They didn’t necessarily post the all-time San Diego County best in their event, or even their best, but 62 individuals have won 80 state track championships since the first meet in 1915.

Pole Vaulter Bill Miller of San Diego, jumper Dokie Wiliams of El Camino, and weight specialist Darius Savage of Morse stand out as triple winners.

Miller took his titles in 1927, ’28, and ’29. Williams won the triple jump in 1977 and ’78 and the long jump in 1978. Savage won the shot put in 2006 and the discus in 2005 and ’06.

There have been numerous double winners, the most recent being Madison’s Kenon Christon, who won both sprints in 2019.

A father-son combination was Clairemont’s Dale Fleet, who won the two-mile in 1972. Mac of University City won the mile in 2009.

There has been one brother-sister combination. Kristin Fahy of La Costa Canyon won the 3200-meter run in 2019.  Darren Fahy took the 1600 meters in 2012.

Champions:

EVENT	YEAR	NAME	SCHOOL	MARK
100 yards	1929	Jimmy Willson	San Diego	:09.8
	1973	Elijah Jefferson	Crawford	:09.6w
	1974	Jefferson		:09.8
	1977	David Russell	Parrick Henry	:09.61
100 meters	1992	Riley Washington	Southwest	:10.30
	2019	Kenon Christon	Madison	:10.30
220 yards	1929	Willson		:21.4
	1941	Glenn Willis	San Diego	:21.7
	1977	Russell		:20.97w
200 meters	2019	Christon		:20.69
440 yards	1929	Irvine (Cotton) Warburton	San Diego	:49.6
	1946	Norman Stocks	San Diego	:49.3
	1979	Tony Banks	Morse	:47.28
880 yards	1957	Jim Cerveny	Mission Bay	1:52.7
	1964	Bob Hose	Madison	1:51.7
	1966	Terry Rogers	Hilltop	1:51.5
800 meters	1988	Mark Senior	Mount Miguel	1:51.37
	2008	Charles Jock	Mission Bay	1:51.64
	2012	Alexander Monsivaiz	Army-Navy	1:51.34
One Mile	1965	Tim Danielson	Chula Vista	4:08
	1966	Danielson		4:07
1600 meters	1989	Francis O’Neil	San Pasqual	4:08.67
	1991	Daniel DasNeves	Helix	4:12.22
	1992	DasNeves		4:09.54
	1994	Meb Keflezghi	San Diego	4:07.67
	1999	Marcus Chandler	Serra	4:10.44
	2000	Evan Fox	West Hills	4:09.44
	2006	A.J. Acosta	El Camino	4:04.95
	2009	Mac Fleet	University City	4:05.33
	2012	Darren Fahy	La Costa Canyon	4:08.78
Two Miles	1972	Dale Fleet	Clairemont	8:53.8
3200 meters	1994	Keflezghi		8:58.11
	2007	Eric Avila	Bonita Vista	9:01.77
120-yard high hurdles 42-inch	1938	Johnny Biwener	San Diego	:15.3
110-meter high hurdles 39-inch	NA
300 intermediate hurdles	2001	Jeff Hunter	Granite Hills	:36.25
4×100-meter relay	1994		El Camino	:41.16
	2001		Helix	:41.17
880-yard relay	1941	Ed Pohl, Don Smalley, Lou Barrera, Glenn Willis	San Diego	1:29
	1946	Jim Barrera, Harold Miller, John Holloway, Norman Stocks	San Diego	1:29.2
	1963	Walter Blackledge, Gordon Baker, Ray Dixon, Charles Sanford	San Diego	1:26.3
4×400-meter relay	NA
High Jump	1918	Brick Muller	San Diego	5-9 3/4
	1953	Bernie Nelson	Hoover	6-4
	1970	Jerry Culp	Oceanside	7-0 1/4
Long Jump	1957	Luther Hayes	Lincoln	23-8 1/2
	1962	James Kennedy	Lincoln	24-5 3/4
	1966	Doyle Steel	San Diego	25-3 1/4
	1978	Dokie Wiliams	El Camino	25-1 1/4
	1990	Jerome Price	University City	25-3 1/4
	2003	Darrell Hutsona	Helix	25-5 3/4
Triple Jump	1973	Willie Banks	Oceanside	49-7 3/4
	1974	Banks		50-9
	1977	Williams		51-0 1/2
	1978	Williams		50-4 1/4
	1989	Lenny McGill	Orange Glen	51-1 /14
	1994	Von Ware	Rancho Buena Vista	50-6
Shot Put	1950	Hal Norris	Grossmont	56-5 1/2
	1968	Pete Shmock	San Dieguito	63-11
	1986	Brian Boggess	El Capitan	61-4
	1989	Brent Noon	Fallbrook	66-1 1/2
	1990	Noon		74-4 3/4
	2003	Jared Bray	Mission Bay	63-3 1/4
	2006	Darius Savage	Morse	66-3 1/4
	2014	Dotun Ogundeji	Madison	65-5 1/2
Discus, 4 lb., 6.4 oz.	1925	Eddie Moeller	San Diego	126-6 5/8
	1926	Moeller		141
Discus, 3 lb., 9 oz.	1999	Dan Ames	El Capitan	199-9
	2004	Daniel Schaerer	The Bishop’s	206-5
	2005	Savage		194-8
	2006	Savage		205-6
	2013	Brenden Song	West Hills	188-8
	2015	Charles Lenford	Oceanside	195-4
Pole Vault	1922	Harry Smith	San Diego	11-11 1/2
	1923	Smith		12-3 5/8
	1926	Bill Hubbard	San Diego	12-4 tie
	1927	Bill Miller	San Diego	12
	1928	Miller		12-9 1/2
	1929	Miller		12-6
	1956	Bill Logan	El Cajon Valley	13-6 tie
	1961	Mike Graves	El Cajon Valley	14-3
	1995	Mike Brown	Torrey Pines	16-4

It’s the time of year that University City’s Katrina Wright, Poway’s Ashley Callahan, and  members of Scripps Ranch’s 4×100 relay squad should be preparing to defend their San Diego Section championships Saturday and move on to the 102^nd state track meet at Clovis next week.

Like the prom and traditional graduation, they sadly won’t have the opportunity, but their achievements in 2019 now are part of our area’s rich history in the sport. They can look back and say, “I was a state champ.”

There have been 28 individual champions and 46 total, beginning with the sprint double by La Jolla’s Janice Wiser in the first girls’ state meet in 1974.

Monique Henderson of Morse won five individual titles, four in the 400 meters and one in the 200 meters.  Henderson and only 11 others in state history have 5 gold medals.

Sweetwater’s Gail Devers and Vista’s Kira Jorgensen each won three championships.

Devers later was a twice Olympic champion in the 100-meter dash and a gold medalist on a 4×100 relay team.  Henderson was on the winning U.S. 4×400 relay squad in 2004.

Jorgensen topped the field in 1600-meter races in 1987, ’88, and ’89.  Devers won the long jump in 1983 and doubled in the 100 meters  and 100-meter 30-inch hurdles in 1984,

The 100 hurdles 33-inch and the 4×400 relay are events in which there has not been a first-place finisher from the San Diego Section.

Champions:

EVENT	YEAR	NAME	SCHOOL	MARK
100 yards	1974	Janice Wiser	La Jolla	:10.8
100 meters	1984	Gail Devers	Sweetwater	:11.51
220 yards	1974	Janice Wiser	La Jolla	:24.2
200 meters	2000	Monique Henderson	Morse	:23.19
400 meters	1998	Henderson		:53.41
	1999	Henderson		:52.87
	2000	Henderson		:50.74
	2001	Henderson		:51.34
	2019	Katrina Wright	University City	:53.93
800 meters	1986	Laura Chapel	University City	2:08.07
1600 meters	1986	Darcy Arreola	Grossmont	4:45.13
	1987	Kira Jorgensen	Vista	4:45.98
	1988	Jorgensen		4:49.54
	1989	Jorgensen		4:49.55
	1993	Milena Glusac	Fallbrook	4:50.83
	2009	Sammy Silva	Our Lady of Peace	4:47.67
3200 meters	1992	Glusac		10:28.62
	1993	Glusac		10:42.68
	2003	Claire Rethmeier	San Pasqual	10:27.32
	2010	Molly Grabill	Rancho Bernardo	10:20.25
	2019	Kristin Fahy	La Costa Canyon	10:11.38
100-meter hurdles 30”	1984	Devers		:13.41
100-meter hurdles 33”	NA
300-meter hurdles	1991	Erin Blunt	San Pasqual	:43.02
	2014	Hannah Labrie-Smith	Cathedral	:41.67
4×100 yards relay	1977	Jewell Lovelady, Danita Young, Katie Gaston, Judy Reed	Crawford	:46.14
4×100 meters relay	2019	Brianna Sproles, Aubree Bell, Jaymie Rustkovich, Aaliyah McCormick	Scripps Ranch	:46.51
4×400 meters relay	NA
High Jump	1978	Sue McNeal	Carlsbad	5-10 1/4
	1987	Lynn Patrick	Serra	5-10
	2007	Whitney Sisler	La Costa Canyon	5-10
	2019	Alysha Hickey	Coronado	5-8
Long Jump	1981	Chris Mose	El Cajon Valley	18-10 1/4
	1983	Devers		19-6
	2018	Hickey		19-9 3/4
Triple Jump	1994	Tamieka Porter	Orange Glen	38-11
	1997	Andria Booker	El Camino	40
	1998	Booker		40-0 1/4
Shot Put	1974	Kathy Devine	Mission Bay	47-4 1/2
	1975	Devine		42-3 3/4
Discus	1976	Kathy Middleton	Poway	134-5
	1986	Tracy Crawford	Southwest	156-02
Pole Vault	1998	Tracy O’Hara	Rancho Bernardo	12-8
	1999	Kathleen Donoghue	Rancho Bernardo	12-8 1/4
	2008	Emily Mattoon	Rancho Bernardo	12-6
	2009	Kortney Ross	Westview	13-4
	2010	Ross		13-6
	2019	Ashley Callahan	Rancho Bernardo	13-4

 

San Diego High was on its fifth head coach in the last three seasons and found itself sharing  headlines for the first time with a team not from Long Beach.

Coronado High, across San Diego Bay, was flexing muscles.

Controversy would follow.

John Perry left coaching after the 1926 season and was succeeded by John Hobbs in 1927 and Mike Morrow and Charlie Church in 1928, changes that were followed by a couple years of mediocrity.

The new  coach was John Harold (Hobbs) Adams, a former standout USC lineman fresh from  a head coaching stint at Monrovia High.

Adams played on Perry’s 1920 and ’21 San Diego High teams (in 2013 Adams was a second-team lineman on the all-time, all-San Diego County high school squad).

Adams’s arrival at San Diego ushered in an era of success rivaling that of coaches Bill Bailey and Duane Maley in later years.

The Hilltoppers were 41-11-3 during  Adams’s tenure, which ended after the 1934 season, when Adams joined the staff of Howard Jones, his college coach at USC.

Adams’s first team  posted a 6-1 record, beaten only by archrival Poly, 20-13, in a Coast League battle before an estimated 13,000 persons in City Stadium.

After that game Coronado coach Amos Schaeffer, who attended the contest between the Hilltoppers and Jackrabbits, “challenged” the Long Beach team.

Under a CIF Southern Section rule, Coronado, a Group B (minor) school, could issue a challenge a Group A (major school).

PLAYOFFS OR BOWLS?

Media described the process and similar other midseason challenges as “playoffs”. In reality they were more like midseason “bowl” games. In effect the games helped the CIF project its postseason invitations.

Nov. 9 had been set aside as a date by the California Interscholastic Federation for challenge games open to all schools.

The CIF  struggled for years to find a structured playoff format. Four teams, beginning play in a semifinal round, eventually were selected this season by Secretary Seth Van Patten, after the schools agreed to participate.

The Islanders, with Frank (Toady) Greene and Johnny Lyons leading 15 outmanned teammates, took the fight to mighty Poly, leading 7-6 with six minutes to play before bowing 20-7 in front of 7,000 spectators at Poly’s David Burcham Field.

Interestingly, the Los Angeles Times described a “courageous” Poly team, apparently the underdog, that came from behind to defeat the heralded and “classy Coronado eleven”.

The trans-bay squad finished with an 8-1 record, scored 415 points, and dominated  the Southern Prep League, also known as the County league.

Greene set a standing state record with 11 touchdowns and 14 points after touchdown in a 108-0 victory over Sweetwater and held the school season scoring record with 164 points for 74 years. J.T. Rogan, playing in 11 games, broke Greene’s record in 2003.

Greene’s running mate, quarterback Johnny Lyons, played only 7 games but had 15 touchdowns and 92 points.  Both players played at Tulsa University. Greene played for the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL.

Speculation was that San Diego and Coronado would meet in a postseason game for city bragging rights, but another CIF rule and prior scheduling by the teams prevented a showdown.

Prep squads not in the  playoffs were barred from playing beyond Dec. 1. Announced schedules were chaotic, opponents often changing on hours’ notice and games routinely canceled.

San Diego seemingly was set for a game on Thanksgiving day with Tucson High of Arizona  after finishing runner-up to Poly in the Coast League and Coronado was rumored to be going into the Southern Section Group B playoffs.

None of those games materialized. Nor did a Nov. 9 San Diego High challenge to Fullerton, which instead played Brea.  A San Diego challenge to Covina also fell through.

COACH CALLS OUT CORONADO

Local fans had flooded media outlets with calls for a San Diego-Coronado showdown. The San Diego Sun reported that a game was in the works.

Adams reacted.

Under a Nov. 14 byline by recent San Diego High graduate Nelson Fisher in The San Diego Sun, Adams said, “What do I care about Coronado? Those guys ran out on us before (challenging Poly instead of San Diego), but tell ’em if they’re still squawking when our season’s ended, we’ll take on the whole gang and Schaefer can play, too.”

Evening Tribune writer George Herrick, only three years removed from when he was sports editor of the student Russ newspaper and a classmate of Fisher’s, took a veiled shot at the The Sun:

“Published reports to the contrary, there will be NO game this season between the elevens representing the high schools of San Diego and Coronado.” Herrick quoted officials of the schools as “categorically” denying a report in the city’s other afternoon newspaper.

Herrick attempted to cool the Adams-stirred controversy,  pointing out that “although noted for his impulsiveness, Adams claims he was misquoted.”

The Cavers and Islanders could have met on Nov. 9, since Coronado coach Schaefer, in attendance at the Oct. 26 Poly-San Diego battle in City Stadium, had informed Herrick that day that he would challenge the Jackrabbits-Hilltoppers winner.

ISLANDERS COACH FIRES BACK

“Inasmuch as we have definite intentions to play Calexico either this week or next, it would be impossible for us to meet San Diego,” Schaefer told the Sun on Nov. 18.

“We want to make it clear we’re not ‘running out’ on San Diego. It’s just that it can’t be done at this time.”

The affable mentor was just warming up:

“Coach Hobbs Adams’ statement referring to Coronado as “squawking for a game” is misleading.

“Coronado never requested a game with San Diego nor has Coronado run out on them.

“We challenged Long Beach because we  thought they were not as strong a team as San Diego (a shot at Adams’ coaching since the Hilltoppers were beaten by the Northern squad?) and, too, the secretary of the SCIF suggested we play Long Beach.

“Since we lost to Long Beach we dismissed all thought of a challenge to San Diego.  We readily admit that it would mean but little for San Diego to defeat us.  They have a much larger squad and a superior coached team.”

THE COTTON TOP

Irvine (Cotton) Warburton has been honored as one of San Diego High’s all-time athletes, known throughout Southern California as a champion 440-yard runner, having won the state championship with a time of :49.6 in the spring  and leading Hobbs Adams’ team in the fall with 10 touchdowns in seven games.

Warburton went on to become an  All-America at USC and, like other Trojans athletes, went into the film industry.  He won an Academy Award for cinematography in 1964 for Mary Poppins

COTTON SETS PACE

Warburton earned  all-Southern California first-team honors, the only San Diego-area athlete in the first 11.  St. Augustine’s Blas Torres was on the second team, and Coronado’s Frank Greene on the third team.

LONELY SAINTS

Out of the loop was St. Augustine High, coached by Herb (Duke) Corriere. The Saints were without a league affiliation and virtually without a country.

The Saints’ motto could have been “Have team, will travel. Expenses negotiable.”

The school at 32nd Street and Nutmeg also played by its own rules.  San Diego High graduates Blas Torres and Harry Jones were standouts on this year’s squad, which posted a 7-3 record against teams from all over, several of which were not on the schedule Corriere announced in September.

Itinerant St. Augustine played three games in eight days: Nov. 8 at Yuma, Arizona; Armistice Day, Nov. 11, at Ontario Chaffey, and Nov. 15 versus L.A. Cathedral.

There were 13 high schools in San Diego County, population approximately 210,000. Julian, Mountain Empire, Fallbrook and Ramona did not field teams. Others playing varsity football were Point Loma, La Jolla, Oceanside, Sweetwater, Grossmont, Escondido, and Army-Navy Academy.

WAIT JUST A GRAPE-PICKIN’ MINUTE!

Escondido principal Martin Perry convened a meeting of Southern Prep League honchos to protest a 6-6 tie with La Jolla. An apparent winning Escondido touchdown was disallowed by referee Glenn Broderick, who penalized the Cougars for having too many men on the field.

An enthusiastic Grape Picker (a name also attributed to almost anyone from the Northern community as a salute to  the area’s favorite fruit)  came off the bench to celebrate the touchdown before the play was whistled dead.

Perry and his coach, Harry Wexler, appealed on the basis that the offending player had not interfered with the game action and was yards away from the play.

Appeal denied.

POLY WINS COAST AND CIF

The large throng at City Stadium watched Long Beach Poly overcome San Diego, 20-13,  with two late touchdowns the day after the stock market crash and earn the Coast League championship and trip to the playoffs.

Poly defeated Huntington Park, 7-6, and met Santa Barbara, 2-0 winner over Fullerton, for the CIF Group A championship. The Jackrabbits outran the Golden Tornado, 14-6.

Santa Barbara coach Clarence Schutte announced early in the week of the championship that the ‘Tornado might have to pull out because several players came down with the flu.

The Los Angeles Times, quoting CIF boss Seth Van Patten, reported the next day that the game was on and that if Santa Barbara did not show the contest would be ruled a forfeit.

Coincidentally, the flu outbreak was revealed about the time big wigs from Santa Barbara were told the championship would be played at Poly’s Burcham Field. Neutral Wrigley Field and the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles were unavailable.

MERCY FOR ARMY-NAVY?

The Cavemen, or Hilltoppers, take your choice, scored all of their 27 points in the fourth quarter of a shutout at Army-Navy.  Hobbs Adams played  his reserves in the first three quarters.

Was the San Diego coach worried about blowback from earlier in the decade?

This was the first game between the teams since 1922. Adams was a member of John Perry’s 1920 squad that hung a 130-7 defeat on the Warriors. Two seasons later Army-Navy was on the short end of a 106-6 score.

NO BLAST 

The  Dynamiters misfired.  Adams’ first game was a 32-0 victory over Glendale.  The Hilltoppers tried two incomplete passes but barged up and down the City Stadium field for 24 first downs to four.

FOOTBALL IN MOUNTAINS?

Ramona announced that it was preparing to field a  team in 1930.  The Bulldogs didn’t have any equipment so coach Jack Wilson had students playing touch football.

It would be 1938 before the Bulldogs took the field in a regulation game.

TRUE GRID

San Diego’s Class B team, coached by Glenn Broderick, defeated Whittier, 33-7, for the Southern California championship…a few days after the stock market crash Tom Salisbury, a key player for the Hilltoppers, briefly quit school because of “financial difficulties”…another player left the team after choosing a haircut over practice…San Diego’s bus trip to Alhambra necessitated an overnight stay in Santa Ana…Oceanside coach Glenn Wilson announced during the season that the school henceforth would be known as the Pirates… Oceanside opened in 1904 but did not play football until 1926…located in Pacific Beach, Army-Navy had unveiled a new turf playing field a week before the San Diego visit when Covina was the opponent…approximately 500 students boarded a passenger train to Santa Ana, where a crowd estimated at 5,000 saw San Diego score what was termed an upset win, 6-0, that knocked the Saints out of a possible tie with Poly for the Coast League championship… Poly’s record was 4-0-1. San Diego was 4-1, and Santa Ana 3-1-1… an estimated 15,000 was on hand at Peabody Stadium when St. Augustine scored a touchdown with 20 seconds remaining for a 12-12 deadlock with favored Santa Barbara… the Golden Tornado’s Johnny Beckrich returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a game-ending touchdown and 18-12 victory…Coronado gridders were presented  gold footballs at an awards banquet attended by more than 300 persons in the Hotel del Coronado…a turnout of 70 invited guests at San Diego Athletic Club, including the  superintendent of schools and other civic honchos, honored the Hilltoppers at their season-ending awards dinner…coach Hobbs Adams declared that San Diego would play a 12-game schedule in 1930, with games already lined up with Phoenix, Los Angeles High, and Fullerton…small schools Whittier and South Pasadena left the Coast League and helped form the Foothill League with Pasadena Muir, Burbank, Monrovia, and the new Glendale Hoover…Fullerton and Covina were expected to take their places in the Coast …Covina was out but Fullerton and Long Beach Wilson joined.

Voices were raised, fists shook, and fingers pointed in a  conference room  at  the downtown YMCA on Oct. 24 in  a dustup over eligibility involving players who notoriously became  known as the “Adopted Football Stars.”

Metropolitan League principals and coaches held a special meeting to consider the status of two “sensational Oceanside athletes,” Jimmy Bender and Bill Brazell.

All league schools except Coronado had representatives at the meeting, chaired by league president Earl Andreen of La Jolla and including vice president Clarence Swenson of Point Loma, CIF representative Martin Perry of Escondido, and secretary Darcie Anderson of Sweetwater.

After much discussion and bluster, the league bosses did nothing, instead launching a high, arcing punt into the lap of CIF Southern Section commissioner Seth Van Patten.

Brazell, described as a “rangy end”, joined the Pirates on Oct. 1 from Kilgore, Texas, and is said to have been taken under guardianship of one C.J. Heltibridle of Oceanside.

Bender, a triple threat back, arrived in Oceanside on Oct. 9, two days before a league game with Escondido.

Bender transferred from Sutton, Nebraska, a community of maybe 1,000 persons in the southeastern corner of the state.  He apparently played in several games for the local high school before being “adopted” by a “cousin,” who lived in Oceanside.

On Oct. 11 “Benter”, as his name was first  reported, punted, drop-kicked an extra point, ran the ball, and threw a pair of touchdown passes to Brazell in Oceanside’s 13-0 victory over Escondido.

EYEBROWS RAISED

Bender’s  debut didn’t go unnoticed by league officials, who, after hearing complaints from coaches, began asking questions.

The players  apparently were okay scholastically but would have to address the question of how they got to Oceanside.  CIF rules stated that a “boy is ineligible unless there is a legal change of address by the parents or legal guardian.”

While the Metropolitan League waited to hear from Van Patten, the Pirates’ coach, Dick Rutherford, an entrepreneurial sort who also owned a farm in Vista and had experience as a wrestling referee, including professional matches at the San Diego Coliseum, defended his use of the players the following week against Sweetwater.

After a 27-18 loss, in which Bender ran 88 yards for one touchdown and passed for another, Rutherford more or less ignored questions about Brazell and said, not convincingly, that he was “playing Bender in good faith because we believe he is eligible.”

Sweetwater coach Cletis (Biff) Gardner had officially protested Oceanside’s playing of Bender and Brazell before the kickoff.

UNION WRITER FIRED UP

A   lengthy   game   account   under   no  byline  in   San   Diego’s morning newspaper the following day began thusly:

“With a furious display of gridiron power Sweetwater High’s rampaging Red Devils, keyed to a torrid fighting pitch, exploded the Jimmy Bender inflation at Oceanside High by roaring to a 27-18 victory over the Pirates in a hectic game on the Red Devil field.”

A week later, Bender figured in all three touchdowns, scoring two and passing to Brazell for another, in a 19-0 victory over Point Loma on a muddy field.

WAS BENDER “STASHED”?

The superintendent in Sutton, Nebraska, weighed in, expressing “bitterness” over the incident and “deploring” the fact that California schools could help themselves to young, midwestern athletes.

It also was reported that “newspapermen” in Sutton claimed that a Pacific Coast Conference university figured in a deal in which all expenses for Bender’s trip to Oceanside had been paid by an unknown party.

Coast Conference “czar” Edwin Atherton, a college fraternity brother of J. Edgar Hoover and former FBI agent and private investigator, was said to be looking into the charges.

Van Patten ruled against the transfers on Nov. 7, citing the suspicious nature in which the guardianships took place.

YOU’RE OUT

Messrs. Heltibridle and Bender’s sponsor, Harry Schwarz, had acted with the swiftness of a Nevada divorce.

Heltibridle became Brazell’s guardian on the day the youngster came from Texas and Schwarz filed papers in the San Diego County Courthouse to become Bender’s guardian on the day Bender played against Escondido.

Oceanside forfeited the Escondido and Point Loma victories and the players were done with two games remaining. Bender and Brazell were reported to be “continuing their studies” at Oceanside High.

HOMELESS 

St. Augustine played all seven games on the road, as there was no campus facility and  it was easier to schedule games if the Saints agreed to be the visiting team. They also continued as an  independent with no league affiliation.

The Saints’ league status would  be changed, slightly, in this decade.  They would be part of a league of small County schools during World War II but their games did not count in the standings.

St. Augustine would join the Southland Catholic League in 1945, but that circuit was made up of schools in and around Los Angeles, which would create travel and financial problems for the small North Park school.

He didn’t know it at the time, but student leader and football player Harry Monahan would play a role the Saints’ finally gaining entry into a league of San Diego schools almost 20 years later.

Monahan attended Notre Dame University and became a sportswriter for the South Bend Tribune.  He met Jack Murphy, sports editor of The San Diego Union, at a USC-Notre Dame game in 1953.

Monahan, who maintained his San Diego ties, eventually landed a position on Murphy’s staff.  In the succeeding years Monahan worked with Murphy and St. Augustine principal John Aherne, among others, to get the Saints into the San Diego City Prep League.  It happened in 1957.

WAR CLOUDS

The Pearl Harbor attack was 14 months away, but future conflict was not far from anyone’s thoughts.

San Diego High’s starting center, Walter Anderson, left school after he was ordered to his national guard unit.  Vista fullback Ralph Dominguez  and his brother Rudy were called from school to report for Coast Guard patrol duty.

San Diego coach Joe Beerkle used a metaphor when asked about his team, declaring the Hillers’ 1940  outlook was  “poorer than the prospect of peace in Europe.”

CAVERS, VIKINGS SEE DOUBLE

Hoover halfback Jim Morgan was the star of the second annual City Schools’ football carnival, running 30 yards for a touchdown against La Jolla and 27 yards for a score against San Diego.

The 4 city schools each played two quarters.  The Hoover-Point Loma combine defeated San Diego-La Jolla 26-0.

Hoover topped La Jolla 7-0 and hammered the Cavers, 13-0.  Point Loma’s Jim (Speedy) Finsters ran 88 yards in the Pointers’ 6-0 shutout of La Jolla.

A crowd of about 3,500 attended the carnival, which also included performances by various school bands, drum majors, and flag twirlers.  The first carnival in 1939 was presented at the end of the season.

McEUEN LOCKS OUT FANS

Escondido coach Charlie McEuen’s  contorted explanation for not allowing Cougars supporters to watch preseason practice: “Fans often get the wrong idea when they see a player in a practice session.  These fans sometimes spread false information about a player that gets back to the boy.”

STADIUM IMPROVED

A new, two-level press box in Balboa Stadium was ready in time for football.  It replaced “the old, wobbling, dangerous structure” and was built with funds supplied by the San Diego County Council and convention committee of the American Legion.

Lights had been installed in time for the season-ending carnival in 1939, but the first regular game after dark in Balboa Stadium took place this season when San Diego defeated Compton, 20-8.

BIG GAME ACROSS BAY

It wasn’t San Diego-Hoover or San Diego-Long Beach Poly.  The game of the year was on quaint Coronado Island, usually accessed by a ferry ride from the foot of Market Street and Pacific Highway.

The undefeated Hemet Bulldogs, coached by former San Diego star Kendall (Bobo) Arnett, took on Hal Niedermeyer’s Coronado Islanders.

The Bulldogs, 4-0, were outscoring opponents 122-6, and led the Riverside League West Division. The Islanders, who had outscored their first four opponents, 110-12, were sparked by quarterback Harry Galpin and fullback Stew (Junior) Worden.

Arnett’s visitors took the game to Niedermeyer’s team, outgaining their green and white-clad hosts, but came up short, 14-0.  Coronado never looked back, winning the Metropolitan League championship and posting an 8-0-1 record for the only unbeaten season in school history.

MUSTANGS RUN FREE, TOO

San Dieguito kept pace with Coronado among so-called small schools. The Encinitas entry, which opened in 1936, ruled the Southern Prep League.

John Eubank’s Mustangs, led by Leo Swaim, Max Hernandez, and Red Schmidt, clinched the league title with a 13-0 victory over Vista in Week 7 and defeated St. Augustine 14-0 the next week to finish with an 8-0 record, their only undefeated season before dropping football and being renamed San Dieguito Academy in 1996.

FIVE MAKE ALL-SOUTHERN TEAMS

Tackles Tom Balestreri of San Diego  and Dick Attig of Hoover were on the all-Southern California first team.  La Jolla tackle Tom Bossert made the second team, and center Chuck Clark of Escondido and Coronado halfback Stew (Junior) Worden were on the third team.

SEASON TO FORGET

San Diego High sustained its second losing season in the last three and only the third since 1914.

Coach Joe Beerkle temporarily lost starting fullback Joe Mathews and other players because of academic ineligibility, benched fullback Jack O’Connor for “insubordination,”  and saw his best playmaker go down in  the third game.

Mike Luizzi directed an offense that gained 362 yards and 20 first downs and completed 13 of 19 passes for two touchdowns in a 20-13, opening-game victory over the Pasadena Junior College Reserves.

Luizzi, a converted end,  passed for two touchdowns the following week in a 20-8 victory over Compton, but disaster would hit the Cavers and Luizzi the following week.

Beerkle’s squad of  36 players  boarded a bus at 9:30 on Saturday morning for a six-hour, 220-mile jaunt through dozens of towns and over the winding,  precipitous  “grapevine”,  a steep strip of U.S. 99 that led to the San Joaquin Valley and often caused  overheated radiators, burned out brake pads, or vapor lock.

The Bakersfield Drillers, coached by the legendary Dwight (Goldie) Griffith, had not lost since 1938, a run of 17 games, and they struck the  Cavers with a power running game that featured misdirection plays and against-the-grain cut backs.   San Diego was on its heels all evening.

The 35-13 loss was bad enough but the Cavers also lost Luizzi for the rest of the season with a fractured left arm on the last play of the game.

With Luizzi out, the Cavers enjoyed running the ball in a 37-18 rout of Glendale, led by first-year coach Ambrose (Amby) Schindler, star of the 1933 and 1934 Hilltoppers teams. Joe Mathews scored 4 touchdowns for San Diego.

RAINY DAYS AND FRIDAYS

Hoover and San Diego called off games because of fields drenched by recent rain.

The Cavers’ game with Los Angeles Cathedral would not be rescheduled.  Hoover’s Coast League contest with Long Beach Poly was played a month later, the Jackrabbits improving to 7-0 before 3,500 at Hoover and clinching the Coast League title, 14-10.

“We didn’t have water wings handy and I couldn’t risk the chance of someone drowning,” explained La Jolla coach Marvin Clark, who postponed the Vikings’ game with Escondido.  Most other County schools got their games in.

NO REST FOR CARDINALS

Hoover played the 1939 Southern California football champion and runner-up on successive weeks.

Cardinals coach Pete Walker took a traveling squad of 28 players to the  Santa Fe Railway Depot for a 7:45 a.m.  trip to Santa Barbara, where the Cardinals dropped a 15-12 decision the next afternoon to the playoffs’ second-place finisher of the year before.

The next week, at home, Hoover whipped 1939 champion Alhambra, 19-0, as Hub Foote raced 58 yards for one touchdown and Charlie Blackburn 83 yards for another.

Santa Barbara won the Southern California championship, defeating Whittier, 26-0.

SIGNS OF THE TIME

San Diego police chief Cliff Peterson was appointed by the Peace Officers’ Association of California to take part in a proposal to eliminate speed limits on state highways during daylight hours, with a limit of 40 miles an hour in night driving.

Chula Vista purchased land to build a $175,000 airport. Fred Rohr, who provided fuel tanks constructed in San Diego for Charles Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis” on its trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, founded Rohr Aircraft Company in Chula Vista in August.

The 10-round, boxing main event at the Coliseum featured Los Angeles’s “Blimp” Williams against the San Diego favorite, light-heavyweight Sailor Jack Coggins, who deflated the Blimp in the third round.

The largest sporting-event crowd in San Diego history took place on Labor Day, when 26,500 were on hand for the Del Mar Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack

TRUE GRID

UT-San Diego columnist Nick Canepa, a 1964 San Diego High graduate, was nephew of the late San Diego High star Mike Luizzi…Sweetwater’s Marcus Alonzo, a Metropolitan League sprint champ in the spring, closed his football career  with 5 touchdowns in a 33-14 win over Escondido…Alonzo ran away with the league scoring title with 54 points…5,000 persons were on hand at Hoover as Sweetwater outgained Hoover 229-84 on the ground, 52-29 through the air, and recovered 8 Hoover fumbles but got out only with a 0-0 tie after the Cardinals’ Jim Morgan was wide on a 33-yard field goal attempt with a minute to play…Hoover end George Brown went on to become an all-America at the Naval Academy and played at San Diego  State after World War II…Brown was team doctor for Don Coryell’s Aztecs in the 1960s and his son George was one of the leading shot putters in the nation at Granite Hills High and was a fullback on Coryell’s 11-0, 1969 team…15,000 persons in Balboa Stadium witnessed Hoover, trailing, 12-7, entering the final quarter, “get off the floor”,  in Union writer’s Christy Gregg’s words, to beat the Hillers 21-12…weirdness included game officials turning on the lights when darkness descended, then turning them off after a meeting with coaches Beerkle and Walker at midfield… San Diego outgained the Cardinals, 216-109… Hoover’s Herbert (Hub) Foote starred at San Diego State after World War II and went on to a long coaching career in the area… Mike Foote, the coach’s son, was a standout at Mount Miguel High and Oregon State and played three seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins… what’s in a name?: Fallbrook’s fullback was Leroy (Speed) Lash… a Sweetwater lineman was “Waffles” Escalante… San Diego  originally announced a midseason,  nonleague game with  the Riverside Sherman Institute but the game never was played… sluggish and blundering, the Hillers dropped their final game to Inglewood, 13-12, before 2,500 “refrigerated” fans in the stadium…a short-term  member of the CIF Southern Section  was the Instituto Tecnio Indusrial, also known as Tijuana Tech in the Baja California city….

The basketball community lost a legend in August when Lee Trepanier, the retired, 56-year-old Point Loma coach, died in his sleep August 2, 1991.

Trepanier, 56, had been battling stomach and esophagus cancer for two years.

Trepanier learned of his cancer in August, 1989, but coached and taught math through the school year and retired as coach after the 1989-90 season.

Trepanier’s  girls teams at Point Loma won state championships an unprecedented four consecutive years, 1984-87.  He compiled an all-time record of 331 wins against 51 defeats and a .866 winning percentage.

12/4/91

Robbie Sandoval, the future girls’ coach at Mount Miguel, scored 18 points and hit a three-point basket that sent a game with Patrick Henry into overtime.

Three extra sessions later the Matadors pulled out a 52-51 victory, helped in no small part by a Sandoval basket with 20 seconds to go that narrowed a Matadors deficit to one point. Damion Willis tipped in a basket at the buzzer for the win.

12/5/91

San Dieguito and Corona del Mar battled through three overtimes before the Mustangs outlasted their hosts, 49-44,  at the Newport Harbor tournament.

12/11/91

Donnie Collins’ fall-away, three-point basket as the buzzer sounded sent the Madison Warhawks into overtime against St. Augustine.  John Gergurich, who led the Saints with 28 points, and Eric Ott each had two free throws in the extra period. The Saints won, 74-72.

12/12/91

Poway transfer Kirk Hipple scored 34 points and was 15×15 from the free throw line and Bill McMahon’s three-point basket with three seconds remaining lifted Rancho Bernardo (4-19 in 1990-91, its first year) to a surprise win over Morse, 73-72.

12/18/91

Rancho Buena Vista led Fallbrook for a grand total of six seconds but it forged a 49-48 victory in the Vista Tournament.  Tori Anderson’s 12-foot looper brought the Longhorns from behind.

12/20/91

Tony Maxwell authored one of the highest single-game totals in Hoover history, 43 points, in a 84-81 victory over Chula Vista in the opening round of the 45^th annual Kiwanis Tournament.

12/21/91

“I feel like a fool,” said Lincoln coach Ron Loneski, who added, “I feel stupid,” to Buster Olney of The San Diego Union.

Loneski was not happy with his team’s play in an 80-71, Kiwanis tournament win over Vista.  “People sitting up in the stands must see this and say, ‘Doesn’t Loneski teach them anything?'”

“We were looking for some big guys, but they were all little guys (no Vista starter over 6-1), then they started bombing,” said the Hornets’ Akili Smith, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds, of the Panthers’ 14, three-point baskets.

12/22/91

Vista’s sharpshooters, unable to overcome Lincoln, took it out on Hoover, converting a San Diego Section 18 baskets from behind the 19-foot, 9-inch arc, in a 119-42, Kiwanis victory. The breakdown: Jason Barnes, 5; Dave Dillon, 4; Mike Vendling, 3; Jose Perez, 2; Shawn Jager, 2, and Dave Enger and Nils Michaels, 1 each.

12/24/91

“What do I think?” Kearny coach Bill Peterson shouted to the Union’s Steve Brand, clutching a scorebook. “Try 22-4 on the free-throw line.”

Actually, Poway converted 15×21 on the free-throw line (Kearny was 2×4) and handed Kearny its first defeat, 59-49, in overtime for the Kiwanis Tournament Unlimited Division championship.

–Craig Brown scored 35 points and Torrey Pines topped Trabuco Hills, 83-67, for championship of the 31^st Jim Mitchell Tournament.

12/27/91

After four games, St. Augustine coach Jeff Armstrong resigned to become coach of the Saudi Arabia Olympic team.  Athletics director Rick Stewart became head coach and the Saints responded with 3 straight wins to improve to 7-0, including a 43-19 victory over Montgomery in the Sweetwater Tournament.

12/28/91

The wide gulf between San Diego’s best teams and those from around the country was evident as Oak Hill Academy of Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, defeated Lincoln, 93-57, in the Above the Rim tournament at Torrey Pines.

12/29/91

Poway made eight consecutive free throws in the final three minutes to defeat Bakersfield, defending state Division I champion, 59-56, in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.

1/11/92

Chula Vista’s Jerome Green made 7×13 three-point shots in the first half and finished with 47 as the Spartans outran Bonita Vista, 85-80.   The 6-foot, 2-inch junior had 26 points at halftime and came within two points of his reported school record.

1/22/92

La Jolla Country Day, leading 56-35, after three quarter was perspiring heavily at game’s end.  Santa Fe Christian outscored the Torreys in the final eight minutes, 24-6, but La Jolla Cpointry Day hung on, 62-58.

“I miss Meek like I miss hemorrhoids,” said El Camino coach Ed Johnson to Ed Graney of The San Diego Union, after Johnson’s team had beaten San Pasqual, 72-36, as star, 6-foot, 10-inch Eagle Erik Meek now was a freshman at Duke.  Meek scored 30 points in the teams’ last meeting, a 73-70 San Pasqual triumph in the 1990-91 Division-II championship.

1/25/92

Five Lincoln players, led by Berry Randle’s 23 points, scored in double figures in a 114-53 victory over Crawford at Lincoln.  The Hornets, leading, 74-29, outscored the Colts, 49-24, in the final eight minutes.

2/3/92

Palomar League No. 2  Vista led No. 1 Torrey Pines, 53-40,in the third quarter, then trailed, 75-68, but fought back to tie the score at 79 before Craig Brown’s two free throws pulled out the victory for the Falcons, 81-79.

Vista made 14 baskets from behind the three-point arc and forced 30 turnovers.  “They were like little vagrants,” Brown said to Buster Olney of The San Diego Union.  “They were all over the place.”

2/6/92

El Camino led at Carlsbad, 73-65, with 44 seconds remaining, but Chad Nelson, who scored 31 points, led a Lancers comeback and 81-79 win in overtime, virtually clinching the Avocado league championship in the battle between the league’s  No 1 and No. 2.

2/8/92

Sweetwater’s Andy Partch had 16 points, 15 assists, six rebounds, and two steals, plus he was 9×10 on free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter of the Red Devils’ rivalry-game, 91-87 win over Chula Vista.

2/13/92

Carlsbad’s 77-56 win over Rancho Bernardo was punctuated with a 31-point first quarter in which the Lancers buried 14×16 field- goal attempts.

2/16/92

Guillermo Sanchez’ “rim-rattling” three-pointer with five seconds remaining lifted visiting Sweetwater to a 48-47 victory over Castle Park.

“I scored 31 points?” Craig Smith said to writer Ed Graney.  “I thought I had 20.”  Brown, who also made 13×14 fee throws, was dominant in Torrey Pines’ 68-56 win over visiting Poway.

The season’s high scorers:

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Jerome Green	Chula Vista	29	785	27.06 (1)
Miller	Fallbrook	28	650	23.2 (3)
Kyle Milling	Poway	33	632	19.25
Ryan Cunningham	Mira Mesa	26	620	23.8 (2)
Scot Pollard	Torrey Pines	31	584	18.8
Berry Randle	Lincoln	32	583	18.2
Rhoden	Vista	27	560	20.7 (5)
Marty Ellis	Monte Vista	28	552	19.7
Lake	Helix	24*	530	22.08 (4)
Jager	Vista	28	530	18.9
Aaron Elliott	Monte Vista	29	529	18.2
Caphas	Escondido	24	485	20.2 (6)
Kingsley	Grossmont	25	468	18.7
Jason Switzer	Grossmont	26	463	17.8
Watts	University City	22	436	19.8 (7)
Morsch	Orange Glen	21	413	19.7

2/19/92

A brawl Feb. 15 involving Kearny and University City resulted in a double forfeit.

Kearny led, 61-43, with 6:09 left.  U. City’s Vernon Warren and Kearny’s Steve Marshall got into it.  Both benches cleared and fans came out of the stands.

The teams went to separate rooms to cool out. When the game was to resume, U.C. coach Tom Medigovich told a security guard that he had sent his players home after being told by another security guard that the game was over.

San Diego Section commissioner Kendall (Spider) Webb ruled a double forfeit. Unhappy Kearny coach Bill Peterson had to agree.  The CIF green book stated that “if more than 2 people leave bench,” game is forfeited, said Peterson.

Medigovich declared, “It was very ugly.  I’ve never seen anything like this.”

2/20/92

Lincoln forced five turnovers in a 16-0 run and beat Madison, 86-58, for its 55^th straight Central League win and seventh straight league title.

–Theoretically the splurge could have been more than 16-0.  “That was a coaching error,” said coach Ron Loneski.  “I made some changes when I should have kept doing what we were doing.”

 

After restricting  playoff Divisions I and II to 16-team brackets the last two seasons, the San Diego Section board of managers went back to the ”Indiana” model of the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons in which all San Diego Section teams playing basketball were eligible for the postseason play.

“I think I was one of the few who didn’t think everyone should get in,” said El Camino coach Ray Johnson.  “Sixteen teams is enough.  If they have a problem with whom the 16^th seed should be, let those teams play it off.  This way, it’s a waste of time.”

PATRIOT LADIES GET IT DONE

The Christian girls won a state championship in the last second.  The Lincoln boys lost one in the last five seconds.

The frenetic finishes in boys Division IV and Girls D-V brought an end to one of the most successful seasons in San Diego County history, for teams in the lower divisions.

Poway, a 3 seed in Boys D-I, was taken out by 6 seed Capistrano Valley, 67-60, in the first round of the Southern California playoffs.  No. 2 Torrey Pines was eliminated in the semifinals, 56-46, by Artesia in  D-II.

Four girls teams, Carlsbad, Poway, Lincoln, and Christian, advanced to the regional semifinal round but only Christian moved on. The Patriots defeated Ripon Christian, 45-43, for the championship of California at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Lincoln meanwhile also was in Sacramento but lost on a tipped basket in the last five seconds, 56-55, to Salinas Palma.

BOYS PLAYOFFS

DIVISION I

PLAY-IN ROUND

San Marcos 50, @Sweetwater 48 (11-16).

Henry (4-18) 52, @Southwest 54.

Montgomery (4-17) 50, @San Dieguito 81.

FIRST ROUND

San Marcos (6-18), 47 @1 Poway 77.

San Dieguito (10-17) 67, @2 Morse 77.

Mira Mesa (16-10) 68, @Chula Vista 69.

The Spartans rallied from six points down with a minute to play, winning on Kevin Brenna’s basket.

San Diego (11-11) 62, @Rancho Bernardo 79.

SECOND ROUND

Southwest (13-13) 51, @3 Mt. Carmel 88.

Rancho Buena Vista 70, @4 Bonita Vista 61, OT (18-9).

Mount Miguel (11-15) 62, @Vista 96.

Granite Hills (13-10) 62, @Fallbrook 65.

QUARTERFINALS

1 Poway 85, 8 Chula Vista (18-11) 70. 

Poway’s Kyle Milling scored 20 of his 30 points in the first half.  The Spartans’ Jerome Green scored 40.

7 Rancho Bernardo 91, @2 Morse 78 (19-6).

5 Fallbrook 72 (19-9), @3 Mt. Carmel 79.

6 Rancho Buena Vista (12-17) 85, @4 Vista 104.

SEMIFINALS

7 Rancho Bernardo 54, 3 Mt. Carmel (18-10) 49, @Serra High.

1 Poway 62, 4 Vista 60 (17-11). 

The Titans’ Mitch Palmer tipped in a basket at the buzzer.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Poway 69, 7 Rancho Bernardo (18-11) 48, @Sports Arena.   

A crowd of 7,569 persons saw Titans coach Doug Wealch equal predecessor Neville Saner with a second straight title (Saner won 4 overall).

“We had an emotional game with Rancho Bernardo in fall league and kind of lost our composure,” said Wealch to Ed Graney of The San Diego Union.  “We didn’t want that to happen again.  We just told the kids to keep their heads and go out and play.”

Kyle Milling had 27 points and 16 rebounds.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

6 Capistrano Valley (29-3) 67, @3 Poway 60 (25-9).   

Outscored, 23-9, in the second quarter and guilty of 17 turnovers  the Titans were doomed. Poway’s Kyle Milling had 13 points, 10 rebounds, six blocked shots, and three steals.

D-II

FIRST ROUND

Mar Vista (9-15) 51, @Oceanside 82.

El Cajon Valley (3-18) 59, @San Pasqual 65.

San Pasqual’s David Durst scored 26 points and converted 11×15 shots from the field.

Ramona  55, @El Capitan 46 (11-15).

Escondido 79, @Mission Bay 51 (7-19).

Crawford (3-21) 50, @Grossmont 74.

Santana (7-15) 55, @Castle Park 60.

SECOND ROUND

Oceanside (11-15) 52, @1 Torrey Pines 63.

Six-foot, 11 inch Scot Pollard drilled the Pirates with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots.

Castle Park 51, @2 Kearny (26-2) 88.

University City (13-11) 58, @Serra 72.

Point Loma (15-10) 56, @Helix 72.

THIRD ROUND

Escondido (7-13) 57, @3 Monte Vista 87.

Ramona 41, @4 Carlsbad 87.

Valhalla 71, @San Pasqual 65 (20-8).

Grossmont (12-13) 45, @El Camino 87. 

Grossmont scored zip—zero, nada—in a 23-0 El Camino third quarter and the outmanned Foothillers actually came into the game with a passable record.

QUARTERFINALS

Serra 56, @1 Torrey Pines 89 (25-3).

Helix 64, @Kearny (26-3) 61.

Valhalla (20-8) 62, @ Carlsbad 73.

El Camino (20-7) 58, @3 Monte Vista 62 (24-2).

SEMIFINALS

1 Torrey Pines (26-3) 70, 4 Carlsbad 52 (21-7) @Rancho Bernardo High.   

Torrey Pines’ winning streak reached 18 games and Carlsbad’s ended at 16.

The Falcons led only 54-50 after a Carlsbad basket to start the fourth quarter, but the Lancers managed only two points in the final 6:41.

3 Monte Vista 54 (25-2), Helix 44 (19-7), @Santana High.

As an antidote for pregame jitters, Monte Vista coach Zack Peck ordered his team to a full-court press at the start.  The Monarchs forced 18 turnovers for the game that led directly led to eight field goals and 16 points.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Torrey Pines (27-3), 74, 3 Monte Vista (25-3) 53, @Sports Arena.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

7 La Palma Kennedy (23-8) 36, @2 Torrey Pines 48 (28-3).

Monte Vista (25-4), 68, @Trabuco Hills (26-5) 75.

SEMIFINALS

Artesia (27-4) 56, @2 Torrey Pines (28-4) 46. 

More than 2,500 persons packed the Falcons gymnasium and another O’Bannon, younger brother of Ed, who was Torrey Pines’ nemesis in a losing effort four seasons before, scored 27 points.  “Ed reminded me of that loss,” said Charles.

D-III

QUARTERFINALS

West Hills (9-14) 57, @University 85.

SEMIFINALS

University 56, @1 St. Augustine 41 (18-9).

La Jolla 66, @2 Madison 63 (15-12).

CHAMPIONSHIP

University 48, La Jolla (11-13) 40, @Sports Arena.

“I admire the hell out of these guys,” said Dons coach Jim Tomey of his team’s late-season run.  “They stuck with it.  I’d look into their eyes early in the season and wonder, then they’d come back the next day ready to play.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

Costa Mesa Estancia (24-7) 59, University (9-18) 41, @University of San Diego.

La Jolla (11-15) 36, @La Canada (27-2) 58.

D-IV

SEMIFINALS

Coronado (4-23) 35, vs. 1 Lincoln 104.

Imperial (10-12) 65, vs. 2 Clairemont 79.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Lincoln  92, 2 Clairemont (11-13) 61, @Sports Arena.

Lincoln’s fifth straight championship needed a 10-0 run in the middle of the first quarter, at the end of which the Hornets led, 27-20.

“What we need is a down-to-the-wire game early (in the Southern California Regional), said Berry Randle, who had 29 points and 15 rebounds.

“We need that to put a scare into us,” Randle continued.  “Some of our players don’t know what that’s like yet.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL.

QUARTERFINALS

7 Tollhouse Sierra (17-7) 70, @2 Lincoln 98.

“Scoring in the nineties is our game,” Lincoln coach Ron Loneski told Steve Brand.  “I couldn’t believe they tried to press us. We’re in great shape. We press.  We run.”

Berry Randle’s line read 21 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocked shots.  Hosa Baker scored 22, Archie Robinson 17.

Clairemont (11-14) 48, @1 Oxnard Santa Clara (26-3) 94.

SEMIFINALS

2 Lincoln (22-9) 76, Downey Pius X 71 (23-7).

In a shooting slump much of the year, Archie Robinson buried five, three-point shots in the first quarter and finished with 22 points.

FINALS

2 Lincoln 62, 1 Oxnard Santa Clara (27-4) 60, @Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Lincoln led by 14 points in the second half.  Archie Robinson’s basket with nine seconds remaining put the Hornets ahead, 62-58, and then Robinson dribbled the clock away after two free throws by the Saints.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Salinas Palma 56 (29-2), Lincoln 55 (23-10) 55, @Arco Arena, Sacramento.

Lincoln fought back after trailing the Central Coast Section champion, 30-13, midway in the second quarter.

The Hornets actually took a 55-54 lead on Berry Randle’s basket with 23 seconds remaining, but the Chieftains’ Brandon Peterson tipped in the winning basket.

“We did not lose in the last five seconds,” said Hornets coach Ron Loneski.  “We lost it in the first sixteen minutes.”

D-V

FIRST ROUND

Calexico Vincent Memorial (6-15) 55, @Marian 81.

Borrego Springs (9-13) 31, @The Bishop’s 69.

Midway Baptist (7-14) 26, @4 Christian 65.

Lutheran (3-12) 49, @3 Santa Fe Christian 70.

Francis Parker (6-19) 59, @Tri-City 74.

Julian (8-15) 61, @Calvin Christian 67.

QUARTERFINALS

Marian (6-18) 38, @1 Calipatria 89 (21-2) .

Calvin Christian (12-8) 40, @2 La Jolla Country Day 83 (21-3).

The Bishop’s 38, @4 Christian 42 (19-8).

Tri-City (15-8) 52, @3 Santa Fe Christian 53 (22-4).

SEMIFINALS

1 Calipatria 48, 4 Christian (19-9) 36, @El Capitan High.

The Hornets, ranked eighth in the state in their division by Cal-Hi Sports, forced 32 turnovers.  Christian made 3×13 free-throw attempts.

3 Santa Fe Christian 52, 2 La Jolla Country Day 44 (21-4).

FINALS

1 Calipatria 60, 3 Santa Fe Christian (23-5) 58. 

Sophomore Roferrel Simpson’s no-look, put-back basket before the halftime buzzer proved the difference.  Simpson had 19 points and 13 rebounds.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

L.A. Bel Air (19-10) 51, @Calipatria (24-3) 46.

Santa Fe Christian (23-6) 55, @North Hollywood Campbell Hall (22-7) 78.

GIRLS PLAYOFFS

D-I

FIRST ROUND

San Dieguito 44, @Morse 41 (12-14).

Mount Miguel (1-22) 31, @San Marcos 55.

Patrick Henry (1-20) 35, @Granite Hills 56.

Brande Wray drained five consecutive three-point attempts and the Eagles soared.

Hoover 41, @Montgomery 39 (10-14).

Vista  56, @San Diego 48 (9-14).

SECOND ROUND

San Dieguito (9-16), 18 @1 Poway 81.

Chula Vista (11-13), 58 @Rancho Buena Vista  74.

Hoover (6-15) 30, @3 Rancho Bernardo 81.

Orange Glen 50, @Hilltop 29 (16-7).

Southwest (14-9) 44, @Mira Mesa 42.

Vista (6-19) 45, @2 Mt. Carmel 67.

Kris Grazzini set a Sundevils school record with 34 points with 13×17 shooting  and pulled 13 rebounds.

Granite Hills (11-16) 44, @4 Bonita Vista 54.

San Marcos 46, @Fallbrook 51 (15-9).

QUARTERFINALS

Fallbrook (15-10) 47, @4 Bonita Vista 58.

Southwest (15-10) 45, @2 Mt. Carmel 67.

Rancho Buena Vista (15-13) 45, @1 Poway 71.

Orange Glen (15-11) 46, @3 Rancho Bernardo 48.

Carol Pajarillo scored 6 points but the last two, on a 15-foot jump shot, was the separator.

SEMIFINALS

1 Poway 90, 4 Bonita Vista 24 (22-4).

2 Mt. Carmel 49, 3 Rancho Bernardo (23-4) 36.

The Sundevils’ Kris Grazzini scored 21 points, denying second-year Rancho Bernardo a boys’ and girls’ finalist.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Poway 55, 2 Mt. Carmel (19-5) 33, @Sports Arena.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

Ventura Buena (25-4) 42, @Poway, 46.

Jamie Shadian’s four, three-point baskets fired the Titans.

SEMIFINALS

Palos Verdes Rolling Hills (32-0) 75, Poway (27-4) 41.

D-II

FIRST ROUND

Valhalla (4-19) 38, @Grossmont 61.

Ramona (1-24) 24, @Castle Park 45.

Mar Vista (4-14) 25, @Serra  42.

Oceanside (4-21) 51, @Torrey Pines 54.

El Camino (4-19) 36, @El Capitan  45.

SECOND ROUND

Grossmont (12-14) 38, @1 Carlsbad  60.

San Pasqual (12-14) 30, @Monte Vista 46.

Helix (15-10) 43, @Kearny 45. 

A Kearny rally started when Shelli Krause launched a 23-foot shot with 34 seconds left and the Komets trailing six. Bingo!

El Capitan (12-12) 40, @2 Point Loma 52.

THIRD ROUND

Torrey Pines (10-16) 45, @3 University City 72.

Serra (13-12) 45, @4 El Cajon Valley  69.

Escondido 44, @Santana  (19-7) 42.

Castle Park (15-11) 34, @Mission Bay 47.

QUARTERFINALS

Kearny 34 (20-7), @2 Point Loma 42.

Monte Vista (18-6) 28, @1 Carlsbad 65.

Escondido (11-15) 41, @3 University City 57.

Mission Bay 48, @4 El Cajon Valley 62 (21-4).

Heather Holm (29 points) socked the Buccaneers with back-to-back threes, igniting a 20-2 run by the Braves after they lagged by five in the third quarter.

SEMIFINALS

1 Carlsbad 73, 4 El Cajon Valley 68 (21-5), OT.

3 University City 43, 2 Point Loma (23-4) 41.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Carlsbad (23-2) 53, 3 University City (24-4) 43, @Sports Arena.

“This seemed so unattainable, but it’s been a dream of mine to win a section title since I was a little kid,” the Lancers’ Vanessa Nygaard, who scored 16 points, told Jim Trotter of The San Diego Union.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

8 Tustin (21-9) 47, @1 Carlsbad 60. 

“We were a little rubbery legged…in the first part of the game,” said Dawn Laukes to writer Jim Trotter.  “We were coming off a couple tough games against El Cajon and University City and we weren’t used to that.”

University City (24-5) 61, @Cerritos Gahr (26-4) 69.

SEMIFINALS

L.A. Mission Hills Bishop Alemany 68, @1 Carlsbad (24-3) 42.         

“We’ve put up two Avocado League banners and one CIF banner,” said Lancers coach John Dubreville.  “Next year we’re going to put up a gold (state championship) banner.”

D-III

FIRST ROUND

Madison (1-21) 17, @La Jolla 35.

SEMIFINALS

La Jolla (6-19) 35, @1 Our Lady of Peace 38.

West Hills 45, @2 University (9-16) 38.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Our lady of Peace 61, West Hills (8-15) 38.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

West Covina South Hills (25-3) 70, @Our Lady of Peace (17-9) 54.

West Hills (8-16) 16, @Brea-Olinda (29-2) 96.

D-IV

SEMIFINALS

Imperial (2-15) 12, @1 Lincoln 75. 

“If we aren’t .500 or better next year, we won’t play again,” Imperial coach Dan Romero said of a possible future playoff appearance. The Tigers trailed, 24-0, after one quarter.

Holtville (18-7) 43, @2 Coronado 58.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Lincoln 64, 2 Coronado 33 (18-7)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

Fresno San Joaquin Memorial (21-7) 48, @2 Lincoln 59.

A seven-hour bus ride didn’t help the Panthers, who fell behind, 21-2, to start the game.

The Hornets rode the 29 points from Shondel Robinson and 6-foot-3 Hattie Sanders’ 17 rebounds.

Coronado (18-8) 34, @Woodlake (29-2) 51.

SEMIFINALS

Santa Ynez (25-3) 53, @2 Lincoln (21-4) 52.

D-V

FIRST ROUND

La Jolla Country Day 44, @Borrego Springs  (10-10) 32.

Calexico Vincent Memorial (7-11) 53, @Parker 66.

SECOND ROUND

Tri-City (2-12) 34, @Marian 84.

The Crusaders’ Jennifer Reyes dished 20 assists, third highest total in section history.

Lutheran @Calipatria, no score.

Francis Parker @Calexico Vincent Memorial, no score.

QUARTERFINALS

La Jolla Country Day (7-13) 35, @1 Christian 68.

Francis Parker (14-9) 40, @2 The Bishop’s 60.

Marian 42, @4 Calvin Christian 31 (14-6).

Calipatria (11-11) 38, @3 Julian 82.

Jennifer Hekel stung the Hornets with 18 points, 18 rebounds.

SEMIFINALS

1 Christian 61, Marian (13-11) 51, @El Capitan High.

3 Julian 57, 2 The Bishop’s (19-6) 48.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1 Christian 75, 3 Julian (18-10) 47, @Sports Arena.

Tiffany Stutz led the Patriots with 35 points, but freshman Stephanie Shadwell stole the show with a triple double, 20 points, 19 rebounds, and 11 steals.

“I wanted to overcome my nervousness,” Shadwell told Steve Brand of the Union.  “On Thursday my coach (Mike Zazvrskey) put a lot of confidence in my head.  He believes in me.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

Julian  69, @San Bernardino Christian (26-1) 61.

The host Knights had been the Southern Section’s only remaining unbeaten team.

1 L.A. Holy Martyrs (24-4) 41, @Christian 65.

SEMIFINALS

Pasadena Poly (18-10) 31, @Christian  64.

Julian (20-11) 52, @Arcadia Rio Hondo (24-1) 58.

FINALS

Christian  57, Arcadia Rio Hondo (24-2) 49.

The Patriots trailed, 32-24, at halftime.  Tiffany Stutz, averaging 25.8 points, was hounded by Kares defenders, denying her the ball but Stutz scored 16 points, teaming with Jenny Culbertson on a 16-2 run in the third quarter.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP                                                                    

Christian (22-4) 45, Ripon Christian (27-3) 43, @Arco Arena, Sacramento.

Tiffany Stutz stole the ball with eight seconds remaining and passed with three seconds left to Diana DeGrenier, whose layup with .33 hundredths of a second left brought the Patriots home.