Duffy Nominated to Repeat as AOY

KC Royal Phenom Won This Poll Last Year

DANNY DUFFY of the Kansas City Royals pro baseball organization has been nominated as Lompoc Locker Room's Athlete of the Year in 2008. This is the same category he won in a year earlier.

Duffy posted a sparkling 8-4 record, a 2.20 ERA and whopping strikeout total of 102 in 2008 at Burlington, Iowa of the Midwest League. His showing led the Royals to name him Burlington’s 'Pitcher of the Year.’

In Duffy’s final performance with the Bees he gave up none (zero) earned runs. The performance capped a 10-game streak in which he went 5-1 and posted a tiny earned run average of 1.14.

In September, just 14 months after graduating from Cabrillo, Duffy was invited to Kansas City to sign autographs. Royals brass say they plan to send him to Wilmington of the fast Carolina League in 2009.

Duffy joins Penn State cornerback Lydell Sargeant, LHS wrestler Masson Blow, Nevada running back Vai Taua and University of Mary point guard Geoff West among the nominees for Lompoc Locker Room Male Athlete of the Year 2008. Nominations will be received through Wednesday. E-mail YOUR nominations to pressboxprod@verizon.net. by December 10. Results will be announced by Lompoc Locker Room's Blue Ribbon Panel beginning December 20. Nominees in all four categories (male, female, coach and team) may be seen in the right hand column below our sponsors.

Geoff West Nominated Athlete of the Year '08

Playmaker in Northern Sun Conference Hoops

As a junior in 2007-8 GEOFF WEST started all 27 games for the University of Mary (Bismarck, North Dakota). The playmaker led the team with 60 assists and 30 steals. In addition he finished second on the team, by slim margins, in minutes (733, fourteen behind the leader) and points (271, six points behind). He was even fourth on the team in blocks with seven.

West began the '08-'09 season blazing. He leads the team in scoring at 15.8 per game.

West joins Penn State cornerback Lydell Sargeant, LHS wrestler Masson Blow, and Nevada running back Vai Taua among the nominees for Lompoc Locker Room Male Athlete of the Year 2008. Nominations will be received through Wednesday. E-mail YOUR nominations to pressboxprod@verizon.net. by December 10. Results will be announced by Lompoc Locker Room's Blue Ribbon Panel beginning December 20. Nominees in all four categories (male, female, coach and team) may be seen in the right hand column below our sponsors.

Jim Allen Nominated Coach of the Year 2008

His Braves Won LPL Title



Lompoc High baseball coach JIM ALLEN, mentor of the Los Padres League champions last spring, has been nominated Lompoc Locker Room's 2008 Coach of the Year.



Allen fed his team tough competition in out-of-town tournaments and as a result the club posted a lackluster 13-14 overall record. But Allen's objective was met-- the team improved over the season to win the LPL with a 9-3 mark. The Braves won five of their last six league games.



The team was a well-balanced crew with the #2 hitter in the league (Dalton Rouleau .400), the #3 home run hitter (Brandon Alonzo 5), the #4 and #5 RBI men (Scott Aguailar 24 and Rouleau 23), the #2 baserunner (Chris Mallory 20 stolen bases) and the #4 strikeout pitcher (Cody Berryman 47 K's).



The Braves under Allen also won the LPL in 2005 and 2006. Allen coaches the Santa Maria Packers in the summertime, hence the photo above.



Allen joins Corey McIntyre of Cabrillo's league champion girls water polo team on the nomination list. Nominations will remain open until December 10. E-mail your nominations to pressboxprod@verizon.net .Results will be announced by Lompoc Locker Room's Blue Ribbon Panel beginning December 20. Nominations to date are listed in the right-hand column below ouir sponsors.

Chelsea Cassulo Nominated AOY 2008

Chelsea Cassulo, Lompoc High's basketball and track star, and Hancock College hoopster, has been nominated for Lompoc Locker Room's Athlete of the Year.

Cassulo was named last May the North County Female Athlete of the Year by the North County Athletic Round Table.

At the Santa Barbara County Track & Field meet she tied the meet record in the shot put at 42'-6." She also won the discus (119-08) and finished eighth in the 100.

Earlier she was named to the Santa Barbara News-Press all-county basketball team. This month she joined the Hancock College basketball team.

Chelsea joins San Diego State water polo star Becca Ur on the Lompoc Locker Room Female Athlete of the Year nomination list. Nominations will remain open through December 10 so YOU have time to nominate your favorite. Just e-mail to pressboxprod@verizon.net. The list of nominees so far appears in the right hand column below our advertisers.

Lydell Sargeant Nominated Athlete of 2008

AND SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN

LYDELL SARGEANT, the Penn State cornerback from Cabrillo, has been nominated by Lompoc Locker Room correspondent Scott Kennedy for consideration as the LLR Athlete of the Year. Sargeant starred all season as the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten title.

The senior cornerback picked off two key passes against Wisconsin and one, to end the game, against Ohio State, the latter the first Lion victory at Columbus in decades. Against Michigan State in the victory which clinched the Big Ten championship Sargeant made three tackles and an interception.

Sargeant was named to the Big Ten All-Conference second team by conference media. In the classroom he finished four years of classes six months early and graduates this month. Best of all Sargeant is the first Lompocan ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

He joins onetime Cabrillo teammate Vai Taua and Lompoc High wrestler/runner Masson Blow on the list of male nominees. On the female side Becca Ur, San Diego State water polo star, has been nominated. Cabrillo's 2008 girls water polo team and its coach Corey McIntyre have also been named.

Nominees will be accepted through December 10. Winners will be announced by the Locker Room's Blue Ribbon Panel beginning on December 20. Nominate your favorite by e-mailing pressboxprod@verizon.net

Vai Taua Nominated LLR Athlete of the Year

ALL-WAC TOO



Nevada running back VAI TAUA, named today to the WAC all-league first team, has also been nominated Lompoc Locker Room's Male Athlete of the Year for 2008. Photo here is by David B. Parker.





In his 12-game season Taua carried the ball 213 times for 1420 net yards and a 6.7 yard per carry average. He posted 14 touchdowns and made one run for 79 yards. He averaged 118.3 yards per game.

He also hauled in 29 passes for 226 yards for a 7.8 yard average per catch. He scored two TD's on passes. His longest reception was a 54-yarder

One of his biggest games came against Fresno State. He rushed 28 times for 263 yards (longest was 57, his average 9.4) and a touchdown. It was his first 200-yard performance of the season and the sixth-highest rushing total in school history. Taua started the season as the third-stringer yet after 10 games had topped the 100-yard mark seven times.

In his finale against Louisiana Tech the 2006 Cabrillo graduate scored the Wolfpack's winning touchdown with 3:15 to play on a 22- yard ramble. Nevada won 35-31.

Taua is one of only two underclassmen named to the WAC all-league first team.

Taua joins MASSON BLOW on the Lompoc Locker Room Male Athlete list of nominees. If YOU have a nominee for male, female, coach or team of the year, e-mail them quickly to pressboxprod@verizon.net. Nominations close December 10. Last year's male athlete of 2007 was pro baseball's DANNY DUFFY. Like last year the winner and the other top finishers will be named by a Blue Ribbon Panel of Lompoc sports observers beginning on December 20.

McIntyre, CHS Girl Poloists Nominated Team of '08

McIntyre and CHS Girls Polo Nominated to Repeat


Coach Corey McIntyre's Cabrillo Conquistadores girls water polo team was not expected to do much in 2008. This after losing their three top stars from their CIF title team of '07.

Uhhhhh, wrong.

The Conqs reloaded and copped yet another Los Padres League championship in February and punctuated their charge with a crushing 19-2 victory over second place St. Joseph in the title game.

For their accomplishments the Conqs have been nominated as 2008 Team of the Year and McIntyre as Coach of the Year in the annual Lompoc Locker Room end-of-the-year poll.

They could create a dynasty. McIntyre and his team won both categories in 2007.

They are the first nominees for 2008. YOU can nominate by sending your nominees to pressboxprod@verizon.net before December 10.

In other categories Masson Blow and Becca Ur have already been nominated.

Becca Ur Nominated Athlete of the Year 2008

BECCA UR, two-time co-captain of the San Diego State women's water polo team, has been nominated Lompoc Locker Room's Female Athlete of the Year for 2008.

The utility player leaves The Mesa ranked among San Diego State's career leaders in ejections drawn (second, 250) and assists (eighth, 83).

In her final three seasons, Ur made 111 consecutive starts, including 38 during the 2008 campaign in which she posted a team-best 59 assists and 54 steals.

Ur also became the first Aztec poloist to ever receive superior academic honors four years in a row with a GPA of 3.69 in biology.

She also earned academic all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors and was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII women's at-large second team earlier in the year.

Nominations will remain open through December 10. Last year's co-winners were Ur's sister Sarah who tied with Lompoc High soccer star Jani Carmona. Send your nominations to pressboxprod@verizon.net

Masson Blow Nominated '08 Athlete of the Year

MASSON BLOW, Lompoc's first CIF wrestling champion in 24 years, has been nominated for Lompoc Locker Room's Athlete of the Year poll.

Blow, who wrestled at 152 pounds for Lompoc High, was named the North County Athletic Round Table’s North County Male Athlete of the Year. In wrestling he qualified for the state wrestling meet by finishing fourth among 30 at the CIF-Southern Section Masters Tournament. Earlier he had won the Los Padres League title and won the first CIF wrestling title by a Lompocan since Mike Villalobos in 1984.

He returned to action in the spring with the Brave track team.

Blow is now a student and wrestler at Cal Poly.

The Athlete of the Year poll will receive nominations for Male Athlete of 2008, Female Athlete of 2008, Team of the Year and Coach of the Year through December 10. Get YOUR NOMINATIONS IN SOON to pressboxprod@verizon.net.

Winners in 2007 were baseball's Danny Duffy, Cabrillo coach Corey McIntyre, the Cabrillo CIF champion girls water polo team which McIntyre coached, and Sarah Ur of that team who tied with LHS soccer star Jani Carmona.

Alumni Report - Part II *** Updated***

Alumni Update : Part II

Soccer
Katie McIntosh #14
A difficult 2008 season came to an end for the Chico State women’s soccer program with a 2-0 loss to Sonoma State on Sunday at Trione Fields in Santa Rosa. It followed a scoreless tie at Arcata versus Humbolt State. Katie had her second shot on goal in the finale - but it was one of 4 saves by Sonoma State .

A starting Wildcat defender in all 20 games with over 1800 minutes played, senior Katie McIntosh had three assists and two shots - both on goal, but neither scored. Her last assist was Sept 4 vs St. Martin's.

The loss concludes a very frustrating season for the Wildcats at 7-10-3, 3-8-3 in the CCAA. With five, one-goal losses and three scoreless ties this season, the Wildcats were just a few breaks away from posting their seventh-straight winning season.

Amanda Murray #20
The Cal St Dominguez Hills womens soccer team, beat Cal Poly- Pomona 3-1 and lost to Cal State - San Bernadino 3-1 to finish the regular season 12-8, 9-5 CCAA.

They then entered the CCAA Tournament at UC San Diego as the #4 seed- taking on #1 Sonoma State.

They won that one 2-0, with the reward being a chance to play the host Tritons, whom they had lost to twice this season on Triton Field. It didn't go well - a 3-1 loss had them hoping that their #5 Far-West Region ranking and their win over #6 Sonoma would be enough to get them into the NCAA Div.-II Tournament.


It was. They were placed in the Far West Regional against San Francisco St - the winner taking on powerhouse Western Washington. A 2-1 victory left them looking for revenge against the 12th-ranked (NCAA) WW Vikings. The 2-0 loss to Western earlier this year was the Toro's first.

Sadly, it was not to be. The Vikings prevailed 1-0 after surviving an 8 shot onslaught by the Toros in the last 6 plus minutes of the game. It was just the fourth time they had been shutout this year and the second time by Western Washington. CSUDH concludes their season at 14-10 (9-5 CCAA).

Amanda, a junior transfer from Hancock, had 68 minutes in 3 appearances this season.

AHC - Men
Apart from a 2-0 win over Canyons on Oct 3rd and a 2-2 tie against Citrus on Nov. 4th, the Allan Hancock College men's soccer team could not get any traction in Western State Conference games, the latest a 5-0 loss to powerhouse SBCC in the final. Hancock finished 4-18-1, 1-12-1 WSC.

Juan Benivides (LHS) and Massimo Beeson (CHS) played for the Bulldogs, but no individual information is currently available.

Cross-country

Michael Coe
The Cabrillo product has been struggling with injuries this season, and had run in only 1 of their first 5 events. He finished 36th in the NCAA Prelim Blue Race with a time of 24:16 for the 8K course. That was the second fastest time for the Cal Golden Bears and helped pace them to an 8th place finish.

After sitting out the Bronco Invitational, where the GB's finished 8th of 14 teams, Coe competed in the Pac-10 finals on Oct. 31st. His 8K time of 24:22 was third on the team and 21st overall. The Bears took third in the tough 8 team field.

On 15 Nov. 08, the real competition started - the NCAA West regionals. Michael finished 17th, in a time of 29:34 for the 10K distance, just ahead of teammate Mark Matusak. He was second on the team and set a PR for the distance.

Four of the top 5 teams at the regionals were from the PAC-10. Oregon won, and was followed by Stanford, Portland, Cal, and Washington. Cal's fourth place finish propels them to the NCAA Finals for the second consecutive year and only the second time in their history.

AHC
The Bulldogs were led, as usual, at the SoCal Championship Meet in Bakersfield by Lompoc Valley athletes. The womens squad finished 24th out of 27 teams (196 runners) in the 5K race, and the men did not score because they only had two runners in the men's 4 mile race (202 runners). - both CHS alums. Several runners set collegiate personal bests. The valley runners took both the tops spots for Hancock.

Individual Results[Time/Finish/Score]:
Oscar Torres 21:18.61 61/-
Miguel Ortiz 23:05.33 164/-
Ariana Fabing 20:07.28 65/60 Prev Best CT -21:16.50
Duania Evans 23:22.23 169/153 Best CT ?
Not Running : Terri Ladja, Nick Gilligan


Basketball

University of Mary
The West brothers, Geoff (#5) a 5-11 senior guard from CHS via Santa Rosa JC, and Jason (#12) a 5-11 sophomore guard from CHS, are both expected to get some significant playing time for the Bismarck, ND based Marauders.
Geoff started all 27 games last year, finishing second on the team, by slim margins, in minutes (733, 14 behind) and points (27.1, 0.6 points behind). He led the team with 60 assists, 30 steals, and was fourth with 7 blocks. Jason played in 23 games - averaging 11.1 points and 7-13 shooting from behind the arc.

After exhibition contests versus North Dakota St. and Montana St., they start the regular season tonight in Seattle, WA against St. Martins.

****Unfortunately, it was not to be. As the school reported-

Geoff West scored a career-high 34 but that wasn’t enough as the University of Mary lost its season opener 106-82 at Saint Martin’s University.
Behind West’s impressive outburst that included making nine three-pointers in 12 attempts, the Marauders built a 44-43 lead at intermission. The Saints exploded for 63 second half points, including a 14-1 run after the two teams found themselves tied at 60-60.
For the game, the senior guard from Lompoc, CA, hit
12-of-17 shots from the field and made one of two free throws. West also added two steals.

They stay in Seattle for the Seattle Pacific Tournament this weekend.
They are slated to play Seattle Pacific and Western Wasington.

Others
Joel Smith, a 6-4 guard from LHS, will play his senior season at Chaminade University where he is working on his Master's Degree. The Silverswords lost an exhibition game to Hawai'i on Nov. 7th 80-63. It is their lone tune-up before opening the Maui Invitational on the 24th versus #1 ranked North Carolina.

Chelsea Cassulo, a 5-8 freshman forward from LHS, is the lone valley player on the AHC Womens Basketball team this year. The Bulldogs opened with a 79-70 loss to Reedley on Veteran's Day, and dropped games to East LA (77-64) and Bakersfield (86-72) at their Tournament last weekend. They hope to pick up a win tonight vs. the College of Sequoias.

Quick Notes
Danny Duffy, one of the top prospects in the Kansas City Royals organisation, has been spreading some of his good fortune around. In addition to stuff for the folks (natch), he has also sprung for new uniforms for the Cabrillo baseball team - check 'em out this spring.

Napoleon Kaufman, who was in town for the Big Game, had some interesting things to say about some of his former haunts - namely the University of Washington and the Oaklawn, er, Oakland Raiders. He talked with the crew at halftime of the game, so check the schedule for the re-broadcasts.

Bryce Luken , now stationed at El Segundo AFB, also stopped by to talk about the AFA and Lompoc football. ---- el stato