Covert’s Challenge Remains Daunting

Mark Covert, Antelope Valley College’s cross-country and track coach, is doggedly closing on an unofficial world record for running consistency.

Ron Hill of England had a streak of never missing a day of running that reached nearly 29 years, a mark the distance-running community recognizes as the world’s longest. Hill’s streak recently came to an end when the two-time Olympian was involved in a car accident near his home in Manchester, according to Runner’s World magazine. Hill, 54, suffered a broken sternum and a bruised heart in the accident.

That injury opens the door for Covert, whose own streak will hit 25 1/2 years Jan. 23 and is now the world’s longest active streak. However, the former Burbank High and Valley College runner has mixed emotions.

“That’s a sad way for (Hill’s streak) to end,� Covert said. “I always assumed that if it ended, he would try, but he just wouldn’t be able to get in a run one day. But to have that chance taken out of his hands completely is too bad.�

Covert, 43, who says he has run at least three miles a day and a daily average of more than 11 miles since his streak began on July 23, 1968, also realizes that he won’t approach Hill’s streak until the spring of 1997.

“All I have to do is go for about another 3 1/2 years,� Covert said with a laugh. “A lot can happen between now and then.�

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Cassidy Marches On

Only four basketball coaches in NCAA Division I have been at their current posts longer than Pete Cassidy of Cal State Northridge.

Jim Phelan, who is in his 40th season at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md., leads the pack in continuous service. He is followed by Don Haskins of Texas El Paso and Dean Smith of North Carolina, each in his 33rd season, and Pete Carril of Princeton, in his 27th Ivy League campaign.

Cassidy is in his 23rd season coaching the Matadors. Tied with him are Norm Stewart of Missouri, Denny Crum of Louisville and Bob Knight of Indiana.

One year behind that group are Dale Brown of LSU, John Thompson of Georgetown and George Blaney of Holy Cross.

Cassidy is a 1960 graduate of Northridge, which was then known as San Fernando Valley State. He has been coaching basketball at Northridge the past 28 years--the first five as an assistant to Jerry Ball. Including this season’s 1-6 record heading into Friday night’s game, Cassidy has fashioned a 312-285 mark as Northridge head coach.

He has been a basketball coach 34 years, including one at Montclair Prep and five at Notre Dame High.

“Any time you have been able to stay in something that was your chosen profession that long, it’s good,� Cassidy said. “I’m fortunate in that regard.�

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If Andre Chevalier maintains his 11.2 career scoring average over the last 20 games of his senior season, the former Cleveland High star will finish with 1,225 points, placing him second on Northridge’s all-time list.

Jim Malkin, who scored 1,301 points for the Matadors from 1959-62, holds the school career record. Chevalier would have to average 15.1 points--so far this season he averages 10.3--to surpass Malkin’s standard.

Malkin, a former teammate of Cassidy, set his scoring record in only 74 games. Chevalier, who already is the school’s career leader with 371 assists and 148 steals, has played in 89.

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Chevalier has a good chance of supplanting Malkin in another career category: most free throws made.

Malkin made 332. Chevalier has converted 293, including 34 of 38 this season, 89.5%.

In terms of accuracy, Chevalier started the season fourth on Northridge’s career chart at 81.4%, having connected on 259 of 318 attempts. His totals are now 293 of 356, or 82.3%, which is good enough for third place.

Dropping a spot, having made 68 of 83 free throws (81.9%) from 1971-74, is Mike Scyphers, now the Simi Valley High baseball coach.

THE MASTER’S

Preaching Restraint

The men’s basketball team (9-2) is off to its best start after victories over UC Riverside (82-67) Tuesday and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (79-72) Thursday, but first-year Coach Bill Oates says it’s too early to get excited.

“Obviously, you want to win every time you take the court,� Oates said. “But I don’t look at this week’s games as being a critical week for us. I don’t think this week’s games are going to make or break our season.�

The Master’s has used a balanced scoring attack--five players have led the team in scoring in games this season--good shooting (50.8% from the field, 48.5% from three-point range) and a stingy defense (opponents are shooting 42.5%).

“Our consistency, especially on defense, has been a pleasant surprise to me,� Oates said. “We’ve really played well defensively.�

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Forward James Mosley has been deadly from inside and outside. Mosley, averaging 16.7 points a game, is shooting 56.9% from the field and 68.6% (11 of 16) from three-point range.

Mosley heads a list of three Master’s starters who are shooting better than 46% from beyond the three-point arc. The others are guards Andy Thompson at 47.4% (18 for 38) and Doug Leaman at 46.9% (15 of 32).

Staff writers Mike Hiserman and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.