Luken Rates Braves Highly Despite Loss

Lompoc High’s football team did well despite its 49-14 defeat at the hands of Oaks Christian last Friday, coach ROBIN LUKEN declared Wednesday.

“They played hard, they never quit,” said Luken, who was absent due to a visit to the Air Force Academy where his two sons are cadets. “Our overall effort in the second half was very good. I was pleased especially with the six-minute drive in the third quarter.” That 12-play scoring march came against the Lions’ first-team defense. “We still had the old Brave character."

Luken identified conditioning and a surge from the defensive line as areas for improvement however. “The word this week is surge,” he chuckled.

The coach rated sophomore JAKE MOREHART on defense and senior MASSON BLOW highest on defense after viewing film of the game.

Luken said the Brave lineup will remain the same this Friday night at Nipomo and that if CIF paperwork arrives tailback BOBBY COLLINS, Lompoc's leading rusher last season, may even play.

Luken also revealed that his son DERRICK LUKEN will not perform this season for the USAFA junior varsity as had been expected. “He’ll be filming with his brother,” he said with a sense of resignation. “Sooner or later your career ends. That’s life.” Young Luken hopes to get another chance in the spring or next season, his father said.

Game time Friday night in Nipomo is 7:30. The game will be broadcast by Press Box Productions on Comcast Channel 23.

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Lompoc cross-country runner ARIANA FABING of Allan Hancock College is the featured Athlete of the Week in the weekly Santa Maria Sun published today.

Fabing, 19, suffered stress fractures last season so did not compete at Hancock, but this year will be different, coach Louie Quintana said.

“I think she’ll be our top girl,” Quintana told the Sun. “She did really well at Lompoc. I expect a lot of things from her this year. If we keep her healthy.”

Fabing’s season will begin tomorrow at the Ventura Invitational.

“I feel fine and stronger this year,” Fabing told Sun reporter Laura Kasavan. “It’s pretty cool to be one of the top runners.”

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In baseball RYAN CHURCH got his first start in a week and went 1-for-3 Wednesday in a 6-4 win over the Marlins…. CHRIS WHITE had a 3-for-6 night in the New York-Pennsylvania League playoffs Wednesday night as the Oneonta Tigers defeated the Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore) 14-8. It was White’s second three-hit game in three nights.