Two locals are making an impact in their first season with the Dowling College softball team. The Golden Lions, who compete in the Division II East Coast Conference, are 21-9 overall, including a sparkling 17-1 at home.

Freshman designated Stephanie Tarango, out of Etiwanda High School, is hitting .333 (33-for-99) with 14 runs scored, five doubles and five home runs.

Junior pitcher Felicia Mendoza, out of Bloomington High School, is one of the team’s top pitchers. She holds a record of 6-2 with an ERA of 1.63 and batting average against of .177. She has allowed just 33 hits and struck out 59 in 52 innings.

Mendoza played two years at Riverside Community College before moving on to Dowling.

Deuces were wild as defending Orange Empire Conference (OEC) champion Santa Ana College (SAC) opened conference play with an 11-2 win over the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers Thursday afternoon at the Evans Sports Complex.

The SAC Dons (12-4, 1-0 OEC) posted a pair of runs in each of the first three innings to quickly put Riverside (9-7, 0-1 OEC) in a hole.

In the first inning with two outs, freshman 1B Chris Miller singled to left field and went to second when the ball skipped past sophomore LF Bryce Holland for an error. Miller went to third on a wild pitch before sophomore C James Davis drew a walk. Up stepped sophomore RF Jake Eccles who promptly socked a 0-1 pitch down the left-field line for a two-run double and Santa Ana led, 2-0. Little did anyone realize that Eccles was just getting started on a seven-RBI day.

In the Santa Ana third inning, Davis singled to center and Eccles crushed a 1-1 pitch to straightaway left field for a two-run home run, his team-leading eighth round tripper of the season.

For good measure in the top of the ninth, Eccles capped the four-run uprising with a three-run home run to dead center field for his ninth circuit clout of the year.

Riverside got on the board in the bottom of the third. Sophomore SS Richie Jimenez drew a one-out walk before sophomore C Brett Hambright stroked a run-producing double to right-center field, scoring Jimenez. With two outs, pinch-hitter Landon McMath, who inherited a 0-2 count, took a pitch for ball one and then turned on a 1-2 pitch and laced a RBI-double down the left-field line, plating Hambright.

Santa Ana starter, sophomore LHP Nick Capito went the first six innings and allowed only two earned runs on six hits to improve to 3-0. Riverside starter, Kessler Reifel (0-1) went just 2-1/3 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits to get the loss.

Both teams return to OEC action on Saturday, Feb. 28, at noon when Riverside visits the Fullerton College Hornets and Santa Ana hosts the Cypress College Chargers.

San Bernardino Valley College men’s basketball coach Quincy Brewer is going to get a chance to see exactly where his young team stands.

The Wolverines (8-2) open play in the 39th annual Wells Fargo Holiday Classic at Riverside Community College at 7 p.m. Wednesday against defending state champion Citrus (10-1).
The field includes 16 teams with four first-round games on tap Tuesday and four more on Wednesday.

The No. 9 Wolverines turned over their entire roster so one would think Brewer would be happy with his team’s first 10 games. But that isn’t exactly the case.

“I am disappointed with those two games because there are things we could have done better. We didn’t execute,” he said.

The event is a grind with some teams playing four games in as many days and others playing that many in five days. It is one reason Chaffey, which has traditionally played in the event, pulled out, opting instead for another three-game tournament.

Brewer has been using 11 players and thinks his team is good enough shape physically to handle the rigorous schedule.

“I worked them pretty hard in the preseason,” he said. “It is probably more taxing mentally than physically.”

Brewer is starting five newcomers – sophomore guard Warren Fuselier (16.9 ppg, 4.5 apg) and freshmen guards D’Shaun Holden (6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Alex Jacobs (7.5 ppg), freshman forward Aaron Edwards (13.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and freshman center Orlando Brazier (10.9 ppg, 3.9 ppg).

The Wolverines also have two players averaging double figures off the bench in Nathan Roth (10 ppg, 3.4 apg) and Maurice McGee (10.5 ppg).

Brewer has been particularly pleased with Jacobs, a San Gorgonio product who quit the team early in the fall, only to return a few days later. He was 8-for-14 from 3-point land earlier against Ventura.

No. 2 Citrus had a 31-game win streak that dates back to last season snapped when it lost to Reedley 72-68 on Nov. 29 at a tournament it hosted.

It’s last previous loss came to Antelope Valley last year in the semifinal of the same tournament at Riverside.

The Owls also rely on their balance with sophomore guard Justin Johnson (13.7 ppg), freshman guard Jose Rivera (13.4 ppg), sophomore forward Troy Payne (10.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg), sophomore guard Steven Bennett (10.3 ppg, 3.9 apg) all in double figures.

SBVC and Citrus are two of the teams that carry lofty state rankings into the event. Riverside (10-3), which opens play tonight against College of the Desert, is No. 5.
Others are No. 9 Yuba and No. 19 Pasadena City College.

RCC is led by sophomore guard Robert Robinson (17.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and sophomore forward Charles Garcia (12.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg). Among the other key players are freshman guard Daniel Redmon (5.5 ppg, 4.7 apg) and freshman forward Kevin Bradshaw (5.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), both out of Upland High School.

 at Riverside CC

Tuesday’s games

Fullerton (4-4) vs. East Los Angeles (4-6), 1 p.m.
Mt. San Jacinto (6-4) vs. Long Beach City (4-4), 3 p.m.
West Los Angeles (6-4) vs. Compton (1-9), 5 p.m.
Desert (5-4) vs. Riverside (10-3), 7 p.m.

Wednesday’s games
Antelope Valley (6-6) vs. Pasadena (7-3), 1 p.m.
Yuba (6-1) vs. Palomar (4-4), 3 p.m.
Saddleback (4-5) vs. Imperial Valley (1-7), 5 p.m.
Citrus (10-1) vs. San Bernardino Valley (8-2), 7 p.m.

By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer

RIVERSIDE – Last year the biggest problem for the Victor Valley
College football team was offense. That doesn’t look to be the
problem this year.

Freshman quarterback O’Ryan Bradley threw for 236 yards and the
Rams amassed 441 yards total offense but fell to host Riverside
Community College Saturday at Wheelock Field in the 2008 debut for
both teams.

Victor Valley Coach Dave Hoover was not surprised with the numbers
since his team looked much the same in last week’s scrimmage. While
they moved the ball successfully against a quality foe, they gave up
359 yards.

“We didn’t play hard enough and we didn’t play physical enough,”
Hoover said after addressing his team at midfield. “It was the first
college game for a lot of these guys and I don’t think they
understood the intensity you have to play it. I hope they know now.”

That doesn’t mean the winning side was completely satisfied
either. Riverside’s Bill Brown wasn’t pleased with his defense or his
special teams as the Tigers missed four extra points.

“I wasn’t happy that we gave up 51 points and we have to work on
our special teams,” he said. “We have some great athletes and we’re
going to make some plays. If we can iron out a few things, we should
have a chance at winning the conference.”

Victor Valley stuck with RCC early. It spotted the host team a
7-0 lead with Redlands High graduate Coy Glass directing a 62-yard
drive on the team’s first possession that ended with a 36-yard toss
to Travis Carter.

The Rams drew even on their ensuing possession, striking with the
big play as Bradley connected with Silverado product Deandre
Glasper on a 70-yard pass play with Glasper hauling in the pass at
the Tigers 30 and racing the rest of the way.

The Rams took a 10-7 lead on a 39-yard field goal by Andrew
Paredes but that lead was short lived as RCC retaliated soon after
with a drive of its own, this one ending with an 8-yard toss from
Glass to former high school teammate Corey Ham, giving the Tigers
back a 13-10 lead.

Victor Valley’s second lead of the game came when O.C. Craig
returned a punt 36 yards for a touchdown to go up 17-13. But that
would be its last advantage. RCC scored twice more before the end of
the half, both times on scoring passes by Glass. His 4-yarder to
Winston Hutchinson gave the Tigers a 20-17 edge and was the fourth
lead change of the half.

A 29-yarder from Glass to Jacob Slouka with 2:45 left in the second
quarter made it 27-17 and the Rams were never within single digits
again.

O’Bradley spread the ball out to nine different receivers with his
favorite target being Glasper, who caught four passes for 74 yards.
He also rushed for 47 on 11 tries. The biggest weapon in the ground
game was Ryan Sampson who who only had four carries but managed
66yards.

“I am disappointed because I thought it was a winnable game,”
Hoover said. “And it only gets tougher from here.”

Meanwhile Glass threw for 184 yards, evenly split among seven
receivers. He threw five touchdowns without an interception.

The Tigers rushed for 175 yards, 156 of that by Cedric Foster.

Next week the Rams will host Palomar at 1 p.m. while the Tigers
will head to the neighboring county to renew their rivalry with San
Bernardino Valley College at 6 p.m.

Victor Valley 10 7 7 7 – 31
Riverside 13 21 6 6 – 52

R – Travis Carter 36 pass from Coy Glass (Albert Jiminez kick)

VV – DeAndre Glasper 30 pass from O’Ryan Bradley (Andrew Paredes
kick)

VV – Parades 39 FG

R – Corey Ham 8 pass from Glass (kick failed)

VV – O.C. Craig 36 punt return (Paredes kick)

R – Winston Hutchenson 4 pass from Glass (Jiminez kick)

R – Jacob Slouka 29 pass from Glass (Jiminez kick)

R – Cedric Foster 7 run (Jiminez kick)

VV- Glasper 3 run (Paredes kick)

R- Foster 3 run (kick failed)

R – Hutchenson 9 pass from Glass (kick failed)

VV – Mel Carmichael 1 run (Paredes kick)

Riverside men’s track coach Jim McCarron announced today that two members of the District’s State Championship Track and Field Team have signed Division I scholarships.

Dylan Nielson, who ran the lead-off on the state-champion 4×100 relay team and also competed in the high hurdles, signed a full scholarship with Utah State. Meanwhile, teammate Lance Gonzales, who competed in the decathlon, javelin and long jump, has decided to continue his education and athletic career at Cal State Northridge on a full scholarship.

Both of these young men were clutch performers this year,” said McCarron. “They were big factors in the our state championship run, and I know will have an immediate impact at the conference and national level at their universities.”

Gonzales, who finished second in the decathlon and third in the javelin and seventh in the long jump at the state meet, is making a run for the 2012 Olympic Team in London. He concluded his career at Riverside as the record-holder in the decathlon, a student of distinction and a holder of a 3.4 GPA.

“I’m going to Northridge to focus specifically on the decathlon and possibly a shot at making the 2012 Olympic Team,” said Gonzales, who is majoring in Physical Education and plans to become a teacher and a coach.

Nielson, a graduate of Palm Desert High School, said “Utah is a place where I can get that business degree, continue to develop as a hurdler and possibly, too, make the 2012 Olympic Team.”

Mississippi Braves right-hander Thomas Hanson didn’t exactly get off to a good start in his outing Wednesday against the Birmingham Barons.

Hanson, a graduate of Redlands East Valley High School and Riverside Community College, issued two walks, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch in the first inning. But he regrouped quite nicely. In fact Hanson ended up throwing the first no-hitter in the history of the Double-A Southern League franchise, striking out a career-high 14 in a 6-0 victory.

“I felt really good in the bullpen warming up,” he said. “I was pumped, maybe a little too pumped. I just tried to calm myself down and just attack the strike zone the way I normally do.”

Hanson, 21, said it was his first no-hitter since Little League. He came close last year at Low-A Rome where he had a no-hitter broken up in the seventh.

A more casual approach this time helped.

“I tried not to think about it as much,” he said. “It is hard not to think about it. last year I kept sitting there thinking `I hope they don’t get a hit.’ This time I just tried to focus on what I had to do to get guys out.”

Hanson said Birmingham, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, had two hard hit balls, one coming on the last out of the game when Ricardo Nanita lined out to centerfielder Jordan Shafer.

“He got good wood on it. Squared up pretty good,” he said. “Fortunately it was right at someone.”

With the win Hanson improved to 4-3 on the season with a 4.32 earned run average in nine starts. He has 49 strikeouts in 50 innings. Take out one bad outing in which he allowed eight earned runs and his ERA is a nifty 3.02.

Hanson, a 22nd round draft pick, started the season with the Braves affiliate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., of the High-A Carolina League but earned a promotion after going 3-1 with 49 strikeouts in 40 innings and an 0.90 ERA in seven starts there.

Riverside Athletic Director Barry Meier announced today that he has hired
Monica Trainer as the Tigers’ volleyball coach. Trainer has been an
assistant coach at UC Riverside for the past 22 years to UC Riverside Head
Coach Sue Gozansky.

Trainer becomes Riverside’s first full-time coach in nearly 10 years.

“This is a great time for me in my career,” said Trainer. “I’m excited to
run my own program. Obviously, I’ve learned a lot while at UCR, but I’m so
excited to try things on my own.”

Trainer said she knew from the beginning this was the right move for her.

“It’s funny as soon as I stepped on campus I felt welcome,” she said. “I
remember thinking after the interview how much I would love to work at the
college.

“Everyone was so supportive and so personable.”

Trainer and her family have a lot of tradition with the community college
system. Her husband, Joe, is a graduate of the Riverside District’s nursing
program. Trainer herself attended San Bernardino Valley College and her
daughter attended Mt. San Jacinto College.

After attending San Bernardino Valley, Trainer began an outstanding
three-year career at San Jose State. She was drafted by the San Jose Diablos
of the International Volleyball Association, and a year later, she embarked
upon a four-year European semi-pro career, playing in Luzern, Switzerland
from 1981 to 1983 and in Albizzate, Italy, in 1983-84, winning championships
in both stops.

She returned to the United States in 1985 and joined Gozansky’s staff at UC
Riverside as an assistant. In her tenure, UCR has won a Division II national
title and made three trips to the Elite Eight.

Since 1978, Trainer has instructed at many summer camps throughout the
United States with UCLA volleyball coach Al Scates, AAF, Converse, and the
USVBA. In 1995 she traveled to Italy as coach of “Sports for
Understanding,” She has teamed with Gozansky to work with the Department of
Defense Dependent Students (DoDDS) Camp in Manheim, Germany, where she
taught volleyball to United States students who are living in Germany,
Italy, Turkey, Belgium and Greece.

Trainer has continued her volleyball playing career by participating in US
Volleyball Association (USAV) tournaments across the nation and has earned
11 All-America selections. She was a member of the Seniors national
championship team in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003.

Trainer attended Rim of the World High School, graduating in 1976. She
played softball, tennis and basketball, but did not play volleyball until
her senior year.

Trainer attended San Bernardino Valley College as a freshman, then
transferred to SJSU, where she graduated with a degree in human performance
and a minor in psychology. She went on to earn her teaching credential and a
master’s degree in guidance counseling from Cal State University, San
Bernardino. She is an American Red Cross Instructor Trainer for various
health, safety and aquatics programs for future teachers.

Trainer and her husband Joe live in Murrieta and are proud grandparents of
Daniel, Abigail and Elena.