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By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - New San Bernardino Valley College football coach Kevin Emerson kept insisting his team put a woeful 0-10 season behind it. It showed as the Wolverines turned in a spirited effort, only to fall 13-6 in overtime to visiting College of the Desert.
The loss was the 16th straight dating back to the 2007 season and SBVC lost to the same team 34-17 a year ago. But Emerson wasn't ready to call the showing to a powerful foe from the upper division a moral victory.
``We want to win games. That's the bottom line," Emerson said. ``You guys can call it whatever you want. We had every opportunity to win the game and didn't get it done. We have to go work harder this week.''
It was a battle of defense and kickers since neither team could find the end zone. COD's only points came on field goals of 31 and 39 yards by Brett Symonds and SBVC doing the same with Jaime Garcia hitting from 25 and 30 yards. Each team made two of four field goal tries with the misses being more the fault of the other offensive personnel.
The Wolverines had the chance to win the game in the closing seconds, taking over possession at their own 34 after a COD fumble following a 40-yard play. The drive was hardly a fluid one as they appeared to be done in twice only to be bailed out by a COD offside and a pass interference call three plays later.
With a second-and-14 at the COD 39 quarterback Robert Fuller flipped the ball off to Eric Charles who then lofted the halfback option pass down field to an open Marcus Williams but the pass was just a little long with 22 seconds to go.
The same play had worked for a 21-yard gain midway through the third quarter.
A 14-yard completion to Williams with 14 seconds left gave SBVC a first down. It worked the ball down to the 25 with Fuller running 10 yards and keeping the ball in the middle of the field for the field goal try with two seconds left.
Desert called two time outs to ice the kicker but Garcia never really had a chance as the offensive line broke down, preventing him from getting a clean effort off.
Desert had the ball first in the overtime and needed just four plays, scoring when Gaston Bailey hauled in a nine-yard toss from backup quarterback Cameron Epting.
SBVC never got much going on its turn and the game ended with Fuller's 16-yard completion to Williams on fourth down short by two yards.
SBVC totaled 284 yards offense. Fuller, who red-shirted last year at Utah State, went 15-of-33 for 155 yards. He also ran for 37 on seven tries. Ronnie Yarber led SBVC ball carriers with 53 yards on 12 carries.
COD managed 198 with Epting throwing for 106.
SBVC hurt itself with penalties. It was called for 12 penalties for 180 yards. It had an 11-yard scoring pass from Fuller to Eric Charles in the first half nullified by an illegal block. Then in the fourth quarter Jim O'Brien, one of the many SBVC standouts on defense, ran back an interception 19 yards for a touchdown which was called back by an offsides.
The SBVC defense turned in some punishing hits, one of which sent starting quarterback J.D. Buonantony out of the game for good with 9:22 left in the half. He had tucked the ball and run and was stopped by a defender though he was still on his feet. Another defender came in from the other direction and leveled him.
``I hope we showed people we can play good football tonight,'' Emerson said. ``We're going to win some games.''
The Wolverines will play at Riverside next Saturday in the Bell Game.
michelle.gardner@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 483-9344.
Sophomore guard Ashleigh Frazier (Redlands East Valley) has signed a letter of intent with Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
She helped the San Bernardino Valley College Wolverines to back-to-back Foothill Conference title teams, inlcuding the 2007-2008 team that tied the school record for most consecutive wins and most wins a season.
She was a first-team All-Foothill Conference selection, averaging 8.l7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Her best games were a 22-point showing against Victor Valley and a 21-point effort against Chaffey.
She plans to major in photography.
The Urban Knights compete in the Pacific West Conference and are coming off a 6-20 season in their first year at the Division II level.
Redshirt sophomore midfielder Megan Dias of San Bernardino Valley College has signed with Division II Wayne State College in Nebraska.
Dias, out of Colony High School, is SBVC all-time scoring leader. In two seasons she amassed 24 goals and 11 assists.
Wayne State competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and is coached by Molly Graham who will be entering her first year.
With the college baseball season coming to a close in less than two weeks and four teams fighting for first place in the Foothill Conference, it was understandable if things were a bit tense as Chaffey and San Bernardino Valley College squared off on Thursday.
The biggest explosion came in the first inning, but things settled down after that and the Panthers emerged with an 8-3 win over the Wolverines. The two teams meet again Saturday in a doubleheader at Chaffey starting at noon.
"This was big to win the first game," Chaffey coach Jeff Harlow said. "It's easier to lose two than win two, so the first game is huge, especially coming here and winning."
The Panthers (26-11, 16-3) came out of the gates strong, scoring in the first frame when Gerry Hernandez singled home Chris Lemus. But then came the fireworks.
Hernandez rounded first after the hit and was tagged out by SBVC first baseman Chris Sautia. Umpire Bill Barnes originally ruled Hernandez safe, which upset SBVC coach
Bill Mierzwik, who came out to argue. After the umpires conferred, Hernandez was called out, which set off Harlow and led to a heated altercation between the coach and umpire.
Harlow admitted he was surprised he wasn't tossed, but said the umpire bumped him first, and Mierzwik said he had planned to get tossed if the call wasn't changed in his favor.
Chaffey broke the game open, going up 4-2 on a towering home run by Willie Holmes in the seventh inning off starter Kevin Ryan. SBVC (22-15, 13-6) crept back, though, with an unearned run in the seventh to make it 4-3, but the Panthers put the game away with four runs in the eighth, aided by two Wolverine errors.
That was more than enough for Chaffey's Colby Gurney (10-0), who scattered seven hits, struck out eight and gave up three runs before getting relief help in the ninth from Derrick Duran.
Catcher Nick Hartman had three of Chaffey's 11 hits. Holmes and Christopher Haas had two each. SBVC got three hits and two RBIs from sophomore third baseman James Frederick, and Evan Erickson had two hits.
"We have won the games we're supposed to win, but when it comes to playing the better teams, we haven't put all three facets of the game together," Mierzwik said. <NO1>"We have to do that, because they're a good team."
a head football coach.
Pat Meech is still with the program but is giving up the head coach responsibilities. In addition to serving as an assistant coach he is on the faculty as a physical education instructor. The change in job status was approved at Thursday's meeting of the Board of Trustees.
The timing makes a bad situation worse. The Wolverines are coming off a 0-10 season. They were the only winless team in Southern California and one of two in the state, the other being Contra Costa. Count the last five games of the 2007 season and SBVC will go into 2009 riding a 15-game losing skid.
Meech said family was the primary reason he decided to take a step back. He and wife Stephanie have two daughters ages 9 and 12.
``It is a combination of things but the biggest thing is my priority
at home. I want to spend time with my daughters and their school activities and it's hard to do that with all the time it takes to be a head coach.''
``Obviously the timing isn't good,'' athletic director Dave Rubio
said. ``I believe Pat has the best interest of the program in mind.''
Despite the change in his title Meech has been handling recruiting. He has tried to be honest with those athletes he is recruiting.
``I have told them that there is some reorganization going on but I have tried to emphasize the reasons why we're a still good option for them,'' he said.
Despite the lateness of the move Rubio is confident the school will still be able to bring in a strong candidate.
``I guess there were rumors out there because I have gotten calls from all over the country asking about the job,'' Rubio said. ``It's hard to say right now how fast we can fill it but we'll do the best we can.''
There is likely to be a lot more shuffling of the coaching staff as
well. Offensive coordinator Ric Lucore left during the offseason to take a job on staff at the University of Redlands. Defensive
coordinator Ted Clarke has also departed. Ernie Madrigal, J.T.
Thomas and Rick Pesquera remain on staff with a couple of others undecided.
The Wolverines went 13-37 in Meech's five years with a 5-5 mark in 2006 the only season in which the team did not finish with a losing record.
Last year the Wolverines weren't close that often. They averaged 19.3 points per game and gave up an average of 45.8 points. The only game decided by a touchdown or less was a 34-28 setback at Mt. San Jacinto. A tough nonconference schedule didn't help.
Staff Writer
RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Even Chaffey College basketball coach Jeff
Klein knew his team's 19-1 run to start the game wouldn't hold up. It
didn't. But the Panthers hung on to beat visiting Bakersfield College
82-78 in the second round of the community college state playoffs.
The game featured two teams that like the up-tempo game so it
isn't unusual for the teams to exchange runs. The teams did that much
of the game.
``That's the way we both play,'' Klein said. ``It's a game of runs
and fortunately we had the last one. We knew it wasn't going to be
easy and they were coming back.''
The eighth-seeded Panthers (27-6) stormed out to a 19-1 lead with
the ninth-seeded Renegades (23-10) going 0-for-12 from the field and
not managing their first field goal until 13:34 was left in the half.
Bakersfield rallied back and got within two at 40-38 with 40
seconds left but trailed 43-38 at the break.
Chaffey again put some distance between itself and its foe,
establishing a double digit lead next at 64-53 with 11:53 left. Again
Bakersfield answered, this time cutting it to 68-66 on a bucket by
Darrin Dorsey.
It was tight the rest of the way but it was the Renegades making
the mistakes down the stretch. Down 77-72 with 2:43 left Bakersfield
turned the ball over on two straight possessions. Later trailing
78-72 with 1:14 to play, Dorsey missed two free throws.
The Panthers were eventually pushed. Eion Lewis scored on a runner
in the lane to cut the deficit to two at 78-76 with 48 seconds
remaining. The Renegades' Jamar Harrison then stole the ensuing
inbounds and went up for an easy two to tie the game for the first
time at 78.
Then it was Chaffey sophomore forward Winston Robinson taking
over. He hit two free throws for a two-point lead with 34 seconds to
go, then converted two more after yet another Bakersfield turnover,
its 23rd of the night with six seconds left.
Robinson tallied 29 while Lamar Williams contributed 12 and Nick
Turner 13.
``I like the pressure,'' Robinson said. ``I feel like I worked
hard enough to come through in those situations. I feel comfortable
when the game is in my hands.''
Chaffey's win continued a strong run by the Foothill Conference
which qualified five teams for the playoffs. All four that have
played thus far have won a playoffs game with San Bernardino Valley
College playing a home playoff game tonight against West Los Angeles.
``We feel like we have the toughest conference in the state and
those games get us ready for situations like this,'' Klein said.
The Panthers advance to play next Saturday against the winner of
tonight's game between Saddleback, the top-seeded team in the
Southern region, and No. 17 seed Cerritos.
First-year San Bernardino Valley College coach Quincy Brewer led his team to a Foothill Conference championship. That accomplishment was recognized by his peers as Brewer was named Coach of the Year.
Brewer took a team with 12 newcomers and led it to a 25-8 record, despite playing in what is the strongest conference in the state. Five teams are competing in the playoffs with the Wolverines opening play at home on Saturday.
Mt. San Jacinto sophomore point guard Melvin Goins was named Player of the Year. He averaged 17.1 points in leading the Eagles to a second-place showing.
SBVC had three first team selections - forward Orlando Brazier, point guard Nate Roth and forward Maurice McGee. It also had two honorable mentions in warren Fuselier, the lone sophomore on the team, and freshman forward Aaron Edwards.
Chaffey, third in the conference, placed Winston sophomores Winston Robinson and Nick Turner and first team and Anthony Cammon and Lamar Williams on second team.
The first team also included sophomore Dwight Gordon of Victor Valley. The Los Osos High School product led the conference in scoring (21.3 ppg) and helped the Rams qualify for the playoffs for the first time in at least a decade.
Player of the Year - Melvin Goins, Mt. San Jacinto
Coach of the Year - Quincy Brewer, SBVC
Other first team selections - Dwight Gordon, Victor Valley, So.; Orlando Brazier, San Bernardino Valley, Fr.; Nate Roth, San Bernardino Valley, Fr.; Mark Williams, Mt. San Jacinto, So.; Jeffrey West, Mt. San Jacinto, Fr.; Winston Robinson, Chaffey, So.; Nick Turner, Chaffey, So.; Rod Singleton, Antelope Valley, Fr.; Maurice McGee, San Bernardino Valley, Fr.; Maurice Cole, Rio Hondo, Fr.; Kyisean Reed, Antelope Valley Fr.;
Honorable Mention
Galander Abdelrahman, Barstow, Fr.; Warren Fuselier, San Bernardino Valley, So.; Aaron Edwards, San Bernardino Valley, Fr.; Darryl Alexander, Rio Hondo Fr.; Dusty Simcox, Rio Hondo, So.; Curtis Bush, Mt. San Jacinto, So.; Terrance Williams, Mt. San Jacinto, Fr.; Anthony Cammon, Chaffey, Fr.; Lamar Williams, Chaffey, So.; Jerome Moton, Antelope Valley. So.; Raymond Cody, Antelope Valley, So.; Deanard Crouch, Victor Valley, So.; Tory Dudgeon, Victor Valley, So.; Andrew Avalos, Desert, So.; Patrick Rochell, Desert, So.
San Bernardino Valley College and Chaffey will square off in a men's and women's twinbill on Wednesday at Chaffey, with the women tipping off at 5 p.m.
Both games will feature state-ranked teams jockeying for position in the Foothill Conference with four games left.
On the men's side, SBVC (22-7, 9-1) has a one-game lead over Mt. San Jacinto, with Chaffey (23-5, 7-3) sitting in third. The No. 11 Wolverines have inexplicably dropped six places in the state poll despite not losing in that stretch. Chaffey is No. 13.
On the women's side, No. 11 SBVC (19-8, 10-0) has a one-game lead on Antelope Valley, with No. 15 Chaffey (19-8, 6-4) tied for third.
SBVC has owned the rivalry as of late on both sides. Sue Crebbin's Wolverines have won the past four meetings, with Chaffey's last victory coming 50-49 the first of two times the teams played in the 2006-07 season.
The situation is the same on the men's side, although the Panthers rallied from a 21-point deficit and forced overtime earlier this season.
"This is a big game for us," Chaffey coach Jeff Klein said. "They are a very good team and I don't know if they'll lose one game, much less two. But we're playing well right now."
Sophomore tight end Keith Myers of San Bernardino Valley College has signed with Division II Livingstone College, located in Salisbury, N.C.
Myers, a 6-foot-5, 225-pounder, started 20 games in two years with the Wolverines, totaling 515 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
The Blue Bears play in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and are coming off a 3-6 campaign.
remained undefeated and in first place with a 69-64 win over the
Eagles.
Sophomore point guard Eisha Sheppard, out of Victor Valley High
School, led the charge with 24 points. Dwayanna Pullum contributed
12 points and seven rebounds and Ashleigh Frazier added 11. Brittany
Thompson tallied 15 rebounds.
Danielle Smith had 19 points and four assists to lead the Eagles
(18-6, 5-2).
