Sullivan's Giants Stage Super Bowl Miracle

Now that we have seen the miraculous world champion New York Giants, maybe you’re ready for another story about Cabrillo grad MIKE SULLIVAN, this one by Kevin Gleason of the Mid Hudson Times Herald.

February 01, 2008
CHANDLER, Ariz. — The Giants keep bringing Mike Sullivan back to Army. Not that he needs tangible reminders to drift off to 1996, the last great Army football team, when Sullivan helped coach the nation's lovable underdog. Or to his days playing for Army and graduating from West Point and being a platoon leader for the 25th infantry division in 1990, "the best time of my life, besides this.''

This, as Sullivan puts it, is coaching the Giants. He's sitting at a table in the lobby of the Sheraton Resort, the Giants' team hotel off in the desert where coyotes roam. The Super Bowl is only days away.

Sullivan is in his fourth season as receivers coach. He wouldn't be here without help from Bob Sutton, Sullivan's boss at Army. Sutton hooked up Sullivan with Tom Coughlin in 2002, Coughlin's last year as the Jacksonville Jaguars coach, another thread between Army and the Giants.

Now Sullivan is helping America get acquainted with Army football. He brought an old Army teammate into the huddle: Greg Gadson. Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, Army all the way, who lost both legs from a roadside bomb in Iraq nine months ago.

Sullivan asked Coughlin about the possibility of having Gadson talk to the team before a game. Gadson spoke to the Giants the night before the Washington game in Week 3.
Army came back from a 17-3 halftime deficit to beat the Redskins 24-17, and Gadson became part of the team.

"He has a great bond with so many players,'' Sullivan says. "I'm humbled to say he's my friend.''
Gadson called Sullivan a week before being deployed in Iraq in April. "I'm so proud of you,'' Gadson told his teammate, his friend, his brother. "Good luck.''

Sullivan shakes his head. He visited Gadson at Walter Reed after his injuries. He found a man working the hospital ward motivating other patients. Because that's what Gadson did as an Army linebacker. Why stop now?

"He was one of those guys who could play at a lot of Division I-A schools,'' Sullivan's saying. "Just a very, very competitive, relentless player. Off the field, he was a guy who would always be there to help somebody else.''

He'll be here today to join the Giants, to bring Army to the Super Bowl. Coughlin says he'll leave it up to Gadson on when he wants to address the team. There's a distinct possibility Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, Army Class of '89, will deliver a pre-game speech hours before the Giants and Patriots kick off in Super Bowl XLII.

But there's even more than Gadson that keeps bringing Sullivan back to Army. These Giants embody the intangibles of the '96 Army team. The chemistry. The focus. The leadership.
The '96 Cadets talked only about that week's game, nothing long term. They had a saying — "1-0 each week'' — that was hokey and incredibly effective. They didn't so much beat teams as they tortured teams, putting opponents in late-game surrender mode with the nation's best running game.

Army finished 10-2 and played in the Independence Bowl. Who knew Army would go more than a decade without another winning season, 11 years and counting, never mind a bowl bid.
"It's one of those things where, if you have that type of attitude,'' Sullivan says, describing the 1996 Cadets and the 2007 Giants, "you always have a chance.''

The Giants get their chance on Sunday. They will bring a little bit of Army onto the field with them. A little bit of Army at the Super Bowl.

Maybe, Sullivan's saying, folks will hear the Gadson story and root for the Giants, 11 years from Army's unexpected ride, another lovable underdog.
kgleasonthr@yahoo.com

Sullivan to Super Bowl; Joel, Geoff Crunched

Thanks to Al Hunt for calling our attention to MIKE SULLIVAN, Cabrillo class of 1985. Sullivan is going to the Super Bowl with the New York Giants as wide receivers coach. He is in his fourth year in that spot where he interfaces directly with Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress and Greg Gadson. More about Gadson in a minute. That's the best story.

Sullivan came to the Giants with head coach Tom Coughlin from Jacksonville. Sullivan joined the NFL after nine years coaching in college football. He played defensive back at Army (that's where he met Gadson) then began his coaching career at Humboldt State in 1993. He coached at Army (1995-96 and 1999-2000), Youngstown State (1997-98) and Ohio University (2001). In 1997, Youngstown State won the Division 1-AA national championship under Jim Tressel, now the coach at Ohio State.

Sullivan was a defensive back at Army, where he received a B.S. degree in 1989. He also has a master’s degree from Humboldt State. Sullivan is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne, Ranger and Air Assault schools. He and his wife, Julie, have a daughter, Carmen Enriqueta. Sullivan was born in Santa Maria.

Maybe most important about Sullivan with the Giants is that he was the guy who brought Greg Gadson to them.

Gadson was an honorary captain at Green Bay a week ago. Here’s the story by Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News.

His name is Lt. Col. Greg Gadson and he used to wear No. 98 for the Army football team and was with the Second Battalion and 32nd Field Artillery, on his way back from a memorial service for two soldiers from his brigade when he lost both his legs to a roadside bomb in Bahgdad.

It was the night of May 7, 2007, and Lt. Col. Gadson didn't know it at the time because he couldn't possibly have known, but it was the beginning of a journey that brought him to Lambeau Field Sunday night.

He was there as an honorary co-captain of the Giants, there on the sideline at Lambeau because this Giants' season has become his season now and he wasn't going to watch from some box. This is a Giant at the Super Bowl worth knowing about, as much as any of them.
"Me being a part of this team," Gadson was saying Monday night from his home in Virginia, having made it back there from Green Bay, "really starts with the team I played on at West Point."

He played at West Point between 1985 and 1988, and one of his teammates was Mike Sullivan, who played cornerback and some safety and is now one of Tom Coughlin's assistants with the Giants.

When Sullivan and so many other of Gadson's teammates found out what had happened on the night of May 7, found that Gadson had first lost his left leg to arterial infections and then his right, it brought that old Army team back together.

"My injury turned out to be a catalyst event," Gadson said. "These were guys who hadn't talked in years, but now were rallying around me, and my family. Some of us had stayed in contact, but not to any great degree. But now an incident in a war reminded us that we were still brothers."

Sullivan visited Gadson at Walter Reed, came back in June, this time with a No. 98 Giants jersey, Gadson's own name on the back, signed by several Giants players. When Sullivan left that day in June, he said to Gadson, "What else can we do?" Greg Gadson said he'd love to take his family to a Giants game.

It was the Giants-Redskins game, in Washington, third Sunday of the season, Giants 0-2 by then. The tickets were arranged and then the Friday before the game Mike Sullivan called and asked if Gadson would be interested in addressing the team on Saturday night.

Gadson's wife Kim drove him to the Giants' hotel. Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, Second Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery, old outside linebacker from Army, spoke to the Giants.

And just as no one knew that the Giants would begin a 10-game road winning streak the next day, just as no one knew this could ever become a Super Bowl season, no one in that room including Gadson himself knew that the soldier in the wheelchair was joining the season that night.

"I just spoke from the heart, as a soldier and as a former football player," he said, "for about 10 or 15 minutes. I talked to them about appreciating the opportunities in their lives, how special and privileged they were, how everybody needs to understand what they truly have.

And I talked to them about the power of sports in people's lives, especially soldiers' lives, how many times I'd watched soldiers get up in the middle of the night after a 12-hour shift if there is a chance to watch a game, or how soldiers would do anything to watch a game before they went on that kind of shift.

"I told them that of course after all the exteriors had been stripped away, they played the game for themselves. But that they had to play the game for each other. Then I talked about myself, how my old teammates came to my need, and how I was reminded again the power of a team, the emotional commitment teammates have for each other, that when a team finds a way to do things greater than they thought they could do, that they couldn't have done individually, that a bond is formed that can live forever.

"I told them that truly great teams usually form that bond by going through something together, and how whatever they were going through at that point in the season that no success ever came easy. And finally I reminded them that nothing is promised to anybody in this life, starting with tomorrow."

The Giants won the next day against the Redskins, and began a six-game winning streak, and began that road winning streak that now takes them on the road to Super Bowl XLII.

It began Greg Gadson's road to Lambeau, and being wheeled out by his 13-year old son Jaelen as an honorary co-captain of the Giants along with the great Harry Carson.
"I can't even remember the last time I was actually out on the field," he said. "Maybe when I played."

Gadson had been on the sidelines when the Giants won their first playoff game against the Bucs. The team wanted him in Dallas, but he was having more surgery, on what is left of his right leg, and his right arm, which had also been damaged by the IED. But he was well enough to travel to Green Bay, and strong enough to spend the whole game on the sideline with his son, the players calling him what they have all along:
Sir.

"I wouldn't say I was warm," he said. "But I was comfortable enough not to be hugging one of those heaters all day."

He watched from the sidelines at Lambeau as the team he met at 0-2 played the way it played against the Packers and played itself to the Super Bowl, watched as the Giants came back from that missed field goal at the end of regulation, finally saw Lawrence Tynes kick it through from 47 yards out.

"When the ball went through, you could feel the elation on our sidelines, and hear the stadium go quiet at the same time," Gadson said.

"It was like the air being let out of a whole state's soul. And then the next thing I saw was my son jumping in the air and running on that field."

The boy ran for both of them.

SULLIVAN AT A GLANCE

1993-94……………………..Humboldt State…graduate assistant/wide receivers coach

1995….……………………..Army...assistant linebackers coach

1996….……………………..Army...outside linebackers coach

1997-98…………………….Youngstown State…defensive backs coach

1999-2000………………….Army…defensive backs coach

2001………………………..Ohio University…defensive backs coach 2002………………………..Jacksonville Jaguars...defensive quality control 2003………………………..Jacksonville Jaguars…offensive assistant

2004-07..…………………..New York Giants…wide receivers coach

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JOEL

At Tucson, Arizona the Washington Huskies were crushed Saturday 84-69 by Arizona. JOEL SMITH played 12 minutes but did not score. The Huskies are now 3-4 in the PAC-10. They host Stanford Thursday.

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GEOFF & JASON

Winona, MN – For the second straight Saturday night, the University of Mary faced a nationally ranked team on the road. After staying close to now-7th ranked Northern State last weekend, the Marauders couldn’t say the same this week after third-ranked Winona State University won in a rout 95-45. The victory was the 41st straight Northern Sun win for WSU.

GEOFF WEST was held to just four points

The Marauders fall to 6-14 overall and 3-8 in the NSIC. Winona State extended its winning streak to 16 games and improves to 22-1 overall and a NSIC-leading 11-0 in conference play.
More than ready for some home cooking, U-M hosts Southwest Minnesota State on Friday and Wayne State on Saturday.

Roxanne Rentschler Sets CHS Scoring Mark

There was a super profile of Cabrillo hoops star ROXANNE RENTSCHLER by Brad Memberto in today’s Lompoc Record/Santa Maria Times--

In a basketball game against Santa Maria on Jan. 4, Cabrillo guard Roxanne Rentschler scored her 1,000th career point. She became the all-time leading girls scorer in school history.

But two things were more important to her that night - one, her team won; two, she set the school record for assists in a game.

This is a girl that is a team player, who just happened to score a lot of points.“I'll tell you two facts about the game against Santa Maria that tell you what you need to know about Roxanne Rentschler,” said her coach, MARK TASCH.

“That same night she set the school record for assists in one game by dealing 11. She hit five-of-six 3-point shots, but was in the gym at 6 a.m. the next morning working on her shooting - that's Roxanne.”

It is the work ethic that Rentschler (5-7) brings to the court that has led to her success. Each year her stats improve and that comes from all the extra hours in the gym. Since averaging about eight points a game as a freshman on the varsity squad, Rentschler's scoring has improved. She was the leading scorer for the past three years, averaging 11.6 as a sophomore, 10.6 in her junior year and a solid 14.6 so far in her senior year. As a sophomore she led the team with 49 assists; this year she already has 107. And on a team that has some big players under the basket, she is third on the squad in rebounds at 6.4.

As Rentschler's all-around game has improved, so has the Conquistadores total wins. From 3-20 her freshman year, the team improved to 11-13 her sophomore year, 16-10 her junior year and now the Conqs have 11 wins this season.

“It was obvious at the beginning that she had skills beyond her age,” said JESSE DAVIS, the current athletic director at Lompoc High and Rentschler's varsity coach when she was a freshman. “She had great vision and made very good passes,” he continued.

Coming into high school, basketball was not the only sport this competitor played. Rentschler played soccer and volleyball as well. But she stuck to only basketball after her sophomore year.

“I played soccer until the 10th grade and volleyball for two years, but my junior year I wanted to get serious about basketball and play all year,” Rentschler explained. “I wanted to play to win, not just play.”

Rentschler has always loved the game of basketball. She started playing at age 6, with her dad as the coach of her team. Her parents have been by her side for the entire time.

“My parents have been so supportive of me, they would do anything for me,” Rentschler said. “They would drive me to tournaments as far as Oregon - we've been all over the place.“They buy me basketball shooting tapes and stuff,” she continued. “They push me, but not too much, they know how much I love it.”

Her father David works at Vandenberg Air Force Base and her mother Susan is a retired teacher. Both are dedicated to her successes on and off the court. “My dad will wake up in the morning and rebound for me,” Rentschler said. “I'm really thankful for all they do.”

With her family support system, the close relationship with her head coach and her work ethic, Rentschler has succeeded and presented a model for future athletes - female and male - to follow.“For four years hers has been the name that people have associated with Cabrillo girls basketball,” Tasch said. “She has always represented us as we would wish, playing hard, playing unselfishly and never ever quitting.”

Playing unselfishly has always been a benchmark of Rentschler's game. “I love the games with the whole team contributing, when everyone's doing well,” she explained, “when you get pass, pass, basket.” Team has always been the focus of her game, as evidenced in her comments about the other record she broke in the Santa Maria game. “I liked the 11 assists, it's one of my strong things that I do, Rentschler said. “The 1,000 points, now that's cool, but anyone can shoot a lot, but an assist helps get your teammates up.”

“She's very unselfish with a basketball,” explained Tasch. “I don't think I've ever seen her pass up a person that is open. She reminds me of Marcus Jenkins a bit,” he continued, comparing Rentschler to one of his star players from his years as the boys coach. “If we won and Marcus had two points, it was fine with Marcus. If we lost and he had 35, it wasn't fine with him. Roxie's much the same way.”

Rentschler has worked on her entire game throughout the years and her shooting has really improved, especially her 3-point shooting as of late. She has become an all-around threat, something that has not been lost on Coach Tasch. “I am proudest of how Roxanne has worked to develop a complete game,” said Tasch. “When you check the Los Padres League on MaxPreps you'll find her at or near the top in scoring, assisting, 3-point shooting and rebounding. And she has become a very good on-the-ball defender.”

“He's pushed me to be the best I can be,” Rentschler said about Tasch. “Make smart decisions. Everybody has different goals. If I want to go to the next level, I can't go out at night and the next morning be ready to shoot.”

Another indication of her dedication to the game can be found in her senior project. Rentschler read several books on sports psychology and wrote a paper on the subject. “I wrote it last semester, so it was during pre-season,” she explained. “I learned a lot of ways to prepare for a game.”

Rentschler recently signed a national letter-of-intent to attend Division II powerhouse Sonoma State next fall.“I'm excited, that's the school I wanted to go to,” Rentschler said. “I will get to play with girls that are just like me. They really want to win and are really dedicated. The school is very nice, it's really pretty up there,” she continued. “And I watched the team practice and play.”

She said that she was going to major in business, but wasn't sure what her life after basketball would include. “A teacher maybe?” she said. “I like English. I like reading a lot and writing.” And how about coaching? “It would be kind of fun, I could try,” Rentschler answered with a smile. “I'd have to work on my patience - but you never know.”

For now it's complete the current basketball season with a strong finish. “I don't want to end the season thinking I could of done more,” Rentschler stated. “So I need to always work my hardest.”

“The program and I will miss her tremendously,” Tasch said, “but at the same time, I'm thrilled that her hard work and determination will be rewarded by being able to play at the next level.

“If work ethic, determination and desire to win have anything to do with success,” he continued, “we will be hearing great things.”And Rentschler has appreciated her time at Cabrillo and will miss the camaraderie of her teammates and schoolmates.“Going to the football games, the team dinners, we have a good bond - I love my team,” she said. “I learned a lot from my coaches and my teachers here.“It's a good school,” she concluded. “I'm happy I came to Cabrillo.”

And the school is happy she did too.

Statmeister: Brave Hoops Down Conqs

Lompoc basketball gives Cabrillo "The Blues."

by Mike (Statmeister) Loney

A battered, but jubilant JOE ALERTA celebrated with his LHS teammates at mid-court of the CHS gym Wednesday night after an intensely physical defensive trial was eventually decided in the Braves favor 52-42.

The game was the culmination to an afternoon and evening slate of intra-valley match-ups between the two local high schools to open Los Padres League play. The event started with both the girls and boys freshman squads playing their counterparts at Paisola Pavilion on the LHS campus, while the JV & varsity units played at Cabrillo. Lompoc prevailed in five of the six contests, defeating the Conqs in all but the first one played.

Frosh girls

The freshman girl Conquistadores blew out (52-28) a Braves squad that was demoralized early in the second period by the loss of team leader KAYLIN BARNES to injury. That already depleted group seemed to lack cohesion despite playing with great effort against a very coordinated CHS attack. CHS coach VINCE FLOWERS credited Cabrillo's prowess to a group of nine players who had practiced hard all through the Christmas break. Barnes is expected to be out at least a week.

Frosh boys

The freshman boys followed with one of the best games of the young season. Lompoc jumped out to an 8-point lead after one quarter, then surrendered a 1-point deficit at halftime. Both teams scored ten in the third, and Cabrillo held a 36-35 lead with 2:45 left in the game. Lompoc, stepping up their defense down the stretch, led 39-38 at the 0:39 mark, and had possession of the ball. But missed free throws, several mad scrambles, and a held ball put the ball in the Conqs hands with the score unchanged and 13 seconds on the clock. A deep penetration was foiled when LHS knocked the ball out of bounds with 0:04 remaining. Cabrillo's last shot, a mid-range jumper from the left baseline, slowly slid over and off the front of the rim.

JV

The Lompoc girls JV team posted a narrow 2-point victory in a low scoring contest, and the boys JV won by 12 (69-57). Coach EARNEST REESE was quite pleased with his outfit's effort - especially the extremely low number of turnovers. This was in marked contrast to a series of rather indifferent practice sessions leading up to the game, including one Tuesday night cut short by a randomly operating fire alarm at LHS.

Girls varsity

The dual main event began with a girl's varsity game that was not for the faint of heart. Anyone who thinks that basketball is a non-contact sport or that girls are not competitive obviously did not see this one. Lompoc started quickly, taking a 14-2 lead in the first quarter, but Cabrillo definitely did not quit. They fought back to within six points by the end of a low-scoring opening half (20-14), during which neither team was shy about using fouls. In the third quarter the scoring pace picked up (18-16)-- surpassing the prior half as Lompoc eased out to an 8-point lead. Thus the fourth period began with Lompoc in familiar and unfriendly territory. They had the elements seen in several previous losses - a small lead, several players in foul trouble, and JOZZA RAY (27 points on the night) racing around the court. Tonight, however, would be different. The Braves were buoyed by the return from injury of ASHLEY CROMP, who provided much needed relief to post players CHELSEA CASSULO and COURTNEY STUMPO. CAMERON LIZARRAGA and LAUREN LOPES picked up significant points. So even though Cassulo and point guard DENEE LANE fouled out with nearly six minutes left, the Braves were able to hold off a series of charges by the Conqs and hold on to win 57-50.

Boys varsity

The near-capacity crowd barely had time to recover from the girls game, when the boys took the court. They were, if possible, more physical.

The Braves again jumped out to an early lead (6-2), but Cabrillo roared back - leading 10-6 at the end of one period. Lompoc's Joe Alerta had to leave the game midway through that initial stanza, wobbling off the court after colliding head-first with teammate STEVEN MOREHART while diving for a loose ball. He was able to return in time to hit a number of very timely shots (and 10 of 12 free throws), helping the Braves to a 24-19 halftime advantage. The second half was an extremely rugged affair with both teams having two more fouls than made baskets. Lompoc stretched its lead at the end of the third to 41-27, before Alerta went down again. This time laying on the court for several minutes after receiving a lower-body injury. Cabrillo out-scored the Braves down the stretch, but wasn't able to catch them although cutting the lead substantially at least twice.

Other notes

The LHS girls soccer teams had rough outings against Santa Ynez at home -- both varsity & JV losing by significant margins. In happier news both the boys and girls varsity basketball teams recieved additions recently. Yucca Valley transfer CARL BRUCE, a 6-3, 195-pound. athletic swingman, hopes to suit up for the fellas sometime next week. He is awaiting CIF clearance after moving to join his mom. The other new addition is Tara Nicolette Terrones, the new daughter of girls head coach CLAUDIA & (JV football coach) PAUL TERRONES (pictured). Current physical dimensions are in flux but it is reported that she has already begun work on her dribble.

McIntosh; all-LPL; LHS Girls Polo; AHC Nine; Grid

NOMINATION

Chico State soccer fullback KATIE McINTOSH, a Cabrillo grad, has been nominated for Lompoc Female Athlete of the Year.
McIntosh, a junior, switched positions at her coach’s request from midfield to defense, then anchored a rock-ribbed Chico defensive line as the Wildcats took the California Collegiate Association championship and qualified for the NCAA Div. II playoffs. The complete list of nominees may be seen in the right-hand column below our sponsors.



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YOU can nominate right now! Just e-mail your nominee to pressboxprod@verizon.net in any of four categories: Male Athlete of 2007, Female Athlete of 2007, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year. Take a look at the nominations list to date in the right-hand column below our sponsors.

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LPL All-League Selections


Volleyball-----
First team
– MB Jessica Farley, Cabrillo 5-11 Jr., setter Sovania Moua, Lompoc 5-3 Sr.
Second team
--Hitter Jackie Townsend, Lompoc 5-7 Jr., Brittany Skinner, Cabrillo 5-7 Sr.
Honorable Mention
--OH Erika Slikker, Lompoc 5-7 Fr., Shabraya Hays, Cabrillo 5-9 Sr.

Girls Golf-----
First team
--Kellie George, Cabrillo Sr., Sarrah Jones, Lompoc Sr.

Girls Tennis-----
Second team doubles
--Lynsey McLain, Cabrillo Sr., Lanae Magers, Cabrillo Sr., Dana Campitelli, Lompoc Sr., Maria Morales, Lompoc Sr.

Boys Water Polo-----
MVP Wes Hain, Cabrillo Sr.
First team
--Goalie—Corey Rowell, Cabrillo Sr.
--Field—Casey Owen, Cabrillo Sr., Kody Ogan, Cabrillo Sr., Garrett Darling, Cabrillo Jr., Brad Deegan, Lompoc Sr.
Second team
--Field—Gregg Herrera, Cabrillo Sr., Patrick Densmore, Cabrillo Sr., Ryan Lynch, Lompoc Sr., Kyle Pickles, Lompoc Jr.
Honorable mention: goalie—Kyle Thumm, Lompoc Jr., field—Nathaniel Olivera, Cabrillo Sr.
Coach of the Year: Joel Jory, Cabrillo

Football -----
Offensive Back of the Year—Bennie Garrett, Cabrillo Sr.
Second team: offensive lineman Jacob Farley, Cabrillo 6-3 290 Sr., linebacker Matt Rotondi, Cabrillo 5-9 205 Jr., defensive back Greg Watson Cabrillo 5-9 160 Sr.
Honorable mention: defensive lineman Zach Holmes, Cabrillo 5-11 200 Jr., linebacker Pat Cook, Cabrillo 5-10, 175, Soph

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LHS Girls Water Polo


By Mike Loney



The Lompoc Girls kicked off the season in fine fashion on Wednesday, defeating the visiting Righetti Warriors 4-3 in a classic defensive battle at the LAC. The Warriors opened the scoring early (5:02) in the first quarter on a goal by Allyson Fargher, but the Braves responded with two in the second period, the first one early on (6:20) by Amanda King, the second at 1:58 by Ashley Branson. Fargher tied the game at 5:11 of the third, setting up a showdown in the fourth. Lompoc jumped out to a quick lead on goals by Branson (5:47) and Brooke Crouse (4:53), surrendered a goal to Melissa Best at 2:05, and then held on to win amid a flurry of shots in the last two minutes. The Braves’ defense was bolstered by excellent play during the entire game by goalie Erica Elenes. The Varsity will be playing in the the Mistletoe Tournament (Newbury Park) Fri, 30 Nov 07 to Sat, 1 Dec 07. The JV squad did not have similar results, losing 15-6. Although the very inexperienced group played well, they were stunned by a tremendous offensive performance by the Warriors’ Shawna Best. Best had 6 goals, several assists & steals, and was clearly the best player in the pool. She scored four of the first five goals of the game to give Righetti a lead which they never lost. Lompoc received goals from team captain Anna Clark (4), Stephanie Cardoza (1), and Sabrina Scheffler (1). The JV will be playing in the Cabrillo Frosh/Soph Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 1 2007.

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AHC Baseball


Tuesday the Hancock Bulldog World Series inter-squad baseball tournament began with a 6-4 Gold victory. The Gold scored the first run of the game in the first with an RBI single by COREY DOTZLER. Dotzler had another run batted in the third. On Wednesday the Blues evened the series with a 5-1 victory. Losing pitcher was KIRK FRIDRICH whose control was uncharacteristically shaky.


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Football Notes



LYDELL SARGEANT's Penn State Nittany Lions have accepted a berth in Dec. 29's Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. Their opponent is expected to be Texas Tech or Texas A&M.
BOO JACKSON did indeed lead the state community colleges in several key quarterback categories this fall at El Camino.
In passing yardage/attempt he posted a 10.7-yard average. That shows he as not just dumping off short range passes. Second best was Ben Cozad of College of the Siskiyous.
Boo’s pass rating was 189.5 far above Cozad who was second at 171.1. Cozad did nip Boo in total offense/play which seems to indicate he ran more effectively. But the difference was tiny—9.3 yards to 9.0 yards.

Scorpions Nominated; The Simmons Report; Hoops

Scorps Nominated Team of 2007

The LOMPOC SCORPIONS, Central Coast Youth Football League Intermediate Division Champions, have been nominated for Lompoc Locker Room’s Team of the Year Award.

The Scorps won the CCYFL Super Bowl last Saturday with a 20-16 victory over the Five Cities Eagles. They are pictured above savoring their triumph. Earlier they demolished the Santa Maria Chiefs 37-0 and stopped the Atascadero Colts in the semifinals.

Their coach, JOHN HERNANDEZ, was also nominated, in the Coach of the Year category. Nominations are open to all readers. Just e-mail pressboxprod@verizon.net with your nominations for team, coach and male or female athlete of the year. The list of nominees can be seen below in the right hand column beneath our advertisers. E-mail us now!

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The Simmons Report

"The lockerroom page is awesome. The way you keep us informed is so wonderful. Anyway CJ's season has officially started. We went down last weekend and attended their kickoff tournament. CJ had three real good games. He is coming off the bench (sixth man) getting about 30-35 minutes a game, and playing defense like a giant. Out of eight teams we were the smallest out there but we were shutting down six-footers. We took fourth place in that tournament but played this past weekend in Sacramento and won the championship against the team that we lost to for third place the weekend earlier. The coach was quoted saying CJ was one of his five key players this year. So we are happy about the choice he made. I will get you some specific stats soon.

"As for Isaac, he hit us with a bombshell as he returned to school this fall. He has decided not to play his final year of baseball. He says he does not have the love and drive he once felt. However because the coach loves him so much, he will carry his scholarship and graduate in May. That's why we sent him and that's all we care about at this point. "
Nyla Simmons

(CJ Simmons is playing basketball at Santa Rosa Junior College. Isaac is at Lewis-Clark State in Idaho. Both were all-leaguers at Cabrillo)

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Basketball

JOEL SMITH scored two points, pulled down seven rebounds, dished three assists and made two steals tonight in New York but it was not enough. Texas A&M held Washington without a field goal for a key 5-minute stretch in the second half to beat the Huskies 77-63 in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals in New York. It was Washington’s first defeat of the season. Smith played 20 minutes as he started his fourth straight game.

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In Mayville, North Dakota tonight University of Mary broke into the win column with an 82-73 victory over Mayville State. GEOFF WEST scored six points. After three games West is the No. 3 leading scorer at U-M with 8.7 points per game. He also ranks third in rebounds and assists. He has started each game and leads the team in minutes. His brother JASON WEST has contributed two assists in 17 minutes of action.

Statmeiser Reports; McIntosh, Boo, West

By Mike "The Statmeister" Loney

There are several Lompoc Valley sports activities scheduled for this Saturday.

-- The 2nd Annual LHS Dinner Show and Auction will take place at the LHS cafeteria from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. This dinner and silent auction is a combined fundraiser for all 50+ clubs and sports teams at Lompoc HS. Among the auction items are artwork, jewelry, gift baskets, theater tickets, vacations & hotel stays, knick-knacks, and craft creations. For sports-inclined folks there is gym membership, sports memorabilia (including a Raiders jacket, Warren Sapp jersey, and football tapes), a TV, and an X-Box system. Contact person is Sue Coupland at 742-3473.

--Also on tap:LHS grad ARIANA FABING will be the sole Allan Hancock College cross-country representative at the California State Finals in Fresno. She will be competing in the womens 5K event on the same course that CIF uses for their state championship. [more on AHC X-C to come]

--The LOMPOC SCORPIONS will compete in the CCYFL Intermediate Level Super Bowl against the 5-Cities Eagles. The game is at 2:00 pm in Cambria. The Scorpions (the only valley team to reach the finals) advanced by defeating the Santa Maria Chiefs 37-0 in the first round of the playoffs at Cabrillo, and beating the Atascadero Colts in last week’s semifinal held in Santa Maria. Five Cities topped the Morro Bay Pirates (28-14) and the Paso Robles Bearcats (23-6) to reach the finals.


KATIE McINTOSH

KATIE McINTOSH (pictured) had a memorable junior year with the Chico State womens’ soccer team, a season that ended in a championship, but not many personal stats for Katie, even though she started every match. When the conference championship game went to a shoot-out Katie “guaranteed” a Wildcat triumph. Here’s how she saw it.

“I switched positions this year, to play defense. I began the year going between the center and outside back positions, depending on what my coach needed. I finally was able to settle into the outside position once we found someone to play center. I have played several positions for this team, so it wasn't a problem. I was fortunate enough to start every game and play most of all the minutes, unless we were able to get a big lead.

“Some personal highlights from the season would be the Monterey Bay game, where I was able to notch three assists. Another game would be the Sonoma game where a forward broke through our centers and I was able to get back to the goal as she dribbled past our goalie and got a shot off. I headed it out of the goal to keep them from scoring. I have had a couple saves off the line and some girls have joked that I'm like a second goalie.

“Basically I love my team and am just happy to have found such a great fit where I am able to continue to do what I love while being surrounded by great people. I was able to ‘guarantee’ a win because of the tremendous faith I have not only in our goalie but our team. I knew Kari, our goalie, definitely should have gotten CCAA (all-conference) honors and something just told me she was going to prove it in that shoot out. My friend took a couple pictures at the championship game but hasn't been able to send them to me yet, so I can send them when I get them. Well, thank you for all your interest in my career, it is much appreciated.”

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR --BROTHER WAS RIGHT ABOUT BOO

“I guess my brother’s opinion about BOO JACKSON a couple years ago about being the best athlete out of Lompoc is pretty much right on. I got to referee Boo last year in the American Bowl against Moorpark. The same match-up this year. I am refereeing the Southern California Bowl Saturday: Ventura vs. Palomar.” --Scott Kennedy
(Note: Jackson’s El Camino College team faces Moorpark this Saturday in the first round of the playoffs)
=====================================================

GEOFF WEST

About to begin his second season at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, GEOFF WEST has already found himself profiled in the Bismarck Tribune. Here’s Wednesday’s story by Cindy Peterson. Nice story even if she mangled our town’s name.

University of Mary point guard Geoff West once shared something in common with NBA standout Allen Iverson. Neither put their full effort into practice.

When he was asked about his lackluster approach to time in the gym, Iverson once said:"... we're not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we're talking about practice."

When West came into U-Mary's system last year, he didn't impress coach Juno Pintar in practice. Pintar got a better grasp of West's abilities when game time rolled around. "He was an unknown quantity," Pintar said of the junior from Lompac, Calif.

"We saw one DVD on him and I wasn't blown away. I thought he would be a serviceable backup. Even during our first practices he really didn't stand out. But once we started playing games, that's where we saw that competitive edge. He made so many big shots for us."

West and Iverson no longer have that trait in common. The 6-foot-2 West has taken over a leadership role in helping a young team learn the ropes of NCAA Division II basketball. And that means going full-speed in practice and correcting the mistakes of the younger players during the preseason.

"It's unbelievable how he has taken the reins of the team," Pintar said. "He's leading by example. Last year he wasn't a great practice player and this year he's working his tail off. "He's sending a message to the younger guys that 'if you don't bring it every day I will make you look bad.' He'll call the freshmen out if they aren't doing things right, but he's the first to pat them on the rear and say he's doing it to make them better."

West has plenty of reason to be excited about this year's team. The Marauders signed most of last year's top seniors in North Dakota - Jordan Wilhelm (Bismarck), Tate Kick (Dickinson), Justin Belohlavek (Mandan), Mark Bakkum (Steele-Dawson) and Marcus Fridley (Dickinson). They also recruited 6-foot-9 Bryce Fazekis of Park Rapids, Minn.

"Everybody looks at me to see (our) mental set," said West, an exercise science major. "We graduated a ton of seniors, and that role has dropped to me. It's not too much to handle. I like being in charge and making sure everybody is on the same page."

West attended Santa Rosa Junior College his freshman year, but he said he didn't feel that there was a place for him on the team. West used to live in Montevideo, Minn., and was childhood buddies with Lance Doppler, a sharpshooter who wrapped up his career for U-Mary last season. Through Doppler's encouragement, West transferred to U-Mary.

Pintar liked the way West fit into last year's team until things went awry late in the season. West, a right-hander, broke his right wrist. Not knowing the extent of the injury, West played eight games before sitting out the final three. After the injury, West saw his numbers dip. He finished the year averaging 6.7 points a game, including 24 3-pointers. West dished out 31 assists and snagged two rebounds a game.

"It hurt to shoot and dribble," West said. "Once I got in the game, my adrenaline got going and I forgot about it. I didn't do much shooting, and my shooting percentage was less."

Pintar noticed that West's production was on the decline, and he encouraged him to seek medical attention."Some of his passes weren't as crisp," Pintar said. "He passed up some shots. That's the best thing about Geoff, you take away his ability to shoot and he still does so much on the defensive end."

West had surgery on his wrist in February. He had a pin put in and tissue removed. He was in a cast for almost four months. But West was willing to look toward the positive side of things. "It made me work on my left hand," West said. "My shooting took awhile, but it's back to 100 percent."

The Marauders graduated Doppler (8.3 ppg, 47 3-pointers), Bill Shetler (6.1 ppg, 33 3-pointers), Nate Kaeding (1.3 ppg, 14 steals), Steele Tescher (1 ppg, 16 assists) and Ike Ezirike (4 ppg). They return leading scorer Eric Erdmann (11.3 ppg, 39 assists, 21 3-pointers) and Jordan Engelhardt (9.7 ppg, 73 assists). Also returning are center Zach Dosch (8 ppg), reserve center Scott Guggenberger (3.5 ppg, 4 rpg) and forward Danny Sandvig (4.3 ppg).

The rebuilding Marauders were picked by the coaches to finish seventh in the NSIC. Pintar and the Marauders are out to prove the preseason predictions wrong."We will face struggles early in the year as we get used to our new personnel," Pintar said. "Our attention to detail and doing the little things right, we're so inconsistent with that. I tell our guys to dream with their eyes open. If we want to be better than seventh, we better work our tails off."

And West fits into Pintar's plans."One of the reasons we switched around our offense this year is because we wanted to give Geoff some space to work with," Pintar said. "His athletic ability and quickness holds up really well at the D-II level. He has the ability to get by his guy. He can create some stuff for some other guys."

But a lot of the early scoring will need to go through Erdmann and Engelhardt. The younger players have shown flashes of brilliance, and their inexperience has been glaring at times. "I'm seeing some incredible things from the guys in practice," Pintar said. "There's been some inconsistencies. That's common for freshmen. We're going have to live with some of those inconsistencies. I'm going to have to be a more patient coach this year as those guys struggle through some growing pains. I'm going to have to look at the big picture. Now that we're postseason eligible, we will have to speed up the big picture."

The Big Game 2007

Let’s face it. Unless the Patriots announce tomorrow they are relocating to Huyck Stadium, football will go into the history books as a disappointment this season in the Valley of the Flowers.

And yet, a victory in The Big Game can soothe at least a degree of the pain. “At least we beat those guys from ________.”

There is not much more to say. Lompoc comes in 3-6, Cabrillo 2-7. Both are out of the playoffs for the second straight year after going deep into CIF in 2005.

The wise guys in the newspaper ALL pick Lompoc to win. The Braves won last year 32-13 when the contest was also a Turn-In-the-Gear Bowl. When it last meant something, in 2005, Cabrillo won 28-18.

AL HUNT reports in the Santa Barbara News-Suppress that both coaches will opt to go into overtime should regulation end in a tie. ROBIN LUKEN, Hunt says, is 12-4 in the Big Game, DON CROSS is 1-3.

Lompoc leads the series 29-13

And yet, there will be some interesting match-ups.

Can BENNIE GARRETT maintain his 100-yard per game average one more week for Cabrillo? He ranks #3 in the county in rushing with 933 yards. He’ll be on his own. GREG WATSON is reportedly out with a concussion. Cabrillo will suit up fewer than 30 players.

Will some semblance of size return to the Lompoc line? Will ANDREW VAN DYKE and TOM McCAFFREY come back from their injuries for one last game? Will it make a difference?

And yet, there are some guys who have not packed it in. We pick two here.

One is SETH BROADHEAD (#40 above) A sure tackler at defensive end for much of the season, he went over to offense to play tackle at oh, 195 pounds, when the Braves needed him. He was outweighed by roughly 80 pounds. Mr. En Fuego likes utility guys.

The other is PAT COOK (#33) Here’s a guy whose name appears on all the lists the Conquistadores post. As a defensive lineman/linebacker he has posted 41 tackles and three sacks. He has kicked eight extra points when he was needed there. He has even carried the pigskin threee times. Did we say Mr. En Fuego likes utility guys?

Go Conqs, Go Braves. Or should it be Go Braves, Go Conqs?

The game will be broadcast by Press Box Productions on Comcast Channel 23.

Entering Big Game Week the Locals are 2-10

Atascadero 51, Lompoc 14

For those who were not present at Memorial Stadium in Atascadero for the Atascadero-Lompoc football matchup last night, let me share with you some painful details.

--Greyhound quarterback Steven Manier took the first snap he received and ran 66 yards through the Lompoc defense for a touchdown.

--The Braves caught a break early when JAKE MOREHART recovered a fumbled punt return on the Atascadero four-yard line. Unfortunately their next three plays went backwards. Then a field goal try was narrowly wide right.

--Lompoc did not gain a first down until the final play of the first half. By then the score was 23-0. The Braves made only two first downs in the entire game. Atascadero had 15.

--The Greyhounds amassed 430 yards rushing. The Braves had 28. That is a difference of 402.

--In total offense Atascadero totalled 529 yards, Lompoc just 79.

-- Manier finished the game with 110 yards rushing on just three carries. He connected on nine of 14 passes.

-- Nick Tenhaeff, Atascadero's primo ballcarrier, totalled 196 yards on 16 carries.

But on the more positive side....

--With the score 37-0 BRANDON ALONZO reeled off the most amazing kickoff return of the last several seasons. Ninety-one yards officially, but from my vantage point closer to 98, he slipped tackle after tackle, each of which gained him another two, three, five yards, doing this time after time all the way to the Atascadero 35 from where the struggle finally turned into a footrace. Even then his final pursuer made a dive that looked like it might trip Alonzo but he kept his balance.

-- Atascadero came back for two more TD's sandwiched around a DARYL AGUILAR screenpass to BOBBY COLLINS for 25 yards and a TD. It was only about the second time all game that Collins had any open green grass to enjoy. The Greyhound defense seemed to be velcroed to his jersey every time he touched the ball.

After the game Greyhound coach Vic Cooper told the press, "We're excited to have the power of the PAC-7 slanted toward the North County."

It sure is slanted. Paso Robles ran all over San Luis Obispo 56-35 to remain undefeated. In the other game Arroyo Grande upset Righetti 27-21. The standings look like this

Paso Robles 4-0
Atascadero 3-1
San Luis Obispo 2-2
Righetti 2-3
Arroyo Grande 1-3
Lompoc 1-4

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TEMPLETON 36, CABRILLO 21

At Huyck Stadium Templeton amassed a 36-7 lead after three quarters but Cabrillo put 14 points on the board late.

BENNY GARRETT who once again surpassed the 100-yard mark (124) went over from the one and BRANDON WHITTAKER carried in from the 16.

Earlier SEAN ALLEN connected with Whittaker for a 34-yard TD pass to close Templeton's 13-0 lead to 13-7.

Afterward coach DON CROSS refused to get down on his players despite their 2-7 record.

"They don't quit, they're winners," he told the Santa Maria Times' Brad Memberto. "I told them before the game, don't worry about winning or losing-- just be winners, and they are. They're gonna come and bring everything they got. "

Cross said the final quarter flurry could help the Conqs in their final game, vs. Lompoc.

"We wanted to try and get some momentum going into The Big Game. "I think we played well enough that the kids will have some confidence.

"We're going to see a similar offense. We're gonna see a great back in Collins and a running quarterback in Aguilar. So it's gonna be similar to what we saw tonight."

The other Los Padres League results last night had Morro Bay pummeling St. Joseph 46-16 to clinch the Pirates' first LPL title since 1971, Nipomo moved into a second place tie by dumping Santa Ynez 28-0, and Pioneer Valley clobbered Santa Maria 56-7. The standings:

Morro Bay 6-0
Nipomo 4-2
St. Joseph 4-2
Pioneer Valley 4-3
Santa Ynez 3-3
Templeton 3-3
Cabrillo 1-6
Santa Maria 0-6

Good Game, Dreary Result

Barring a miracle no CIF playoff football games will be played by either local high school in 2007.

The Lompoc Braves fell Friday night to San Luis Obispo 21-15 in a hard-fought contest at Huyck Stadium.

The defeat relegates the blues to 1-3, ahead only of winless Arroyo Grande in the PAC-7. Worse, Righetti, the team which the Braves seemed most likely to overtake, won an improbable victory Friday night, upsetting undefeated Atascadero 21-13.

Thus Paso Robles, with a 35-14 victory over Arroyo Grande, takes sole possession of first place with a 3-0 record, followed by both Atascadero and SLO at 2-1, then Righetti at 2-2, then Lompoc and AG. Even a Lompoc victory over Atascadero next week, combined with a Righetti loss, would give LHS a 2-3 final PAC-7 record and only a tie with the Warriors. Unfortunately Righetti holds the tie-breaker based on their last-minute triumph over Lompoc in the season opener.

Not making the playoffs for two consecutive years is a rare, and possibly unprecedented, scenario for a Lompoc team coached by ROBIN LUKEN.

“We didn’t make the plays,” shrugged the coach afterward.

SLO took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter on a 94-yard eight-minute drive that required 21 plays. Finally Brian Lewelling scored from the seven and the PAT was good.

Lompoc fought back to tie the score early in the fourth quarter. Quarterback DARYL AGUILAR (pictured above in an earlier game in a photo by Russ Samaniego) rolled right and cut back behind blocks by RUDY YRUEGAS and BOBBY COLLINS (his eligibility reinstated on a waiver) to score from the six. JORGE HERNANDEZ kicked the PAT.

But then San Luis quarterback Dave Schultz began to find success through the air, something he had been unable to do all game.

He connected on a 31-yard pass to Robert Rose to move his team to the Lompoc 11 and then found Rose again in the end zone. With the PAT it was 14-7 with 5:51 to play.

Then a critical fumble, Lompoc’s first turnover of the contest, gave SLO the ball at the LHS 21. At 4:29 Jay MacElhearney carried for 11 and suddenly the score was 21-7.

The Braves responded with a desperation drive mostly through the air as Aguilar completed to Collins and STEVEN MOREHART for big gains and at 2:49 Collins plunged over from the one. After two consecutive off-sides calls against SLO, Luken opted for a two-point PAT and Aguilar converted it rolling right and across the goal line. That made the count 21-15. But only 2:49 remained.

At about 1:30 a fumble appeared momentarily to give the Braves a chance at Hail Mary finish but it was covered by the Tigers.

The Braves now carry a 3-5 record for the season. They travel to Atascadero on Friday. Aguilar was voted Player of the Game.

PAC-7

Paso Robles 3-0
Atascadero 2-1
San Luis Obispo 2-1
Righetti 2-2
Lompoc 1-3
Arroyo Grande 0-3


MORRO BAY 54, CABRILLO 0

At Morro Bay everything went the way of the Pirates, despite a 50-yard run by Cabrillo’s BENNIE GARRETT as Morro Bay remained undefeated. Cabrillo falls to 1-5 in the Los Padres League, 2-6 overall. The Conquistadores host Templeton next Friday.

In other LPL contests Santa Ynez shocked St. Joseph 20-7, Pioneer Valley stopped Templeton 17-0, and Nipomo rolled over Santa Maria 42-0.


Los Padres League

Morro Bay 5-0
St. Joseph 4-1
Nipomo 3-2
Santa Ynez 3-2
Pioneer Valley 3-3
Templeton 2-3
Cabrillo 1-5
Santa Maria 0-5

Lompoc Brave Football Shows Up; Conqs Do Too

By Mike Loney

“They showed up, they wrapped up, and they did what they needed to win,” was the description coach ROBIN LUKEN gave of his defensive squad after the 35-13 victory Friday night- but he could have said the same about the entire team.

The Braves (3-4,1-2) played their best game of the season, defeating the Eagles (2-5,0-2) for only the fourth time since 1995 and for the first time at Arroyo Grande this century. It was also their first victory in the PAC-7 since joining last year.

The Braves played their best and most complete game of the season- racking up 372 yards on offense, allowing only 187 yards on defense, and playing solid special teams. It would have been difficult to anticipate this result earlier in the week when, in addition to having several players already out injured, the team suffered some self-inflicted wounds. At least four players (including two-way starters) literally failed to make the grade and were dismissed due to failure to maintain academic eligibility.

The team, however, pulled together and played the kind of football many fans have been hoping to see all year- tough, hard-nosed, swarming defense and an offense that can produce big plays.

The Players ---

#5 The Lines: The undersized O-line, all juniors, [SETH BROADHEAD, ALAN JULIAN, BUCKY MARTINEZ, EVAN BEDFORD, ADAM LEACH] played as a real unit and did a very good job of sealing off running lanes for Lompoc’s back-to-basics approach. They were not really asked to pass block as the Braves tried to throw only about three times. The D-line [FAVI VARGAS, VICTOR REYNA, SAUL DOMINGUEZ, Leach, Broadhead, JUAN ARCINIEGA, GILBERTO RIOS, JAMES MITCHELL] was quite good tonight. Although also outsized (what else is new) they were able to keep AG from moving the ball consistently. Two third quarter runs (50 & 27 yards), when the defense was tiring, accounted for a large chunk of AG’s yardage and all their points. Lompoc had three sacks for 17 yards [Vargas 2, Dominguez 1] - which is pretty good considering AG only tried to throw 10 times (2-5-1 for 18 yards, 2 scrambles for 7 yards).

#4 MASSON BLOW: He was the workhorse (14-72yds, TD) on offense, and blanketed receivers on defense, while also participating on various special teams (a punt return for 11 yards). Because he became the primary target of the defense, other players were able to get loose while he was getting pounded as the decoy.

#3 DARYL AGUILAR: He had a solid game, made lots of good decisions, managed the offense well, had 82 yards on ten carries and three rushing TDs - what else do you want ? Well, how about one of the greatest plays of the game. Lompoc stalled somewhat in the fourth quarter and was facing a 3rd & 5 from the AG 44 yard line. Aguilar dropped back, looking for a screen left, but immediately had a faceful of Eagles and no receiver. He avoided one rusher, slid to the right and left, broke about three tackles, apparently used his get out of jail free card, scrambled to the left, picked up some downfield blocks, and collected 28 yards and a 1st down. Eagle fans were disgusted. On the down side he had an interception (on 1-2-1 for 48 yards passing) and a fumble. Also one punt - 35 yards.

#2 BRANDON ALONZO: He seemingly never came off the field. Offense - nine carries for 95 yards and a TD (including a 59 yard run to set up another TD). Defense- Great coverage all night, several tackles that saved big yardage or scores, and a 45 yard interception return. Special Teams- Had four returns for 63 yards (one was partially wiped out by a penalty).

#1 FAVI VARGAS (pictured above) What do you call a guy who just keeps making plays ? Easy- Player of the Game ! He had 40 yards on nine carries, a 48-yard reception (a little 8-yard out route that he took off with), two sacks, a bunch of tackles, and was generally a major annoyance to whatever AG tried to do. His primary service was simply to make plays when they were needed. For instance, in the first nine plays of the game - 1 sack on 3rd & 7 on defense (plus assists on the other two plays), two carries (14 yards) for first downs on offense.

The Game Recap

1st Quarter: AG 1- 3 & out [-4 yds](Vargas 7 yd SAC on 3rd & 7) punt Lom 1- 9 plays, 54 yards Alonzo 2-25, Blow 4- 10, Aguilar 5yd TD (7:09) 7-0 AG 2- 6 plays,14 yards punt Lom 2- 3 & out [5 yds] punt AG 3- 3plays, 10 yards, 1 1st down 2nd Quarter: AG 3- [cont]7 plays, 17 yds, 1 1st downs At L26 throw into EZ Alonzo Int & Ret to L45 Lom 3- 4 plays, 55 yds Aguilar 1-21, Blow 2-31 inc. 19 yd TD (6:34) 14-0 AG 4- 3 & out [6 yds] punt Lom 4- 2 plays (-1 yd) Aguilar overthrows Yruegas-INTercepted by Henderson (AG46 to L25) AG 5- 6 plays,17 yards, 1st down Miss 24 yd FG From right hash- wide left Lom 5- 2 plays,7 yards run out clock 3rdQuarter: Lom 6-7 plays,84 yards Alonzo 59 yds on cris-cross to AG 1yln, Aguilar 1yd TD (8:49) 21-0 AG 6-11 plays, 38 yds,2 1st downs Ran reverse on 4th & 3 at L33-lost 1 yd Lom 7-3 plays, 16 yds,1st down Aguilar 2-13 (19, -6 fumble) FUMBLE AG 7-1 play, 50 yd TD run by Cabalar on fake reverse ,kick wide right (2:20) 21-6 Lom 8- Onside kick rec by Etteddgue for AG at L40 AG 8-4 plays,40 yds 8 yd pass rpn on 3 & 5 ;27yd run TD by Lopez (also had big game on D) AG line up for 2pt attempt, but 5 yd false start penalty ;McLaughlin kicks EP (0:47) 21-134th Quarter Lom 9-(1 pl in 3rd)Total 8 plays,65 yrds,2 1st downs 48 yd pass Aguilar to Vargas on 2nd & 13 at L42 set up 8 yd TD by Aguilar (9:12) 28-13 AG 9-3 & out [-1yd] Vargas SAC on 1st down punt Lom 10-9 plays,62 yards, 2 1st downs J.Morehart 8yds on 3rd & 7, Aguilar 28 on 3rd & 5; 10yd TD by Alonzo (2:16) 35-13 AG 10-1 play, pass thrown into crowd of 4 Lpc defenders - INT by ? (S.Morehart) Lom 11-4 plays,19 yds,1st down Subs in- Hirzel QB, S.Aguailar,Royster,Magana,Hirzel carryEND OF GAME Note: Jorge Hernandez kicked all 5 Lompoc EPs, also 6 kickoffs-284 yds.

Luken Quotes


“We ran more of an inside power game tonight. Then when our inside game started working, we were able to go outside with our option,” Luken told the Santa Maria Times.

“The whole offensive line stepped up tonight. We had a number of new starters on the line but they all did a good job. “Seth Broadhead, Adam Leach, Bucky Martinez, Evan Bedford, Alan Julian and Steve Morehart – they were the key to this win.

“Our defense also came through for us tonight. Especially our safeties, Gil Cornejo and Masson Blow made a lot of big plays.”

Luken had no comment about the loss of erstwhile two-way starters Bobby Collins and Valentine Vega.

Cabrillo Rolls over Santa Maria

At Huyck Stadium the Cabrillo Conquistadores mounted two drives each quarter to demolish the Saints 55-13.

GREG WATSON took complete command with 188 yards rushing, all but eight in the first half.

With his customary running mate BENNIE GARRETT sidelined with knee soreness Watson carried the ball 21 times in the first half for 180 yards and two touchdowns as Cabrillo took a 28-0 halftime lead.

“We held Bennie out—is knee is just a little sore,” said Conq coach DON CROSS. “No damage or anything, but everything’s fine. He’ll be back.”

Watson was more than enough. He scored the Q’s first TD from six yards out at the end of a 50-yard drive (in which he carried six times) and the fourth TD from eight yards, the finale of four consecutive carries. Watson’s longest run of the day was a 38-yarder on Cabrillo’s second drive.

“He’s a three-year starter for us so he knows what to do with the ball,” Cross added. “He had a great game and the line blocked very well. Greg knows what to do with the ball.”

Cabrillo’s second touchdown came from junior fullback MATT ROTONDI who went in from the six. Then in the second quarter he got loose for 31 yards to set up a 34-yard scoring pass from SEAN ALLEN to BRANDON WHITTAKER.

In the second half junior DAVID FRAATS took center stage with 83 yards on seven carries with three TDs. His scoring carries came from 48 yards and from 17 from scrimmage and a kickoff return of 65 yards.

“He’s an underclassman with a lot of speed,” Cross went on. “It was a good chance to let him get out there, see what it’s like and carry the ball a little bit.”

The other second half TD came from quarterback ADREAN AMES on a one-yard plunge which came after a 32-yard romp by Whittaker.

A big Homecoming crowd witnessed the victory. RENA TODD was named Homecoming Queen.

CONQ STATS

Rushing-- Watson 24 for 188, Fraats 7 for 83, Rotondi 5 for 52, Trevor Wagonseller 3 for 30, Whittaker 2 for 38, Justin Ellenbrook 2 for 2, Ames 2 for -11.

Passing— Allen 2-3-0 for 52 yards

Receiving – Whittaker 1 for 34, Josh Bowman 1 for 28.

Kicking – Pat Cook booted seven PATs in seven tries. An errant snap short-circuited an eighth attempt.

Q'S PLAY FOR PRIDE; FARLEY GETS ATTENTION

“One game at a time” is not just a sports cliché. It’s a way of life when your league record is 0-4 and only three games remain.

“All we can think about is Game Seven: Santa Maria Friday night,” said Cabrillo football coach DON CROSS Thursday morning. “We want to play well in front of our Homecoming crowd.”

Cross was asked if his team was already eliminated from the CIF playoffs. “I don’t think 3-4 will get into the playoffs,” he admitted. Even if the Conqs were to run the table in their last three games they could only finish 3-4. Last year the Los Padres League’s fourth place team, Templeton, made CIF with a 4-3 record.

Cross found plenty positive nevertheless. “There are probably 100 plays in a game. There are probably five or six that decide the game. At St. Joseph we had first-and-goal on the six, but we don’t score. Of 100 plays we’re playing well, (but) then we make a huge mistake. We need to play better in crucial situations.”

Cross noted that junior MATT ROTONDI leads the league in tackles and BENNIE GARRETT leads in rushing. Rotondi leads runnerup Daniel Segoviano of Pioneer Valley 67-61 while Garrett leads No. 2 Logan Budd of Morro Bay in yardage 697-636. “They’re very consistent. Matt had nine tackles Friday and Bennie had 100 yards and on defense played man-to-man on (St. Joseph’s star receiver Scott) Cathcart and held him to three receptions.”

In Santa Maria, Cross’ squad faces a team which is 0-3 in league, 2-4 overall. The Saints have lost their three league game by 68-0, 55-0, and 44-0.

“They’re similar to us,” Cross said. “They are overmatched in size but they’re hustling right down to the end. No. 21 (Free safety Ryan Duran) comes up and hits people. Their defensive line gets off the ball. Their problem is they turn the ball over. Whoever turns over the ball least will win.” Game time at Huyck Stadium is 7:30.

Cross said Garrett, who may be limited in his appearances Friday due to a sore knee, has now received interest from Humboldt State as well as Portland State. The count of schools interested in big lineman JAKE FARLEY (listed at six-foot-three and 290 and pictured above) has reached a dozen including Fresno State, Arizona State, Utah, Nevada, San Jose State, Washington and Oregon.

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Lompoc High, 0-2 in the PAC-7, will visit Arroyo Grande in a must-win game for the Braves. With a loss the Braves would probably also fall from the playoff eligible list. The game will be broadcast by Press Box Productions on Comcast Channel 23 at 7:30.

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AL HUNT reports that DANA BEATTIE finished second in the Late Model class at the Santa Maria Speedway this season, followed by MIKE WEIGEL fourth in Mini-stocks, MIKE RICCARDI fifth in Late Models, and PAUL TERRONES eighth in the IMCA (International) class.

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Track buff Hunt also notes that NICK MARTIN placed 86th at the Santa Clara Invitational Cross Country meet Saturday. Martin’s Westmont team finished second among NAIA schools.

Both Local Grid Squads Fall

A quick look at the PAC-7 and Los Padres League standings after Friday night’s football games, the league openers in the PAC-7, confirms that … ugh… both Lompoc Valley high schools trail the field.

In the PAC-7 Lompoc is in the basement at 0-2 while in the LPL Cabrillo holds that distinction at 0-4.

The standings look like this:

PAC-7
Atascadero 1-0
Paso Robles 1-0
San Luis Obispo 1-0
Righetti 1-1
Arroyo Grande 0-1
Lompoc 0-2
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Tonight's scores
Atascadero 34, Arroyo Grande 0
San Luis Obispo 14, Righetti 9
Paso Robles 30, Lompoc 7
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Los Padres League
Morro Bay 3-0
St. Joseph 3-0
Nipomo 2-1
Santa Ynez 2-1
Templeton 2-1
Pioneer Valley 1-3
Santa Maria 0-3
Cabrillo 0-4
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Tonight's scores
Santa Ynez 44, Santa Maria 0
Morro Bay 19, Pioneer Valley 3
St. Joseph 36, Cabrillo 6
Templeton 13, Nipomo 9

Torin Simpson to the Warriors

Raider free agent TORIN SIMPSON has been signed by the Warriors.

Not to play exactly, to produce.

For the past three years Simpson has worked with the Raiders’ Silver and Black Productions after beginning there as an intern. “Since then I have become Producer of the television show “Behind the Shield,” Simpson said this week. The show airs on KKFX 24 Santa Barbara/Santa Maria at 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
With the Warriors Simpson will become producer and editor but his work won’t be seen on television.

“I will produce and edit content that will play during the game in-stadium. It is a bit of a change in that it is not for television, but it is the same work none the less.“I am excited about the opportunity. I am looking forward to a little bit of change, meeting new people and advancing my career.”

Simpson played offensive tackle at St. Mary's after leaving Lmpoc High. His interest in video was kindled in college classes.

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High school football broadcasts

Press Box Productions will broadcast Paso Robles at Lompoc tomorrow night.

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Cabrillo X-Country Strong Again

Wednesday at Zaca Lake Cabrillo won the Los Padres League Mid-Season Meet and look to be favorites to repeat as LPL champions for the fifth time in six years. Morro Bay won last year after a four-year Conq run led by DUANE SOLOMON and then MICHAEL COE and COLIN HACKER. This years champions to be were led Wednesday by MIGUEL ORTIZ who finished first. Cabrillo’s BEN LI was second and OSCAR TORRES third.

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Aguailar invited back

Despite a disappointing summer BRIAN AGUAILAR has been invited back to spring training by the Colorado Rockies, reports AL HUNT in his Thursday “Lompoc Notebook.” “They still like my defense,” the lefthanded hitting catcher told Hunt. Aguailar batted .311 for Tri-Cities of the Northwest League in 2006 but he was dogged by injury in 2007. Aguailar played at Cuesta and at Oral Roberts before signing with the Rockies as a free agent.

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Hain in the CHS Record Book

Another Hunt nugget is that WES HAIN has become the all-time Cabrillo water polo scoring leader. With 250 goals in his varsity career Hain has surpassed ROBBIE BOYER who amassed 244 before he graduated in 1983.

CROSS TOUTS GARRETT; HUNT TELLS HISTORY

They were getting after us,” said Cabrillo coach DON CROSS as he thought back to Friday night’s 41-14 whipping at the hands of Pioneer Valley.


“Offensively Pioneer Valley owned us. Those big kids can move. A lot of kids that size are still at the line of scrimmage but they went on downfield.”


Cross tabbed the Panthers as favorites for the Los Padres League championship. “I sure hope there’s nobody any better than they are,” he quipped.


On offense the Conquistadores moved the ball, at least between the 20-yard-lines and when the ball was in the hands of tailback BENNY GARRETT (pictured). “He had 97 yards rushing and he has just a yard under 300 for the season,” Cross said. “He’s an incredibly hard worker. He rarely leaves the field.” Garrett is a corner back on defense and a returner on special teams. He is also among the strongest players Cross has, bench pressing 360. Cross said Portland State is already interested in Garrett for 2008.


“I still think we’re a pretty good football team,” Cross went on, choosing to forget about Pioneer Valley and looking forward to Nipomo tomorrow night. “We just have to be consistent. When we get down there we have to finish. You have to crank it up even more when you’re inside the 20. We have to maintain that energy.”


Cross said the Q’s suffered no further injuries but that wide receiver JOSH BOWMAN will be held out another week due to a concussion and that lineman DAVID KULP is indeed gone for the season.


Friday night’s game at Huyck Stadium will be broadcast by Press Box Productions on Comcast Channel 23 beginning at 7:30.

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HUNT ON HISTORY

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Veteran sportswriter AL HUNT used his Thursday column in the Santa Barbara News-Press to recount the departure and return of DARYL AGUILAR and BOBBY COLLINS from Lompoc High to Rancho Cucamonga and back again [short version Daryl's dad Rick moved after a family breakup and Daryl and his friend Bobby went too]. In his column Hunt posts Collins' track times from last spring at RC. According to Hunt Collins, who was Santa Barbara County champion in the 200 as a freshman at LHS, ran 48.35 in the 400 to take third place in CIF's Div. I meet last spring and earned a spot at the state meet. Besides that he ran the first leg of the Cougars' 4x100 relay team which was the fourth fastest in the state. And he ran in the 4x400 relay which finished to Long Beach Poly in the CIF Southern Section Div. I finals. Both relay teams also went to the state meet. "It is not a stretch to say that Bobby Collins is the fastest high school kid in Santa Barbara County," Hunt proclaims.

CHURCH RESTORED TO NATS' LINEUP, BRAVES WIN

RYAN CHURCH (pictured in this photo by Mike Collins of Collinsphotography.com) was restored to the Washington Nationals' starting lineup Friday night. The story from reporter Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

WASHINGTON -- Outfielder Ryan Church started for the second consecutive game in center field on Friday night against the Phillies, and Nationals manager Manny Acta acknowledged that Church's hot bat is the reason why he's in the lineup.
Entering Friday's action, Church has 15 RBIs in his past 18 games, and he's hitting .310 in his last 28 games. For most of that time, Church has been a reserve. He lost his job as the everyday left fielder after Wily Mo Pena arrived in a trade from the Red Sox on Aug. 17.
"Not only [am I going with the hot hand, but] 40 doubles and 64 RBIs and a [.347] on-base percentage is hard to ignore," Acta said. "So we are trying to put our best team out there."
Church has not made it a secret that he doesn't like being benched, but he hasn't taken his displeasure out on the field, which has pleased Acta.
"I think he had the right attitude about it," Acta said. "I also think this is the first time he has had this many at-bats. A break was probably good for him. Call it a breather and he's energized."
Although he has set career highs in almost every offensive category, Church doesn't sound like a man who's satisfied with his season.
"I have 100 and something at-bats that I missed out on," Church said. "I know I can play. I really don't want to talk about it. It's one of those things where it's the end of the year, and you take advantage of whatever you can get."
With Church in the lineup, it means that Nook Logan has to sit. Logan's hitting .237 during September."

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL-- BRAVES WIN

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DARYL AGUILAR connected on 9 of 12 passes while the Lompoc defense led by GILBERTO RIOS and SETH BROADHEAD held Dos Pueblos’ passing attack to 9-for-27 with two interceptions to give the Chargers their first defeat of the season, 28-14.


The Braves took a 21-7 halftime margin into the second half after which they appeared to snooze.


“Overall it was a great effort,” coach ROBIN LUKEN told his team afterward. “A lot of good things happened. But for 22 minutes tonight you guys didn’t block a soul.”


DP scored in the third quarter to pull within one TD and it was not until BOBBY COLLINS reeled off a 30-yard TD run with 2:29 remaining that the victory was sealed. Collins rushed for 124 yards on 21 carries and scored three TD’s, the earlier two coming on runs of 15 and 11 yards.


STEVEN MOREHART was Aguilar’s most frequent receiver as he hauled in four passes for 55 yards and a TD.


“He ran around but he always kept looking,” Morhart said of Aguilar. “Daryl kept his head up.”

The Braves evened their season record at 2-2 with the win. They have a bye on Friday before opening Pac-7 action against Righetti.


CABRILLO FALLS


In the first game of the Los Padres League season the Pioneer Valley Panthers scored on drives of 67, 96 and 62 yards and on a 50-yard interception return to take a 28-7 lead in the second quarter and were never headed. The final was 41-14.


While the Panther running game rolled up 331 yards, PVHS’ defense meanwhile stopped Cabrillo twice inside the 10-yard-line. “They have big, physical kids up front,” said Cabrillo coach Don Cross. “We’re kind of undersized there on defense.”

The Conqs ran the ball decently. BENNIE GARRETT totaled 94 yards on 21 carries and GREG WATSON had 85 on 10 rushes including a fourth quarter TD.


Pioneer Valley vaulted to the top of the LPL standings at 1-0 and 3-1 overall, while Cabrillo falls to 0-1 and 1-2.


OTHER GAMES


St.Joseph unveiled sophomore running back Russell Perkins who ran for 181 yards in a 14-0 shutout over Bishop Diego as the Knights finish preseason 2-1.


Morro Bay, now 3-0, demolished Wasco 40-0, Atascadero did the same to Dinuba 42-0, Paso Robles pummeled Ridgeview of Bakersfield 48-13 to push their record to 4-0, San Luis Obispo downed San Marcos 14-7, Santa Maria fell to King City27-6, Righetti lost to Santa Barbara 34-29, Santa Ynez picked up its first “W” of the season 26-7 over Carpinteria. Arroyo Grande plays Washington of San Francisco tonight. Nipomo and Templeton were idle.

CROSS LIKES ROTONDI; CHURCH, THOMAS STAR

“Dos Pueblos got after us a little bit,” Cabrillo coach DON CROSS shrugged Thursday. “They’re a quality team that outplayed us. We played great for a long time, but the interception before halftime hurt us. In the second half they still had momentum. Both second half touchdown drives started on our side of the field. My hat’s off to them.” Cross added that the Charger defense penetrated the Cabrillo backfield more than he would have liked.


Early in the game guard DAVID KULP went down with a knee injury which did not help the situation. Cross later found out that the senior will be lost for the season. “Déjà vu all over again,” he quipped ruefully thinking back to last year when a raft of injuries decimated his team.


On the positive side Cross saw linebacker MATT ROTONDI (pictured here) working overtime. Rotondi led the team in tackles racking up 15 while JAKE FARLEY and ZACH HOLMES noteched nine each to share second place.


In tomorrow night’s Los Padres League opener at Pioneer Valley Cross said his team will face a big, physical team that makes few mistakes. “I haven’t seen them making errors, not putting the ball on the ground or being penalized. They are large up front, 260-280. They run between the tackles behind those big boys. We’ll have to counter that with quickness. The key for us is to control that line surge.” Pioneer Valley is 2-1, Cabrillo 1-1.


MIKE NELSON will move over from tackle to take Kulp’s spot while KEVIN PFISTER will fill take over at tackle. The contest, the first of the Los Padres League season, will be broadcast on Comcast Channel 23 beginning at 7:30.



RYAN CHURCH SHOWS [AGAIN] WHY HE SHOULD BE PLAYING

In Washington D.C. tonight opposite the Phillies RYAN CHURCH got one of his now occasional opportunities to be in the starting lineup and he responded with two doubles in two trips to the plate. They were his 39th and 40th of the season. Just to keep you up on the stats Churchie boasts a .458 slugging percentage to go with his 40 doubles and 14 home runs. The other corner outfielder, the one who has played all season and continues to, the one named Austin Kearns, is slugging 53 points lower at .405. We ask once again, why is Kearns playing and Churchie sitting?!?

BELINDA THOMAS BOWLS WITH THE PRO'S

Here was DeDe Davison, winner of 17 Western Women's Bowling Championships. Over there was Kelly Kullick, winner of the U.S. Women's Open in 2003. And across the room were five more bowlers who toured the nation on the women's pro tour."

Watching them like a hawk was Lompoc’s own BELINDA THOMAS.

One of the more prestigious bowling events for women is the U.S. Women’s Open. It debuted in 1949 and continued as a premier event until the Women’s Professional Bowling Association (PWBA) disbanded in 2003. Now, it is back, stronger than ever under the direction of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and in partnership with the Professional Bowling Association (PBA). In August 128 of the nation’s finest women bowlers converged at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno to participate in the rejuvenated event. Seven of the players were former women touring professionals.

Belinda Thomas, co-owner of Ocean Lanes is a relatively newcomer to the sport having started to seriously bowl in 2005 when she arrived in Lompoc. She was introduced to bowling in 2004 and like so many novices, used a K-Mart bowling ball and bag for her first taste of the sport.

After purchasing Ocean Lanes she decided there was more to bowling than merely rolling a ball down 60 feet of wooden lanes. Accordingly, she got some decent equipment, talked with people who knew and understood the sport, and finished her first year with a fairly decent 149 average. She continued her education, learning about various lane conditions, the reaction of bowling ball surfaces with wooden and synthetic lanes, and with the multiple variations of lane conditioning and its affect on scoring. She also devoted the hundreds and hundreds of hours of practice required of someone wanting to improve her game. She remained focused and finished the second year with a respectable 176 average. “Not bad,” she said, “but not good enough.” She continued her training and is now seeking a full time coach. Her average for year three is currently 186.

Her ambition is to become a professional bowler. She wants to share the lanes with the likes of Kullick, Davidson, and other former pro’s like Carolyn Dorin Ballard, and Kim Terrell but on an equal basis, comrade to comrade.

Belinda’s adventure to the U.S. Women’s Open was a thrilling experience, hobnobbing with the pros, with other players having years and years of experience in the professional ranks, and with those, like her, just starting out. She was nervous, of course, but surprisingly, not intimidated. She found the pros to be a lot fun and was able to relax with them prior to competition. Once the pros laced up their bowling shoes, however, and stepped on the approaches, it was altogether a different ball game. On came their game face and it was off to the races for position standing and money.

Although Belinda did not finish as high in the standings as she wanted to, the experience was worthwhile. It affirmed her determination to become a professional bowler in the near future. Belinda will watch the finals of the U.S. Open televised on ESPN the second Sunday of October but with the mindset that says, “I want to be watched, and I will someday soon.” Belinda wants to thank all of her sponsors for without their support, she would not have been able to bowl in this event. She will always cherish those who made her adventure possible.

She is committed to making next year’s Women’s Open an even bigger adventure. -- By KARL CORSER