Sylmar Takes the Spartan Approach
Sylmar has been stung by the injury bug the past three weeks but has managed to maintain a showing beyond respectable.
Two-way lineman Ray Solis sprained his left wrist in the second game of the season when his hand was caught between two helmets. Solis played with a huge soft cast against Antelope Valley, but couldn’t play defensively. He sat out the last two games against Van Nuys and Poly, but is expected back this week.
The Spartans feared Errol Bowen, who rushed for 317 yards in 38 carries in the first four games, sustained a separated shoulder against Van Nuys. It was later diagnosed as a severe bruise. Bowen had clearance to play against Poly, but Coach Jeff Engilman held him out. Bowen will suit up this week.
Two-way lineman Chris Rodriguez injured a knee in the opener against Washington and hasn’t played since.
Recovery: San Fernando quarterback Sean Atkins, who missed the fourth quarter of last week’s upset victory over El Camino Real because of cramps, is expected to be at full strength for Friday’s 7 p.m. game at Taft.
Lower the flags: St. Francis Coach Bill Redell has to worry about his team and Notre Dame in the Mission League opener Friday night.
St. Francis (3-2) was expected to challenge for the league title but has shown a disturbing tendency to beat itself with penalties and inconsistent play.
“I’d rather see a couple of roughness penalties but we get called for jumping offside and other mental mistakes,” said Redell, who has seen four touchdowns nullified.
“I still think we’ll be a pretty good football team before the season’s over but if we don’t hurry up I’ll get fired.”
Mission bell rings: It’s time to batten down the hatches and prepare for the storm approaching at Crespi (4-1). The Celts start Del Rey League play Friday night against Bishop Amat (5-0).
“We’re kind of excited,” Celt defensive coordinator Richard Fong said. “I think we have our offense on track and our young guys have had a chance to mature.”
Crespi has been starting eight underclassmen on defense. Junior linebacker Joel Garcia and junior safety Ken Turner have made the most improvement.
A perfect X: Montclair Prep Coach George Giannini expects his team to be seeded in the Southern Section Division IX playoffs for a third consecutive year should its record be worthy of a postseason berth.
As a freelance team, Montclair Prep’s seeding is uncertain each year. In 1994, the Mounties were 11-1 and won the Division X title.
The past two seasons Montclair Prep (enrollment 340 students) has been bounced from the Division IX field by Atascadero (1,600) and Mira Costa (2,000), results that Giannini said show his team should be in the realigned Division X with schools such as defending champion St. Bonaventure (enrollment 630).
“I think [a Division IX seeding] is unfair to us,” said Giannini, whose team is 2-1-1. “But we just have to be the best we can be by the playoffs.”
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Mandate: After enduring dismal records and a succession of coaches in recent years, the Burbank High girls’ soccer team appears to have hooked a winner to lead its program.
Brian Mand, who played at Virginia, an NCAA Division I power, has been named the Bulldogs’ coach. He is the team’s third coach in three years and replaces Charles Watson.
Mand, girls’ coach at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Del., in 1994 and 1995, was state girls’ coach of the year in 1994 and led the team to third in the ’95 state playoffs.
“The girls absolutely loved him,” said Susan Heiss, Ursuline’s athletic director. “He runs disciplined but fun practices and he’s able to make the talented and less-talented players work together.”
Mand, 25, was also an assistant with the University of Delaware women’s soccer team in 1995 and 1996 before moving to Los Angeles to work for Fox Sports television.
FUND-RAISER
Fun for funds: Lancerpalooza, the variety show that raised $13,000 for Thousand Oaks High athletics and performing arts in its debut last year, will be held Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks.
Comedian Bruce Baum again will be the host. Other comedians on the bill are Dave Coulier, Bobcat Goldthwait and Geechy Guy.
Also appearing will be the rock group The Muffs, the Laker cheerleaders and student acts.
“It’s the most fun your face can legally have in public,” said Baum, whose son, Dylan, is a sophomore baseball player at Thousand Oaks. “Lancerpalooza is an entertainment circus.”
Tickets can be purchased at the Civic Arts Center box office and at Ticketmaster.
