The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 140

LOS ANGELES TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1998 C17 rp mo News, notes and quotes from around the Valley and Ventura County FAST FBCT The Granada Hills High girls' 400-yard freestyle relay team set a City Section finals record of 3:41.12, nearly six seconds faster than the Highlander boys' team which finished sixth in their race in 3:46.93. Si iia a y. WW Northridge to Forfeit Two Football Victories They Will Be Playing the Field at Moorpark Sk 9 VV ii FRANK WIESE Lm Angela Tirne Miguel Fletcher, left, and Justin Fargas have been neck and neck for two seasons. An Even Dozen Cal State Northridge must forfeit two of last season's nonconference football victories because the Matadors used three ineligible players, Athletic Director Paul Bubb said Thursday. The Matadors forfeited a 63-23 victory against Boise State on Aug.

30 and a 63-21 victory against Azusa Pacific on Sept. 20, dropping their record to 4-8. Bubb said the forfeits are the first for Northridge in any sport. Northridge reported to the NCAA in October that starting receiver Brian Comer, reserve running back Derrick Charles and reserve defensive end Tyrone Gunn should not have been granted eligibility because they had violated a rule that allows players to transfer only once from one four-year school to another without sitting out a year. All three players had attended more than one four-year school before transferring to Northridge.

At the time Bubb said he did not believe Northridge would have to forfeit the two victories in which the players participated. "The NCAA believed we had the information to avoid this problem and that our interpretation of the players' eligibility was incorrect," Bubb said. New role: Northridge President Blenda J. Wilson was chosen to chair the committee of Big Sky Conference presidents at the semi-annual conference meeting earlier this week. The committee chair assists Big Sky President Doug Fullerton in the day-to-day operations of the conference.

"This will in fact increase my involvement in athletic issues and will be a role in which I look forward to learning a lot from my colleague presidents," Wilson said. Fullerton said Wilson is the first African-American woman to serve in the role. Add Wilson: Prompted in part by concern this week among presidents of Big Sky member schools that Northridge is slow in building a new football stadium, Wilson will form a committee that will decide by October on sites for several athletic facilities. Northridge recently removed a football stadium from development plans on the university's North Campus because neighbors complained. An open forum for neighbors to discuss concerns with Northridge administrators will be held June 2 at 6 p.m.

in the Grand Salon of the University Student Union. Bubb said the committee will also exam sites for a multi-use arena, baseball stadium and Softball stadium. Meeting: The Valley Sports Authority, a group trying to build athletic facilities at Northridge through private funding, will hold a public meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the university's performing arts center. The centerpiece of the proposed complex, "The Oasis Events Center," is a multi-purpose arena for Northridge basketball and volleyball teams.

The center also would host concerts and other events. No luck: Big West Conference baseball coaches lastk voted not to expand the conference for next season, preventing any chance for Northridge to join. The Matadors have been without a conference affiliation since the Western Athletic Conference dropped them after the 1996 season. The Northridge Softball team is an associate member of the Big West and the baseball team has held hopes for a similar arrangement. championships at Citrus College last Saturday.

He also won the steeplechase, 5,000 and 10,000 in the WSC championships last month. Freshman Andre Velasquez of Antelope Valley was selected the conference's men's field event athlete of the year after winning the long jump and triple jump at the WSC championships. LaTanya Sumlln of Bakersfield, the state champion in the 1,500 meters, was chosen the WSC women's athlete of the year. Jessica Mlcell of Santa Barbara, state runner-up in the heptathlon, was the top field event athlete. Signing up: Lisa Rugensteln of Camarillo High, Marmonte League champion in the girls' pole vault, has signed a letter of intent with Cal State Northridge.

Rugenstein, who has a best of 10 feet 6 inches, will compete in the Southern Section Division I divisional championships at Cerritos College on Saturday. VOLLEYBALL Four more for the floor: The Master's has signed two high school players and picked up two transfers, women's Coach Karen Peterson said. Outside hitter Beth Barrlngton, from UC Santa Barbara and Ukiah High, will join the Mustangs for her sophomore season. Her high school teammate, middle blocker Sarah Oliver, is transferring from Pacific Union College in Northern California. The Mustangs signed setter Katl Lehr of Crete High in Nebraska, a two-time honorable mention all-state player, and outside hitter Jessica Jewett of Frazier Mountain.

AUTO RACING Back on track: Sean Woodslde of Saugus will seek his second victory Sunday in the NASCAR Winston West Series in the Re-refined Oil Memorial Day 200 at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield. Jerry Cain of Canyon Country will compete in the race, the sixth in the 14-event series. If it's May, it must be time for field hockey at Moorpark College, site of the 27th California Cup tournament today through Monday. What began as an impromptu six-team tournament in 1971 has evolved into one of the sport's premier invitational tournaments, attracting male and female players from throughout the world ranging in age from 5 to 65. A record 110 teams from Canada, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States will compete in 10 divisions.

Games will take place on nine fields, including the campus' artificial-surface facility that will be lighted for the first time. The Westlake Bulldogs finished third last season in the men's super division, the tournament's top class. The tournament begins each day at 7 a.m., with the final games of the day scheduled for 7 p.m. The men's super division final is scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m., with the women's final at 4 p.m. Admission is free.

BASEBALL Making his pitch: Ruben Escobar, a senior right-handed pitcher for The Master's College, was selected to the NAIA Pacific Northwest-Far West All-Region team. Escobar set single-season records with an 11-1 record and a 1.74 earned-run average. The Mustangs had their best season at 34-10. Commitment: Outfielder Bryan Gant of Chatsworth High has committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Gant is batting .391 with 22 stolen bases this season to help the Chancellors win the West Valley League title.

TRACK AND FIELD A runaway: Sophomore Julio Serratos of Glendale College has been selected the Western State Conference men's track and field athlete of the year. Serratos, who has signed a letter of intent with Adams State won the steeplechase in the state junior college Seniors Justin Fargas of Notre Dame High and Miguel Fletcher of Alemany will renew their rivalry in the 100-meter dash in the Division III final of the Southern Section divisional track and field championships at Cerritos College on Saturday. Fargas, the defending state champion in the 100, and Fletcher, the runner-up last season, have split 12 races against each other in the last two seasons. The following is a meet-by-meet breakdown of those 12 races. Date Meet Results 3897 Northridge-Alemany Relays 1) Fletcher, 10.8; 3) Fargas, 11.0 31397 Alemany-Notre Dame dual 1) Fletcher, 10.6; 2) Fargas, 10.6 41297 Arcadia Invitational 1) Fletcher, 10.70; 3) Fargas, 10.81 41997 Mt.

SAC Relays 1) Fletcher, 10.68; 2) Fargas, 10.84 5997 Mission League finals 1) Fargas, 10.58; 2) Fletcher, 10.65 52497 Southern Section Division III finals 2) Fargas, 10.47w; 3) Fletcher, 10.48w 53097 Southern Section Masters Meet 3) Fargas, 10.45w; 5) Fletcher, 10.50w 6797 State championships 1) Fargas, 10.52w; 2) Fletcher, 10.60w 31498 Northridge-Alemany Relays 1) Fletcher, 10.44w; 3) Fargas, 10.60w 32898 Pasadena Games 1) Fargas, 10.55; 3) Fletcher, 10.79 42598 Arcadia Invitational 1) Fletcher, 10.60; 2) Fargas, 10.65 5898 Mission League finals 1) Fargas, 10.52; 2) Fletcher, 10.69 Times in hundredths are fully automatic. Times in tenths are hand held, wind-aided marks. 1 HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP Chatsworth Finishes Taft, Regular Season Chatsworth High scored 12 runs in the first inning and routed Taft, 16-5, in a West Valley League baseball finale that was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule Thursday at Chatsworth. The Chancellors (25-3, 14-2 in league play) sent 17 batters to the plate and collected 10 hits in the first. Matt Fisher hit a two-run home run and Danny Eisenberg hit a run-scoring triple.

Tom Morefield hit his 11th home run for Chatsworth. Ismael Marin (9-2) gave up only a single to Justin Wade in three innings, struck, out two and walked none. Taft (10-15, 7-9) scored its runs in the fourth, when Mitch Spector hit a run-scoring double and Josh Wade had a run-scoring single. SOFTBALL LA. Baptist 10, Campbell Hall 0 Nikki Girard (14-6) pitched a six-inning one-hitter with 12 strikeouts for the Knights in a Southern Section Division first-round playoff game that was called because of the 10-run rulex Jillian Rice hit a double and twoacrifice flies.

RAMIREZ Continued from C16 shaking his head after facing Ramirez last month. Scorpion Coach Scott Cline is a Ramirez fan. "I think Ramirez and Thousand Oaks junior Matt Rogers are the two best pitchers in Ventura) County," Cline said. "Ramirez can throw any one of three pitches for strikes any time in the count. You go up there against him looking to make contact, not trying to drive something.

It's a different type of philosophy when you face him." Hueneme Coach Reg Welker said Ramirez's command of pitches makes his 85-mph fastball extremely effective. "He's not an overpowering guy but he's fast enough and he can hit the spots all day long," Welker said. Ramirez, who began playing baseball at 7 but didn't pitch regularly until he was 13, unexpectedly made the varsity as a freshman and was 1-2 as the Spartans finished third in the Channel League. Last season, he matured with an 8-2 record and a 2.17 ERA, helping Rio Mesa tie Hueneme for the league title. He has continued to improve.

"Greg's into challenges, and when the going's gotten tough the last two years, he's stepped up," Rio Mesa Coach Richad Duran said. "He has a sense of toughness you don't find in all people. That's something that will get him to the next level." Duran, in his 12th season with the Spartans, ranks Seattle Mariner Bobby Ayala, a 1988 Rio Mesa graduate, as the best pitcher his program has produced. But Duran says Ramirez is farther along than Ayala was as a junior. "He's just learning how to pitch, but he's competitive and he doesn't let up in situations where other pitchers do," Duran said.

"He doesn't get excited and he doesn't throw tantrums; he's kind of matter-of-fact." The only subject that causes Ramirez to become emotional is pitch selection. Duran often allows Ramirez and catcher Isaac Romero to call their own game, but the coach doesn't hesitate to take over those duties. "It's a slow process because he's learning why and when to throw a certain pitch at a certain time," Duran said. "When things don't work out and he gets in a rut, we step in and let him know we're going to make some calls." Ramirez becomes flushed when the subject is brought up. "It's kind of hard to see it like that, but I realize learning that way happens to everybody," he said, smiling.

"At least that's what the coaches tell me." Because of Ramirez's endurance, Duran rarely visits the mound to ask for the ball. Duran says Ramirez's physical conditioning and mechanics allow him to throw more pitches than most of his peers. "Greg knows himself better than anyone else and he has never done anything other than be honest with me about how he feels," Duran said. "It's been a pattern with him to come out and throw a lot of pitches early and then settle down and become more mechanically sound later in the game. "The brunt of his work tends to come in the first two or three innings, when he's probably putting more strain on his body than in the last three or four." Through hard work, Ramirez has positioned himself to be a sought-after recruit.

Stanford, USC, Arizona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo have shown interest, fueling Ramirez's big plans. "I'm going to college, I feel pretty strongly about that," he said. "I want to get a good education so if I don't make it in baseball or get injured, I'll have something to fall back on." BRYAN CHAN Loa Angelet Timef Rio Mesa High junior pitcher Greg Ramirez has a 3.93 grade-point average and 86 strikeouts. MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DAILY REPORT BROWNS JETHAWKS Lancaster Players Fined, Suspended for Brawl Four players were suspended and several players were fined for their parts in a bench-clearing brawl during the fifth inning of a game on May 3 between Lancaster and Lake Elsinore at the Hangar in Lancaster. Outfielder Anton French of the JetHawks charged the mound after being hit by a pitch from Jason Stephens.

French, Stephens, pitcher Kevin Gryboskl of Lancaster and pitcher Keith Volkman of Lake Elsinore were ejected. Stephens, who was suspended six days and fined, suffered a broken nose and two black eyes. Outfielder Matt Sachse of the JetHawks had a dislocated thumb and catcher Francisco Santlesteban had a gash across his nose. French, Gryboski and Volkman were suspended for three days and fined and several other players were fined for leaving the bench. -STEVE HENSON Baseball Playoffs SOUTHERN SECTION First Round, Today Division I Highland vs.

Crespl at Pierce College Camarillo at Palmdale Arcadia at Royal Notre Dame vs. Crescenta Valley at Stengel Field, 7 p.m. Division Villa Park at Hart Hueneme at San Gabriel Valencia at Rio Mesa Division III Calabasas at South Torrance Torrance at Moorpark Paso Robles at Westlake Burroughs at Sierra Vista Division IV St. Francis at Paraclete Chaminade at Santa Maria St. Joseph Fillmore at San Luis Obispo OakParkatLompoc Division Flintridge Prep at LA.

Baptist St. Bonaventure at St. Monica Wild-Card Round, Today Division VI Antelope Valley Christian vs. Highland Hall at Northridge Little League Field, 3 p.m. LA.

Lutheran at Santa Maria Valley Christian AX (mm at 3:15 p.m. Wilms nottd started making three-point shots in the final few games of the season. "I hit a few shots and everybody was amazed," he said. "It was more of a joke, but it kind of stuck." Jason wasn't expected to contribute to the baseball team as much as he has. "A lot of that success has been expected of the other kids, but Jason's been a surprise because he was on the JV team last year," Coach Steve Hager-ty said.

"He kind of sneaks up on people. He doesn't look like that big guy on the hill that's going to rip you apart, but the next thing you know, it's over." Jason, a straight-A student who skipped third grade, also gets pretty good marks off the field. His goal is to attend Stanford and become a medical researcher to honor his paternal grandfather, Dan, who was stricken with Alzheimer's disease four years ago. "I felt like there was nothing I could do for him," Jason said. "I want to be able to help people like that" Jason has another less pressing but more current wish.

"Nobody really pays attention to the baseball program at Paraclete," he said. "I hope that the spirit will start to come." Agua Dulce, but David wanted to attend Hart High in Newhall because of its strong baseball tradition. His district transfer request was rejected because the Browns did not change residences. David opted to travel to Paraclete, a small Catholic school. The brothers are Jewish.

"I'm probably the only Jewish guy that knows more about Catholicism than his own faith," David said. "It's fine, though. It's a good experience." David, who attends temple monthly with his family, lists his bar mitzvah four years ago as one of his most memorable events. "It was a relief," he said. "After years of studying the language and prayers, it was a relief to get up in front of everybody and show it off.

Plus I got some nice money." He hopes to rake in even more money on the basketball cards he bought around the time of his bar mitzvah, especially the one of a certain megastar. "I knew Shaq would be a breakthrough player," he said of the Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal. David is the quieter of the brothers, but he's the one with a nickname: "Downtown." He picked up the moniker as a forward on the basketball team, after he Continued from C16 living here," Jason said. "It's kind of isolated and if you want to be alone, you can be." There is, however, one major problem. "We're half an hour from the nearest batting cage," Jason said.

Being on the same team is a new concept for the Browns, who sometimes have been rivals on the field. The brothers, who set several batting records at Sierra Pony League in Acton, still flash their statistics at each other, but now the bottom-line statistic a Paraclete victory is the most important. "We've always put a lot of pressure on each other competitively, but it's great to not try to outdo each other all the time and to work together," Jason said. The competitive athletic spirit is part of their makeup. Their father, Ken, won the 1968 City Section golf championship as a senior at Reseda High and attended Arizona on a scholarship.

He and his wife, Janice, work at a printing company in Agua Dulce, where they have lived since the early 1970s. Vasquez is the high school closest to French had a home run, a run-scoring double and two stolen bases for Lancaster in Thursday's 8-5 victory at Lake Elsinore. Brian Sweeney (6-0) pitched 6 innings of two-hit, shutout ball for the JetHawks (25-23)..