Sports

PREPS

James Liu of Temple City, Gabriel Cisneros of Diamond Bar and Gabryela Hernandez of West Covina won races last weekend in the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational cross-country meet.

Liu finished the hilly three-mile course in 15 minutes, 21 seconds.

Cisneros won his race in 16:11 and helped lead Diamond Bar to the championship. Maulin Shah was third in 16:46, Eric Chowdury eighth in 17:03, Rishi Garg was 11th in 17:12, and William Neujahr and Jason Baugh finished 12th and 13th, respectively, in 17:18.

Hernandez won her race in 19:00.

More than 7,800 competitors from 390 high schools competed in the event that concluded a week of competition for community colleges, high schools and junior highs.

*

The Southern Section rejected an appeal by the Mission Valley League to change the divisional alignments for the football playoffs.

The Mission Valley League filed an appeal because the Baseline and Mt. Baldy leagues were moved into Division VI this season.

The Mission Valley League said that larger enrollments at schools in the other leagues would make competition unfair.

*

St. Francis is ranked ninth in the state in Division III and the Bishop Amat girls are ranked sixth in Division II in cross-country.

St. Francis is ranked fifth in Division III in the Southern Section. The Maranatha boys are third in Division IV and Flintridge Prep is fourth.

Bishop Amat’s girls are second behind Edison in Southern Section Division II. St. Lucy’s is sixth in Division III, and Flintridge Sacred Heart is sixth and Maranatha ninth in Division IV.

Several other San Gabriel Valley schools are ranked in their divisions in girls’ tennis, girls’ volleyball and water polo.

The Diamond Bar girls’ tennis team is ranked fifth in Division II. Pasadena Poly is fourth, St. Lucy’s sixth and Alhambra eighth in Division III. South Hills is No. 1 in Division V and Sierra Vista and Gladstone remain eighth and 10th, respectively.

The Arcadia girls’ volleyball team is ranked sixth in Division II. San Gabriel is third and Wilson sixth in Division III. Maranatha is third, South Hills fourth, Mayfield seventh and Flintridge Prep eighth in Division V.

South Pasadena is No. 2 and La Canada 10th in Division III water polo. In Division VI, Wilson is second, Rowland third, Bonita fourth, Charter Oak eighth, Walnut ninth and Los Altos 10th.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Three San Gabriel Valley community colleges will attempt to regain their winning ways Saturday after suffering defeats last weekend.

Citrus College (2-3-1), which had its two-game winning streak ended in a 53-21 Foothill Conference loss to Grossmont, plays host to Mt. SAC.

Pasadena (2-3-1), which lost to San Diego Mesa, 39-28, last week, travels to Rancho Santiago. PCC gave up two touchdowns within an eight-second span in the fourth quarter against Mesa. Saladin McCullough rushed for 75 yards and had 95 yards in receptions, but did not score a touchdown for the first time in five games.

Mt. SAC (2-3-1), coming off a 37-34 Mission Conference loss to Cerritos, plays El Camino.

*

The Mt. SAC and Pasadena women’s volleyball teams appear to be playoff bound.

Mt. SAC, under Coach Liz Ward, improved to 10-1 with a five-game South Coast Conference victory over PCC on Friday.

The Mounties, who finished 2-17 last season, are led by sophomore middle blocker Robin Sebric and freshman Maria Dennis, who is from St. Petersburg, Russia.

“Last year was a nightmare,” said Ward, who coached in the early 1980s at Walnut High. “I wasn’t named to the position until late and we didn’t get a chance to recruit like we would have liked.

“But we’re developing a good, strong program now.”

Pasadena, led by sisters Mary and Paula Morgan, was unbeaten before defeats to Cerritos and Mt. SAC last week. Coach Lori Jepsen’s team entered the week 11-2.

COLLEGES

The La Verne University football team will attempt to keep its unbeaten streak going Saturday when the Leopards travel to Chapman for a nonconference game.

La Verne (6-0) defeated Redlands, 35-20, last week in a key Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game. Ryan Campuzano passed for three touchdowns and ran for two to lead La Verne.

Claremont-Mudd (2-4) will try to get back on the winning track Saturday against Redlands. The Stags were on the verge of upsetting unbeaten Occidental last week when their final drive ended with two sacks, resulting in a 22-21 defeat. Claremont quarterback John Shipp completed 20 of 30 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns.

Pomona-Pitzer (1-5), coming off a 26-21 SCIAC loss to Whittier, travels to Cal Lutheran on Saturday. The Sagehens were at the Whittier nine-yard line with only a few seconds remaining when quarterback Jack Ramirez fumbled. Robert Hicks gained 101 yards and scored a touchdown for Pomona-Pitzer. Ramirez passed for 227 yards and a touchdown.

Azusa Pacific (1-5), which lost to Cal Lutheran, 43-14, plays host to Occidental in a nonconference game.

*

The SCIAC cross-country championships will be staged this weekend at Prado Park in La Mirada.

The second and final SCIAC competition is a prelude to the NCAA Division III West Regionals at the same site on Nov. 12. Winners of the regional will advance to the Division III championships Nov. 19 at Lehigh (Penn.).

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the women’s title and Pomona-Pitzer and Claremont finished second and third, respectively, in the men’s event at the SCIAC eight-way dual meet two weeks ago.

*

Shelly O’Brien, a graduate of St. Lucy’s Priory, is the leading scorer for the Azusa Pacific women’s soccer team that is headed for a showdown with Westmont for the Golden State Athletic Conference championship.

O’Brien has 13 goals. The Cougars entered the week 10-4-1, 4-1-1 in the GSAC. They have scored 55 goals, seven shy of the school record set in 21 games in 1992.

*

Cal Poly Pomona will honor the accomplishments of former women’s basketball coach Darlene May at a dinner and reception Nov. 14 at the Kellogg West Conference Center.

May retired last summer because of breast cancer. Tickets for the event are $35. Information: (909) 869-2810.

PREP ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Aryn Hart, Alhambra--Hart, the Moors’ quarterback passed for 241 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns and also kicked a field goal in a 45-38 victory over Bell Gardens.

The victory improved Alhambra’s record to 7-0.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ryan Campuzano, La Verne--Campuzano passed for three touchdowns and ran for two to lead the Leopards to a 35-20 victory over Redlands.

Campuzano completed six of seven passes for 93 yards as La Verne improved to 6-0. His touchdown passes covered 21, six and 30 yards.

CALENDAR

* San Gabriel Mission High will sponsor a golf tournament on Nov. 4 at Alhambra Municipal Golf Course.

Information: (818) 282-3706.