Shin Splints Cause Perry to Withdraw From Meet

Michelle Perry of Quartz Hill High, the runner-up in the girls’ long jump in the state track and field championships in Sacramento last Saturday, has pulled out of this Saturday’s Golden West Invitational due to a severe case of shin splints in her right leg.

The UCLA-bound Perry, who also placed fifth in the 100-meter high hurdles and the 100 in the state meet, was entered in the long jump, 100 highs and 300 lows in the Golden West meet at American River College in Sacramento.

Spartan MVPs: La Canada High seniors Kara Campbell and Lauren Herman have been selected Rio Hondo League co-most valuable players after leading the Spartans to the league co-championship with Temple City and two victories in the Division IV playoffs.

Campbell, a shortstop bound for Fresno State, batted .338 with 23 stolen bases. Herman, a catcher, batted .306 with four doubles and 24 runs batted in. La Canada finished 15-9, 9-3 in league play.

Rios signs: Glendale High outfielder Fernando Rios has signed with the Cincinnati Reds and will report to their Rookie League team in Billings, Mont., next week.

Rios, a three-year starter for the Dynamiters, was selected by the Reds in the 13th round of the major league draft last week.

Schaeffer signs: Stanford catcher Jon Schaeffer, who attended Harvard-Westlake High, has signed with the Minnesota Twins. Schaeffer was taken by the Twins in the ninth round of the major league draft last week.

Alzate hired: Ivan Alzate has been named boys’ soccer coach at Chaminade, the Eagles’ fourth coach in less than four years.

Alzate, 30, is a former player at Southwest High in Miami, Miami Dade Community College and Cal State Northridge. He coaches the Valley United Seige girls’ under-17 and the Valley United Blast boys’ under-19 club teams.

Coach named: Karen Peterson has been hired as women’s volleyball coach at The Master’s College.

Peterson coached at Missouri Western State College, an NCAA Division II school, from 1994-96 and at Dodge City (Kan.) junior college from 1991-93.

Illinois bound: Jonathan Ham and Eric Nishimoto , both seniors at Granada Hills High, will attend Illinois on men’s gymnastics scholarships.

Ham and Nishimoto compete for the California Sun Gymnastics team at Le Club gym in Chatsworth, and last week finished 18th and 20th, respectively, in Class I all-around competition at the U.S. Junior Olympics meet in Orlando, Fla.