Former Texas A&M; Assistant Will Coach Northridge Line

Cal State Northridge has hired Bob Connelly as offensive line coach, Matador Coach Ron Ponciano said.

Connelly was a graduate assistant at Texas A&M; last season.

He replaces Aron Gideon, who resigned last week to pursue a business opportunity.

“We got a quality guy to replace a quality coach,” Ponciano said.

Connelly will join the Matadors in time for spring practice, which begins Monday.

Junie Dahn of North Hollywood High has been chosen All-Academic player of the year by the Los Angeles Football Coaches Assn.

Dahn, a 6-foot, 240-pound nose guard, will receive a $200 scholarship at a March 15 meeting of the L.A. Unified School District’s Interscholastic Athletic Committee.

Thomas Foose of North Hollywood, K.C. Bounds of Taft, Andrew Shinn of Van Nuys and Joshua Rosenthal of Monroe were the other finalists.

Van Nuys and San Pedro each had seven players chosen to the 55-player all-academic team of seniors.

All-City players on the squad included Chris Garlington of Taft and Shinn, Darrell Specter and Jose Arroyo of Van Nuys.

SOCCER

Amy Watts, a midfielder and sweeper from Chaminade High, and Brynne Blumstein, a defender from Cleveland High, have signed letters of intent to play for the Cal State Northridge women’s team.

The Valley United Stars under-13 girls’ team advanced to the finals of the California Youth Soccer Assn. South National Cup tournament with a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Surf.

The Stars will play Newport Beach in the final in San Bernardino on Saturday.

BASEBALL

Jim Wolf, formerly of El Camino Real High, has been assigned to umpire this season in the triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Wolf’s brother, former El Camino Real and Pepperdine left-hander Randy Wolf, is at the Philadelphia Phillies’ major league spring training camp.

Umpires Ryan Bleiberg of Simi Valley and John Bullock of North Hollywood have been assigned to the Class-A California League and Ryan Houchen of Canyon Country was placed in the Northwest Rookie League.