College Update: Grote, Bell helping respective teams pile up victories on court, field
The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.
Marin Grote (Burroughs High, 2018) University of Washington women’s volleyball, sophomore: It’s been an impressive season thus far for Washington, ranked No. 10 in the country.
Grote, a middle blocker, and the Huskies compete in the difficult PAC-12 Conference and have held their own.
Washington (15-3, 6-2 in conference) won its fifth straight match after it turned back visiting Arizona, 25-23, 25-14, 21-25, 25-18, on Sunday. On Friday, host Washington earned a 20-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22 conference home win versus Arizona State.
Overall, Grote has 15 kills and nine blocks. She had a season-high six kills in a 25-14, 30-28, 25-19 win against Drake on Sept. 13.
Washington will take part in a two-match conference road trip that begins at Utah on Friday and concludes Sunday at Colorado.
Chance Bell (Burroughs High, 2016) San Diego State football, sophomore: Bell and the Aztecs continue to pile up victories and are bowl eligible.
Bell, a former All-Pacific League standout running back, rushed for 45 yards in eight carries to help visiting San Diego State record a 27-17 victory against San Jose State in a Mountain West Conference contest Saturday.
Bell averaged 5.6 yards per carry and his longest run was 11 yards for the Aztecs, who have won three games in a row to improve to 6-1, 3-1 in conference. San Diego State, which has won seven of its last 10 games against San Jose State, is bowl eligible for the 10th straight season.
Bell scored a touchdown on Sept. 14 during a nonconference game versus host New Mexico State. Bell scored on an 18-yard run in the fourth quarter and finished with 116 yards rushing in 17 carries (6.8 yards per carry).
In six games, Bell has rushed for 272 yards in 52 carries and one touchdown. He’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry.
San Diego State will stay on the road and face UNLV in a conference tilt at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Andy Reyes (Burbank High, 2017) Pasadena City College football, redshirt sophomore: Though Pasadena has struggled lately, Reyes is doing his part to try to help get the Lancers back on track.
After beginning the season with two victories, Pasadena has since lost four games in a row.
Pasadena suffered a 45-14 road defeat against Allan Hancock on Saturday in an American Pacific Conference-opening game. Reyes, a defensive back, finished with six tackles in a contest the Lancers never led.
Reyes, one of four Burbank High products on the Pasadena roster, notched a season-high 10 tackles in a 20-14 nonconference road loss versus San Bernardino Valley on Oct. 5.
In six contests, Reyes has registered 38 tackles and one interception.
Sophomores Drew Pendleton and Darnell Williams and freshman Kaydon Spens, all whom played at Burbank, compete for Pasadena.
Pendleton, a wide receiver/defensive back, has caught nine passes for 52 yards and recorded 32 tackles in six contests. Williams, a running back, has rushed for 72 yards in 21 carries in six games. Spens has 28 tackles in six games as a cornerback.
Pasadena (2-4) will take on L.A. Pierce in a conference home game at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Justine Nunez (Providence High, 2019) L.A. Mission College women’s volleyball, freshman: Nunez, a setter, appears to be fitting right in for the Eagles after standing out at Providence.
Nunez, one of six freshmen on the 13-player squad, has recorded 101 assists, 55 digs, 22 kills and nine aces in 11 matches.
She turned in her best performance Oct. 4 in a Western State Conference North Division home match. Nunez collected a season-high 23 assists to help the Eagles register a 25-16, 25-22, 16-25, 25-21 road victory against L.A. Pierce.
In Mission’s last division match against visiting Cuesta on Oct. 9, Nunez contributed seven digs in a 25-15, 25-22, 27-25 defeat.
Mission (5-9, 1-3 in the division) will next compete in a division road contest Wednesday at Santa Barbara.
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