The long game ended the longest wait in the 18-season history of the San Diego Section.  Hilltop’s 3-1 victory over Vista in the 17-inning 2-A finals marked the first year that a team not from the Eastern, Western or Grossmont leagues had won the title.

Championships had been won by Eastern League schools Hoover (4), Crawford (4), San Diego (1), and Patrick Henry (1), the Western League’s University (2), Kearny (1), Madison (1), and Point Loma (1), or the Grossmont League’s Helix (1), Santana (1) or Granite Hills (1).

Keeping with history, Hilltop coach John Baumgarten’s lineage included a link to the Eastern League.  Baumgartner was a 1958 graduate of St. Augustine.

Baumgarten was head coach at Hilltop from 1972-2001 and posted a career record of 407-299. His teams earned seven league titles and the 1983 and ’85 teams won San Diego Section championships.

5/15/79

Eight schools, half of the 16-team bracket, qualified for the San Diego Section playoffs.

Kearny earned the City Conference Eastern League title with an 8-4 win over Clairemont.  Madison claimed the No. 2 spot despite losing to Patrick Henry, 8-6.

University won the City Western League championship, 1-0, over Serra, and Hoover finished second with a 17-4 victory over Mira Mesa.

Hilltop’s 10-5 win over Bonita Vista gave the Lancers the Metropolitan League crown and a No. 2 qualifier went to the Barons.  Castle Park, 6-0 over Sweetwater and Coronado, 6-5 over Marian, filled out the first eight playoff positions.

—Kearny’s third consecutive title was fueled by the complete-game pitching of Mike Bregante and the hitting of Marty Hunter and John Wynns, who each drove in two runs.

—Gary Harris and Bob Warner combined for five runs batted in for Hoover.

—John Alvarez hit his sixth and seventh home runs and Helix beat Grossmont, 9-5, to tie for first place in the Grossmont League with the Foothillers, each with an 11-3 record. Highlanders catcher Jim Oxe was 4 for 4 and 8 for his last 12 at-bats.

5/18/79

Grossmont League teams concluded the regular season with Helix and Grossmont tying for first place after the Highlanders beat Valhalla, 3-1, and Grossmont defeated Monte Vista, 4-1. El Capitan was in the playoffs after a 11-4 win against El Cajon Valley and Mount Miguel, despite a 5-3 loss to Santana, took the final bid.

School bosses voted for Helix as the league’s No. 1 playoff seed.

—El Capitan lefthander Steve Cook allowed three hits and struck out six and the right-hand-hitting Cook was 2 for 3 at the plate, scored three runs, and slugged a home run.

—Steve Lopez’ four-hit pitching stifled Monte Vista and Helix’ Steve Bazzar went the distance for the win over Valhalla.

FINAL STANDINGS

GROSSMONT LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Helix	13	3	0	.829	—	19	4	0	.826
Grossmont	13	3	0	.829	—	14	7	1	.659
El Capitan	11	5	0	.688	2	14	9	0	.609
Mount Miguel	8	8	0	.500	5	11	11	0	.500
El Cajon Valley	7	9	0	.463	6	9	14	0	.391
Santana	7	9	0	.463	6	9	13	0	.409
Granite Hills	6	10	0	.375	7	8	14	0	.364
Monte Vista	5	11	0	.313	8	8	15	0	.348
Valhalla	1	15	0	.062	12	2	19	0	.

METROPOLITAN LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL		WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Hilltop	13	4	1	.750	—		15	6	1	.705
Bonita Vista	11	7	0	.611	2		14	9	0	.609
Castle Park	9	8	1	.528	3 1/2		12	9	1	.568
Coronado	9	9	0	.500	4		9	13	0	.409
Chula Vista	8	9	1	.472	4 ½		12	12	1	.500
Marion	8	10	0	.444	5		11	11	0	.500
Montgomery	8	10	0	.444	5		9	13	0	.409
San Diego Southwest	7	10	1	.417	5 1/2		11	12	1	.479
Sweetwater	7	10	0	.412	6		10	12	0	.455
Mar Vista	7	11	0	.389	6 ½		9	13	0	.409

EASTERN LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Kearny	11	2	0	.786	—	17	6	0	.737
Madison	9	4	1	.679	1 ½	17	6	1	.729
Patrick Henry	8	6	0	.571	3	16	8	0	.667
Crawford	7	6	1	.536	3 ½	13	10	1	.563
Morse	7	7	0	.500	4	10	12	0	.455
Clairemont	6	8	0	.429	5	14	10	0	.583
San Diego	5	9	0	.357	6	10	12	0	.455
Point Loma	2	12	0	.143	9	5	16	0	.238

WESTERN LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
University	12	2	0	.857	—	20	4	0	.833
Hoover	10	4	0	.714	2	17	6	0	.737
Mission Bay	8	5	1	.607	3 ½	12	10	1	.543
Serra	8	6	0	.571	4	14	9	0	.609
St. Augustine	6	7	1	.464	5 ½	10	12	1	.457
La Jolla	5	9	0	.357	7	9	12	1	.432
Lincoln	4	10	0	.286	8	7	14	0	.333
Mira Mesa	2	12	0	.157	10	4	16	0	.200

AVOCADO WEST

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Vista	8	3	1	.708	—	13	6	2	.667
Fallbrook	8	4	0	.667	½	12	12	0	.500
San Dieguito	7	5	0	.583	1 ½	14	10	0	.583
Carlsbad	6	5	1	.542	2 1/2	13	10	1	.563
El Camino	6	6	0	.500	3	9	13	—	.409
Oceanside	4	8	0	.333	4	10	12	0	.455
Torrey Pines	2	10	0	.167	6	5	17	0	.227
Mira Mesa	2	12	0	.157	10	4	16	0	.200

AVOCADO EAST

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
San Pasqual	9	3	0	.750	—	14	9	0	.609
Mt. Carmel	9	3	0	.750	—	16	7	0	.696
Orange Glen	8	4	0	.667	1	12	10	0	.545
San Marcos	7	5	0	.583	2	12	10	0	.545
Poway	5	7	0	.417	4	8	13	0	.381
Escondido	3	9	0	.250	6	5	16	0	.238
Ramona	1	11	0	.083	8	6	16	0	.273
Mira Mesa	2	12	0	.157	10	4	16	0	.200

5/22/79

SAN DIEGO SECTION PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

University (20-5) 2, @Madison 6.

University’s attempt to be the first team since Crawford in 1964 and ’65 to win back-to-back championships came a cropper when Madison’s Mark Wilson and Bill Watson combined to halt the Dons on five hits.

The Warhawks batted around in the second inning and scored four runs on five singles. Paul Peterson, Steve Clark and Bill Davis paced Madison’s 10-hit attack with two hits each.

Hoover (17-7) 5, @Kearny 6.

—John Wynns hit a two-run home run and Forrest Goodman singled and tripled, and David Buttles pitched a complete-game eight-hitter as Kearny, after losing a five-run lead, scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning for the victory.

El Capitan (14-10) 2, @Grossmont 5.

—Mike Hook gave up one hit, a fourth-inning, bases-empty home run to John Ramirez, and Grossmont defeated El Capitan, with Hook continuing to enjoy a hot streak.  The 6-foot, 170-pound senior pitched a two-hitter and one-hitter in his previous two starts.

Mount Miguel (11-12) 4, @Helix 6.

The Highlanders’ Phil Oyos pitched a complete game victory…in relief.

Oyos stepped in for starter Joe Carter after the Matadors scored four runs before anyone was out in the first inning and allowed two singles and struck out 13.

Coronado (9-15) 3, @Hilltop 12.

Kerry Everette’s two-run home run was among 12 base hits by the Lancers, who led, 8-0, after three innings.

Castle Park (12-10-1) 6, @Bonita Vista 7.

Fallbrook (12-13) 4, @San Pasqual 11.

Trailing, 4-2, the Golden Eagles scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Mt. Carmel (16-8) 2, @Vista 5.

Bill Baldwin gave up five hits, Tom Davis hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and Vista jumped to a five-run lead in the first three innings.

QUARTERFINALS

5/23/79

Kearny 3, San Pasqual (15-10) 2, @University San Diego.

Kearny players gave coach Jack Taylor a signed birthday card on his 49^th and then delivered a victory.

Steve Dreher relieved starting pitcher Mike Bregante with one out after the Eagles had scored a run and had the tying and winning runs on first and third base.

Dreher got Dan Lane to miss an attempted squeeze bunt that resulted in one runner being tagged out in a run down. Lane then struck out to end the game.

“It was a tough situation but I kind of like pressure,” said Dreher, who moved from his position at third base to the mound.  “I signaled to coach Taylor in the dugout that I was ready if he needed me.”

Hilltop 6, Grossmont (15-8-1) 4, @Grossmont College.

The Lancers rode a five-run first inning to victory.

Vista 5, Madison (18-7-1) 4, @Palomar College.

The Panthers stunned the favored Warhawks with a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Helix (20-5) 3, Bonita Vista 4, @Grossmont College.

Steve Ray worked his way out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the sixth inning to preserve the Barons’ win over the favored Highlanders.

5/25/79

SEMIFINALS

Hilltop 4, Kearny (19-7) 3, @University San Diego.

Successive singles in the fifth inning by Todd Fileccia, Bryan Wagner, and Manny Salinas scored one run and a hit batter forced in another run as Hilltop tied the score at 3, and Wagner’s double over the centerfielder’s head, drove in the winning run in the seventh.

Vista 11, Bonita Vista (16-10) 1, @Grossmont College.

Ed Lisi’s three-run home run highlighted a four-run third inning and Doug Moxley’s grand slam in the top of the sixth was the coup de grace as Vista hammered the Barons, handcuffed by Bill Grim’s two-hit pitching.

5/26/79

CHAMPIONSHIP

Hilltop (19-6-1) 3, Vista (16-7-1) 1, 17 Innings, @University San Diego.

The game was so long, five hours, that the 1-A title contest between Christian and Mountain Empire had to be rescheduled to the following Wednesday.

With the score tied, 1-1, Hilltop’s Howard Rasmussen drew a one-out walk in the top of the 17^th.  Rob Hughes’ single advanced Rasmussen to third and Todd Fileccia, hitless in his first five times at bat, singled in Rasmussen.  Hughes scored one out later on a single by Manny Salinas.

Bill Collins pitched the first 8 1/3 innings for Hilltop and Davie Martinez blanked the Panthers over the last 8 2/3 innings.  Panthers starter Bill Baldwin pitched 10 innings before giving way to three relievers.

The sides combined for 28 base hits, all singles.  Collins gave up one run in the first and survived a near disaster in the bottom of the seventh, when the Panthers loaded the bases with none out.

After a walk in the ninth inning, Lancers coach John Baumgartner called on Martinez, normally used in short relief.

Bryan Wagner and Hughes each had three hits for the Metro League squad.  Ron Tart and Charlie Somers had three hits each for the Avocado West representative.

5/30/79

1-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Mountain Empire defeated Christian, 2-0, at University of San Diego, snapping a two-game losing streak to the Patriots this season and preventing Christian from a third consecutive 1-A championship.

Junior Mike Davis cuffed the Patriots on two hits, singles by Dave Tenney and Kenny Watson.  Davis struck out 4 and walked 4.

6/4/79

Helix’ Jim Oxe hit a bases-loaded single in the fourth inning to lead County seniors to a 4-3 win over the City in the annual San Diego Baseball Coaches’ All-Star game at University San Diego.

The January grind continues with virtually no change in the Top 10 last week as teams try to position themselves for the February stretch run.

The only movement was all the way down in ninth and 10^th places. St. Augustine moved up to No. 9, and San Diego High made its first appearance at No. 10.  The first eight teams were unchanged from Week 3.

Montgomery defeated Francis Parker in a nonleague game, 71-56, in its only activity (the Aztecs knocked off Victory Christian, 70-46, on Monday, Jan. 27, after voting had taken place.  Montgomery and Victory each is 2-1 in the Metropolitan South Bay League).

The Aztecs will get a chance to reverse one of their two losses when coach Ed Martin’s team plays host in nine days to host 17-2 and 3-0 league-leading Olympian, which stunned Monty, 53-47, a couple weeks ago.  Montgomery’s other loss was 61-57 to 19-5 San Juan Capistrano, the No. 6 squad in California, according to Cal-High Sports.

John Maffei’s weekly The San Diego Union poll. 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 Jan 26.

	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS	MAXPREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
1	Montgomery	19-2 (17)	179	1	11/13	16/15
2	San Marcos	19-3	167	2	30/27	On Bubble/Bubble
3	Carlsbad	16-4	140	3	26/31	27/28
4	Torrey Pines	17-5	122	4	51/54	NR-NR
5	Olympian	17-2 (1)	113	5	40/42	NR-NR
6	Cathedral	14-7	87	6	77/87	NR-NR
7	Mission Bay	15-6	59	7	53/50	NR-NR
8	Santa Fe Christian	18-4	56	8	61/65	NR-NR
9	St. Augustine	9-13	52	10	164/163	NR-NR
10	San Diego	17-3	10	NR	130/197	NR-NR

Others receiving votes
La Jolla Country Day (12-10, 6 points), Mission Hills (14-8, 4), Mira Mesa  (17-3, 3), Francis Parker (14-10, 2), Madison (16-6, 1).

Voting panel: 18 sportswriters, sportscasters, and administrators who cover the San Diego Section, plus MaxPreps:

John Maffei (San Diego Union-Tribune).
Aaron Burgin (Full-time hoops).
Steve Brand,  Bodie DeSilva (Union-Tribune freelance correspondents).                                                                                                                      Todd Cassen (CIF). Rick Smith (partletonsports.com).                                                                                                                                            Joe Evangelist (Coaching Legends).                                                                                                                                                                          Tom Helmantoler ( Southern Conference).                                                                                                                                                              Rex Johnson (CIF Advisory Committee).                                                                                                                                                                          Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).                                                                                                                                              Braden Suprenant (97.3 The Fan).                                                                                                                                                                              John Kentera, Dennis Ackerman, Steve (Biff) Dolan, Eric Williams, Tom Ronco, Adam Paul (freelance contributors).

Olympian upset (?) Montgomery, 53-47, in a Metro Mesa League game but the voters weren’t too impressed. The Aztecs remained No. 1 in the poll and the Eagles advanced only from eighth to fifth despite an overall record of 16-2.  Montgomery is 18-2.

Olympian’s losses were 60-56 to Francis Parker and 63-60 to now-No. 2 San Marcos.  Montgomery’s other defeat was 61-57 to San Juan Capistrano JSerra.

Most surprising score of the week was Torrey Pines’ 76-45 rout of Carlsbad, which withered under the heat of a game-ending 41-6 run by the Falcons.  The Lancers had led, 39-35.

John Maffei’s weekly The San Diego Union poll. 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 Jan 19.

	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS	MAXPREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
1	Montgomery	18-2 (16)	178	1	13-8	15/11
2	San Marcos	17-3	151	3	27-24	On Bubble/NR
3	Carlsbad	14-3 (1)	147	2	31-28	28/15
4	Torrey Pines	15-5	119	6	54-67	NR-NR
5	Olympian	16-2 (1)	95	8	42-58	NR-NR
6	Cathedral	13-7	85	5	87	NR-NR
7	Mission Bay	13-5	83	4	50	NR-NR
8	Santa Fe Christian	18-4	72	7	65	NR-NR
9	Mission Hills	14-6	25	10	163-139	NR-NR
10	St. Augustine	7-12	17	NR	197	NR-NR

Others receiving votes
La Jolla Country Day (11-10, 16 points) Mira Mesa  (16-2, 11), San Diego (14-3, 2).

Voting panel: 18 sportswriters, sportscasters, and administrators who cover the San Diego Section, plus MaxPreps:

John Maffei (San Diego Union-Tribune).
Aaron Burgin (Full-time hoops).
Steve Brand,  Bodie DeSilva (Union-Tribune freelance correspondents).
Todd Cassen (CIF office).
Rick Smith (Partletonsports.com).
Joe Evangelist (Coaching Legends).
Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference).
Rex Johnson (CIF Advisory Committee).
Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).
Braden Surprenant (97.3-FM The Fan).
John Kentera, Dennis Ackerman, Steve (Biff) Dolan, Eric Williams, Tom Ronco, Adam Paul (freelance contributors).

 

John Maffei’s weekly The San Diego Union poll. 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 Feb. 12.

	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS	MAXPREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
1	Montgomery	17-1 (18)	180	1	8-9	11/10
2	Carlsbad	13-2	162	2	15-24	15-14
3	San Marcos	15-3	142	3	28-27	On Bubble/NR
4	Mission Bay	13-4	125	4	40-34	NR-NR
5	Cathedral	12-6	97	6	91-110	NR-NR
6	Torrey Pines	13-5	90	7	67-68	NR-NR
7	Santa Fe Christian	15-4	71	5	75-64	NR-NR
8	Olympian	13-2	56	8	58-54	NR-NR
9	La Jolla Country Day	10-9	35	8	139-154	NR-NR
10	Mission Hills	11-6	8	NR	182	NR-NR

Others receiving votes
Francis Parker (11-7, 7 points), Mira Mesa  (13-2, 6), San Diego (11-2, 6), St. Augustine (5-12, 6).

Voting panel: 18 sportswriters, sportscasters, and administrators who cover the San Diego Section, plus MaxPreps:

John Maffei (San Diego Union-Tribune).
Aaron Burgin (Full-time hoops).
Steve Brand,  Bodie DeSilva (Union-Tribune freelance correspondents).
Todd Cassen (CIF office).
Rick Smith (Partletonsports.com).
Joe Evangelist (Coaching Legends).
Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference).
Rex Johnson (CIF Advisory Committee).
Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).
Braden Surprenant (97.3-FM The Fan).
John Kentera, Dennis Ackerman, Steve (Biff) Dolan, Eric Williams, Tom Ronco, Adam Paul (freelance contributors).

Max Turner of Granite Hills wrapped the San Diego Section scoring championship after he rushed for three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 34-28, Southern California regional playoff loss against Huntington Beach Edison.

Turner’s 216 points outpaced the 188 of Calipatria’s Dominic Hawk and the 5-foot-8, 185-pounder was a model of consistency for coach Kellan Cobbs’ team, scoring an average of at least three TD’s a game, with a 7.6-yard average for 268 rushing attempts, according to MaxPreps.

Turner, who scored 32 rushing touchdowns, also caught 23 passes for a 9.2-yard average and four touchdowns.  He passed once for 44 yards and a touchdown.

The scoring total put the Eagles senior into a tie for 22nd with Imperial’s Royce Freeman (2012) among all-time San Diego Section ballers.  Oceanside’s C.R. Roberts had 194 points in 1953 and Ramona’s Gary Mayer 193 in 1958 for all-time highs in the period of 1915-59, when the County was aligned in the CIF Southern Section.

Turner bettered the school record of 150 by Jacob Siegfried in 2017.

San Diego Section basketball teams, after hundreds of games and enough travel to catch the attention of Triple-A, are settling into the January-February grind of league play and selected intersectionals before the Southern California playoffs.

Montgomery is No. 1 in John Maffei’s latest The San Diego Union-Tribune poll and No. 8 in California, according to Max Preps and Cal-Hi Sports.

Montgomery coach Ed Martin, a 1996 graduate of the school, which opened in 1970, has built a power since taking direction of the program 17 seasons ago, elevating the Aztecs into regional prominence.

(Martin also boldly brought attention to his team when he scheduled three consecutive years of home games and certain losses, but capacity crowds, against Chatsworth Sierra Canyon and LeBron’s son Bronny James).

The Aztecs are 16-1 with only a 61-57 loss to 15-3 JSerra of San Juan Capistrano after trailing, 36-20, at halftime. Carlsbad is 12-2 and Cal-Hi Sports’ No. 14 and has losses to JSerra, 91-77, and Philadelphia’s Father Judge, 80-70.

Carlsbad won a November game against Santa Ana Mater Dei, 74-72, in overtime.  The usually powerful Monarchs are 13-4 and defeated San Diego Section No. 3 San Marcos, 71-63, last week.

John Maffei’s weekly The San Diego Union–Tribune poll:
*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. 6.

#	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS	MAX-PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
1	Montgomery	16-1 (18)	180	1	8	10/13
2	Carlsbad	12-2	161	2	24	14/15
3	San Marcos	15-3	153	3	27	NR
4	Mission Bay	12-4	120	6	34	NR
5	Santa Fe Christian	15-3	103	5	64	NR
6	Cathedral	11-6	82	7	110	NR
7	Torrey Pines	11-5	72	4	68	NR
8	Olympian	12-2	35	9	54	NR
9	La Jolla Country Day	8-9	34	8	154	NR
10	Mira Mesa	13-1	22	10	87	NR

Others receiving votes
Francis Parker (11-5, 21 points), Mission Hills (10-6, 9), San Diego (9-2, 3), Calexico (12-4, 2).

Voting panel: 18 sportswriters, sportscasters and administrators from throughout the San Diego Section:
John Maffei (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Aaron Burgin (Full-time hoops).
Steve Brand,  Bodie DeSilva (Union-Tribune correspondents).
Todd Cassen (CIF San Diego Section).
Rick Smith (Partletonsports.com).
Joe Evangelist (Coaching Legends Committee).
Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference Advisor).
Rex Johnson (CIF Advisory Committee).
Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).
Braden Surprenant (97.3-FM The Fan)
John Kentera, Dennis Ackerman, Steve (Biff) Dolan, Eric Williams, Tom Ronco, Adam Paul (freelance contributors).