Around the Horn with Local Sports: Updates and Outtakes

May 15, 2010
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BASKETBALL

University of La Verne – Matt Rogers, formerly the men’s basketball coach at Maryville University in St. Louis, has been named the new women’s coach at the ULV. Although resigned his post with Maryville after a 3-24 season, Maryville was making the jump from Division 3 to Division 2. When Maryville was playing in NCAA Division 3, Rogers guided his team to two playoff appearances. Rogers replaces interim coach Lindsay Shiomi, who had filled in for Julie Kline, the women’s coach who left after the 2008-09 season to accept the Leos athletic director position.

Coach Eric Cooper

Coach Eric Cooper

La Verne Lutheran

– It’s been no rest in the off season for coach Eric Cooper, who led La Verne Lutheran to the State Championship in Division 5 in 2010. He said he has secured the University of La Verne venue for a top basketball showcase tournament, featuring the state champions and Price High School. Feelers have also gone out to Damien High School, Bonita, Orange Lutheran, Etiwanda, Roosevelt, Juzinger and Salesian High School (Northern California). “All have expressed interests if the matchups fit,” said Cooper. “The event will be full of college coaches, and we may get ESPN coverage.”

Charter Oak — John Norman, La Verne’s kettle popcorn king, has been named Varsity assistant coach at Charter Oak High School. Taking the head spot is John Phillips, who has been a longtime Damien High School assistant. Phillips, a resident of La Verne for many years, also coached at Bonita High and the University of La Verne.

SOFTBALL

Chloe Wurst

Chloe Wurst

Bonita

— In the fall, Bonita senior, Chloe Wurst will be headed to West Texas A&M to play softball and major in Sports and Exercise Science. Meanwhile, her teammate Karisa Crawford will play ball at Murray State College and pursue an education in nursing. Right now, however, they’re busy trying to help Bonita make a long CIF playoff run.

BASEBALL

UC San Diego — The No. 1 ranked UC San Diego baseball team placed a conference-high 10 student-athletes on the California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Conference Team this season, including La Verne’s Matt Rossman, UCSD’s first-ever CCAA Pitcher of the Year award. At the time the award was announced in early May, the senior right-hander was 9-0 with a 2.10 ERA. Rossman had pitched 85.2 innings, allowed 71 hits, walked 20 and struck out 60 while limiting batters to a .233 average.

Damien – Danny Petusati, who attended Damien High School, was featured this week holding a copy of The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in the eponymous publication. Pertusati, selected by the Florida Marlins in Major Leagues’s 2008 draft, now plays second base for the Jupiter Hammerheads.

Bonita – Jio Mier, the 21st selection in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft and the No. 1 draft choice of the Houston Astros, was batting .184 (he was overcoming a mile injury) through May 12 for the Lexington Legends in the Class South Atlantic League. After graduating from Bonita, Mier traveled to Greeneville, Tenn., official home of the Greeneville Astros baseball club of the Appalachian League, where he batted .276 and hammered eight home runs. This season, after Major League spring training camp broke, Mier was assigned to play for the Legends.

La Verne Little League – 12-year-old Jacob Wollard has hit a league-leading eight home runs for the American League Yankees this season. Wollard’s latest blast came against the White Sox in a losing effort Wednesday night at Pelota Park. Wollard also had three hits on the night. He’ll be fun to watch in the upcoming All-Star games.

SWIMMING

Caleb Guarino

Caleb Guarino

Bonita

– This just in from John Ashby, Bonita’s head water polo coach. “Caleb Guarino might be the fastest kid that Bonita has ever had …and he’s only a sophomore!”

Guarino Division CIF Prelim times were 21.74 for the 50-yard freestyle (second-best in the Southland) and 48.62 (eighth best) for the 100-yard freestyle. Guarino swims faster than many people run. Guarino was also named Bonita Boys’ Water Polo Athlete of the Week!

GOLF

Kevin Normington

Kevin Normington

Tee it up for the Kevin Normnington Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, May 21, at San Dimas Canyon Country Club. Shotgun: 1 p.m. Golf, lunch, cart and dinner, plus raffle and silent auction. $125.00 payable to BHS Kevin Normington Scholarship Fund. Mail to: BHS 3102 D Street, LaVerne Ca. 91750 Attn: Kevin Normington Scholarship Fund. All proceeds to benefit the Bonita High School Kevin Normington Memorial Scholarship Fund. Each year a scholarship award is presented at senior awards night in his memory. If you are interested in being a Hole Sponsor or donating a Raffle/Silent Auction item, contact (909)762-6474. See you on the course! For more history about Kevin and the tournament click on the link from last year’s LVO story (http://www.laverneonline.com/2009/04/20/support-the-3rd-annual-kevin-normington-memorial-golf-tournament-april-30/)

 

OUTTAKES

Damien – When will the Spartans’ building binge stop? Not long ago, they unveiled their new basketball center (it’s more than a gym). Then they upgraded the football field and then to kick off the 2010 baseball season, they christened Tom Carroll Stadium (http://www.laverneonline.com/2010/03/14/the-naming-of-spartan-yard-its-a-great-day-for-damien-baseball-and-coach-carroll/), also know as Spartans Yard. And now Damien has upgraded its weight room, with a ballpark estimate of $220,000, featuring 80 lifting stations over 3,400 square feet.

Filed May 15, 2010

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