Two More College Gridders

The number of Lompocans playing four-year college football this fall has risen to ten.

Tackles RUBEN GARCIA and ARYN GARCIA of Lompoc High have agreed to attend NCAA Div. III Iowa Wesleyan in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Ruben Garcia announced today.

“I’m leaving Wednesday,” he said from his job as a checker at Vons. “We’d been talking to them for a while, but it just came through. All I have to pay for is my airplane ticket.”

The Garcia’s are not related but played in the same line for the Braves last season. Aryn Garcia is a bit heavier at 235 while Ruben goes 225. Both stand about six feet.

“It’s Division III so technically its all financial aid,” said 17-year LHS coach ROBIN LUKEN. “But it doesn’t matter what you call it. They’re both gettting their education paid for.

“Ruben has played football in Lompoc since he was eight years old and he’s improved tremendously. He was respected enough by his peers to be voted captain. When you’re a captain you’re in the elite group. He was a great competitor and a great kid.” Garcia was a participant in the recent County All Star Game.

Aryn Garcia arrived from Clovis West for his senior year at LHS. He is a nephew of Brave trainer TOM BLANCO. “I only had him for one year,” said Luken. “But he became the strongest guy on our team. He’s a real coachable kid and I like coachable kids.”

Iowa Wesleyan, an NAIA school, had only four Californians on its spring football roster but plenty of athletes from outside Iowa. Fifty-three of 61 on the spring roster were from out-of-state including several from New York, Florida and Hawaii. The Tigers had a rough year in 2006, going 1-9. They were 0-8 in the Midwest League which includes such schools as St. Ambrose, Trinity International, William Penn, Quincy, St. Francis, St. Xavier, Olivet Nazarene and McKendree. The Tigers won only their opener, 10-3, over Waldorf.

The other eight four-year school gridders from Lompoc are cornerback LYDELL SARGEANT at Penn State, tight end MATT SIMS at Utah, running back VAI TAUA at Nevada, tackles JUSTICE CLEGG and MICHAEL SLAUGHTER at Upper Iowa, defensive back DONALD WHITE at Ouachita Baptist, linebacker RICK AGUILAR at Southwest Missouri, and lineman DERRICK LUKEN at the US Air Force Academy.

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The rough patch in the AA Texas League continues for ANDY SHIPMAN. Friday night the righthander gave up 11 hits and seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings at Corpus Christi. Over his last 10 outings for Midland The Ship is 0-5 with an ERA of 7.83. For the season he is 4-7 with his ERA at 5.42. During April and May he worked from the bullpen where he posted a 2-0 record and a sparkling 1.17 ERA. When he was promoted to a starting role his first few starts were promising. Then dark clouds descended.

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Centerfielder CHRIS WHITE of the Gulf Coast League Tigers boomed the first home run of his professional career Friday with a two-run shot against the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. It was a two-run shot in the fifth inning. White is now batting .258 for the Tigers’ rookie club.

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