Cutley Leads Westchester Past Fairfax

Scott Cutley was often lost amid his higher-profile Westchester High teammates over the last few seasons as the Comets piled up league, City Section and state titles.

But if Westchester is to land what could be considered its biggest prize -- a victory over nationally top-ranked Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary when the teams meet Feb. 8 in Trenton, N.J. -- the Comets will need Cutley to step front and center the way he did Wednesday against Fairfax.

The 6-foot-6 senior forward scored a career-high 28 points and had 10 rebounds as Westchester, No. 3 in The Times’ rankings, trounced No. 2 Fairfax, 88-72, in a Western League game at Westchester.

Cutley, bound for Kent, scored 21 points in the first half as the Comets (19-2, 6-1) built a 19-point halftime advantage. Fairfax (18-2, 6-1) had rallied from a 19-point deficit to defeat the Comets, 58-55, when the teams met at Fairfax on Jan. 14, but there would be no such turnaround this time.

If the teams finish the regular season tied, a coin flip would determine the league’s top entrant into the City Section playoffs.

Westchester forward Trevor Ariza scored 18 points, guard Bobby Brown added 13 and forward Marcus Johnson had 12. The UCLA-bound Ariza, Westchester’s most highly regarded player, will need the kind of boost he received from Cutley if the Comets are to beat St. Vincent-St. Mary and LeBron James.

Alex Bausley scored 24 points and Kevin Bell had 19 for Fairfax.

-- Ben Bolch

Mike Liti, a 5-11, 205-pound running back from Santa Ana Foothill, has committed to Utah.

Liti averaged 8.8 yards a carry as he rushed for 1,557 yards and had 24 touchdowns in nine games last season.

Other football commitments:

* Jacob Flowe, a running back from Chino, to UNLV.

* Cody Kase, a linebacker from Newhall Hart, to New Mexico.

* Terrell Vinson, a running back from Irvine, to Wyoming.

* Chris Seals, a running back from Bishop Amat, to Idaho State.

* Drew Robinson, a running back from Ontario Christian, to Nevada.

* Duran Cooley, a safety from Los Angeles Cathedral, to Boise State.

* Michael Feist, a defensive end from Cathedral, to Montana State.

* Justin Green, a receiver from North Hollywood Campbell Hall, to Cornell.

* Alan West, a linebacker from Burbank Burroughs, to Penn.

Three football coaches at Santa Barbara have been reinstated to their teaching and coaching positions at the school after an independent investigation into allegations that they abused players with abrasive coaching methods.

Coach Craig Moropoulos and assistants Giorgio Volpi and Lito Garcia were placed on paid administrative leave in early December after several players and parents of players accused them of overly aggressive behavior.

Moropoulos, Volpi and Garcia, the school’s athletic director, were suspended for about six weeks while the investigation was conducted.

Santa Barbara has a 9-33 record in four seasons under Moropoulos.

-- John Ortega

Quarterback Rudy Carpenter, the Marmonte League offensive player of the year last season as a junior at Newbury Park, has enrolled at Westlake Village Westlake.

Westlake Coach Jim Benkert said he tried to prevent the transfer, informing Newbury Park officials several weeks ago about rumors of Carpenter’s move.

The Southern Section must approve Carpenter’s eligibility.

-- Eric Sondheimer