Dons Named Top Program

Rancho Santiago’s baseball team, which has won three of the last four state titles, has been selected the top community college program in the nation by Baseball America.

Coach Don Sneddon’s team has reached the state title game for four consecutive years. Blinn (Texas) was second, Indian River (Fla.) third, Sacramento fourth and Tallahassee (Fla.) fifth.

Cypress could also make a case for being among the top five. The Chargers won state titles in 1991 and 1994 and reached the state title game last year. Rancho Santiago is ranked No. 1 in the nation and Cypress No. 6 in Baseball America’s 1997 preseason poll. Baseball season starts Jan. 31.

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Moving on: Several football players have signed with or made oral commitments to four-year colleges.

Mark Mollner, Orange Coast’s talented defensive end who missed eight games because of a foot injury, signed with Hawaii. Justin Ernest, an offensive lineman, is going to Eastern Kentucky and kicker Nate Bennett is headed for Louisville.

Billy Wilson, an offensive lineman from Saddleback, is going to Montana State and running back Brian Singleton is going to Colorado State.

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Pirates’ Rath: Jon Rathfelder will coach the Orange Coast men’s and women’s swimming team for this season, the college announced.

Don Watson, who has coached the women to seven consecutive state titles before last season, has been on sabbatical and will return this spring as an assistant.