Section Hits Carpinteria With Sanctions for Brawl

The Southern Section has stripped Carpinteria of the right to host a Division VI quarterfinal boys’ soccer game because their players took part in a brawl on Wednesday near the end of a 4-1 victory over host La Verne Lutheran.

The second-seeded Warriors will travel today to play Lancaster Desert Christian at 1 p.m. at Lancaster National Soccer Center.

Carpinteria will be without seven players, including four starters, who were given red cards for their actions Wednesday.

The section also limited Carpinteria to a roster of 12 players.

Sanctions against La Verne Lutheran are possible but have yet to be determined.

La Verne police filed one misdemeanor charge of assault with a deadly weapon against Carpinteria’s Rosario Vargas, Lt. Scott Pickwith said. Vargas, 18, is accused of kicking Lutheran’s Cooper Kendall in the head during the brawl. Police have not determined if anyone else will be charged in the case.

The brawl began with four minutes left in the game. Players from both benches and some fans joined the altercation, according to witnesses. Game officials did not resume play and the victory was awarded to Carpinteria.

“We’re embarrassed it happened,” said Van Latham, Carpinteria’s athletic director. “We aren’t a bunch of thugs, and it’s not a fair reflection of our school. But we can’t deny it happened.”

-- Lauren Peterson

San Fernando will be trying for its third consecutive City Section wrestling title today at Lake Balboa Birmingham High.

San Fernando, which won its third consecutive dual-meet championship Feb. 19, will be challenged by Bell and Birmingham.

Raphael Reynolds, who wrestles at 135 pounds for San Fernando, is looking to repeat as a section champion.

The City Section tournament begins at 10 a.m. with the finals expected to begin at 6 p.m.

The top wrestler in each weight class earns a berth in the state championships March 7-8 at University of the Pacific in Stockton.

-- Peter Yoon

Chuck Brown, longtime girls’ basketball coach at Thousand Oaks, has retired for the second time.

Brown originally left in 1998, having won more than 300 games and eight Marmonte League titles in 16 seasons, but the school asked him back two years later.

The Lancers, who finished 12-16 this season and lost in the wild-card round of the Southern Section Division I-A playoffs, won 4-A Division championships in 1990-91 and 1991-92.