Prep Roundup : Hensell’s Arm, Huse’s Glove Pace Kennedy

Kennedy High School center fielder Bill Huse and pitcher Greg Hensell worked together Saturday to help Kennedy defeat Rancho Alamitos, 3-1, in a playoff game for third place in the Garden Grove League.

The win, at La Quinta, improves Kennedy’s overall record to 15-13 and allows the Irish to advance to the Southern Section 3-A playoffs as the league’s No. 3 representative.

Hensell (7-2) pitched a complete game, giving up four hits and striking out ten batters. He also singled in Steve Rath in the fifth inning for Kennedy’s third run.

Huse, who was 2 for 4 with an RBI, came up with the play of the day. After Rancho Alamitos’ Mike Willey scored in the top of the sixth and teammate Chris Culbert doubled, Rod McCall hit a ball deep to center.

Huse prevented a two-run home run that would have tied the game, leaping up and reaching over the fence to catch the ball.

Rancho Alamitos, which finished the regular league season tied with Kennedy with an 8-6 league record, finishes at 14-13 overall.

In the 4-A track and field preliminaries:

Javier Barrera of Dana Hills had the fastest time in the 1,600 meters at Cerritos College, finishing in 4 minutes, 17 seconds. Barrera also qualified for the 4-A finals in the 3,200 meters with a time of 9:30. Teammate Steve Niednagel finished second in the 3,200 in 9:23, and Pat Borkheim of Dana Hills was eighth in the discus with a throw of 145 feet, 10 inches.

Kathy Kelly of Dana Hills qualified in the 400 meters with 58.9, and Dana Hills’ Kristen Quigley ran 11.16 in the 3,200.

In 3-A volleyball:

La Quinta 3, Downey 0--In the second round at La Quinta, La Quinta defeated Downey, 15-10, 15-7, 15-10. Senior Craig Frisy led La Quinta with 18 kills and 8 blocks.