Not the Retiring Type, Goossen Says He Isn’t Ducking Out

Rumors of P.J. Goossen retiring from the ring ran rampant at the Warner Center Marriott’s monthly boxing show Wednesday night.

The promoter, Gerrie Coetzee, said it might be true. Goossen’s trainer, who also happens to be his father, said it might be true.

It’s not true. Not according to the man himself.

Although it has been more than five months since his last bout, Goossen, the undefeated state junior middleweight champion, said he will return to competition just as soon as he gets his batteries completely recharged.

“My head and my heart weren’t all the way into it for a while,” Goossen said Thursday. “In this business, you have to be there 100%, or else.”

Goossen, who is 16-0 with 11 knockouts, said he was forced to take some time off after injuring his right hand during a bout in September, then became frustrated when it continued to bother him after he resumed training.

He also was burned out mentally, a feeling he partially attributes to working so closely with his father, Pat.

“It’s hard to drop work when your father is your trainer and he’s there at home with you,” P.J. said. “I needed a break. I feel better now, mentally and physically.”

Goossen said he has been running and might resume gym training within a matter of days.

“I don’t want anybody thinking I’m retiring,” Goossen said. “Not when I’m 16-0.”

What about us? The spotlight has been on No. 10-ranked Cal State Northridge, but another baseball team off to an encouraging start is Cal Lutheran, which opened Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play last weekend by sweeping three games from defending Division III national champion La Verne.

The Kingsmen (6-3-1) continue conference play this weekend against Redlands and prospects are good: Cal Lutheran beat Redlands twice by a combined score of 33-12 two weeks ago in a nonconference tournament.

Deja Vu: The Buena girls’ basketball team had been there before, and once again the Bulldogs loved the result. Nicole Greathouse sank two free throws with two seconds remaining to defeat Chino, 42-41, Thursday night in a Southern Section Division I-A quarterfinal.

Two years ago, Mikko Giordano sank two free throws with no time remaining to defeat Thousand Oaks for the I-A championship.

“I was thinking of that,” Coach Joe Vaughan said.

Greathouse, like Giordano, proved a clutch shooter, swishing the first two of three free throws awarded after she was fouled on a three-point shot.

“That was not a very smart foul,” Vaughan said. “The gym was so loud that she didn’t hear me when I yelled for her to miss the third shot on purpose.”

Greathouse, a 71% foul shooter, missed anyway and Chino didn’t get off a shot.

Stats

Cal State Northridge sophomore outside hitter Chad Strickland ranks No. 1 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches with 11 aces and 52 digs. In the Matadors’ last three MPSF matches, Strickland has 70 kills.

Quotebook

“Just wait till he recovers completely and gets consistent. It’s going to be real scary.”

--Cal State Northridge volleyball Coach John Price, talking about Pepperdine’s 6-foot-6, 230-pound freshman outside hitter George Roumain, who has a broken bone in his left wrist.

Honors

Cal State Northridge basketball player Ruben Oronoz has been named American West Conference player of the week.

Oronoz, a 6-7 senior, scored 30 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in two games last week. Oronoz has had double-doubles in three of the last four games.

Guard Shannon Taylor of Ventura College was named men’s player of the week in the Western State Conference’s North Division after combining for 35 points in two victories.

Oxnard sophomore Mickie Liufau was named the WSC North Division women’s player of the week after scoring 45 points in two games.

Things to Do

The sixth-ranked Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball team (6-5, 5-3 in conference play) will play Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches against Loyola Marymount (2-11, 0-8) tonight and fourth-ranked Stanford (7-1, 6-1) on Monday. Both matches start at 7 p.m. in Matador Gym.

Contributing: Fernando Dominguez, Jeff Fletcher, Irene Garcia, Steve Henson, Mike Hiserman.