2023-24 Boys Week 2: Four Teams at Top Separating From Field
John Maffei’s The San Diego Union-Tribune poll.
#
TEAM
RECORD
POINTS
PREVIOUS
MAX-PREPS
CAL-HI SPORTS
1
Carlsbad
14-2 (11)
164
1
8/8
13/19
2
Montgomery
16-2 (6)
158
2
16/12
21/24
3
St. Augustine
15-3
137
3
17/17
22/NR
4
Torrey Pines
13-4
119
4
43/42
31
5
Santa Fe Christian
12-5
96
6
75-98
NR/NR
6
La Jolla Country Day
13-5
65
5
63/82
NR/NR
7
Cathedral
13-5
52
8
101/118
NR/NR
8
La Costa Canyon
11-3
44
9
77/82
NR/NR
9
Mission Bay
10-7
29
7
157/149
NR/NR
10
San Marcos
13-4
18
10
211/219
NR/NR
Others receiving votes
Mission Hills (12-6, 15 points), Olympian (17-0, 12). San Diego Southwest (16-2, 5), Hoover (12-6, 1).
First-place votes in parenthesis.
Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
Bold entries in columns are up-to-date rankings followed by previous. Cal-Hi Sports’ and Max Preps’ represent state rankings. NR—Not ranked.
Records as of Monday, Jan. 8.
VOTING PANEL
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
Aaron Burgin, Fulltime Hoops
Steve Brand, Eric Williams, Freelance writers.
John Kentera, Freelance Contributor.
Rick Smith, partletonsports.com.
Adam Paul, eastcountysports.com.
Braden Suprenant 97.3 FM The Fan.
Bodie DeSilva, scoreboardlive.com.
Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM.
Joe Evangelist, San Diego Coaching Legends Committee.
Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
Todd Cassen, Ron Marquez, CIF San Diego Section.
Rex Johnson, CIF Advisory Committee.
2023-24 Boys Week 1: Carlsbad No. 1, Montgomery No. 2 in Poll
A mid-November-through-December grind in which many teams completed at least half of their season schedules turns to January league play, accompanied by the popular, so-named “classics” that bring together top teams for weekend doubleheaders until the playoffs.
Five teams at the top of the Union-Tribune poll appeared to have separated themselves from the pack, with Carlsbad and Montgomery running almost neck and neck for positions 1 and 2.
Carlsbad (14-2) defeated Faith Family of Dallas, 78-69, in the National Division championship of the 33rd annual Torrey Pines Holiday Classic. St. Augustine (13-3) defeated San Jose Arch Bishop Mitty, 57-55, for third place and Montgomery (13-2) dropped a 67-53 decision to San Juan JSerra in the fifth-place contest.
Faith Family (10-9) is ranked 56th in Texas by Max-Preps, throwing some shade on the Lancers’ championship, but the Eagles, two-time defending state 4-A champions from the Dallas suburb of Oak Cliff, knocked off St. Augustine, 75-55, in the semifinals and defeated 15-1 JSerra, Max Preps‘ California state No. 1, 60-42, in the opening round.
Torrey Pines (12-4) lost in the National consolation finals, 56-50, to Rancho Santa Margarita. La Jolla Country Day won the Governor’s Division third-place game, 61-58, over Barack Obama’s alma-mater, the Honolulu Punahou Buff ‘n Blue, 61-58.
John Maffei’s ongoing The San Diego Union-Tribune poll is being picked up as our Week 1.
First-place votes in parenthesis.
Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Cal-Hi Sports’ and Max Preps’ represent state rankings. NR—Not ranked.
Records as of Monday, Jan. 1.
VOTING PANEL
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
Aaron Burgin, Fulltime Hoops
Steve Brand, Eric Williams, Freelance writers.
John Kentera, Freelance Contributor.
Rick Smith, partletonsports.com.
Adam Paul, eastcountysports.com.
Braden Suprenant 97.3 FM The Fan.
Bodie DeSilva, scoreboardlive.com.
Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM.
Joe Evangelist, San Diego Coaching Legends Committee.
Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
Todd Cassen, Ron Marquez, CIF San Diego Section.
Rex Johnson, CIF Advisory Committee.
Tom Helmantoler, Southern Conference Advisor.
1972 Track: Outstanding Marks, but Few Medals at State
San Diego Section track and field athletes kept getting better, but so was everyone else.
Excellent marks were posted, some that would have shattered records a few years before, but didn’t earn a mention in this narrative because of ever-increasing volume, i.e., more and more good performances.
With two qualifiers in each event, the section advanced 44 entries to the 54th state meet at Las Plumas High in Oroville.
Eleven of the 44 survived the trials. Only three scored points or finished in the top five of their events in the finals.
Whether it was the two-day grind under a hot sky and the pressure of the great event, or that many marks in San Diego Section meets were made on the blazing fast Balboa Stadium all-weather oval, or that human timers either were too slow starting their watches or too fast shutting them down.
COTTON COMES UP SHORT
Most disappointed was El Cajon Valley’s Terry Cotton, the favorite in the mile who ran a career best 4:05.5 but was upset by Garden Grove’s Mark Schilling in 4:05.4.
Cotton had won his trial in 4:11.4, more than four seconds faster than the next qualifier, and Schilling was ninth, running 4:19.8.
“I just ran out of energy in the last stretch,” said Cotton to Will Watson of The San Diego Union. “I really didn’t tie up in my legs, but I just didn’t have it for that final surge.”
Schilling, whose best had been 4:09.9, took a narrow lead about 60 yards from the finish line, holding on and breaking the meet record of 4:07, by Chula Vista’s Tim Danielson in 1966.
Schilling (left) nipped Cotton at tape in state mile.
De WHO?
Escondido’s Tom De Julien, who did not win in the Avocado League finals or the San Diego Section meet, was fourth in the pole vault with a career high of 14-6.
De Julien had cleared a lifetime best of 13-9, three inches better than before, in Friday’s trials.
Along the way De Julien caught a break.
“I broke my pole on Wednesday,” said the Cougars’ senior, who earned the fourth place medal with fewer misses than two other vaulters.
De Julien reported that he had to drive to Lo Angeles the next day to get another pole. The new implement was stiff.
“I had trouble getting to the pits on my first couple of run-throughs,” said De Julien. “but I just put my mind to it that I was going to vault with it.”
5/5/72
WESTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @MESA COLLEGE
Point Loma’s John Willson set a Western League record with a :49.0 clocking in the 440-yard dash.
Jimmy Willson, father of John, led San Diego High to the state team championship in 1929, winning the 100-yard dash in :09.8 and 220 in :21.4 in finals at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
John Willson bettered the league record of :49.7 by Larry Godfrey of Clairemont in 1962.
Mike Person of Kearny equaled the meet record in the 120-yard high hurdles that Person set in 1971, running :14.4.
Bruce Girasole of Madison set the pace in the sprints, winning his heat in the 100 in :09.9 and 220 in :22.3.
La Jolla and Point Loma each qualified 11 for the finals and Kearny followed with 9. Madison and Clairemont each had 6, Mission Bay 5, and University 3.
GROSSMONT LEAGUE TRIALS, @EL CAJON VALLEY
Terry Cotton of El Cajon Valley won his heat in the mile in 4:14.7 and El Capitan’s Curt Hampton hurled the shot 54 feet, 8 1/4 inches but Grossmont led with 20 qualifiers.
El Capitan, Helix, and Granite Hills had 14 qualifiers each; El Cajon Valley (13), Mount Miguel (10), Monte Vista (9), and Santana (7) filled out.
EASTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Lanard Morris’ 09.9 100 and :21.8 220 and Vernon Martin’s :15.3 and :19.9 hurdles victory represented the day’s only double victories but Crawford led with 13 qualifiers to Lincoln’s 11.
Morse was third with nine qualifiers, followed by Patrick Henry, 8; Hoover, 7; San Diego, 6, and St. Augustine, 3.
Hoover’s Phil Eisenhart won his 880 heat in 1:57.1.
Avocado and Metropolitan League team wrapped their dual meet seasons.
Bob Caulk of Coronado got off the 11th best shot put in area history, 59-6 ¾, in a 61-53 loss to Chula Vista.
Bill Harvey of Vista whirled the discus 160-2 in the Panthers 88½-38½ win over Carlsbad, whose Marquez ran the 120-yard high hurdles in :15.
Lincoln’s David Lamar was in front as the field turned for home in Balboa Stadium in Eastern League 220-yard dash trials. San Diego’s Leonard Haynes won heat in :23. Others (from left): Ben Paletz, Crawford; David Young, Hoover; DeWitt Milton, Morse; Leonard Brazely, Crawford.
5/9/72
AVOCADO LEAGUE TRIALS, @OCEANSIDE
The host Pirates advanced 15 entries to the finals, ahead of Vista’s 10, and 9 by Carlsbad, 8 each by San Marcos and Escondido, 5 each by Orange Glen and San Dieguito, and 4 each by Poway and Fallbrook.
Oceanside’s Kevin Muldoon, the top quarter miler, was given an injury bye into the finals. Teammate Kevin Cochran posted a :50.8 440.
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE TRIALS, @SWEETWATER
Gusty winds kept marks in the margins.
Mar Vista’s Marty Hauck clocked :50.8 in a 440 heat.
Mar Vista led with 12 qualifiers, followed by Castle Park, 8, Bonita Vista, 6, Chula Vista, 5, Coronado, Hilltop, Montgomery, and Sweetwater, 4 each.
The records for the Class B 880 was broken three times:
Manuel Monroy of Sweetwater ran 2:06.4 in the first heat. Ocheltree of Chula Vista ran 2:04.8 in the second heat, and Bracamontes of Sweetwater finished with a 2:03.5 in the third heat.
5/12/72
LEAGUE FINALS
Instead of the first three finishers in each event qualifying for the CIF Trials the following week, the County Coaches’ Association voted to advance the first five in the following:
100, 220, 440, 120-yard high and 180-yard low hurdles, and 440 and mile relay teams.
In addition, more competitors than the top three finishers will be allowed to move on in the 880, mile, and two-mile races, plus field events if qualifying standards were met.
Standards included 1:59 880, 4:28 mile, 9:40 two mile, 6-foot, 2-inch high jump, 22-foot long jump, 51-foot shot put, 140-foot discus, and 13-foot pole vault.
Southern League trials and finals will be at Ramona on May 13.
El Cajon Valley’s Bob Lucas landed at 21 feet, 10 3/4 inches to win Grossmont League long jump final.
EASTERN LEAGUE, @BALBOA STADIUM
Lincoln outscored Morse, 66-57, for the team championship and the Tigers’ James Milton was star of the show.
Milton’s :09.5 in the 100-yard dash bettered the record of :09.6 by Vernus Ragsdale of Lincoln in 1962 and Charles Sanford of San Diego in ’63.
Milton returned to run :21.2 in the 220 on the Stadium curve for another record, although timers were thought to have been fast on their stopwatch thumbs.
There had been allowable wind in the 100 and more than allowable wind in the 220, although no wind gauge, usually available for big Stadium track meets, was not on the grounds.
Milton had been slowed by a pulled muscle in his leg three weeks before in the dual meet with Lincoln and had been byed into the league finals.
Lincoln runners David Lamar Leonard Moore, Wally Henry, and Lanard Morris ran the second fastest 440 rely in the state, their :41.6 second to Compton Centennial’s :41.4.
Morse was second in the relay in :42.3, Crawford third in :42.5.
Vernon Martin if Lincoln was a double winner in the hurdles in :14.9 and :19.6 and Hoover’s Brad Davis set a record of 57-8½ in the shot put, erasing the 56-9¾ by Lincoln’s Mike Lee in 1969.
Class B high jumper Charles Edwards of San Diego cleared 6 feet, 3 inches, to top the record of 6-2 ¾ shared by Morse’s Arnie Robinson and Lincoln’s Doug Jones in 1964 and ’66, respectively.
WESTERN LEAGUE, @MESA COLLEGE
Bruce Girasole of Madison ran :09.7 to break the record of :09.8 by Kearny’s Vince Breddell in 1970. Girasole also won the 220 in :22.4.
Mike Person of Kearny bettered his league record of :14.2 in the 120-yard high hurdles with a :14.1 effort and won the 180 lows in :19.7.
Mark Perry of La Jolla nosed out Mission Bay’s Rory Trup in the 880, 1:56.3 to Trup’s 1:56.4.
Madison outscored Kearny, 50-47, for the team title. Point Loma had 43, Clairemont 34, La Jolla 25, Mission Bay 17, and University 8.
GROSSMONT LEAGUE, @MONTE VISTA.
Terry Cotton’s 4:10.1 mile shattered the record of 4:13.4 by El Cajon Valley’s Tom Davidson in 1968, when Cotton was an eighth grader waiting to enroll the following year at El Cajon Valley.
El Cajon Valley won the team championship with 49 ½ points to Grossmont’s 48. Trailing were Granite Hills, 37, Helix 32, El Capitan 31½, Mount Miguel 27, Santana 19, and Monte Vista 12.
Vista’s Jay Semensow’s 59-8 3/4 shot put was 11th best in County history
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE, @SWEETWATER
Mark Kreisher of Mar Vista set the meet’s only record with a 6-5 1/4 high jump that topped the 6-4 1/4 by Grossmont’s Bill Jones in 1961.
Tom Schutte, Kreisher’s teammate, was second at 6-4-1/2.
The Mariners’ Marty Hauck raced to a 1:56 clocking in the 880 and doubled back to win the 440 in :51.1.
Mar Vista outscored Chula Vista, 59-42, for the team title.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE, @RAMONA
Donald Tavie of San Diego Military won the 100 in :10.4 and 220 in :23.5 and led San Diego Military Academy to the team championship.
The Eagles had 47 points to Christian’s 41, and Ramona’s 40. La Jolla Country scored 35, Julian 20, Army-Navy 14, Mountain Empire 13, San Miguel 8, and Francis Parker 6.
Mitchell of Ramona logged a 2:01.7 in the 880 that broke the 2:03.5 record by McMullen of Brown Military in 1946.
King of Ramona ran :51.6 in the 440 to better the record of :52.4, set in 1967 by Burton of La Jolla Country Day, and Arthur of Julian ran 4:48.1 in the mile, better than the 4:51.8 by Darrough of Ramona in 1955.
AVOCADO LEAGUE, @ESCONDIDO
No team scores were kept, but Oceanside had to feel good, especially Robert Mosley, who won the 120-yard high hurdles, 180-yard lows, broad jump, and anchored the winning 440-yard relay team. Mosley’s times were :14.8 and :19.7 in the hurdles. He jumped 22-10 ¾, and the Pirates’ :42.9 easily won the baton race.
Oceanside Sophomore and future world triple jump champion Willie Banks was fourth in the high hurdles in :15.1 and second in the broad jump at 21-11 ¼.
Vista’s Vic Scimo was second in :50.3 to the 50.1 of Oceanside’s Kevin Muldoon in the 440 and set a meet record of 1:55.7 in the 880, better than the 1:56.4 the Panthers’ Stan Leonard logged in 1971.
5/18/72
SAN DIEGO SECTION DISCUS TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Greg Baer of Grossmont led with a throw of 157 feet, 1 inch, beating favored Bill Harvey and Haskell Hallmark of Vista.
5/20/72
SAN DIEGO SECTION TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Madison’s Bruce Girasole, who won the class C 180-yard dash for Southern Section team champion Costa Mesa Estancia in 1971, logged a :09.8 100 and :21.6 220. Morse’s James Milton also ran :09.8 in his 100 heat but pulled up with recurring muscle soreness in his leg in the 220.
Oceanside’s Robert Mosley, the County leader with a broad jump of 23-11 ¼, couldn’t reach 20-11 3/4, which would have qualified, and barely advanced after running :15.3 in the 120-yard high hurdles.
El Cajon Valley’s Terry Cotton won his mile heat in 4:10.3, beating Armando Velasco of Fallbrook. Velasco, who’d given Cotton problems during the cross country season, ran his all-time best, 4:14.7.
Nine runners timed :50.8 or faster in the 440, led by Point Loma’s John Willson at :48.6.
Nine runners ran 1:58.2 or faster in the 880, led by Vista’s Vic Scimo at 1:55.
5/27/72
Madison’s Bruce Girasole tied San Diego Section meet record with :09.6 victory in 100-yard dash, topping Lincoln’s Lanard Morris (left), second in :09.8. Chula Vista’s Steve Bubel was third, Kearny’s Ron Means (right) fourth.
SAN DIEGO SECTION FINALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Madison’s Bruce Girasole won the 100-yard dash in 09.6 and 220 in :21.4, both meet records.
“I just kept looking ahead (in the 100),” said Girasole. “because I thought (Lanard) Morris would make a charge.
“I would have been more psyched up if (James) Milton had been in there. I knew he’d make an effort because he was No. 1 all year.
Lincoln’s Lenard Morris was second in :09.8 in the 100 but Milton, with leg problems all year, scratched after anchoring Morse to fourth in the 440 relay.
Girasole had traveled to Norwalk the night before to watch the Southern Section finals. “I was in bed by 1, though. I still like to keep track of those guys.”
Vista’s Vic Scimo ran the 10th fastest 880 in County history, 1:53.5 and teammates Jay Semensow and Bill Harvey won the shot put and discus, respectively, at 59-2 ¾ and 164-9.
Kearny’s Mike Person tied the high hurdles record of :14.1, shared by Lincoln’s David Edwards (1966), Doug Jones (’68), and Wes Babcock (’71).
Oceanside sophomore Willie Banks won the broad jump with a leap of 23-4 ¼.
Best mark of the day was by El Cajon Valley’s Terry Cotton.
Cotton ran laps of :60.1, :62.4, 65.6, and :60 that got Cotton home in 4:08,1.
Pre-meet favorite Lincoln was fifth with 13 points as Vista (32) and Oceanside (30) formed a powerful, North County 1-2. Madison was third with 21.6.
6/2/72
54TH STATE TRACK TRIALS, @LAS PLUMAS HIGH, OROVILLE
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
100 Yards
Girasole
Madison
:09.9
T6th
Morris
Lincoln
:10.2
—
220 Yards
Girasole
:21.7
6th
Finn
La Jolla
:22.6
—
440 Yards
Willson
Point Loma
49.2
7th
Haynes
Mission Bay
:50.8
—
880 Yards
Scimo
Vista
1:53.9
8th
Trup
Mission Bay
1:55.3
—
Mile
Cotton
El Cajon Valley
4:11.4
1st
Velasco
Fallbrook
4:18.4
5th
120-yard high hurdles
Person
Kearny
:14.4
9th
Mosley
Oceanside
:14.9
—
180-yard low hurdles
Henry
Lincoln
:19.7
12th
Mosley
—
High Jump
Green
Oceanside
6-4
T1.
Walker
Morse
6-2
14th
Long Jump
Banks
Oceanside
22-4 ½
14th
Baldwin
Patrick Henry
22-0
15th
Shot Put
Caulk
Coronado
59-7
5th
Semensow
Vista
59-0 ½
8th
Discus
Hallmark
Vista
159-9
12th
Harvey
Vista
153-6
15th
Pole Vault
De Julien
Escondido
13-9
T1
Kurtz
Madison
—
—
4×110 Relay
Crawford
:42.8
17th
4x440Relay
Oceanside
:43.2
18th
TWO-MILE RUN FINALS
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
Close
Monte Vista
—
—
Dick
San Dieguito
—
—
6/3/72
54TH STATE TRACK MEET, @OROVILLE LAS PLUMAS HIGH
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
100 Yards
Bruce Girasole
Madison
:09.9
7th
220 yards
Girasole
:21.7
5th
880 yards
Vic Scimo
Vista
1:54.4
8th
Mile
Terry Cotton
El Cajon Valley
4:05.5
2nd
Alberto Velasco
Fallbrook
4:17.5
6th
120-yard high hurdles
Mike Person
Kearny
—
—
High Jump
Ed Green
Oceanside
6-0
13th
Shot Put
Jay Semensow
Vista
56-10 1/2
11th
Pole Vault
Mike DeJulien
Escondido
14-6
4th
1972 Baseball: Uni Waded Through Section’s Top Teams To Title
Strong teams abounded but it was University of San Diego High, third in the Western League and only 12-10 overall, that emerged in the Class AA playoffs.
Dick Serrano coached the Dons to their first CIF championship and followed with titles in 1978, ’80, and ’81, figurative mileposts for the 1961 Uni graduate who coached and taught at the school for 48 years, 1966-2014.
When Serrano walked off the field after coaching his final varsity game in 30 seasons in 2000, he had led his team to 549 victories, against 294 losses for a .691 winning percentage. Serrano sent several players to universities and professional baseball, including future major leaguers Barry Zito, Mark Prior, and Carlos Quentin.
CIF bosses, once critical and myopic of long seasons and extended play, increased the playoff pool to 16 teams this season. Serrano and Uni took advantage.
5/1/72
Aces Rick Tronerud and Dwayne Steele were unavailable, forcing Hoover coach Jerry Bartow to send seven pitchers to the mound and the result was a 17-hit, 19-4 Morse victory on the Cardinals’ diamond.
Serrano played, coached and taught at University and Cathedral Catholic for 48 years.
—Ray Smith’s double in the eighth inning gave Lincoln a 4-3 win over visiting Patrick Henry.
—Chuck Lopez (8-0) kept Vista in the Avocado League lead with a 3-2 win over Escondido, wrapped by Paddy Fagan’s sixth-inning single that scored John Pangrace.
5/2/72
Point Loma swept Madison, 1-0, and 1-0 in a doubleheader that began on March 21, seven weeks to the day earlier.
The chronology:
—Point Loma’s Mark Connors had not given up a hit through 11 innings when he gave way to Mark Mulvany, who pitched a hitless bottom of the 12th inning.
—The teams were tied, 0-0, but there would be no 13th inning because darkness was closing in on the Madison diamond.
–Since it was a league game and standings would be affected, the game needed to be completed.
—Forty-two days later, Mark Mulvany took the mound again for coach Dick Huddleston’s Pointers.
Mulvany and gave up a hit in the 13th and three more before Point Loma’s Steve Grimes tripled in the 15th inning and scored on Jose Rodriquez’ single for a 1-0 victory.
–Mulvaney took the ball again several minutes later for the regularly scheduled contest.
–Point Loma won again, 1-0, as Mulvany (7-3) singled and scored in the fourth inning, gave up two hits, and headed home with two victories in one day.
Point Loma (9-6) was battling Kearny and University for second place. Clairemont clinched a tie for the championship with a 5-2 win over Mission Bay.
Point Loma’s Dave Watson arrived to teammates’ congratulations after two run home run in Pointers’ 9-3 playoff win over Hoover.
5/5/72
Helix clinched the Grossmont League championship, 2-1 in an eight-inning battle with Monte Vista, matching the Scots’ 1962 and ’68 championship squads.
Helix scored a run to tie in the seventh inning and another in the eighth, winning when Don French walked, was sacrificed to second base, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on Danny Hiben’s single.
—Mark Briscoe’s three-run home run in the seventh inning was the difference in St. Augustine’s 5-4 victory over San Diego and moved the Saints (9-6) into a tie for first in the Eastern League with Hoover.
—Clairemont, behind the two-hit pitching of Craig Skoglund and Mike Rector, clinched the Western League title, 8-0, over La Jolla.
—Talk about putting out the fire, Crawford’s Guy Beaghler came on in the seventh inning with the Colts leading Patrick Henry, 3-2, and flames raging everywhere.
–Beaghler faced a situation in which Henry had loaded the bases with none out. The batter had a 3-0 count. Beaghler battled from behind to earn a strikeout, then coaxed the next Patriot to hit into a double play and send the Colts home happy.
5/8/72
Clairemont, winner of 12 in a row, 15-2 in the Western League, and 20-3 overall, continued its ride to the playoffs, 3-1 win over University, the last team to beat the Chieftains 33 days before.
–Rene Quinones improved his record to 9-3 and pitched Mar Vista (11-4) to a step closer to the Metropolitan League title, 4-3 over Chula Vista in 11 innings.
5/10/72
Tom Merritt’s three-hit pitching boosted St. Augustine into a tie for the Eastern League championship.
The 2-0 victory at Patrick Henry gave the Saints (11-6) a one-game lead over Hoover and Crawford, but the Saints still had to face Crawford in the regular-season finale.
Ball skipped under base runner Jim Whittaker of Clairemont past Hoover’s Ray Cappelletti. Clairemont won playoff game, 4-2.
5/12/72
Hoover’s Dwayne Steele “booted” the Cardinals into second place in the final Eastern League standings.
St. Augustine defeated Crawford, 9-3, to clinch the championship; Hoover topped Patrick Henry, 5-4, with Crawford third and Henry fourth, all destined to make the playoffs.
Let’s try Dwayne Steele’s so-called boot again:
—Hoover trailed Henry, 4-3, with two out and the bases loaded in the last of the seventh inning.
—The Cardinals’ Rick Tronerud drove a low liner to the right side of the infield. Steele, running from first, apparently was struck in the ankle by the ball.
—The rule is that the base runner is automatically out, but the rule also stipulated that an umpire must see the ball strike the runner, wrote Evening Tribune reporter Bill Finley.
—Umpires Bob Russell and Andy Anderson apparently didn’t see what happened.
—The ball caromed into right field. By the time the ball was fielded Hoover’s runner from third base had crossed the plate and the Cardinals were celebrating.
—Steele, who was on base after being hit by Patrick Henry hurler Andy Bertrem, admitted later that he had been hit by Tronerud’s grounder.
“Either that or I stepped on an arrow,” said Steele. “It still hurts.”
”That’s the first time I’ve ever been beaten by an umpire and I’ll admit it shook me up,” said Patriots coach Bob Imlay, between a few more chosen words.
FINAL STANDINGS
EASTERN LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
TIE
Pct.
St. Augustine
12
6
.667
—
14
8
0
.636
Hoover
11
7
.611
1
17
7
1
.700
Crawford
10
8
.556
2
16
9
0
.640
Patrick Henry
9
9
.500
3
11
12
0
.478
Lincoln
7
11
.388
5
10
13
0
.435
San Diego
7
11
.388
5
9
14
0
.391
Morse
7
11
.388
5
9
14
0
.391
WESTERN LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
TIE
Pct.
Clairemont
15
3
.833
—
20
4
0
.833
Point Loma
12
6
.667
3
13
8
1
.614
University
10
8
.556
5
12
10
0
.522
Kearny
7
11
.388
8
13
12
0
.520
Madison
6
12
.333
9
10
14
0
.417
La Jolla
4
14
.222
11
7
16
0
.308
AVOCADO LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
TIE
Pct
Fallbrook
11
5
.688
—
16
6
0
.727
Oceanside
10
6
.625
1
14
8
0
.636
Vista
10
6
.625
1
15
9
0
.652
Carlsbad
9
7
.563
2
14
8
0
.636
*Orange Glen
8
7
.533
2 1/2
13
10
2
.560
*Poway
8
7
.533
2 1/2
12
9
2
.565
San Marcos
7
9
.463
4
9
14
0
.391
Escondido
6
10
.375
5
9
12
2
.435
San Dieguito
2
14
.125
9
6
16
0
.273
*Poway and Orange Glen played tie game in league.
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
TIE
Pct.
Bonita Vista
12
4
.750
—
16
6
0
.727
Mar Vista
12
4
.750
—
14
9
0
.609
Hilltop
11
5
.688
1
15
8
0
.652
Chula Vista
11
5
.688
1
13
11
0
.542
Sweetwater
7
9
.438
5
11
12
1
.489
Coronado
6
10
.375
6
8
15
0
.348
Castle Park
5
11
.313
7
7
15
0
.318
Montgomery
5
11
.313
7
7
14
0
.333
Marian
3
13
.188
9
5
17
0
.222
GROSSMONT LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
TIE
Pct.
Helix
13
1
.929
—
19
2
1
.887
Monte Vista
8
6
.571
5
11
11
0
.500
Santana
8
6
.571
5
12
11
2
.520
El Capitan
7
7
.500
6
11
9
0
.550
Mount Miguel
7
7
.500
6
11
11
0
.500
Grossmont
5
9
.357
8
9
14
0
.291
El Cajon Valley
4
10
.286
9
8
15
0
.348
Granite Hills
4
10
.286
9
7
13
1
.357
SOUTHERN LEAGUE Coastal Division
LEAGUE
OVERALL
Team
Won
Lost
Pct.
GBL
Won
Lost
TIE
Pct.
Army-Navy
7
1
.875
—
9
6
0
.600
Christian
7
1
.875
—
9
6
0
.600
Francis Parker
4
4
.500
3
6
10
0
.375
San Diego Military
1
7
.125
6
3
7
0
.300
La Jolla Country Day
1
7
.125
6
3
9
0
.250
Mountain Division
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
Won
Lost
TIE
Pct.
Ramona
9
0
1.000
—
15
10
0
.600
Borrego Springs
5
4
.556
4
8
15
0
.348
Mountain Empire
2
7
.222
7
8
15
0
.348
Julian
2
7
.222
7
5
13
0
.278
GBL=Games Behind Leader.
Steele winced after being struck by teammate’s hard-hit ball.
5/16/72
SAN DIEGO SECTION PLAYOFFS
CLASS AA
FIRST ROUND
Santana 6, @St. Augustine (14-9) 1. Patrick Henry (11-13) 0, @Fallbrook 2. Fallbrook won in its first playoff experience, three years after not winning a game in the Avocado League.
Monte Vista (11-12) 1, @Mar Vista 2. Point Loma 4, @Hilltop (15-9) 2.
Crawford (16-10) 1, @Clairemont 2. (9).
Chieftains Sophomore Gary Skogsdill pitched six innings of scoreless relief and improved to 3-0 with seven saves and an 0.95 earned-run average.
University 6, @Helix (19-3-1) 4.
“As long as he could walk, he was going to be our starter against Helix,” said Dons coach Dick Serrano of Jim Whitaker, three weeks removed from a knee injury, and giving the Dons six innings.
Vista (15-10) 2, @Bonita Vista 4. Oceanside (14-9) 3, @Hoover 9.
5/17/72
QUARTERFINALS
Bonita Vista (17-7) 3, Clairemont 20, @Southwestern College. Point Loma 4, @Santana (13-12-2) 2 (11).
Mike Mulvany opened the 11th inning with a single and scored on Paul Contreras triple and then Contreras scored on an error.
Mar Vista (15-10) 4, Fallbrook 18, @San Diego State.
The Warriors had half of their 22 hits in the first inning and took a 10-1 lead.
Hoover (18-8-1), 2, @University 4.
Mission Bay outfielders John Viles (left) and Dave Anderson were in a “I’ve got it; you take it” moment as ball fell safely and Clairemont went on to 5-2 victory.
5/19/72
SEMIFINALS
Point Loma 9, vs. Fallbrook (18-7) 3, @San Diego State.
Pointers catcher Paul Contreras had three doubles and a single, and centerfielder Dave Watson had three hits and drove in four runs, including a two-run home run.
Clairemont (22-4) 4, vs. University 5, @Mesa College (13).
Coach Dick Serrano’s Dons, third in the Western League, five games behind Clairemont, scored three runs in the seventh inning and won with an unearned run in the 13th.
Three walks, an error, and a single by Kevin Buchanan had drawn Uni even with the No. 1-seed Chieftains.
Bill Nally, who hadn’t pitched a varsity inning all season, relieved Jim Whitaker in the 11th. “It was a gamble,” said Serrano, but he throws strikes and our luck had been so good, I thought maybe he would get ‘em out.”
Nally gave up one hit in three innings and got the victory when Don Hogan singled, went to third on a throwing error and scored the winning run on Charlie Tuttle’s sacrifice fly.
“I’ve known all year we had a good ball club, but until this week we just weren’t doing the job,” Serrano told Bill Finley of the Evening Tribune. “Not only were we playing poorly, but we got the toughest draw in the tournament.”
5/20/72
AA CHAMPIONSHIP
University (16-10) 4, Point Loma (16-9-1), 1, @San Diego State.
About 1,500 persons watched University complete a remarkable stretch run with a 4-1 victory, becoming the first to finish third in the league season and win a title in the Section’s 13-season history.
Uni defeated the County’s top-ranked teams, Clairemont (1), Helix (2), Point Loma (4), and Hoover (5).
Bill Nally pitched three more innings in relief of starter Mike Dunning and the two, despite giving up 11 hits, stranded 11 Pointers base runners.
”We played well and the breaks that were going against us bounced our way for a change,” said Dons coach Dick Serrano. “These guys could have rolled over, but they sucked it and went after ‘em this week.”
Clairemont scored on a home run by Vic Damico. Its second run was unearned and the third and fourth because a Pointer didn’t tag first base on an apparent double play.
5/18/72
CLASS A
CHAMPIONSHIP
Ramona (16-10) 5, @Army-Navy (9-7) 0 (5).
2023 Week 17C: Final, Final Rankings
The last of John Maffei’s The San Diego Union weekly poll voting was at conclusion of the San Diego Section playoffs. Cal-Hi Sports and Cal Preps.com rankings included all games in the CIF state postseason. Max Preps’ entries were inclusive of San Diego Section playoffs.
RANK
TEAM/RECORD
POINTS
MAXPREPS.COM
CALPREPS.COM
CAL-HI SPORTS
1.
Granite Hills (12-1)
*30/300/3
18/6
59.3/59.7
11/11
2.
Lincoln (11-1)
267/1
13/9
60.6/60.8
12/15
3.
Carlsbad (10-1)
262/2
26/26
53.2/53.4
16/14
4.
Helix (9-2)
197/4
29/28
51/50.1
19/16
5.
St. Augustine (10-5)
175/10
44/41
42.3/43.2
38/43
6.
Mission Hills (9-4)
146/6
49/38
41.6/42.3
52
7.
Del Norte (11-3)
70/NR
118
28.2/29.3
NR/NR
8
El Camino (7-5)
65/7
91
34.5/34.7
NR/NR
9
San Marcos (9-3)
43/NR
108
29.2/30.1
NR/NR
10.
Madison (6-7)
41/NR
83
34.1/34.3
75/NR
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Mount Miguel (12-2, 32 points), La Jolla Country Day (11-3, 23), Torrey Pines (7-4, 17), Mater Dei (6-4, 6), La Costa Canyon (5-6, 3), La Jolla (103, 3), Cathedral (4-8, 2), Sweetwater (8-7, 1).
VOTING PANEL
Twenty-nine sportswriters, sportscasters, administrators from San Diego County, plus Max Preps.com.
John Maffei (San Diego Union-Tribune).
Don Norcross, Steve Brand, Rick Hoff, Eric Williams, Thomas Gutierrez , Freelance contributors.
Brandon Stone, Allison Edmonds, John Carroll (KUSI, Channel 51).
Rick Smith (partletonsports.com).
Adam Paul (EastCountySports.com).
Bodie DeSilva (ScorebookLive.com).
John Kentera, Braden Suprenant (97.3-FM The Fan).
Steve (Biff) Dolan (Mountain Country 107.9-FM).
Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).
Troy Hirsch, Nic Pollino (Fox 5 San Diego).
Joe Heinz, Todd Cassen, Ron Marquez (CIF San Diego Section).
Mike Dolan, Rex Johnson, Bruce Ward (CIF Advisory Committee).
Joe Evangelist (San Diego Coaching Legends Committee).
Will Torrez (Valley Sports Network).
Tom Ronco (Imperial Valley Press).
Raymond Brown (SDfootball.net).
Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference Advisor).
Max Preps.
2023 Week 17B: Just Call This High Scoring Cardinal Sir
SirDarius Autry, a 160-pound junior running back, wide receiver, and cornerback, became the 37th player in County history to score at least 200 points in a season.
“Sir” Autry also became the third running back to finish first in the County in the Hoover Cardinals’ 94-season history, according to available statistics from newspapers and Max Preps research.
Autry matched the total of Terry Rodgers of Sweetwater, the first to score 200, hitting that number in 1985.
Hoover’s Roy Engle and Oceanside’s Bobby Betoncini led County scorers with 57 points each in 1935 and the Cardinals’ Eddie Crain scored 25 points in the abbreviated, 1943 wartime campaign.
Autry bettered the reported school one-season record of 132 points by Deontray Johnson in 2008. Bob Miller in 1947, Terrell Williams in 2000, and Damonte Holiday in 2013 each had 126.
SOME HIGH SCORERS, PRE-SAN DIEGO SECTION
(Game stats haven’t always been reported or published and individual records haven’t always been accurate .
