High School Review / Scott Miller : Armstrong Is Named St. Augustine Coach

Jeff Armstrong has been named the new basketball coach at St. Augustine High School.

Three years ago, Armstrong took over a Granite Hills team that had gone 1-21 the previous season and proceeded to build a 43-29 record. But he wasn’t a full-time teacher, and the St. Augustine job, vacant since Dick Hardick resigned after last season, offered a teaching position as well.

“The fact that I will have an opportunity to teach, plus the fact that it sounds to me like the school really supports building the athletic program, are basically the two reasons I decided to take the challenge,� Armstrong said. “They’re building a new weight room, a new track, and they hired a new athletic director and football coach (Marty Martin) last year. They’re basically rebuilding the athletic program.�

The Saints’ basketball team was 2-18 last year.

Add coaching changes: Tim Meinert is leaving as baseball coach at Christian High for a teaching job La Jolla Country Day, where he will likely assist Peter Ogle with the baseball team.

“I’m going for the teaching job,� Meinert said. “I was offered a job as the head of the math department and teaching three classes. It’s a lighter load and more money. My wife just had a baby two weeks ago and quit work, so our income was cut in half. I knew then I’d have to look around. I know Peter wants me to work with him, but we haven’t worked out the details yet.�

Meinert’s replacement at Christian has not been named.

In another baseball coaching change, Dave Heid has resigned at Fallbrook. His replacement has not been named, either.

In basketball, Chip Holmes is replacing Jan Chapman at Hilltop, and Steve Milke will not return as head coach at Bonita Vista.

And Shawn Wirth, athletic director at Torrey Pines, is giving up some of her day-to-day responsibilities as the school’s gymnastics coach and will hire two more coaches.

“The principal (Nancy Giberson) didn’t want me to coach, because it took away from my primary job as athletic director (during the spring),� Wirth said.

Torrey Pines gymnast Tasha Taylor finished 22nd out of 60 gymnasts Friday at the National High School Gymnastics Meet in Rolling Meadows, Ill.

Her best event was the uneven parallel bars, where she was 11th with an 8.85.

“She had to compete two days in a row, so she just didn’t do very well,� Wirth said.

Indeed, it was an accomplishment that Taylor even arrived at the meet. She won the San Diego Section optional all-around title Thursday--her second in two years--and then flew all night to get to the national meet, which began at 11 a.m. Friday.

Left-hander Scott Karl threw a three-hitter Saturday as Carlsbad beat Crawford, 9-0, in a San Diego Section 2-A baseball playoff game.

But while Karl handed Crawford its first shutout this season, he didn’t help the Carlsbad offense much: He was the lone Lancer to go hitless. And he bats fourth.

“If I can pitch like this, I don’t care about batting,� Karl said, smiling.

Karl has pitched Carlsbad into this afternoon’s championship game against Grossmont after recovering from a broken ankle. He broke it playing soccer this winter, and three screws were inserted during surgery on Jan. 16.

After a late start, Karl has made a pretty good recovery. He is 5-1 with a 0.00 earned-run average in 38 innings pitched.

Mt. Carmel second baseman Ed Cornblum hit a two-run home run in the third inning of Mt. Carmel’s 5-4 victory over Mira Mesa in a San Diego Section 3-A baseball semifinal game Saturday at the University of San Diego.

What have Cornblum’s teammates called him all season? “Shortage,� as in power shortage.

Kendall Webb is attending a City Council meeting this morning to ask the city to help subsidize the section football championships in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

A five-year agreement to use the stadium for the 2-A and 3-A championships, during which the city contributed as much as $8,700 each year, has expired. Webb is negotiating a new two-year deal.

The fee for last year’s games was $17,787. That covered the cost of rent, lights, sound system and scoreboard.

Three San Diego athletes own the top marks in the state going into this weekend’s state track meet: Orange Glen’s Lenny McGill in the triple jump (50-4), Fallbrook’s Brent Noon in the shot put (69-8 1/4, state record) and Rancho Buena Vista’s Kira Jorgensen in the 1,600 (4:53.66).