COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Golden West Gains State Water Polo Championship

Ken Hamdorf, Golden West College water polo coach, was starting to doubt if he would ever win a state title.

Golden West had been in the championship game the past two seasons, only to lose to Long Beach both times. The Rustlers had lost in the semifinal round the previous season, which was Hamdorf’s first as head coach.

But Golden West ended Hamdorf’s worries Saturday with a 14-10 victory over Cuesta to take the state title at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

“I was wondering if this would ever happen,” said Hamdorf, who had just been tossed in the pool. “For a while, I thought we were going to be the kings of second place.”

Golden West got the lift it needed from Henry Rabello and Greg LaPointe, who had three goals apiece.

Greg Luttrell, Pono Faulkner and Morgan Courtney each scored twice for Golden West (31-4).

The score was tied, 6-6, when Golden West got a late goal from Rabello for a 7-6 lead at the half. Rabello, who was unguarded, looked at the clock then bounced the ball past the goalie from about 50 feet away.

“We never seem to get a break like that in a big game,” Hamdorf said. “It was nice that it went in. Things like that seem to happen to us, not for us, in the past.”

In the state cross-country championships at Woodward Park in Fresno, Maricela Benivides finished fifth in women’s race, running 5,000 meters in 18 minutes 21 seconds. Virginia Emiliano of Rancho Santiago finished in 56th place with a time of 19:55.

In the men’s state championship four-mile race, Zac Loomer of Fullerton College finished 17th in 20:16, Brad Sigler of Orange Coast 20th in 20:19, Chris Parmer of Orange Coast 25th in 20:30 and Roger Nava of Rancho Santiago 63rd in 21:29.

In the Cypress basketball tournament:

Cypress 70, Ventura 69--Eric Pauley made a short shot off a pass from Grayle Humphrey with four seconds left to lift Cypress (3-0) in the championship game. Pauley, the most valuable player in the tournament, had 17 points, as did Brian Kenney.

In the Rancho Santiago tournament:

Rancho Santiago 88, Chaffey 71--Matt Lien had 23 points and Vern Broadnax had 14 as Rancho Santiago won the championship game.

In the third-place game of the Fullerton College tournament:

Fullerton 87, San Bernardino Valley 81--Donell Henderson and Rashone Lewis each scored 16 points in the second half as Fullerton (3-2) won the third-place game.

In nonconference men’s basketball:

Orange Coast 77, Mt. San Antonio 61--Alan Schlines had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Chip Hanlon had 18 points for the Pirates (2-0). Mt. SAC is 0-2.

Golden West 92, Oregon Treasure Valley College 71--Alex Kreps’ 21 points and nine rebounds led the visiting Rustlers (3-1), who shot 72% from the field. J.J. Jenkins scored 15 for Golden West.

In the Long Beach City College women’s basketball tournament:

Orange Coast 60, Saddleback 39--Kami Bigler scored 13 points and Jennifer Ambrose had 12 as Orange Coast (4-1) finished third in the tournament.