GITTELSON BITS column

By Gerry Gittelson on May 27, 2007 5:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (339) |

Taft's Noble keeping his options open
GERRY GITTELSON, Columnist

Craig Noble, a Taft of Woodland Hills junior who's considered one of California's top returning defensive linemen, has retracted his oral commitment to Washington because of increasing interests from other schools.

"He's still very interested in Washington, but Craig just looked really great at a few of these combines, and now he wants to hear what other schools have to offer," Taft assistant coach Sean Pollard said.

Noble wasn't available for comment.

Among those interested are USC and UCLA, along with Washington State, Arizona State, Utah, Oregon, Oregon State and others.

"Pete Carroll was by the other day, so that gives you an idea," Pollard said. "For Craig's size, he's a man-child and has an enormous vertical jump. Just so athletically and physically gifted."

-- It's been a good week for sportswriters who've made the transition to coaching high school sports.

The Daily News' very own Jack Pollon has been appointed head boys' basketball coach at Malibu High, and former Antelope Valley Press reporter Brett Pape has been named head football coach at Antelope Valley High.

Pollon, 30, was a Taft assistant this past season. He replaces Carlos Gray, who will remain as the boys' and girls' volleyball coach.

"Malibu is going to be a good place to work," Pollon said. "There's lots of support and good things happening for the basketball team, and it's right across from the beach. What more could you ask for?"

In other coaching news, Golden Valley High baseball coach Michael Bunch has resigned for personal reasons, school administrator Sal Frias said. Bunch, who went 6-17 this past season, is slated to remain on campus as a teacher.

-- After 55 years, the annual Shrine All-Star Football Classic has been discontinued, sad news but a boost for the 10th annual East-West All-Star Game, slated for 3:30 p.m. June 10 at Birmingham High in Lake Balboa.

The East-West event raises money for the Valley Youth Conference, a local Pop Warner football organization.

"They offered me to run the Shrine game, too, but I just don't have the time or energy," East-West organizer Bill Speer said.

-- After he graduates next year, a lot of people are going to miss Larry Drew Jr., a Taft junior who's committed to play basketball at North Carolina, but just wait until you see Drew's brothers, Landon, 12, and Lawson, 9.

All three have great genes, of course, because their father is Larry Drew Sr., who played 10 NBA seasons.

"Oh yeah, at this stage Landon is more advanced than Larry (Jr.) at the same age," Taft coach Derrick Taylor said. "And Lawson, he's just 9 but can absolutely play at a high level right now."

Meanwhile, Drew Jr. isn't the only Taft returnee who's on the recruiting radar. The others include sophomores Terran Carter (Long Beach State, Notre Dame) and Justin Hawkins (Arizona State, Kansas State, Notre Dame) and juniors Bryce Smith (UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine and several Ivy League schools) and Eugene Phelps (Long Beach State and Pepperdine).

-- As the school year winds down, some of the area's top remaining football prospects who've waited to fit in somewhere are finalizing their college choices.

Canyon linebacker Nick Jurado is headed to Air Force, and Saugus offensive lineman Ramsen Golpashin has turned down some small-college offers to play at Oregon as a walk-on after a home visit this past week with assistant Steve Greatwood.

-- Robbie Mouselli of Valencia has been named Foothill League baseball MVP.

The junior was 6-3 with a 2.39 ERA and batted .506 with three home runs and 36RBIs.

-- Ryan Braun, who played baseball at Granada Hills, made his major-league debut for the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night. He was 1 for 4 with two RBIs against host San Diego.

-- Chatsworth High baseball stars Mike Moustakas and Matt Dominguez are always together, including now on the cover of the June issue of RISE Magazine.

<strong>Gerry Gittelson's column appears in the Daily News twice a week.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

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