Poly’s Diaz Wins Haserot Award

Eric Diaz, a right-handed pitcher from Poly High, was named the recipient of the Les Haserot Award at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.

The trophy is awarded annually to the player with the best performance in the City baseball playoffs.

Diaz, who led Poly to the City Section 4-A Division baseball final, was the winner in the Parrots’ first three playoff games and also pitched in the final.

Diaz pitched a scoreless sixth inning in the Parrots’ 6-3 loss in the championship game.

Scott Hamilton, a varsity assistant at Notre Dame High the past six seasons, has been hired as Servite’s basketball coach.

Hamilton, 29, also worked for four seasons at Bell-Jeff, three as a boys’ assistant and one as a girls’ assistant.

“I wanted to be at a program that had the support of the administration,” Hamilton said. “I learned a lot about Servite during the interviews. The administration wants all its programs to be the best. I liked that.”

Hamilton replaces Richard Smith, who resigned after coaching three years at Servite. Under Smith, the Friars were 61-30. They won the state Division III championship in the 1989-90 season and the Southern Section III-A title in the ‘90-91 season. Servite was 16-12 and reached the semifinals of the III-A playoffs last season.

Westlake High has named veteran club coach Len Locher as its new girls’ basketball coach.

Locher has directed the Santa Barbara-Ventura Sharks club basketball program for nine years and served as an assistant at San Gabriel High for seven.

Three of Locher’s club players, Marlee Organ, Shanon Sincock and Katie Spade, played for the Westlake varsity last season.

Locher replaces Nancy Bowman, who retired after leading the Warriors to an 86-15 record during the past three seasons. Bowman’s teams were co-champions with Thousand Oaks in the Marmonte League in 1989-90 and 1990-91 and finished second to the Lancers in 1991-92.

“It will be a good challenge,” Locher said. “Our goal for this year is to be competitive. The material is there to be a good team, but the material is young. Nancy left the program in good shape.”

Cal State Northridge has signed swimmer Mike Cann of La Canada to a letter of intent.

Cann is a freestyle sprint specialist from St. Francis High and won San Fernando League titles in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyle events. Cann has qualified for the 1992 National Junior Olympics in the 50, 100 and 200.

Forty-six high school seniors from Ventura County, the San Fernando Valley, the Westside and the Santa Clarita Valley will compete in an all-star boys’ volleyball exhibition tonight at Pierce College.

Matches are scheduled for 6:30 and 8:30.

Among the players participating are three members of Royal’s Southern Section 3-A championship team: setter Travis Ferguson, middle blocker Kerry White and outside hitter Brett Osterhoudt.