September 2008 Archives

The way the University of Redlands football team played for two weeks, it wouldn't be going out on a limb to say the Bulldogs were the heavy favorite to win a SCIAC championship.

As always Occidental looked like the stiffest competition with Cal Lutheran the other possible stumbling block. But Redlands has both those games at home.

Now comes word that quarterback Dan Selway is out with a broken foot. Hmmmmm! Things just got a lot more interesting.

Injuries are never good, especially one of that magnitude. But the Bulldogs still have some things in their favor. First, Selway was injured in the game against Whitworth on Sept. 20. The Bulldogs were idle last week so understudy Steve Smith will have two full weeks to get ready.

Second, Smith is not a newcomer. He played in each of the first two games, although it was in a mop-up role. He also played the second half of the playoff game last year at St. John's (Minn.) when Selway was sidelined by a shoulder injury. There is no bigger stage than that one and Smith performed admirably.

Third, the Bulldogs get La Verne first. While the Leopards look to be much-improved, they are probably still at least a year away from seriously challenging for a conference title. This should be a good game for Smith to get his feet wet.

Oxy is up after that. But let's see how the Bulldogs do this week without Selway for the first time.

Did the Bulldogs lofty hopes go down with Selway? Probably not. The Bulldogs have enough left to contend. They just have a little less room for error.

For three weeks the Chaffey football team found a way to compete despite all its injuries. It helped that all those games were against lower-tier teams.

The Panthers weren't so lucky this week, losing to former Foothill Conference foe Grossmont 51-16.

"We did it with smoke and mirrors I think," veteran coach Carl Beach said. "Those games were ones where we weren't physically challenged. We were beating teams we should beat but we don't have any more easy ones the rest of the way."

The Panthers (3-1) begin National Division Central Conference play next week. Grossmont is an upper-tier team, but is in the Southern Conference.

The biggest problems for the Panthers in the loss to the Griffins were special teams and turnovers. Beach spent most of Sunday watching tape of his next foe but will also be breaking down the film of his team's game to see where the problems occurred.

He didn't count out making personnel changes, including using some starters on special teams.

"You hate having to use starters there but we may not have a choice," he said. "You have to look and see who's killing you and get him out of there."

Then there were the turnovers -- four interceptions and two fumbles to be exact.

Beach used three quarterbacks, with starter Greg Sprowls throwing for 116 yards on 11 completions but tossing three interceptions. Backup A.J. Springer made a cameo appearance, followed by Mike Stirewalt, who threw the fourth interception with the game already out of hand.

The Panthers trailed 21-0 after the first quarter and were down 37-0 before they finally scored. The large deficit also hurt because they had to go away from their game plan of running the ball. Mark Chase has been the most consistent weapon but had 75 yards on just nine carries.

Beach said Grossmont took the game more seriously.

"They were up for us. It has been a rivalry when we were in the same conference but our kids could have cared less," he said.

"I'm thinking about cutting our practices from three hours to a half hour with a 15-minute ice cream break thrown in. We'd get the same amount of work done and everyone would be a lot happier."

University of Redlands junior quarterback Dan Selway, the reigning SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year, will not play in next week's conference opener at La Verne.

Selway sustained a broken foot late in the first half last week against Whitworth (Wash.) yet still played in the second half. An X-ray later revealed the extent of the injury.

Selway threw for 489 yards (46-for-63) and five touchdowns in the first two games. He threw for 2,429 yards and 22 touchdowns in leading the Bulldogs to a SCIAC title in 2007.

He will be replaced by junior Steve Smith, who saw action in both the first two games. While his time in those games came in mop-up duty, Smith has played in pressure situations. He entered in the second half of last year's playoff game at St. John's with Selway out with a shoulder injury and completed 12 of 16 passes for 93 yards.

"It hurts to lose Dan but we have the utmost confidence in Steve," Bulldogs coach Mike Maynard said. "He has been here and knows the offense and he has good players around him."

Selway also did the punting and will be repalce there by true freshman Wes Norris.

The Bulldogs are ranked in three national polls, the highest being a No. 19 by the American Football Coaches Association.

University of La Verne football coach Andy Ankeny wanted to challenge his team. So instead of scheduling a cream puff or two for nonconference games, he thought big.

The Leopards lost their opener two weeks ago to Northwest Conference champion Whitworth (Wash.). Saturday they faced No. 25 Willamette, another team from that conference. The result was a 44-0 loss Saturday afternoon at Ortmayer Stadium.

The second-year coach doesn't regret that strategy, even though his team is coming off a 1-8 showing in 2007.

"I want to see where we are as a program," he said. "It's not about where we are Monday when we're getting ready for Redlands. It's about what we want our program to look like long term."

The game got away from the Leopards (0-2) in the third quarter. They only trailed 14-0 at the half with an interception by La Verne's Taylor Hart in the end zone on the last play of the half preventing another Bearcats score.

But the Leopards got off to a slow start and were forced to punt from deep in their own territory on their first possession in the second half. Jason Carpenter's punt was blocked by Harmon Bruno and went out of the end zone for a safety, making it 16-0.

The Bearcats (4-0) set up at the 41 after Jose Green returned the free kick. The visitors capitalized on the next play as Deon Horne raced the distance for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to extend the lead to 23-0.

The Leopards were not in striking distance again.

Willliamette, located in Salem, Ore., put up 21 more points in the final quarter. It was headed for more with the ball in the closing minute at the La Verne 16 but coach Mark Speckman had his quarterback take a knee.

Willamette tallied 506 yards offense, 329 of that coming on the ground. Horne rushed for 129 to lead that effort.

La Verne managed 216 with 149 of that coming through the air. The Leopards rushed for only 67 yards on 39 tries. Their running game struggled last week as well.

Special teams were also a problem with two punts blocked.

Hart led the derfense with nine tackles, the interceptions and a pass breakup. Carpenter had six tackles .

It won't get any easier next week as Redlands (2-0), ranked in three national polls the highest being a No. 19, comes in for a 1 p.m. game that will be the first in SCIAC play for both.

"I believe we're a better team than what we showed today," Ankeny said. "They outperformed us in every area and played with a greater sense of urgency. I really don't want to have that many more of these teaching moments."

It's hard to run the table - in any sport. The USC football team found that out Thursday night.

So here sits the Cal State volleyball team at 12-0. Like the Trojans, the Coyotes are No. 1 in the country in their sport. The Coyotes have not been forced to five sets yet and have given up just four games in 12 matches.

The Coyotes trek down to UC San Diego tonight for a showdown with their bitter rival. They then return home on Saturday to face NAIA power Cal Baptist. That's a tough back-to-back.

UC San Diego might be the easiest of the two just because it is the first. And its a conference match so it is more important. The Coyotes will have no trouble getting up for that match in the typically hostile environment.

It will be interesting to see how they come out the next night against the Lancers. A loss wouldn't be a bad thing. It's a nonconference match and its an NAIA foe so it likely wouldn't even hurt their national ranking.

A loss also lets the team know it is not invincible. Teams always get hungrier after being dealt a loss. And better now than later when it really matters!

The San Bernardino Valley College and Victor Valley College football teams were beat up and abused by foes from the stronger National Division for the last three weeks.

Now they get to take on opponents in the same boat. The two open American Division Mountain Conference play against each other at 1 p.m. in Victorville Saturday.

That means one team will stop the bleeding while the other will continue its freefall.

Both SBVC coach Pat Meech and Victor Valley coach Dave Hoover have been critical of the new scheduling and conference alignments that have the perceived weaker teams playing the power teams first in nonconference.

Overall the weaker teams went a cumulative of 6-42 against the big boys. The Rams are coming off a 73-13 shellacking by Mt. SAC while the Wolverines were thumped by Saddleback 69-14.

"It's like going out and playing USC every week when you're San Jose," Meech said. "You don't stand much of a chance."

"I don't see what good it does anyone," adds Hoover. "We didn't benefit by playing those teams and they certainly didn't get better by playing us."

Victor Valley started its season by playing Riverside, Palomar and Mt. SAC - teams ranked 25th, 11th and first in the state respectively.

SBVC also played Riverside but also faced No. 14 Desert and No. 17 Saddleback.
The Rams were more competitive, at least staying close for a half in their first two games.

SBVC has been manhandled by a cumulative score of 154-41 with most of its points coming at garbage time. It also has a losing streak of eight games that includes the last five games of 2007.

"We're definitely in need of something positive to build on," Meech said. "But I can't fault the effort. Our guys are showing up every single day and working hard. They just haven't had much to show for it."

The plight of the teams shows up in the statistics columns. In scoring offense Victor ranks 27th (14.7 ppg) while SBVC is 28th (13.7) of 37 teams. In scoring defense the Rams are 34th (47 ppg) while SBVC is 36th (51.3 ppg).

The Rams are a lofty sixth in passing offense (254.9 ypg) thanks to the effort of freshman quarterback O'Ryan Bradley but are just 29th in rushing (72.3 ypg).

SBVC is 27th in passing (158.7) and 35th in rushing (20.7).

The two teams are close defensively with the Rams 29th against the run (217.7) and 17th against the pass (195.3) while the Wolverines are 35th against the run (268.7) and 18th against the pass (198.3)

"In the past to win our conference you had to go undefeated so losing the first game really puts you behind the eight-ball," Hoover said. "It's a little different now. No one knows how this is going to play out but both of us really need a win."

It is a relatively light schedule for the local colleges. Chaffey (3-0) heads to Grossmont (1-2) for a 1 p.m. contest against the former Foothill Conference juggernaut.

But the University of Redlands, which is ranked in three national polls, is idle along with Pomona-Pitzer (1-1) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (1-1).

La Verne (0-1) will host Willamette (Ore.) at 1 p.m.

University of La Verne football coach Andy Ankeny is going to find out fast just how much his Leopard team has improved.

The Leopards, just 1-8 in Ankeny's inaugural season in 2007, dropped their season opener to Whitworth (Wash.) two weeks ago 22-13. That was the defending Northwest Conference champion so it was a moral victory of sorts.

But the tests won't get any easier. Today Willamette (Ore.), which plays in the same conference as Whitworth, marches in for a 1 p.m. showdown at Ortmayer Stadium. The Bearcats (3-0) moved into the D3football national rankings this week at No. 25.
Then next week the Leos open SCIAC play against No. 20 University of Redlands.

"We've decided to play as many ranked teams as possible," Ankeny said sarcastically.
"But this is really exciting for us as a program. What better way to see exactly where we are and how we stack up."

It will be the first meeting between the two schools. It will also be the second against a SCIAC team for Willamette, which bested Cal Lutheran 31-17 two weeks ago in Thousand Oaks.

The visitors will have one big advantage. Willamette, coming off a 31-23 win over Southern Oregon, will be playing its fourth game while La Verne will be playing just its second.

The Bearcats return 12 starters while La Verne has a steady mix of veterans and newcomers but hasn't had quite the chance to see how the rookies will fare.

Willamette is also making the road trip which might neutralize its other advantage.
La Verne also had an extra week to prepare.

"It's tough flying and then playing, no matter where you're going to or from," Ankeny said. "It makes a big difference. Hopefully that will be to our advantage."

The Leopards will be looking to get more out of the running game than it did in the opener. They are averaging 195 passing yards a game, ignited by junior quarterback Anthony Andre, a product of Riverside Poly High school and Riverside Community College.

But the running game is averaging just 34 yards per game.
Willamette is the opposite. It is averaging 219 on the ground and 79 through the air.

Defensively the Leopards, gave up 400 yards in their opener, 269 of that on the ground. The Bearcats have given up an average of 162 on the ground and 183 though the air.

Ankeny recognizes that the tough early schedule might mean his team's progress may not be reflected in the win column. But he likes what he is seeing from his players.

"Our guys are working hard and they are coming in expecting to win. We know it won't be easy but we're ready to compete," he said. "They have bought in to what we're trying to do. Now we'll see where we really are."

It is a light schedule this week among local colleges. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (1-1), Pomona-Pitzer (1-1) and University of Redlands (3-0) are all idle this week.

Injury-riddled Chaffey (3-0) will hit the road for a 1 p.m. game at Grossmont (1-2). It will be the final tuneup before the Panthers start National Division Central Conference play next week.
San Bernardino Valley College (0-3) will travel to Victor Valley (0-3) for the first game of American Division Mountain Conference action.

After a successful debut in 2007, the NCAA, Division II Disney's West Coast Tip-Off Classic will return in 2008 with an eight-team field, including four men's and four women's teams.  The Classic will be held November 7-9 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.

"The CCAA is extremely excited and happy to help sponsor this expanded Disney Classic event," CCAA Commissioner Robert J. Hiegert said. "This is a premier event and it has already proven to add to the prestige of Division II basketball. I am pleased to continue our relationship with Disney."

The tournament format calls for four games - two men's and two women's - to be played each day over three days.

The men's field will be comprised of Alaska-Anchorage, Fort Lewis, Humboldt State and Southwest Minnesota State. The women's field will include Cal Poly-Pomona, Central Washington, Concordia (Minn.) and Indianapolis.

Three of the four teams on the men's side advanced to NCAA post-season play during the 2007-08 campaign. Alaska-Anchorage captured the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) title and reached the NCAA, Division II semifinals. Senior forward Cameron Burney (5.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg., 1.3 apg.) is the lone returning starter from last year's Seawolves team that concluded the season with a program-best 29-6 overall record.

Fort Lewis also enjoyed a program-high in wins after posting a 24-6 overall record, capturing the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) before suffering a first-round loss in the NCAA Championships.

Humboldt State grabbed a share of the 2008 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title after posting a 22-8 overall record, including a 15-5 mark in conference play. After being upset in the first round of the CCAA Tournament, the Lumberjacks suffered a first-round loss in the NCAA West Regional Championships.

Sophomore guard Ernie Spada is the top returning player for Humboldt State after averaging 6.1 points, 1.6 assists and 1.4 rebounds a contest.

Southwest Minnesota State registered a 17-12 overall mark a year ago and finished third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) with an 11-7 conference mark. Junior forward Ross DeMasi returns as the Mustangs' leading scorer after averaging 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.

On the women's side, Cal Poly-Pomona recorded a 12-16 overall record, including an 8-12 mark in CCAA play. After finishing third in the regular-season standings, the Broncos advanced to the second round of the CCAA Tournament.

Central Washington concluded the 2007-08 campaign with a 13-13 overall mark and placed eighth in the GNAC with a 5-13 record.

Concordia (Minn.) captured the NSIC Tournament title before suffering a first-round loss in the first round of the North Central Regional Tournament. The Golden Bears concluded last season with a 28-3 overall mark, including a 16-2 record in conference play.

Indianapolis tied for first place in the East Division of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) with a 13-6 conference mark before falling in the opening round of the Great Lakes Regional Tournament and concluding the season with a 22-8 overall record.

2008 Division II Disney's West Coast Tip-Off Classic Schedule

Friday, November 7
MEN
Noon - Southwest Minnesota State vs. Alaska-Anchorage
2:30 p.m. - Fort Lewis vs. Humboldt State
WOMEN
5 p.m. - Concordia (Minn.) vs. Central Washington
7:30 p.m. - Game 2 - Indianapolis vs. Cal Poly-Pomona

Saturday, November 8
WOMEN
Noon - Concordia (Minn.) vs. Cal Poly-Pomona
2:30 p.m. - Central Washington vs. Indianapolis
MEN
5 p.m. - Humboldt State vs. Southwest Minnesota State
7:30 p.m. - Alaska-Anchorage vs. Fort Lewis

Sunday, November 9
MEN
11 a.m. - Fort Lewis vs.  Southwest Minnesota State
1:30 p.m. - Humboldt State vs.  Alaska-Anchorage
WOMEN
4 p.m. - Indianapolis vs. Concordia (Minn.)
6:30 p.m. - Cal Poly-Pomona vs, Central Washington

* Designated home team is listed second. The home team will wear light uniforms, and the visiting team will wear dark uniforms.

(Source CCAA)

Cal State San Bernardino's volleyball team, ranked tops in the country, faces a gauntlet of tough foes this week, all within Southern California.

First up is No. 20 Cal Poly Pomona, which will invade Coussoulis Arena for a 7 p.m. showdown tonight. On Friday, the Coyotes travel to RIMAC Arena to battle long-time nemesis UC San Diego, ranked 16th.  To finish the week, Cal State returns home Saturday to face Cal Baptist, the No. 2 team in NAIA.

"It makes for a tough week because it's every single day, a practice or a tough match. There is no break," coach Kim Cherniss said. "That's where I am happy I have so much depth in case the fatigue sets in. "Those are all teams we get pretty pumped up for."

Both the Coyotes (11-0, 4-0) and Broncos (7-2, 4-0) are coming off strong showings last weekend. The two notched wins over the same foes, the only difference being that Cal State swept Chico State 3-0 while Cal Poly needed five games.

The two are part of a three-way tie for first in the CCAA, with the other party being surprising Sonoma State (11-1, 4-0).

Cal State leads the CCAA in most offensive categories, including hitting percentage. The Coyotes are hitting an impressive .302 as a team, with three players in the top six individually. The trio is led by senior Sara Rice, who is at .398 overall with a whopping .588 in conference matches alone.

Senior Jessica Granados, the reigning conference and region player of the year, is second at .344 with junior Ashtin Hall sixth at .272.

Cal State also has the conference leader in assists in junior Sara Hoffman and the top performer in digs in senior Meghan Haas.

Cal Poly is sixth, hitting .191 as a unit. Senior Anne-Marie Hofmans is ninth in the conference in kills at 2.95 per game.

Veteran Cal Poly Pomona coach Rosie Wegrich, who notched her 300th career win at the school on Saturday, knows the firepower of the Cal State offense, but insists her biggest concern is on her own side of the net.

"It's probably 80-20, with 80 percent of your focus on your own offense and what you're doing," she said. "You have to worry about your own side of the net first."

The Broncos strength has always been blocking. That is again the case with Cal Poly third in that department, one spot ahead of Cal State. Standouts in the middle are seniors Vanessa Williams and Allie Newman. Junior Jasmine Davis, one of the Broncos two setters, has also been a top blocker.

The Broncos will also play San Diego this week, heading down there Saturday, the day after the Coyotes play there.

The Cal State San Bernardino volleyball team retained its first-place spot for the third straight week in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II rankings released Monday.

The Coyotes (11-0, 4-0) totaled 922 points, getting 34 of 36 first-place votes.

The squad, coached by Kim Cherniss, faces one of its most competitive weeks of the season. It will host No. 20 Cal Poly Pomona (7-2, 4-0) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, then travel South on Friday to face old nemesis and No. 16 UC San Diego (9-2, 3-1). Saturday the Coyotes return home to host non-conference foe Cal Baptist (12-1) which is ranked No. 2 in the NAIA poll.

That is quite a stretch but the Coyotes should be up for the challenge.

Cal State won two matches over the weekend, both in 3-0 sweeps. Cherniss was able to use primarily her reserves in the second one and still cakewalked. But there will be no easy matches this week!

A small gesture can say a lot about the character of a team and its individuals. In this case it's the Chaffey College women's volleyball team that deserves a pat on the back.

Over the weekend coach Larry Chowan took his team to a tournament at Santa Ana college. It is one he takes his team to pretty much every year since he is a long-time friend of Santa Ana coach Troy Abbey, who coached his daughter Leslie in club ball.

Abbey has 6-year-old twin boys, one of whom has battling leukemia for the better part of three years and is on his second round of chemotherapy.

Chowan asked his players if they would mind chipping in a couple of dollars each from their school-allotted meal money to give to the coach to put toward the boy's medical expenses. While it wouldn't make a dent, he knew his friend would appreciate the gesture and it would show others in the volleyball community are thinking about him in what has to be a tough time.

Team captains Tara Sawyer and Colleen Chauncey discussed it with their peers and to Chowan's surprise, most gave back almost all their money. Chowan presented the money in a card signed by the team.

Chowan said he left it totally up to his players and did not pressure them to chip in. He expected a collection of $40 or $50 but ended up with around $120. Not only did most players give back their entire meal money per diem, parents of some of the players also chipped in.

Sometimes the best stories aren't about wins and losses.

The casualty list at Chaffey College is getting longer.

The Panthers chalked up a 31-14 win over Antelope Valley Saturday at Quartz Hill High School. Veteran coach Carl Beach is pleased to be 3-0, but he is wondering who he'll left with when his team goes to play Grossmont on Saturday.

The latest addition to the injury list is sophomore offensive lineman Baron Coffin banged up both a knee and a shoulder. He had played center and guard but moved to right tackle on Thursday when Addison Bachman went down with a knee injury. Bachman got hurt in the same practice in which kicker Jason Levy injured a knee practicing PATs.

Sophomore linebacker Aaron Plante got hurt against Southwestern a week ago.
Running backs Jahmel Rover and John Alejandro and defensive back Mike Fields were all gone with knee injuries before the season started.

"Now we're going to have to count on some guys that really haven't played a lot," Beach said. "There won't be many hard decisions, we don't have that many people left. But it is what it is. We have to try and piece something together."

Beach is satisfied with his team's showing but is frustrated with its inconsistency. He also knows that is not unexpected given the number of personnel changes that have been made.

"We'll have 10 minutes when we look like a million bucks, then we have a another stretch where we don't know what we're doing at all," he said.

Penalties are still a problem too. The Panthers were called for 16 totaling 148 yards.

Beach was most pleased with the play of sophomore Aaron Mays who caught five passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns, one of those for 74 yards. He also returned a punt 86 yards for another score.

Beach also singled out the contributions from backs Tyler Thompson and Mark Chase.
Greg Sprowls and A.J. Springer split playing time with Sprowls throwing for 78 yards and Springer 77. The system has been working so Beach sees no need to change it.

"They are both a piece of the puzzle and bring a different dimension to what we're doing," he said. "But they both have limitations as well."

Beach added that he doesn't plan on backing off in practice to avoid injuries, especially since the replacements need the practice time.

"I don't think it's conditioning of something we're doing wrong. They're just fluke things," he said.

It was probably fitting that Cal Poly Pomona took five games in getting by CCAA rival Chico State Saturday at Darlene May Gymnasium. Veteran coach Rosie Wegrich says those are the ones she remembers most vividly.

She has been coaching for 34 years and is in her 17th year directing the Broncos. The 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-7) win over the Wildcats was the 300th in her tenure at Cal Poly. She owns a career record of 629-446-10.

She didn't know about the milestone until after the match when she was congratulated by school president Michael Ortiz and athletic director Brian Swanson.

"I didn't even think about it," said Wegrich, whose team improved to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play. "I was so focused on the match. I really had no idea."

Wegrich, who grew up and still lives in Manhattan Beach, is the dean of coaches in the CCAA. She joined the Broncos in 1992 after 17 years at the Division I level - two at Minnesota (71-30-1) and 15 (258-229-9) at Arizona.

While there may be more notariety at the Division I level, Wegrich enjoys some of the other intracacies that come with working at a Division II institution.

"I love dealing with really smart girls who want to be here," she said. "We don't give fully funded scholarships so these girls are working in addition to playing so they are seeing what live after sports is going to be like."

She also enjoys the camaraderie of her players. The team started the season with a trip to Hawaii where they played four matches. A similar venture at the Division I level would probably have been paid for by the athletic department.

In this case the athletes spent much of the offseason raising the money themselves with fundraisers including summer camps, a garage sale and working the concessions stands at Angels Stadium.

"When you spend so much time together you really build memories," she said.
Asked what her most memorable match is and she doesn't single out her 200th at Cal Poly which came in 2002 against Cal State Los Angeles or the 500th of her career which came against Grand Canyon in 2000.

She goes back to one in the regional playoffs against Cal State Bakersfield in which her team came from down 15-12 in the decisive game to win 16-14.

Wegrich isn't saying how long she will coach. She said she has been blessed with good assistant coaches in the past and will do so as long as she has that kind of help and passes along credit to her current assistant Kenji Mukai.

"I don't know if I could do it if I didn't have such good help," she said. "We really are on the same page and he really brings a fighting spirit and an energy that make it fun."

UC San Diego runners captured the team titles in the women's 6,000-meter run and the men's 8000-meter run Saturday at the 2008 Coyotes Cross Country Invitational at Glen Helen Regional Park

Bre Schofield of San Diego was women's race winner in 22:09. Tiffany Turner of Cal Poly Pomona was second (22:23) with teammate Amber Hebb fourth (23:19).

The first 45 runners averaged less than seven minutes per mile over the 3.78 mile course that included a loop around the San Manuel Pavilion.

San Diego scored 30 points with four runners in the top 10. Cal Poly Pomona was second (63) followed by Riverside Community College (71).

The Coyotes had 156 points and placed five runners in the top 40, finishing sixth on the same course that will be used for the CCAA championships on Oct. 25.

Cal State freshman Nikki Chesnut was the top Coyotes runner, finishing 21st (24:30) of 77 runners.

In the men's race, Jersain Torres of Cal Poly Pomona was the individual champion, covering the 4.99 mile course in 25:05, an average of 5:07 per mile. Jake Levieuz of San Diego was second (25:32) followed by Landon Bright of Point Loma Nazarene (25:49).

The Tritons placed all five scoring runners in the top 10 to finish with 29 points, ahead of Cal Poly Pomona (43).
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At its annual Presidents/Chancellors' Group meeting, California Collegiate Athletic Association Presidents unanimously approved membership of California State University, East Bay to the conference beginning with the 2009-10 athletics season. The conference is currently comprised of 10 California State University institutions and UC San Diego.

The membership of the Division II CCAA includes Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State L.A., Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State Stanislaus, Chico State, Humboldt State, Sonoma State, San Francisco State and UC San Diego.

"To say the campus is excited about this opportunity is an understatement. There has been a big buzz around campus about moving to Division II and joining the CCAA," Cal State East Bay President Dr. Mohammad Qayoumi said. "Our goal is to develop a vibrant university village that the entire community is proud of. Athletics plays a major role in this effort. Moving to Division II was initiated by our students and I am glad to say the faculty and staff stood behind this move. It is an exciting time for Cal State East Bay."

With the formal approval, Cal State East Bay, which is currently in the 'exploratory" stage of becoming a Division II member, will begin competition in the CCAA as a "scheduling partner" for the 2009-2010 athletic year, with eligibility for conference championships when the NCAA approves its "active status."

"This is a monumental day for Cal State East Bay, its athletic department, student-athletes and entire University community," Cal State East Bay Athletics Director Debbie De Angelis said. "We are excited to be moving to Division II and joining the CCAA. This move will benefit the entire University and its student-athletes while bringing added exposure to the institution."

The Pioneer teams are in their final year with dual membership in NCAA Division III and NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

Cal State East Bay's men's and women's basketball, cross country and golf teams have been participating in the California Pacific Conference for the right to participate in post-season playoffs through the NAIA. Other Pioneer teams, including women's volleyball and softball and men's baseball, have been competing as NCAA Division III independents, with no league or conference affiliation.

 After racking up 15 tackles (8 solo, 7 assisted), two tackles for a loss, and one quarterback hurry in Citrus' 20-30 loss to LA Harbor on Saturday, linebacker Bronze Withem was named the Southern California Football Association Central Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

 

Withem, a  5'11, 200 pound freshman out of San Dimas High School, all ready leads the Fighting Owls with 21 tackles through Citrus' first two games. Withem's 15 tackle performance on Saturday, is the second most tackles in any community college game in Southern California over the first two weeks.

The Fighting Owls (0-2) will resume play this Saturday as they take on LA Southwest College. Saturday's game will be played in Culver City, CA at West LA College with a 1:00 PM kick-off time.

The football teams from Victor Valley College and San Bernardino Valley College both have started the season 0-2 and each is likely to be 0-3 after this week.

Victor Valley has to go play on the road against the most formidable foe in the South in Mt. SAC. SBVC will be at home against Saddleback, which was the preseason conference favorite in a poll of member coaches.

The restructuring of the conferences and new playoff format has those in the lower division such as SBVC and Victor Valley playing all three nonconfence games against teams in the upper division. So they're supposed to go 0-3.

The rally cry is has to be "Wait until we get to conference play."

Well SBVC and Victor play each other the first game of American Division, Mountain Conference play the following. So someone will probably be 0-4. It will be hard to rally the troop at that point.

SBVC is really looking for something positive. It has seven straight losses, going back to the last five games last year. And the Wolverines were never in the two games they have played so far this season.

Coach Pat Meech has his work cut out for him.

Based on its 46-9 thrashing of the University of Dubuque Saturday night, the University of Redlands football team looks like a true contender this season.

Sure the Bulldogs are in that top tier in the SCIAC along with Occidental and Cal Lutheran. But the Bulldogs could have something even more special this year. Maybe this is the year Coach Mike Maynard's team gets over the hump and wins a playoff game or two.

It's hard to tell what the other SCIAC contenders will look like. Occidental opened with a 41-0 win over Colorado College but that is a considerably weaker opponent.

Dubuque looked like it would pose a serious threat and would not have ventured all the way out to California on a one-year contract if it thought it was going to be totally embarrassed which turned out to be the case.

Quarterback Dan Selway ran the Redlands offense efficiently. He wasn't a wild man back there running around and trying to take on linebackers. He got his yards and got out of bounds. And you don't get much more balanced than 228 team yards rushing and 229 passing.

The Bulldogs have balance in the backfield and balance in the receiving corps. Running back Jeff Stewart, who Maynard said is the strongest player on the team, absolutely leveled a defender trying to tackle him in the early going.

Brock Arndt is the big name on defense but sophomore defensive back Mike Nicolini looks like a future star. He was everywhere.

The schedule is also in the Bulldogs favor. They have six home games, the next coming Saturday when Whitworth (Wash.) comes in for a visit. That's another traditionally tough foe. Redlands also has its toughest two SCIAC foes at home in Occidental and Cal Lutheran.

The conference title looks like the Bulldogs' to lose!

The University of La Verne dropped its opening game of the 2008 season, battling defending Northwest Conference Champion Whitworth University to the very end before falling 22-13 to the Pirates Saturday at the Pine Bowl in Tacoma, Washington.

La Verne, which fell 38-0 to Whitworth a year ago, had a chance to pull within a point under two minutes to go.  Down by nine, the Leopards reached the Pirate 31-yard line but could get no closer as Whitworth held on downs to seal the win.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Pirates scored twice within a three-minute span to grab a 15-0 lead, first on a five-yard TD pass from Kory Kemp to Joey VanHoomissen with 7:25 remaining in the second quarter, and converted on a Leopard fumble as Kemp once again connected with VanHoomissen in the end zone, this time from four yard outs at the 5:20 mark.

The Leopards finally struck late in the first half when Kemp was intercepted by Joe Padilla, who returned the ball 32 yards to the Whitworth 36 yard line. One third and goal from the Whitworth five, Anthony Andre passed to Phi Van Le for the touchdown. After the Leopards missed the PAT, Whitworth had a 15-6 lead at halftime.

The teams traded punts five times to open the second half. On the first play after Whitworth took over on its own 18 yard line, Kemp was intercepted by Taylor Hart at the 25. Four plays later Andre completed a 19 yard pass on fourth down to Fernando Gonzalez to pull La Verne within 15-13.

Whitworth closed the scoring in the fourth quarter, capping a 9-play, 59-yard drive on a four-yard scoring run by Adam Anderson to go up 22-13.  Anderson finished with a game-high 158 yards on 33 carries.

La Verne amassed 229 yards on offense, 223 came through the air as quarterback Anthony Andre debuted with the Leopards by completing 17 of 30 attempts for 203 yards and two scores.  On defense, Jason Carpenter led the Green and Orange with a game-high 16 tackles, including two for losses of three yards.

The Leos have a bye next week and enjoy their 2008 home opener Sept. 27 against fellow Northwest Conference opponent Willamette University.

University of Redlands football team announced its captains for the 2008 season today. Voted in by their peers, senior defensive lineman Brock Arndt (Valencia, CA), senior defensive back Conor Drake (Jackson, CA), senior quarterback/punter Dan Selway (Villa Park, CA) and senior fullback Tom Romaine (Ahwatukee, AZ) received captain honors.  

Named a Preseason All-American by D3football.com, Arndt solidifies the defensive line this season after receiving Second-Team All-West honors and First-Team All-SCIAC laurels in 2007, tallying 48 tackles, five sacks and two recovered fumbles for 10 yards.

 

Exemplifying the ideals of Bulldog football, Drake brings senior leadership to the backfield. Drake earned an All-SCIAC First Team selection last year after a season that included 13 broken-up passes and two interceptions to compliment 39 total tackles.

 

Returning as a captain for his second season, the consummate athlete Selway takes the reigns for the second year as the signal caller for Redlands. This returning Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Offensive Player of the Year garnered a 140.47 efficiency rating in 2007, compiling a total of 2,429 yards passing and 22 touchdowns through the air. He also ran in three touchdowns.

 

Rounding out this year's captains is Romaine. Providing running and blocking skills, Romaine helped the team gain 1,969 yards rushing and fortified one of the best offensive units in the region and in the NCAA. For his efforts, the SCIAC named him to the conference's second team.

 

The Bulldogs take on the University of Dubuque (IA) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

 

Cal State San Bernardino graduate David Reichel, who set a men's basketball season record for three-point field goal percentage in 2006-07, has signed a contract to play for the Oita Head Devils in the Basketball Japan League.

Reichel, a 6-8 forward, caught the attention of league officials during a three-day tryout staged by the league in Las Vegas in July.

"I did pretty well, averaging 18 points in three games," Reichel told the Ventura County Star newspaper.

The Camarillo resident will head for Japan soon in order to get ready for a 52-game season that begins Oct. 11.

Reichel played for the Los Angeles Lightning in a pro development league during the spring and early summer.

"It's pretty much a dream come true," Reichel told the Ventura County Star. "I've always wanted to get paid to play basketball. I'm grateful to have the opportunity."

He told the newspaper that the credit for him being noticed goes to his agent, Greg Foster, a former NBA player, for bringing Reichel to the attention of international leagues.

"I'll get a car. They will pay for my housing, which will allow me to sock away everything I earn," he told the Ventura newspaper.

Reichel was a key player in the Coyotes' run to a NCAA Division II West Region title in 2006-07, advancing to the NCAA national semifinals. He averaged 5.6 points per game, shooting 54.5 percent from the field and a team record 50 percent (39 of 78) from three-point range on a team that went 26-6.

A hand injury limited Reichel to an average of 10 minutes per game in 15 games for the Coyotes in 2007-08 as they won a CCAA conference co-championship.

He received his bachelor's degree in business with an emphasis in management and a minor in real estate finance.

"I didn't want a normal job, at least not yet," Reichel told the Ventura newspaper.

 

Volleyball standout Brianna Gonzales was named SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week in helping the Leopard squad to a 4-0 debut last weekend.

A senior outside hitter from Whittier, Gonzales was named Tournament Most Valuable Player after helping lead fifth-ranked La Verne to a 4-0 mark - including three wins over nationally-ranked teams - at the Premier Invitational Sept. 5-6 in Tacoma, Wash.

A 2007 AVCA First Team All-American, Gonzales averaged 3.46 kills per game for the weekend. She also had three double-doubles with her kills and digs. She has been nominated for AVCA National Player of the Week for her efforts this past weekend. She tallied 15 kills and 9 digs against seventh-ranked and tournament host Puget Sound in a four-game win.

Against #12 CSU East Bay, Gonzales collected a match-high 17 kills along with 15 digs in a four-game triumph over the Pioneers. She finished with 12 kills and 11 digs as the Leopards prevailed over #6 Trinity in four games.

California Baptist University men's basketball head coach Tim Collins has announced the addition of another major NCAA Division I opponent to the Lancers' 2008-09 schedule.

Seton Hall Tuesday (Dec. 9) at 7:30 p.m. in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The game will be an exhibition for the Lancers and will count as an official game for the Pirates.
 
"We are very honored and thankful for the opportunity that Head Coach Bobby Gonzales, his staff and the athletic administration of Seton Hall University have given to our institution," said Collins. "This experience will be a lifelong memory for our players and institution. To be able to play against a Big East member in this fantastic atmosphere and enter into the basketball tradition created at Seton Hall is a blessing to our players and institution. We have had the opportunity to compete against some quality Division I opponents the past few years, always hopeful to create enough resistance in the game to help both teams."

The University of Redlands Cross Country Invitational Saturday will take place on the University of Redlands campus instead of at the Redlands Sports Complex on the corner of E. San Bernardino Ave. and N. Dearborn St.

 

Starting and finishing at the main quad on the campus, which is located on E. Colton Avenue, the event's start time will remain the same for both men and women. The women start their 6K race at 9 a.m. while the men start their 8K race an hour later at 10 a.m.

 

The football teams from San Bernardino Valley and Riverside Community College will square off at 6 p.m. Saturday at SBVC. At stake will be the 350-pound Victory Bell which has been in the Tigers possession since 2002. That was the last time the teams played and RCC prevailed 27-17.

SBVC hasn't won the contest since 1996 but that is misleading because the teams have played just three times since then.

RCC claims to have a 35-28-1 edged in the series.

SBVC claims the all-time record is a bit closer - 35-32-1.

We'll have to confirm who is right in that regard before we preview the game later in the week.

SBVC has a handful of players on its roster from Riverside County. RCC has nearly two dozen on its roster from San Bernardino County, the majority of those products of high schools in Redlands.

Based on the showing of both teams on Saturday, RCC has to be considered a heavy favorite.

We'll see.

The Victor Valley College football team started its gauntlet of tough non-conference foes over the weekend and the news was both good and bad. The bottom line was a 52-31 loss to Riverside Community College in the first ever meeting between the schools.

The Rams offense is light years ahead of last season when it used five quarterbacks with no success.

The man directing the offense is freshman quarterback O'Ryan Bradley. Or as another newspaper called him - Ryan O'Bradley. Or as a radio crew called him - Bradley O'Ryan. It will probably be screwed up a few more times this season. But the guy can throw.

Coach Dave Hoover has manyy more playmakers than he has had in the last few years. If the Rams can improve on defense they're going to win some games when American Division, Mountain Conference play gets underway in two more weeks.

Stay tuned!

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)

The fact that his team probably wasn't supposed to win is of little
concern to San Bernardino Valley College football coach Pat Meech.

The Wolverines dropped their season opener 34-17 Saturday at College
of the Desert. The new conference alignment and playoff structure has
teams in the lesser division like SBVC playing teams in the so-called
power division before their own conference play starts so the chances
of a 0-3 start are definitely there.

But Meech isn't looking at it that way.

``We haven't put much emphasis on it so I don't think our kids are
that aware of who is in what division. We're just trying to go out
there and get better each day,'' he said. ``In the past you played
like teams in non-conference. Then it got tougher when you played
conference. This is really the other way around but you still hope to
win or two.''

The Wolverines got off to a slow start and it was all uphill after
that. They had turnovers on their first three possessions - an
interception off a tip and two fumbles. The Roadrunners turned all
three into touchdowns to go up 21-0 and led 26-0 before the
Wolverines scored.

The rushing game only managed 22 yards, 11 of that coming on a
touchdown run by Dewayne Booker. Meech said the lack of productivity
was the result of a combination of things. The offensive line didn't
play up to par but the backs also didn't find some of the holes that
were there. The deficit also forced the Wolverines to abandon the run
early.

The air attack, directed by sophomore quarterback Mike Stadler,
did tally 219 yards. Booker caught four passes for 20 yards while
Robert Anderson snagged three for 50. The biggest play was a
54-yarder to Aaron Barlow. Meech was most pleased with his line in
that regard.

``We did a pretty good job of protecting the passer,'' he said.
``That was good to see because we were hurried quite a bit last
season.''

The defense performed adequately enough, given the poor field
position most of the night. Top tacklers were strong safety freshman
Ricky Pesquera, sophomore defensive back Justin Solis and freshman
defensive end Jim O'Brien.

A couple of injuries in Thursday's practice forced a change in
personnel. Center Hugo Garcia (ankle) and defensive lineman Bobby
Martinez (knee) actually got hurt on the same play. Both missed
Saturday's game but are expected back for next week's rivalry game
against Riverside which opened its season with a 52-31 win over
Victor Valley.

Meech said he would likely make some personnel changes when the team
takes to the practice field today. The coaching staff spent much of
Sunday breaking down the game film, as well as going over the RCC
game.

RCC leads the series 35-28 but the teams last played in 2002. SBVC's
last win in the series was in 1996 - 32-20.

Meech, who lives in Riverside and assisted Tigers coach Bill Brown
for two years before taking the head job at SBVC, is looking forward
to the contest dubbed ``The Bell Game.''

``It will be a lot of fun,'' he said. ``Most of these kids had a real
rivalry game in high school so I hope this takes them back. It will
be good to re-establish this rivalry. We're neighboring communities
where there are a lot of ties.''

  Former Cal State San Bernardino All American Vanessa Wilt is headed to the Netherlands to play professional basketball.

The 6-foot-1 center signed last week to play with the Leiderdorp Basketball Club which is based out of the city by the same name. She will leave today.

"I have a lot of emotions," said Wilt, a graduate of Sultana High School. "One day I'm scared death and I'm wondering what in the world I'm doing. Then the next day I'm excited and I can't wait."

Wilt spent two years at NAIA Cal Baptist, but transferred to Cal State for her junior season. As a senior she led the CCAA conference in scoring (18.9 ppg), rebounding (13.4 rpg), field goal percentage (54.7) and blocked shots (71). Those numbers also put her among the national leaders. Wilt finished second in the nation in rebounding, eighth in blocked shots, 23rd in field goal percentage and 26^th in scoring.

Wilt accumulated 25 double-doubles (points and rebounds) in 29 games this season and 36 for her two-year career, in which she led the Coyotes to a 38-19 record and the first back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances since the university moved to Division II in 1991-92.

She smashed the team's single-season record for blocked shots (old mark was 59), giving her 112 for two seasons, one shy of the all-time career mark of 113. Her 388 rebounds was a single-season record as was her rebounds per game average. She tied the team's single-game scoring record with 39 in a game at home against Cal State Los Angeles.

Wilt said another team in the same league contacted Coyotes coach Kevin Becker two months ago. She talked with that team several times but that team signed a couple of other American players, leaving her out in the cold since clubs can have no more than two foreign players on their roster.

She thought the opportunity was dead and registered for classes at Cal State to work toward finishing her degree. Then the other team contacted her last week. She is thrilled with the opportunity.

"I never thought I was going to be good enough to play in college, let alone professional basketball,'' she said. "So I'm thrilled. It will be a challenge."

The team made arrangements for her flight and housing. She will be sharing a house with the other American player who competed at the University of South Dakota. Pay will be $1,000 a month with her living expenses (with the exception of food) paid for by the club.

"I am very happy for her," Becker said. "Not a lot of players get this chance. If she had turned it down, who knows if it would have come up again because there are more and more great college players coming out every year."

We had planned on doing a feature story on a player from each of the local football teams to kick off the season. In the case of Chaffey College, the profile was to be on running back Jahmel Rover.

It seemed the perfect story. Highly touted kid out of Eisenhower High School. Went to San Jose State but didn't play because of a paperwork snafu. Had a great freshman year and was again being looked at by Division I schools.

I go out to Chaffey, only to find out he isn't around. Had to go to the doctor to have his knee looked at because he had tweaked it the day before in practice. But the coaches didn't seem overly concerned.

I head back out the next day. This time I talk to the young man. We get the pictures. I think we're good to go.

Then I start writing the story but before I get too far into it something tells me to call the coach just to touch base and see about the extent of the injury. Sure enough, he's done. out for the season. Scrap that game plan.

I scramble to come up with an alternative which works out - defensive lineman Marcus Austin.

This isn't the first time that has happened. It happened like three times in one year at a previous paper. But that was a long time ago.

Dan Selway be careful.

Ashton Clarke be very careful!

It isn't the first time

Dress rehearsals are over. The curtain on the new football season comes up for real Saturday with all area junior college teams in action.

The most notable game will take place in the neighboring county as Victor Valley travels to Riverside Community College's Wheelock Field for a 6 p.m. showdown for the first ever meeting between the schools.

Two other games that would have been Foothill Conference contests in the past are now just nonconference tuneups after a complete retooling of the playoff structure. Chaffey will host Mt. San Jacinto while San Bernardino Valley College travels to College of the Desert, both kick off at 6 p.m.

Riverside and Chaffey are both part of the tougher Central Conference of the National Division while SBVC and Victor Valley are both in the weaker Mountain Conference of the American Division.

The nonconference games loom large for SBVC and Victor Valley because just two of the eight playoff berths will come from the American Division so this gives them a chance to show they belong.

The team in the stronger conference need to win against what are considered lesser foes because of the competition they will see in conference later in the season. The National Division will have six teams in the playoffs, including a handful of wildcards.

But coaches are focusing on the task right in front of them.

"Every game is as important as the next," said Riverside coach Bill Brown, starting his seventh year. "We haven't talked about any other team but Victor Valley."

Riverside was 4-5 a year ago. Sophomore quarterback Coy Glass, a Redlands High School product, leads the offense after sharing duty there last season. Brown indicated he would probably use several running backs and receivers to see who emerges.

The Rams, coming off a 3-7 season, scrimmaged Antelope Valley and Pomona-Pitzer last week and coach Dave Hoover was pleased, especially with his offense. He went through four quarterbacks last year and the offense never did click.

"We churned out some big plays and that's something we were lacking last year. We couldn't move the ball to save our life," he said. "Defensively we're quite young so I'm not quite sure what we have there. But that's something most coaches are probably saying this time of year."

Riverside will be the first of three tough nonconference games for the Rams. Next up is Palomar, then juggernaut Mt. SAC. Hoover is hoping his team survives the tough nonconference grind.

"Health is my biggest concern, playing the teams we're playing to start out," he said. Do I think we can win all three? No. But we're going to compete and I think we can play with anyone in our conference. But one or two injuries and we become very average very fast."

Both SBVC coach Pat Meech and Chaffey coach Carl Beach said right now there is not much of a different feel to the season since they are playing familiar foes, although in a different situation.

"I don't think it's much different for us as coaches because we're still playing teams we know and have played in the past," Meech said. "You're getting player turnover every couple of years so there isn't much familiary with any opponent."

SATURDAY GAMES

MT. SAN JACINTO at CHAFFEY

Time: 6 p.m.

About MSJ: The Eagles are looking to erase the memory of a 1-8 season in which the lone win came over San Diego Mesa. Second-year coach Casey Mazzotta returns QB Colin Wigley and inherited a transfer from SBVC in RB DeShaun Smith. The offensive line they have to work should be much improved led by Jose Acuna and center Sol Sagaio. Top defenders are OLB Ezra Latu, DE Zack Van Deusen and MLB Cole Moseley.

About Chaffey: The Panthers defeated the Eagles 28-10 last season in what was then a conferfence game. It is now a non-conference showdown. Greg Sprowls will run the offense called by new coordinator Matt Bechtel. Leading rusher Jahmel Rover (knee) is out so the Panthers will rely on backfield-by-committee with Tyler Thompson, John Alejandro and Matt Chase sharing the workload. Top cover man Mike Fields (knee) is also out but the Panthers should create pressure up front which is where their experience should be a factor. The biggest question mark will be Chaffey's kicking teams.

VICTOR VALLEY at RIVERSIDE

Time: 6 p.m.

About Victor: Coach Dave Hoover is excited about the potential of his offense led by quarterbacks Elisah Filipili and O'Ryan Bradley, both of whom should see playing time. Bradley is a transfer from UNLV where he tried to walk on. Hoover likes also likes the progress of his offensive line which consists of Alex Mitchell, Beau Humphrey, Louis Morales, Ramon Sandoval and Andrew Gomez - all High Desrt natives. WR Jarrett Partman will be out this week. Eric Brinkley, who has moved from linebacker to safety, and Aaron Mosley key the defense.

About Riverside: Redlands product Coy Glass directs the Tigers offense. Coach Bill Brown will use a stable of running backs in the early going with Cedric Foster, Ben Irwin, Ivan Lopez and Tanner Paes among those seeing action. Travis Carter, Corey Ham (Redlands) and Tommy Curry will be the key receivers. T.J. Tuigamala is the most experienced lineman. Jamell Murry and Andrew Smith (Redlands) lead the defense.

SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY at DESERT

Time: 6 p.m.

About Valley: Sophomore QB Mike Stadler returns but he will be surrounded by mostly newcomers - the most notable being San Bernardino High School alumn Dewayne Booker. He will backed up Devan Libran. Thad Quist and Terrance Humes anchor the offensive line with Humes coming back from a knee injury that sidelined him most of last season. Leaders on defense are S James Hutchins and LB Cordelle Nugent.

About Desert: The Roadrunners were conference champion last year in what was the Foothill Conference. They defeated the Wolverines 27-14 in that run. QB Brent Rausch (Hawaii) has departed but Desert inherited its usual boatload of out-of-state transfers with almost 50 from outside California.

- Compiled by Michelle Gardner

 

Cal State San Bernardino Head Coach Jeff Oliver concluded a late spring and summer season of recruiting by signing one community college player and two NCAA Division I players to compete for the Coyotes in 2008-09.

All three have the potential to be key contributors as the Coyotes prepare to compete for another California Collegiate Athletic Association title and a shot at regional and national championships.

New to the fold are:

Tavaris Gilbert, a 6-8 post player from Ventura College who started 18 games, averaging 12.5 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and shot 49 percent from the field, 58 percent from three-point range. As a freshman at Ventura he averaged 10.6 rebounds per game and shot 78 percent from the field.

Devin Montgomery, a 6-foot point guard who was a starter at Pepperdine University in 2001-02 but has not played since  breaking his hand at the start of the 2002-03 season. Montgomery averaged 11.7 points and 3.5 assists per game, shooting 51 percent from the three and led the Waves in scoring in nine games that year. He scored 27 points against sixth-ranked Gonzaga in one game, 26 against Santa Clara and 21 against West Virginia in the NCAA tournament.

DuBois Williams, a 6-6 guard who is transferring in from St. Mary's College in Moraga where he saw limited playing time in 2007-08. Williams was a key member of the Fresno City College team in 2005-06 that lost in the semifinals of the state JC playoffs. He averaged 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds a game for Fresno.

"Tavaris brings added depth to our front court," said Oliver. "He's a guy who can score underneath and step out to the three. He will present a difficult matchup for our opponents."

Montgomery, Oliver said, "has the ability to be one of the premier guards in the country. He's been out of the game for awhile but we will have time to work him into shape and get to know our system. He should be an immediate impact player for us."

Montgomery was a teammate of former CSUSB point guard T.K. Reed at Moorpark College, prior to attending Pepperdine.

Williams, Oliver said, "is a point guard in a 6-6 body. He has more offensive tools than he has had a chance to display at his other schools. And, he's a tremendous rebounder for a guard."

Oliver previously announced the signings of  Larry DeHughes, a 6-4 guard from Fullerton Community College; Lawrence Tyson, a 6-2 point guard from Northeastern (Colo). Junior College; Michael Frazier, a 6-4 forward-guard from Northern Colorado; and Brandon Brown, a high-scoring 6-7 forward from Holmes College in Mississippi.

 

 

Cal State San Bernardino's convincing wins over 2007 national champion Concordia St. Paul and 15^th-ranked Lewis University this past weekend vaulted the Coyotes women's volleyball team to No. 1 in the first official CBS College Sports/American Volleyball Coaches Assn. Division II top 25 poll.

 

            The Coyotes, 3-0 on the season, will face another top 25 team - No. 24 BYU-Hawaii - in the third match of the UC San Diego Tritons Tournament this Saturday at RIMAC Arena on UCSD's La Jolla campus.

 

            CSUSB was also No. 1 in the national poll on Sept. 4, 2007 and stayed there for two weeks before losing to Cal Baptist on the road and dropping to No. 2. The Coyotes were also No.1 in the poll late in the 2004 and 2003 seasons and topped the poll for five weeks in 2002.

            The Coyotes' 3-0 sweep of Concordia-St. Paul, ranked No. 1 in the pre-season poll, dropped the Golden Bears into a tie for No. 3 in the poll with Truman State (4-0).

Washburn (Kan.) stayed in the No. 2 slot with a 4-0 record.

            UC San Diego, which posted a 2-1 record in the Coyotes Volleyball Classic last weekend, moved up five spots from No. 22 to No. 17. Cal Poly Pomona, unranked in the pre-season poll, is No. 22 after winning three of four matches at a tournament in Hawaii. Chico State (4-0) is No. 21.

                        CBS COLLEGE SPORTS/AVCA DIV. II TOP 25

No.      Team                                                   Record            Pts.

1          CSU SAN BERNARDINO               3-0                   887

2.         Washburn                                             4-0                   850

3 (tie)   Concordia St. Paul                               3-1                   810

            Truman State                                        4-0                   810

5.         Tampa                                                  3-0                   761

6.         West Texas A&M                                5-0                   727

7.         Grand Valley State                               3-1                   682

8.         Minnesota Duluth                                  4-0                   643

9.         Western Washington                             0-0                   598

10.       Florida Southern                                   2-1                   518

11. Hillsdale (3-1); 12. Pittsburg State (3-1); 13. Nebraska-Kearney (3-1); 14. Emporia State (3-1); 15. Augustana SD (4-0); 16. Southwest Minnesota State (3-1); 17. UC San Diego (2-1); 18. Indianapolis (3-1); 19. West Florida (4-0); 20. Central Missouri (2-1); 21. Chico State (4-0); 22. Cal Poly Pomona (3-1); 23. Ashland (2-2); 24. BYU-Hawaii (2-2); 25. Lewis (1-3).    

San Bernardino Valley College football coach Pat Meech knows his school lacks the resources to compete weekly against the more traditional powers in Southern California. Now he doesn't have to do so.

The junior college season will kick off this week and the entire conference structure and playoff format has been reworked. The Foothill Conference no longer exists. Adios Mission Conference. Sayonara Western State Conference.

The sport will now be governed under the umbrella of the Southern California Football Association.

Teams are separated into two divisions - the National and American. The National is subdivided into three seven-team conferences (Northern, Central, Southern) while the American has two eight-team conferences (Mountain, Pacific).

The National Division, the power conference, includes perennial title contenders such as Mt. SAC, Bakersfield and former Foothill Conference juggernaut Grossmont. Chaffey, Riverside and Citrus are among the other entrants.

SBVC and Victor Valley factor into the weaker American Divsion. But Meech doesn't mind being lumped into the also-ran category.

"Am I afraid of those schools? No. I would like to play them," he said. "But it would be crazy to think we can go head-to-head with those teams week after week after week."

Veteran Chaffey coach Carl Beach, who was on the committee that developed the new alignment, isn't quite sure his team is ready to battle the big boys, citing resources and enrollment but admits past success is the reason his school has been put in with the stronger teams.

"It's more about what we have done in the past. I'm not so sure we belong there but we'll see," he said.

The alignments will be reviewed every two years with some teams moving up or down depending on competitive balance.

A similar format has been used in the Northern part of the state for several years and received a favorable review.

When it comes to picking a field for the playoffs, eight teams will be chosen. Each of the three National Division conference will be given two spots for a total of six teams.
The American Division would qualify the winner of each conference for the final two spots, provided those teams finish with winning records. If a conference winner is not above .500, a wild-card would be chosen based on state power ranking.

There will be three additional bowl games for teams not making the playoffs to be awarded based on state ranking.

The original plan called for four teams to make the playoffs with all of those coming from the power division. The lesser schools balked at that idea so the current format was a compromise.

Beach said the committee wanted to get the new system in place. This one primarily divided teams based on their competitive history.

When the alignment is addressed again in two years he said more emphasis will be placed on enrollment, particularly a school's ability to draw out-of-state athletes. Resources and facilities will also be issues.

"I think it's fair," Meech added. "It will be good for us to play teams more like us."

Teams in the American Division will have seven conference games, then fill out their schedule with three games against the National Division, giving them a chance to boost their power ranking and see if they are competitive against those teams.

SBVC's nonconference foes will be Riverside, College of the Desert and Saddleback. The Wolverines have played Riverside 68 times, the first coming in 1926 but haven't faced the Tigers since 2002.

Victor Valley's opponents will be Riverside, Palomar and Mt. SAC.
Rams coach Dave Hoover was alright with the division of the teams but isn't happy with his brutal nonconference schedule.

"Not only are we probably playing the three best teams, we're playing the three most physical teams," he said. "It was a nice idea having the big dogs play the big dogs. It all makes sense. But their nonconference games should be against the teams in their divison in the other conferences."

Chaffey and the other teams in the National Division have six conference games and four non-conference contests.

The Panthers will square off against Mt. San Jacinto, Southwestern, Antelope Valley and Grossmont - all significantly longer trips than treking 20 minutes to SBVC.

While SBVC is excited about renewing its rivalry with Riverside, it is mystified why Chaffey wasn't included on the non-conference schedule since rivalries were also supposed to be kept in tact. That also baffles Beach.

Coaches were allowed to submit a list of three teams they wanted to keep games with and both SBVC and Chaffey listed the other as their top choice.

"It doesn't make sense. We have to pass them by to go to all out other games," Beach said.
Hoover asked to keep Antelope Valley, Desert and Chaffey and got none of those.

NATIONAL DIVISION

Northern Conference: Allan Hancock, Bakersfield, College of the Canyons, Glendale, Moopark, Pasadena City, Ventura

Central Conference: Cerritos,Chaffey, Citrus, College of the Desert, El Camino, Mt. SAC, Riverside

Southern Conference: Fullerton, Grossmont, Long Beach City, Orange Coast, Palomar, Saddleback, Santa Ana

AMERICAN DIVISION

Mountain Conference: Compton, Golden West, L.A. Harbor, Mt. San Jacinto, San Bernardino Valley,San Diego Mesa, Southwestern, Victor Valley

Pacific Conference: Antelope Valley, East Los Angeles, L.A. Pierce, L.A. Southwest, L.A. Valley,Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO -- When sophomore James Hutchins, sitting in the office of head San Bernardino Valley College football coach Pat Meech, responded to an inquiry about his height, the Wolverines defensive back responded 5-foot-7.

That answer brought a chuckle from offensive coordinator Ric Lucore.

Whether he is really 5-7, or something close to that, Hutchins is indeed a small athlete playing a big man's game and welcomes the chance to challenge his doubters wrong. He has two tattoos etched on his stomach -- one of Mighty Mouse and the other of Underdog.

"I'm always trying to prove people wrong," said Hutchins, a 2007 graduate of Colony High School. "I have always thought of myself as the underdog. That's what drives me to succeed."

Hutchins and his SBVC teammates open a new season Saturday, traveling to San Jacinto and College of the Desert for a 6 p.m. showdown. They are looking to improve on a 3-7 campaign that included five straight losses at the end of the season.

Not only has Hutchins, 19, thrived despite his lack of size, he has also overcome a heart murmur that prevented him from competing in the sport until he was 12. He played baseball as a youngster but watching younger brother Keith (a junior at Colony) compete in football made him want to try that sport even more.

Mother Eugenia was understandably concerned so James pestered his father, James Sr. until he  finally relented. He was cleared by a doctor and has gotten a passing review in several checkups since then.

"I always wanted to play but I never thought I could be as good as everyone else," he said. "But I got the hang of it pretty fast."

Hutchins got his first taste of the game in the Ontario Outlaws Junior All-American program where he excelled both at running back and at defensive back.

He learned so quickly that he earned a spot on the Colony varsity as a freshman. As a senior three years later he helped the Titans to their first CIF title in the sport.
Hutchins gave much of the credit for his progress to former Colony defensive coordinator Brian Gold.

"He took me under his wing," Hutchins said. "I would go to his house and we would spend a lot of time breaking down film. He was a small guy when he played too so he knew what I was dealing with."

Despite being on a title-winning team, Hutchins didn't have a lot of options coming out of high school. He carries a lofty 3.5 grade-point average so that goes back to his size.
Several four-year schools including Idaho and UNLV wanted him to walk on but he knew his chance of getting significant playing time was slim.

He decided to stay close to home and first looked at Mt. SAC. He liked the atmosphere at SBVC better.

His coaches are happy he made that decision.

"He has a great work ethic and knowledge of the game," defensive line coach Ernie Madrigal said. "He knows he isn't big enough to battle a bigger guy going up for the ball so it comes down to how he positions himself."

"He's just a solid person and a solid football player," added new defensive coordinator Ted Clarke. "Any superlative you want to use, it fits him perfectly."

Last season as a freshman Hutchins played in nine games, totaling 24 solo tackles, 11 assists, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble and blocked two kicks.

He is hoping another strong season will give him a shot with a four-year program. Meech said the reality is that his size will limit him to playing at the Division I-AA level at best.
But he adds that Hutchins boasts all the intangibles that make for a quality player and team leader. Hutchins plans to major in secondary education so he can teach and coach when his playing days are over.

"He's very well-respected by everyone on this team," said Meech, starting his sixth year at the helm. "He goes about his business, never complains and always puts in a workmanlike effort. And he plays bigger than his size."

By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - One wouldn't blame Marcus Austin if he were a
little bitter. The former Etiwanda High School standout was 47-1 as a
senior and about to finish off a wrestling match that would have
qualified him for the prestigious state championship meet.

Then the unthinkable - his left knee buckled. He knew it was bad.

``The first time I tried to stand up, I couldn't. It just wasn't
happening,'' he recalled.

Not only was Austin's dream of a state championship gone. So was
the possibility of an athletic scholarship. Now all he had to look
forward to was surgery and several grueling months of physical
therapy. Instead of sulking about it, he took it in stride.

``Stuff happens,'' he said. ``You can't worry about it. You have
to move on. It doesn't mean you can't be successful in whatever else
you do.''

So Austin, a 6-foot-1, 285-pounder, is appreciative of another
chance to compete. Sixteen months later he is back on the playing
field as a freshman defensive tackle at Chaffey College which opens
the 2008 campaign at 6 p.m. Saturday against Mt. San Jacinto at
Grigsby Field.

Austin, 19, says he took his cue from Dan Doughty, an assistant
wrestling coach at Etiwanda who suffered a less severe knee injury
during the district finals in Washington his senior year. He is part
of the reason Austin says he would like to pursue coaching or
teaching when his competitive days are over.

``I look at him and he is a good coach and he is successful in life
and has a great family,'' Austin said. ``There is life after sports.
That's why you have to have something to fall back on. Just in case.''

``His actually was a lot worse than mine. It was reeally bad,''
Doughty said. ``He had another knee injury two years before that and
came back. He has always been one of the most positive and upbeat
kids with a can-do attitude. So I had no doubt that he could come
back again.''

Austin spent his first football season on the freshman team but
was a three-year varsity starter after that. He was encouraged to
wrestle to keep in shape by Larry Cuthbert, the Eagles defensive
coordinator and the school's head wrestling coach. He starred for
four years in that sport in the heavyweight division.

That he excels in sports should be no surprise. Father Derrick
played football growing up in Alabama while mother Patty played on
the boys water polo team at Walnut High School and went on to compete
in track at Mt. SAC, excelling in the heptathlon.

Marcus considered other local schools including Mt. SAC but felt
most comfortable at Chaffey because of the coaching staff. He
attended all the home games last season, even though he couldn't play
but was healthy enough to take part in all the spring drills. He was
a little apprehensive at first but that didn't hold him back long.

``When you're worried about getting hurt, that's usually when you
get hurt,'' he said. ``You can't let that hold you back.''


The ironies of Austin's wrestling injury are many. The athlete
he was wrestling in that match happened to be David Williams of
Miller, who ended up finishing fourth in the state. He now lines up
next to Austin on the defensive front.

Beach was at that Masters meet at Carter High School. He was one
of many coaches hoping to land Austin who was also being courted by
several four-year schools. But the injury secured Beach's chances of
keeping the two-sport standout close to home.

``Coming off an injury like that, no one was going to touch
him,'' Beach said. ``He is going to have to go out this season and
show he is completely healthy. If he does that, he'll have another
shot because he has potential.''

Beach has been most impressed with Austin's goal-oriented attitude.

``He has a good head on his shoulders,'' Beach said. ``He's not
one of those kids putting all his eggs in one basket. He has done a
good job developing other life skills.''