La Verne Lutheran players was kicked in the face.”

Pickwith said Vargas was identified by game and school officials.

In a statement released by La Verne Lutheran, Principal Janet Boy said the incident is being investigated by the Southern Section and the police.

“We will make no further statement until [the Southern Section] and the La Verne police have completed their investigations and submitted their reports,” the statement read.

Melanie Neff

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Noelle Quinn from Torrance Bishop Montgomery, Lauren Ervin from Inglewood and Crystal Erwin from Santa Fe Springs St. Paul were selected Thursday to the West team for the second McDonald’s All-American girls’ basketball game.

Harbor City Narbonne’s James Anderson will coach the girls’ West team.

The girls’ game will precede the All-American boys’ game March 26 at Cleveland’s Gund Arena.

For only the second time in the 26-year history of the boys’ game, no players from Southern California were selected. The other year was 1992.

The boys’ game will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. by ESPN, and the girls’ game will be broadcast by ESPN at noon April 1.

Bob Rohwer

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The sites and times for the City Section boys’ and girls’ basketball semifinals have been finalized.

In the City Championship division, Westchester will play Taft today at 4 p.m. in a boys’ semifinal at Los Angeles Southwest College, with Fairfax playing Carson in the other semifinal Saturday at 4 p.m. at L.A. Southwest College.

In the girls’ semifinals, Narbonne will face Chatsworth tonight at 7 p.m. at Harbor College, with Carson playing Sylmar Saturday at 2 p.m. at L.A. Southwest College.

George Vranau, baseball coach at North Hollywood High for eight years, has been fired by Principal Randy Delling only days before the Huskies’ season opener.

“I did what I feel was best for the baseball program,” said Delling, who refused to offer a specific reason for his decision.

Vranau has been the subject of repeated complaints from parents regarding his fund-raising tactics.

In fall 2000, Vranau was briefly suspended by the school pending outcome of an investigation into his fund-raising. No action was taken.

Former softball coach Brad Hodge has been named the interim coach.

Andre Smith has resigned after two years as boys’ basketball coach at Orange High.

-- Eric Sondheimer