CLU Justifies Lofty Ranking in Men’s Soccer

Expectations are high for the Cal Lutheran men’s soccer team.

The Intercollegiate Soccer Assn. of America has ranked the Kingsmen second among NCAA Division III teams, behind only UC San Diego.

However, Coach George Kuntz wasn’t buying it until Cal Lutheran played Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday. He predicted that if the Kingsmen won that game, they would win many others.

The Kingsmen (4-1-1 overall, 3-0 in the conference) are on the right track after defeating Pomona-Pitzer, 2-1.

“We’ve started off better than we’ve ever done,� said Luis Gutierrez, the Cal Lutheran team captain. “We’ve all come together under one coach. This is it.�

The Kingsmen, new kids on the block in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this year, already have their sights set on the conference championship. “I think we can do it,� Gutierrez said. “(But) the most important games are coming up.�

STAY-AT-HOMES

Times are a changing for the betterment of the Pierce baseball team.

A few years ago, most top high school baseball players from the San Fernando Valley were taking their skills to the Santa Clarita Valley and College of the Canyons, but since Bob Lofrano became a co-coach at Pierce in 1990, the recruiting winds have shifted back to the southwest.

Last season, the Brahmas were co-champions of the Western State Conference. Players from the Valley are staying at home and playing for Pierce, and transfers such as Jason Cohen, Mike Eby and Rob Wells are coming in from four-year schools.

Cohen, an outfielder, was at USC last season. Eby and Wells were pitchers at UCLA and Arizona State.

TRADING PLACES

Daron Rodgers of Antelope Valley, an All-Foothill Conference second-team defensive lineman last year, began the season as a linebacker but was shifted back to defensive end for last week’s game against Valley because of a shortage of defensive linemen.

“He’s basically playing a half-linebacker, half-defensive end position,� Coach Brent Carder said.

The change didn’t hurt Rodgers’ play in Antelope Valley’s 27-20 win. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound sophomore made nine unassisted tackles--including three sacks--and had two deflected passes and a fumble recovery. His third sack came on the final play of the game, after Valley had driven to the Antelope Valley 21-yard line.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

A 50-7 season-opening loss is difficult to swallow, but to add injury to insult, Ventura learned that backup linebacker Kenji Kato suffered torn knee ligaments in last Saturday’s game against El Camino. Kato is expected to be out for eight weeks and will redshirt this season. His loss could not come at a worse time because starting outside linebacker Billy Ray Davis has been hampered by nerve problems in his shoulder and will miss tonight’s Western State Conference opener at West L. A.

CAN’T TOUCH THAT

Life was much simpler for Mike Sheppard when he played wide receiver for Cal Lutheran in the early 1970s.

Since Sheppard took over as football coach at the University of New Mexico in 1987, his teams have a record of 6-45, including 0-4 this season. And now Lobo supporters are calling for his ouster.

Criticism reached a new high this week after last Saturday’s 23-22 loss to Nevada Las Vegas, a game in which New Mexico led, 22-14, with less than three minutes remaining.

At his weekly meeting with the media Tuesday, Sheppard declined to comment on his employment status.

“I would prefer not to talk about that anymore,� he said. “I can only focus on what I can control, and I would rather not address that question the rest of the year.�

WAITING GAME

Wanted: National Football League team with running back woes. College career rushing leader (4,170 yards) available for work. In shape, will travel. Call or write Albert Fann, care of Cal State Northridge.

Fann, Northridge’s star tailback of a season ago, has been running sprints and lifting weights since the New York Giants cut him after their second exhibition game.

Fann hopes to hear from a team that is running low on running backs because of injuries. If he does not, he will be ready to try out with an NFL team next year. He also plans to look into playing in the World League of American Football next spring.

If the Canadian Football League shows interest, Fann said he will listen, but he is not eager to play in the CFL because its contracts are generally for a minimum of two years. Fann hopes to be ready for the NFL before that.

AWARD WINNERS

Inside linebacker Ken Vaughn was named defensive player of the game by the Northridge coaching staff for his efforts in CSUN’s 17-10 loss to Cal State Fullerton. Despite a dislocated finger that caused him to miss several series, Vaughn made 20 tackles--eight solo--and also intercepted a pass that had been tipped by tackle Alo Sila. The offensive player of the game for the second consecutive week was senior wide receiver Cornell Ward. Ward threw a 33-yard touchdown pass on a reverse and caught three passes for 22 yards. Bryon Ward, a junior, earned special teams player-of-the-week honors.