Valley Sports Figures Help Lay Kokon to Rest

Coaches, former athletes, friends and family of longtime sportswriter Pete Kokon gathered Tuesday to pay their final respects during a funeral service and burial at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth.

Peter O’Malley, former owner of the Dodgers, and Al Downing, who pitched for the Dodgers, attended the service for a man who chronicled the lives and achievements of San Fernando Valley high school athletes for more than 60 years.

Kokon died Thursday in Sherman Oaks. He was 85.

Bob Lofrano, baseball coach at Pierce College, said he intends to initiate the Pete Kokon Memorial Scholarship, a $500 grant to be awarded annually to a Pierce baseball player for college education. Anyone interested in contributing to the scholarship fund can call (818) 716-8850.

BASKETBALL

Final four: Christen Roper, a senior center at Nordhoff High, has narrowed her college choices to Hawaii, Pepperdine, San Diego State and Denver, Nordhoff Coach Ted Cotti said.

Roper, 6 feet 5, last season earned All-Frontier League and All-Southern Section Division III honors and was a member of The Times’ All-Ventura County second team.

VOLLEYBALL

Outside job: Kasey Jungwirth of Cal State Los Angeles, an outside hitter from Camarillo High, was selected California Collegiate Athletic Assn. player of the week.

Jungwirth averaged 4.8 kills and 3.1 digs per game in victories over UC Riverside and Cal State San Bernardino.

AUTO RACING

Back in pack: Marc Hart of Ventura finished eighth in the Sprint Car Racing Assn. main event Sunday night at Perris Auto Speedway.

In another sprint-car race Saturday at Perris, Troy Rutherford of Ojai finished fourth.

FOOTBALL

Ball boys: Cal State Northridge needs sideline ball boys, ages 12-15, for home games.

Information: Howard Garcia, (818) 677-2836.

SOFTBALL

Audition: Tryouts for a new 18-and-under travel team are scheduled for Sunday.

The team will be coached by Dale Okinaka, who headed the 18-and-under national-champion Southern California Waves in 1995.

Information: Bill Edge, (805) 484-5286.