Kim to Forgo Football at El Camino Real

Bobby Kim of El Camino Real High, a starting running back as a junior last season, has decided not to play football this year in order to concentrate on baseball and recover from a summertime baseball injury.

Kim (6 feet, 200 pounds) was the starting catcher on the Woodland Hills West baseball team that won the American Legion World Series last month in Millington, Tenn. Kim sustained an injury to his left thumb during the Legion playoffs and said that doctors recently advised a two-month layoff.

“It’s going to take a long time to recover,” Kim said. “I want to be better by the time baseball starts.”

Kim, whom El Camino Real football Coach Mike Maio said was perhaps his best player, gained 173 yards in seven games for the Conquistadores (4-7).

The inaugural Kiwanis-Seaside Invitational at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura County will be one of three invitationals kicking off the 1989 high school cross-country season today. Starting time is 9 a.m.

The meet, with Buena and Channel Islands highs playing co-hosts, will be run on the concrete bike path along the beach and will feature Agoura High’s Bryan Dameworth, the two-time defending state Division I champion.

Although it is in its first year, the invitational has drawn several Valley-area teams. Agoura, Newbury Park, Quartz Hill, Saugus and Simi Valley make up the local delegation.

Canyon will open its season at the Bronco Invitational (9:30 a.m.) at Cal Poly Pomona and Antelope Valley will travel to Morro Bay High for the Morro Bay Invitational (10 a.m.).

After splitting two exhibition matches, the Cal State Northridge soccer team will open the regular season against Cal State Los Angeles at North Campus Stadium at 7:30 tonight.

Northridge, runner-up in the past two NCAA Division II championships, defeated a USC club team, 5-0, last Saturday after losing to UCLA, 2-1, the previous week.

Sophomore Scott Piri, the Matadors’ leading scorer last season, is expected to play against the Golden Eagles after missing the first two matches because of a groin injury.

Cal State L. A. (1-0-1), a Division I independent, will be led by Waldir Guerra and Brent Vish, its top two scorers last season.