SCOREBOARD / FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM AREA EVENTS : MARKETING THE 49ERS

With an eye toward tapping what it sees as a big but largely dormant alumni base just across the county line, the Long Beach State athletic department has created a marketing campaign that targets six adjacent Orange County cities with print and cable television advertising and other promotions. The goal is to entice the estimated 30,000 Long Beach graduates living in Orange County to support the 49ers with financial contributions and to purchase season tickets in the new Pyramid athletic complex, which is scheduled to open next fall of 1994.

“The future for our support is not just in the city of Long Beach,” interim Athletic Director Dave O’Brien said.

In all, 20 surrounding cities in two counties have been designated for increased advertising exposure. But the bulk of the campaign will focus on western Orange County. Two-thirds of the $50,000 budgeted for cable television advertisements is to be spent on systems serving Cypress, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Westminster. Promotional materials such as basketball posters and schedule cards are expected to be in storefronts and restaurants in the target area by the middle of December.

Earlier, Long Beach State announced it will play a men’s basketball game against Memphis State on Feb. 21 in the new Anaheim Arena. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. KDOC-TV (56) of Anaheim will broadcast five men’s basketball games this winter, and Anaheim radio station KORG-AM, which has broadcast 49er basketball games for seven years, will carry all men’s basketball games, while adding as many as 15 Long Beach baseball contests to its schedule.

O’Brien said the move into Orange County is warranted since the target area is so close to the Long Beach campus. “We analyzed where our season ticket holders come from,” O’Brien said. “And the bulk of them each year, as high as 60%, come from Orange County. That told us what towns we need to get into with our information.”

PREP PLAYOFFS

Moore League champion Poly (10-1), one of eight area high school football teams to win first-round CIF Southern Section playoff games, faces Mater Dei of Santa Ana (10-1) Friday in a Division I quarterfinal at the Santa Ana Bowl.

Surprising Gahr (7-4), third-place team in the San Gabriel Valley League, plays host to second-seeded Huntington Beach (11-0) in a Division II quarterfinal, while the San Gabriel Valley League’s No. 2 team, Dominguez (9-1), plays host to Newhall Hart (10-1).

In Division III, a pair of Almont League teams are still alive. Montebello (9-2) travels to Newbury Park (11-0), while Bell Gardens (7-2-1) plays host to Peninsula High of Rolling Hills Estates (9-2).

The Del Rio League co-champions have survived. Santa Fe (8-3) plays two-time defending Division VI champion Valencia (10-1) at Pioneer High, while Whittier (7-4) plays at Anaheim (6-5).

In Division VIII, Bellflower (9-2), the lone remaining Suburban League team, plays at Trabuco Hills (8-3) in Mission Viejo.

All games will begin at 7:30 p.m.

BRIEFLY

The Long Beach State men’s and women’s basketball teams have been picked to finish fifth in their respective Big West Conference races, according to a poll of sportswriters and coaches. The top five picks by both the coaches and writers were identical for the men: New Mexico State topped the list, followed by Las Vegas, University of the Pacific, UC Santa Barbara and the 49ers. Rounding out the predictions, the writers chose UC Irvine, San Jose State, Utah State, Nevada and Cal State Fullerton. The coaches picked Irvine, Nevada, Utah State, San Jose and Fullerton.

The 49ers open the season Friday, playing host to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, then hosting Cal State Northridge on Tuesday. Both games will begin at 7:30 p.m.

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No media poll was conducted for women’s basketball. The coaches chose UC Santa Barbara as No. 1, followed by Hawaii, Las Vegas, New Mexico State, the 49ers, Pacific, Fullerton, San Jose, Nevada and UC Irvine. Utah State does not field a women’s basketball team.

Long Beach plays host to Athletes in Action in an exhibition game Monday at 7:30 p.m. and opens the regular season Dec. 4 at Loyola Marymount.

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Four runners representing the Long Beach Marathon competed Sunday in a marathon in Sakado, Japan. They were Hartzell Alpizar, a track coach at Wilson High; Tyrus Deminter, cross-country coach at Long Beach City College; Audrey Hauth, a retired teacher; and Carrie Booth, a sales representative. Sakado will send a delegation of runners to compete in the Long Beach Marathon on Feb. 6.

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Senior forward Ken Hodge, who attended Wilson High in Long Beach, earned all-California Collegiate Athletic Assn. honors in men’s soccer. He was the leading scorer for Cal State Dominguez Hills, tallying eight times, while dishing off seven assists. The Toros finished 7-9-2 overall and 2-6-2 in the CCAA.

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The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team, which shared the Big West Conference title with UC Santa Barbara, plays host to the four-team Baden Blowout Tournament on Friday and Saturday. Santa Barbara plays Arizona State at 1 p.m. Friday, followed by Long Beach and Pepperdine at 3. On Saturday, Pepperdine plays Santa Barbara at 5 p.m., followed by Long Beach-Arizona State at 7:30.

NCAA postseason berths will be announced Sunday. Long Beach and Santa Barbara are expected to play host to at least one opening round match.

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Nine-year-old Jennifer Sutton, who competes for the Downey YMCA Flyers gymnastics team, has qualified for the state finals of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation Levels 6 and 7, Dec. 4 at UC San Diego. Sutton finished first in Level 5 all-around competition at the 1992 YMCA nationals. She is coached by Randy Alporque and Clark Peek.

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The women’s basketball team at Harbor College in Wilmington is ranked fourth in the state preseason poll and is made up of several players from Lynwood and Compton. Guard LaTasha Burnett, who attended Lynwood High, returns. She was a first-team All-South Coast Conference selection last season and led the team in rebounds, assists, field goal percentage and steals. She is joined by former Knights JoAnne Williams, a guard who sat out last season, and freshman center Teresa Wiseman. Guard Kim Fraser of Compton also returns. The Seahawks are coached by former Compton Coach Louie Nelson.

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The Acme Bull Riders Only Series concluded its season Saturday with the world championships at the Long Beach Arena. Thirty of the best bull riders in the world competed for a $50,000 purse. Three-time champion Tuff Hedeman won the $15,000 first prize.

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Elizabeth Onyambu of Biola University finished first at the NAIA District 3 Cross-Country Championships earlier this month at La Mirada Regional Park with a time of 17:44.9, enabling the Eagles to finish fourth overall.

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Old Ranch Tennis Club in Seal Beach will play host to a junior tournament beginning Friday. The event is open to boys and girls ages 7 to 18. A novice division for children who have never competed is planned. Information: (310) 598-8624.

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Long Beach State men’s basketball Coach Seth Greenberg will host luncheons at noon each Tuesday during the season at Legends restaurant, 5236 E. 2nd St., Long Beach. Greenberg will take questions from the public and discuss upcoming games. The cost is $10. No meeting is planned Dec. 21. Information: (310) 985-4663.

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The Montebello-based L.A. Salsa will play host to a soccer doubleheader Dec. 11. The Salsa takes on Club Hallelujah of South Korea at 4 p.m., followed by a match between the U.S. national team and the Kongsvinger Club team of Norway. The event will be at Cal State Fullerton. Tickets are $12 for adults and $9 for children 12 and younger. Information: (213) 887-8888.

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Derek Whittiker of New Zealand replaces Bob Wilson as coach of the Belmont Shore Rugby Football Club team. Whittiker coached rugby in Toronto last season, and before that was a coach in Ireland. Saying that he wanted to be closer to family members, the Australian-born Wilson resigned recently after coaching Belmont Shore for five years. He has been named manager of operations at the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club in Sydney.

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The Lakewood Elks Club will stage a division of the National Hoop-Shoot Competition at 10 a.m. Dec. 4 at the Cerritos Regional Park gymnasium. The event is free and open to boys and girls ages 8 to 13. Each contestant will have 25 shots, with the winners of each age category advancing to compete for a shot at the national finals. Information: (310) 924-5744.

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The state Fish and Game Commission will have its regular monthly meeting Dec. 2 at the Sheraton Hotel in Long Beach and Dec. 3 at City Hall.