Colton Back Bradford Is a Likely Bowl Starter

Allen Bradford, a two-way starter at Colton and The Times’ back of the year, is expected to start for the West today in the Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio.

Bradford, a 6-foot, 225-pound running back who is also considered among the top outside linebacker prospects in the nation, will be joined on the West team by fellow Times’ All-Stars Stafon Johnson, a running back from Los Angeles Dorsey, kicker Kai Forbath of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and receiver Jamere Holland of Woodland Hills Taft.

Bradford had 157 tackles, including 12 sacks, this season. He also rushed for 1,869 yards and had 38 touchdowns. Johnson rushed for 2,157 yards and 22 touchdowns; Holland had 1,188 yards receiving and scored 21 touchdowns.

Also on the roster are receiver Terrence Austin of Long Beach Poly; tight end Konrad Reuland of Mission Viejo; defensive backs Jonas Mouton of Venice and Devin Ross of Rancho Cucamonga; and punter Kyle Peterson of West Covina South Hills.

Several top players from across the nation, including Austin, Bradford, Ross, Lemoore receiver David Ausberry and Oakland McClymonds defensive lineman Derrick Hill, are expected to make commitments during the the game, which will be televised at 10 a.m. on Channel 4.

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Gary Joe Kinne, the Canton (Texas) coach who was critically wounded when shot in the chest by a disgruntled parent in April, has been named the 2005 Adams USA national coach of the year in high school football. Kinne led his team to the best record (11-2) in school history last fall.

Among the seven finalists for the award, presented in association with the Army All-American Bowl, was Bob Johnson, who guided Mission Viejo (12-1) to the semifinals of the Southern Section Division II playoffs.

-- Bob Rohwer

Girls’ Cross-Country

Annie St. Geme of Corona del Mar, whose time of 16 minutes 51 seconds on the 2.91-mile course at Mt. San Antonio College during the Southern Section Division III finals was a meet record for any division, has been selected The Times’ girls’ cross-country runner of the year.

St. Geme, an accomplished 1,600-meter runner in track, also won the Division III state title and led the Sea Kings to the team title. She won a state title at 1,600 meters last spring.

“She wanted to let people know she wasn’t just a track runner,” Corona del Mar Coach Bill Sumner said of her breakthrough season in cross-country.

-- Dan Arritt

Girls’ Basketball

Four of the teams ranked in the top eight of The Times’ Southland rankings will play against each other in two nonleague games at 7 p.m. today, including top-ranked Fullerton Troy traveling to play at No. 6 Santa Margarita.

Eighth-ranked Ventura, which is coming off a 48-27 loss to Channel League rival and No. 20 Ventura Buena, will play host to City Section power Harbor City Narbonne, which is ranked fourth.

Troy, the reigning state Division II champion, solidified its place among the state’s elite last week by defeating La Jolla Country Day and Spring Valley Mt. Miguel in the final two games of the Santee Santana tournament. Santa Margarita is coming off back-to-back victories over San Clemente and No. 14 Newhall Hart in the Orange County Championships.