Gerry Gittelson: April 2008 Archives

Chris Abraham, a receiver and part-time quarterback at Monroe, has committed to UC Davis.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Stephen Thompson, a top volleyball player for Oak Park, has committed to Loyola in Chicago after an official visit in February. He has also visited New York University and UC San Diego.

Thompson is the second Oak Park player ever to commit to a DI program, following Justin Burridge (2005), who went to Pacific.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

According to scout.com, Oaks Christian's returning tight end Christopher Coyle has been offered a scholarship by Boise State, where ex-Oaks Christian's graduating senior QB/WR Chris Potter is headed.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

It has taken a while, but Mike Moustakas, California's all-time HR leader while in high school at Chatsworth, hit his first professional home run Monday for single-A Burlington (Iowa), The No. 2 overall pick in the draft by the Royals, Moustakas is batting .214 with three RBIs (two Monday) in 42 at-bats.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Stephen Wirthlin, an All-Foothill League receiver/defensive back at Canyon, suffered a broken neck Friday when he lost control of his truck and rolled it twice.

The good news is Wirthlin is expected to make a full recovery, though it will take two years, he said.

"I'm pretty sore all over. The doctor said no sports for two years," Wirthlin said.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Stephen Wirthlin, an All-Foothill League receiver/defensive back at Canyon, suffered a broken neck Friday when he lost control of his truck and rolled it twice.

The good news is Wirthlin is expected to make a full recovery, though it will take two years, he said.

"I'm pretty sore all over. The doctor said no sports for two years," Wirthlin said.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Adam Landecker, a junior shorstop at Calabasas, has committed to a USC baseball scholarship, according to his father, Ron.

Landecker, an honor student, picked the Trojans over Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, Cal, Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State and Dartmouth.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Adam Landecker, a junior shorstop at Calabasas, has committed to a USC baseball scholarship, according to his father, Ron.

Landecker, an honor student, picked the Trojans over Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, Cal, Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State and Dartmouth.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Westlake center fielder Cutter Dykstra, son of former Major Leaguer Lenny Dykstra, received stitches in his head Wednesday after running into the fence trying to save a home run by Newbury Park's Jojo Sharrar in the first inning of a 5-0 loss.

“It really wasn’t that bloody. Cutter is fine,” Westlake coach Zach Miller said. “The kid just leaves it all on the field, and when he tried to rob a home run, he hit the fence and the ball was jarred loose.”

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Three more Crespi players have committed to four-year colleges: Harry Grace is going to Cal Lutheran, Alex Gutman is headed to Colorado, and Alex Diaz is going to Cal Poly SLO.

Wow, that makes 11 college commitments. The others are: Sean Gilmartin (Florida State ), Carlos Lopez (Cal State Fullerton), Ryan Hawthorne (Loyola Marymount ), Jeremy Rodriguez (Cal State Bakersfield), Tyler Johnson (Stony Brook), Spencer Wolfe (Puget Sound) and Travis Forbes and Jake Dahlstrum (University of San Diego).

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

... Christian Lopes, Valencia's freshman phenom, in Wednesday's Daily News.

gerry.gittelson#@dailynews.com

Check out this story for some proof that high school football players aren't all bad -- at least in Phoenix, as a group of Gilbert High players helped to catch a thief who was stealing from the school lockers.

gerry,gittelson@dailynews.com

Hey all,

Check out the Signal's story by Cary Osborne on West Ranch freshman golfer J.J. Holen. It's a good one.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Former Chatsworth star Mike Moustakas, California's all-time home run hitter who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Royals, continues to struggle at single-A Burlington, Iowa. In 50 at-bats, the shortstop is batting .220 with no extra-base hits and one RBI. Moustakas, who signed for a reported $4 million bonus, has struck nine times and committed five errors.

What a Babe Ruth-style performance Friday from LMU-bound Shon Roe, who went 5 for 5 with four home runs, a triple and 12 RBIs for Quartz Hill in a 25-0 victory over visiting Littlerock.

Roe's four home runs tied a Southern Section record co-held by 10 others, the last in 2000. The only area large-school player ever to hit four in one game was Westlake's Mike Lieberthal, who hit four against Simi Valley in 1990 in a 15-5 victory.

The 13 RBIs fell one short of the Southern Section/CIF State record of 14.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Crespi's Travis Forbes and Jake Dahlstrum have committed to University of San Diego, bringing to eight the total number of college commitments for Crespi.

The others are: Sean Gilmartin (Florida State), Carlos Lopez (Cal State Fullerton), Ryan Hawthorne (Loyola Marymount), Jeremy Rodriguez (Cal State Bakersfield), Tyler Johnson (Stony Brook), and Spencer Wolfe (Puget Sound).

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Yes, she's a bit out of our area and she's playing against questionable competition compared to most Valley softball players, but Alia Williams of Crenshaw is putting up some SICK numbers. In 15 games, the junior is batting .727 with 14 home runs -- including at least one over the past seven consecutive games -- with 45 RBIs in 55 at-bats.

And talk about consistency: Williams has at least one hit in every game, and at least two hits in all but one contest. Six times she has driven in four runs or more in a game. She also is 16 of 16 on stolen bases.

I'd love to see Williams perform against a top City pitcher such as El Camino Real's Krista Cobb. Now that would be fun.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

DAILY NEWS TOP 10
1. Notre Dame (18-2)
2. Crespi (15-5)
3. Hart (13-5)
4. Chatsworth (14-6)
5. Valencia (13-5)
6. Simi Valley (14-6)
7. Thousand Oaks (13-9)
8. Saugus (13-6)
9. Cleveland (17-4-1)
10. Royal (15-6)

OTHERS: El Camino Real (15-7); Crescenta Valley (12-4); Loyola (11-10); Westlake (12-7); Newbury Park (13-7); Camarillo (13-5); Quartz Hill (13-5-2); Malibu (12-3).

Boron’s Brad Sailer has struck out 18, 14 and 15 over his past three starts. He is 3-2 with a 1.60 ERA and 88 Ks in 43 2/3 innings – an average of more than 14 per seven innings.

Sailer is also batting .409 with six HRs and 23 RBIs in 44 ABs.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Simi Valley standout Lorne Jackson has signed with Pepperdine after averaging 22.9 points and 6.8 assists this past season.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

In a Mission League game Wednesday, St. Francis and Loyola were in the bottom of the eighth inning with none out at Brookside Park in Pasadena when the lights automatically shut off at 10 p.m. with host St. Francis trailing 8-5 with J.P. Nolan at third base and Andrew Yu at the plate.

“Was I mad? Oh, just a little bit,” St. Francis coach Brian Esquival said. “We knew this might happen at 10, so we were trying to get someone from city of Pasadena on the phone to adjust the timer.”

The game is scheduled to be completed Friday at Loyola, followed immediately by a second game to finish a two-game series.

Meanwhile, St. Francis badly needs a victory. Because of defensive lapses, the Golden Knights have lost five of the past seven games to fall into fifth place.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Attorneys for both sides are working on a plea bargain in the case of Andre LaBeach, a Chatsworth High girls’ junior-varsity basketball coach jailed since April 1 on four felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor at least three years younger.

LaBeach, 22, has pled not guilty and is being held on $80,000 bail. He is facing up to five years in state prison and/or a possible fine, according to a court official.

The alleged victim’s name is being withheld because of the nature of the charges.

During a brief court appearance Tuesday before Judge Leland B. Harper in Van Nuys to set a preliminary hearing, LaBeach had the support of about a dozen family members and friends.

“It’s always nice to have that kind of community support. Hopefully, it will work out for him,” said defense attorney Meredith Schensul, a public defender.

Deputy District Attorney Alisanne Scolnik said: “We are in resolution status – maybe. We’ve ordered a preliminary probation report which will assist in determining (a plea bargain).”

Scolnik said it wasn’t appropriate to comment further.

The case was continued until May 14, at which time a deal could be finalized, according to both sides. Schensul said LaBeach has no prior criminal record.

“He’s a good kid. So far he’s handling it OK,” she said.

Dressed in a jail-issued blue uniform, LaBeach, unshaven, appeared nervous but relieved to see his supporters. At one point, he was reprimanded by the judge for turning his back to make eye contact with a woman who gave him a thumbs up, and LaBeach apologized.

Prior to working at Chatsworth as a walk-on coach and campus aide, LaBeach played basketball at Cleveland High in Reseda. He has coached Chatsworth’s girls’ JV team for at least two seasons, and he also has coached a summer travel team.

According to a source, LaBeach was attending college before taking a break this past semester. It is unclear whether LaBeach was working toward earning his teaching credential.

A conviction could prevent LaBeach from becoming a certified teacher, according to prominent Encino attorney Andrew Flier, who is not involved in the case.

“I do a lot of these cases, and it sounds like a probationary sentence could be worked out if he has no criminal record and no force was used,” Flier said. “The real issue is, as soon as he pleads guilty, there goes his teaching credential, and that could be a huge issue.”

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Vinnie Johnson has been appointed head football coach at Cleveland High in Reseda, replacing Derrick Hill.

An official announcement is expected soon.

Johnson, 36, has been the head JV coach at Birmingham of Lake Balboa the past three seasons. He previously worked as a Birmingham varsity assistant.

"I was offered the job, and I accepted. I'm pretty eager to get there and to what I have to do," Johnson said. "I feel like there is a lot of work to be done, but there is a lot of potential with this program."

Johnson, who lives in Reseda, played at running back, receiver and defensive back at Cleveland from 1987-90.

"I feel happy for him," Birmingham coach Ed Croson said. "Guys come through our program for a few years, then get a chance to take a step up. I hope it works out for him."

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com_________________________________________________________

After being publicly challenged by Campbell Hall coach Terry Kelly to renew a nonleague series against fellow San Fernando Valley power Taft, Derrick Taylor, Taft's coach, says "Let's go."

The teams didn't play each other in 2007-2008 because the coaches had a falling out the previous season, as Campbell Hall eventually won its third Southern Section title and third state title over four years, while Taft won the City championship.

There remain details to iron out, but it looks like the teams will play a Saturday game this coming Jan. 17 or Jan. 24.

Stay tuned ...

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Talked to Chatsworth principal Tim Guy a moment ago, hoping for a comment on girls' JV basketball coach Andre Lebeach, who has been arrested on a felony "sex with a minor" charge and is jailed with an $80,000 bail.

Guy said: "I'm just concerned," but defered further comment to district officials. Called the district spokeswoman, and she said she would call back soon, so we will update when we can.

Labeach was arrested April 1. He is scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in Van Nuys.

Talked to Chatsworth principal Tim Guy a moment ago, hoping for a comment on girls' JV basketball coach Andre Lebeach, who has been arrested on a felony "sex with a minor" charge and is jailed with an $80,000 bail.

Guy said: "I'm just concerned," but defered further comment to district officials. Called the district spokeswoman, and she said she would call back soon, so we will update when we can.

Guy was arrested April 1. He is scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in Van Nuys.

More information has surfaced on the felony arrest of Chatsworth girls' JV coach Andre Labeach: The charge is sex with a minor, according to a police source.

Labeach, 22, was arrested April 1 and is being held on $80,000 bail, according to a police source. He is scheduled to make a court apperance Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in Van Nuys.

Calls to Chatsworth principal Tim Guy, Chatsworth athletic director Mike Immken and former Chatsworth principal Jeff Davis have not been returned.

Labeach formerly played varsity basketball for Cleveland of Reseda's boys' team.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Chatsworth girls' JV coach Andre Labeach has been arrested on felony charges and is being held in Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles on $80,000 bail, according to a police source.

The nature of the charges is unclear, but we're investigating.

Labeach, 22, was arrested by the LAPD (West Valley Division) on April 1 at 5 p.m. and booked into the Van Nuys Jail. His next scheduled court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in Van Nuys.

Labeach played varsity basketball at Cleveland High in Reseda.

More updates as they come ...

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

FOOTHILL
Valencia’s Robbie Mouselli, the reigning league player of the year, reached base nine consecutive times before ending the streak last Friday with a groundout against Canyon. …

Hart set a school-record for most runs in a game Friday in a 29-0 victory over Golden Valley.

FRONTIER
After winning 21 games last year, Grace Brethren is just 6-8, 3-2 under first-year coach Chuck Brown.

“Some of the returning players decided not to play, so we’ve been getting by with fewer players,” Brown said. “The biggest problem has been defense and giving up unearned runs, which is never good. But we’re shifting some kids around and getting better. I think we’ll turn the corner.”

Brett Hockenberry leads the team with a .359 average, 22 runs and 22 SBs in 23 attempts.

GOLDEN

Antelope Valley RHP Joey Sandfrey has rejoined the baseball team after first deciding to concentrate on golf this spring, so Sandfrey is juggling four sports including football and wrestling. He has signed with Quincy University to play football in college.


MISSION
Crespi RHP E.C. McSweeney is expected to start today against Loyola after recovering from being hit in the face with a baseball during practice. He had a black eye and some swelling Tuesday. “It’s OK. I love having a black eye,” McSweeney said.

Also, Crespi SS Austin Walker remains sidelined with a shoulder injury. Zack Wiley has replaced Walker the past two games. …

Alemany has been missing two key RHPs. Spencer Messmore, who beat Chatsworth early this season, has been out for four weeks because of hamstring injury. Kevin Lenik has been out for three weeks because of a sore elbow. Both are expected back soon.

MARMONTE
Newbury Park OF Matt Hirsch, a transfer from Montclair Prep, remains out with a knee injury. He is hoping to return in two weeks.

PACIFIC

Since an opening loss to Murrieta Valley, Travis Feldman (6-1, 1.47 ERA) of Crescenta Valley has won six in a row. Teammate Kris Kauppila is batting .477 with three HRs and 14 RBIs in 44 ABs.

WEST VALLEY
With a lineup filled with freshmen and sophomores, Granada Hills is enduring some growing pains. The Highlanders (6-12, 0-3) have lost nine of the past 10. Freshman SS Matt Troupe is batting .320, and sophomore 1B Boyd Bell is 9 of his last 19 with two HRs.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

After struggling over recent seasons in the shadow of West Valley League powers Chatsworth, El Camino Real of Woodland Hills and Cleveland of Reseda, Taft of Woodland Hills is back on the baseball map under third-year coach Chuck Berrington.

Taft has registered upset victories over Chatsworth and Cleveland, and the Toreadors (7-10, 2-3) suddenly find themselves back in the thick of things.

DN: When you came to Taft three years ago, you took over a program that had won five of its previous 50 games. Did people say you were crazy for taking this job?

CB: Absolutely. But (then-athletic director) Troy Starr had called me while I was coaching as an assistant at Ventura College, and I was pretty much burned out with coaching JC baseball, and I didn’t like it. So I just ran with it.

DN: Your first impressions?

CB: Well, the field was a disaster, but I work on fields – it’s one of the things I do because I grew up on a farm. So every Saturday and Sunday I worked on the field. We were 5-22 our first year, and I had to get rid of some players that weren’t working hard. Then we went 12-20 last year.

DN: You’ve got a good pitcher, junior Ryan Santhon. He’s developing into one of the area’s top young left-handers, would you agree?

CB: Yes. He’s actually been our No. 1 pitcher since his freshman year. He’s also batting .407 this season.

DN: Who else is doing well?

CB: Matt Freeman. He’s our second baseman, a good clutch hitter who’s batting .345. Also, Madison Turner, he’s a transfer from Chaminade, a left-fielder batting .340.

DN: Well, you made a big statement this year by beating defending champion Chatsworth for the first time in 28 games, then beating Cleveland, the City runner-up last season – on the road.

CB: Yeah, I coached a long time at Westlake, and we had a lot of big wins. But beating Chatsworth was really special. Teams think they come here and win easily, but we’re playing well. I’m trying to rebuild the program, bring back the tradition that was built by some players who played at Taft like Larry Dierker, Robin Yount and Gabe Kapler. Back in those days Taft won a lot of games.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Crescenta Valley is 10-4 but has played only three home games.

“We’re road warriors,” coach Phil Torres said.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Here are some updates on how some of the area's local grads are doing in college:

Pepperdine’s Nick Gaudi (Paraclete) is among the nation’s college save leaders with eight. He is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA. Teammate Matt Aidem (Valencia) is batting .371. …

Arizona’s Jason Stoffel (Agoura) has five saves. He is 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 20 Ks in 16 1/3 innings. Teammate Bobby Coyle (Chatsworth) is batting .355. …

California’s Josh Satin (Harvard-Westlake) has nine home runs in 28 games.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

DAILY NEWS TOP 10

1. Crespi (13-3)
2. Notre Dame (14-2)
3. Hart (12-5)
4. Chatsworth (13-4)
5. Valencia (11-4)
6. Westlake (11-4)
7. Saugus (12-4)
8. Thousand Oaks (10-8)
9. Simi Valley (12-5)
10. Cleveland (15-3-1)

OTHERS: El Camino Real (13-6); Newbury Park (13-6); Royal (13-6); Crescenta Valley (10-4); Camarillo (12-4); Quartz Hill (11-5-2); St. Francis (12-5); Malibu (11-2).

Saugus, riding a six-game winning streak, faces West Ranch at 2 p.m. today -- all the way in Corona Del Mar in the Beach Pit Classic final.

Saugus defeated another Foothill League team, Canyon, in the semifinals Monday.

"i suggested just playing the game here," Saugus coach John Maggiora said. "The Foothill League has just kind of dominated this tournament."

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

It's still early -- 11 league games remaining, plus one nonleague game -- but El Camino Real (12-6, 2-2) could find itself in a hole with another West Valley League loss Wednesday at Taft (7-9, 2-2), which has scored upset league victories over Cleveland (14-3-1, 3-1) and Chatsworth (12-4, 3-1) over the past week and a half.

ECR, which has won five City titles through the years, lost twice to national power Chatsworth last week -- no shame in that, as the defending City champion Chancellors have won seven titles -- but the way the Conquistadores lost was not cool: two errors and a mental error in the bottom of the seventh to fall 1-0.

"Honestly, we didn't take advantage of opportunities, and that was pretty disappointing," ECR coach Vince Orlando said. "We were in a position to be successful."

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Doug South is the new football coach at Rosamond, replacing Lon Boyett, who left after finishing 1-9 last season.

South has coached at Lucerne Valley the past four seasons, also serving as athletic director.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Quinn Williams, a top volleyball player and the daughter of longtime Palmdale football coach Jeff Williams, is scheduled to sign a national letter of intent to Long Island University at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning in a special campus ceremony at Palmdale. Also scheduled to sign is Derrin Ford, a defensive back who is headed to Upper Iowa University on a football scholarship.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Spencer Wolfe, a reserve outfielder from Crespi, has just five at-bats this season (he is 3 for 5) but has committed to Puget Sound. Perhaps the college likes the fact he is ambidextrious. He can also pitch.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

For 22 years, George Cliffords, father of former El Camino Real baseball standout Woody Cliffords, has continued to present silver dollars for those who hit home runs. He brings a pocketful to every game.

Ex-ECR player Conor Jackson has saved them all and has more than 50 because Cliffords coached him in Pony League, too.

“Lately I’ve had to switch to two half-dollars, though,” Cliffords said, “because the price of silver has gone so much that silver dollars were costing me more than four dollars.”

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Once among California’s most feared small-schools baseball programs while winning six Southern Section titles from 1978 to 1991, Montclair Prep of Panorama City has fallen on hard times during recent seasons – relatively speaking – but is hoping to make a comeback under new coach Rick Weber, even though several top underclassmen from last season have transferred, such as Matt Hirsch (Newbury Park) and Pedro Aldape (Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks).

A year ago, Weber, 44, was enjoying his young retirement after coaching for a total of 13 seasons at Birmingham of Lake Balboa, Buckley of Sherman Oaks and Bel-Air Prep of Los Angeles. Then the phone rang. It was longtime friend Ken Smith, Montclair Prep’s athletic director, who convinced Weber to be the Mounties’ new coach, replacing Matt Whisenant, who had been forced out.

So far, so good.

Montclair Prep, sitting in first place in the Olympic League, is 10-4-1, 3-0 and has a four-game unbeaten streak heading into Tuesday's league showdown against Campbell Hall

. “Some kids left, some transferred, but the kids who are here have really stepped up and done well,” Weber said. “It’s a great bunch. There is a lot of cohesiveness and team unity, and that can make up for a lot.”

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Allegations of hazing and abuse within the Saugus High baseball program have been investigated but proved unsubstantiated, according to school officials, and no disciplinary measures will be taken, said school athletic director Kevin Miner.

Miner confirmed Friday he was aware of a widely-circulated anonymous letter detailing alleged misdeeds by head coach John Maggiora and assistants Doug Maggiora and George Lopata.

Several players quit before the season opener, another quit recently, and another recently was declared academically ineligible. But it’s not the coaches’ fault, Miner said.

“John Maggiora has a clean disciplinary record,” Miner said. “This is just a case of a disgruntled parent trying to stir things up but without the (nerves) to put his name on the letter. How credible is that? We talked to most of the kids on the team, and that was the end of it.”

Maggiora said: “I’d rather not comment on it because I haven’t seen the letter, but I’ve been told everything is OK. I’ve seen enough of these kinds of things through the years, and it’s almost always about playing-time issues. “I mean, I could see if we were 2-10 how a lot of people could be unhappy, but we’re 8-4 and we’ve won (four) in a row.”

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

Simi Valley's Langston Jackson has been offered a scholarship by George Mason University, where he is scheduled to take a visit in two weeks before making a committment.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com