Community Sports

2009 SOFTBALL PREVIEW
Norwalk Tries Again For A Suburban League Title While Cerritos, Gahr and Valley Christian Build For Future

By Loren Kopff

If at first you don't succeed, then win the Suburban League in 2009. That could be the slogan for Norwalk's softball team which will make another attempt at a league title after finishing in second place last season. While the Lancers will win games because of their senior leadership, the same can't be said for three other area teams. Cerritos, Gahr and Valley Christian will all field teams of primarily underclassmen or players with no varsity experience and will win games from their youth.
ARTESIA (3-13 last season, 2-10 in the Suburban League, sixth place)
Head coach: Kelly Clinton (second season, 3-13)
Team's record previous five seasons: 19-76
Key losses: Kristen Douglas, Dai Hunter, Rebecca Munoz, Erika Posada, June Rodriguez
Projected starting lineup:
P-Alyssa Alcala (SR)/Chelsea Small (SO)/Reanna Guzman (SO)
C-Emily Rodriguez (SO)/Jessica Lugo (JR)
1B-Jessica Gomez (SR)
2B-Jessica Mejia (JR)
3B-Monica Randle (FR)/Rodriguez
SS-Guzman (SO)/Small (SO)
OF-Briana Valencia (SR)
OF-Erica Rivera (JR)
OF-Nancy Montanez (SO)
Head coach Kelly Clinton wasn't sure what to expect in her first season. She was hoping to put the Pioneers in the hunt for their first playoff trip since 1992 but the attitudes and commitment overshadowed the potential they had. Clinton said they wanted it, but just didn't show it enough. This season, with the help of assistants Jillian Sandoval, who played at St. John's University, and John Zamora, Clinton feels much better about 2009.
"This year we are a lot different as far as dedication, mostly, and working hard," Clinton said. "The work ethic is huge this year; totally different from last year. The hard part for me [last year] wasn't that they needed to work on their skills. It was their attitudes and not wanting to try. Not getting along with each other was a big deal last year."
Artesia returns six players but some of the newcomers are currently facing ineligibility which could hamper the squad for the time being. One player who doesn't have that problem is Alcala, a four-year varsity member who Clinton said is much faster and much more confident. In the team's season opener this past Wednesday against Long Beach Jordan, Alcala struck out 12 batters. Gomez, Guzman, Mejia, Small and senior Olivia Vega are the other returning players. Clinton is positive the Pioneers can escape the bottom half of the Suburban League and move to at least fourth place.
"I think we can get there if everyone keeps their grades up and stays committed and keeps working hard," Clinton said.
CERRITOS (6-19 last season, 4-8 in the Suburban League, fifth place)
Head coach: Bob Medina (first season)
Team's record previous five seasons: 57-75-1
Key losses: Krystal Diaz, Betty Espinoza, Karissa Galindo, Ana Mayer
Projected starting lineup:
P-Megan Smith (SR)/Kim De La Cruz (JR)Drianna Drulias (FR)
C-Sarah Smith (FR)
1B-Nicole Rosenburger (SO)/De La Cruz
2B-Amanda Hernandez (FR)/Drulias
3B-Samantha Adams (JR)
SS-Alyssa Marquez (FR)/Kassandra Torres (SO)
OF-Rebecca DeFiesta (SR)/Drulias
OF-Esther Yang (JR)/Smith/De La Cruz
OF-Jessika Castaneda (FR)/Torres/Jackie Trimble (JR)
Bob Medina becomes the program's fourth head coach in as many years but is no stranger to the sport. The popular Artesia Punishers travelball and former California State University, Dominguez Hills coach hopes to revive a program that has gone through consecutive losing seasons. Medina will also have tons of "Punisher" help with assistants Ed Blanck, daughter Michelle Medina and Case van der Linden, father of former Cerritos star Jessica van der Linden of the late 1990s.
"I told the athletic department for me, it's a 10-year program," Bob Medina said. "I would like to stay here for 10 years and do something to the program. If I turn it around to a positive, so be it. If I turn it around and give them a great program...that's all I'm trying to do. Everyday, we'll work hard and try to develop every single kid that comes in here."
Although six players return, Megan Smith and DeFiesta have the most experience and the team is still relatively young. There are still a lot of uncertainties but early on, Drulias and Sarah Smith have already opened a lot of eyes. The Lady Dons picked up two hits in each of their first two games with both Megan Smith and Drulias sharing time in the circle in those games. Cerritos figures to battle Bellflower for fourth place in the Suburban League.
"I think the girls are on the plan and when I always coach, I try to set out a plan," Medina said. "Nobody can come out and turn around a team in one day. I think we're on our way to doing something really good."
GAHR (18-13 last season, 9-1 in the San Gabriel Valley League, co-champions, lost to Ocean View in the Division IV quarterfinals)
Head coach: Mike Rogers (third season, 62-25-1)
Team's record previous five seasons: 90-49-1
Key losses: Roni Alvarado, Eileen Flores, Corina Hernandez, Amanda Marquez, Lindsey Marquez, Alyssa Morales, Brittany Nava, Devin Salmones
Projected starting lineup:
P-Valerie Rios (JR)/Alyssa Nava (FR)
C-Krystal Purkey (FR)/JoJo Ayala (FR)
1B-Holly Sloan (SR)/Erica Willig (SO)/Kayla Gonzales (SR)
2B-Brittney Miller (SR)/Catherine Gonzalez (JR)
3B-Nani Mejia (SO)
SS-Jasmine Ruiz (SO)/Olivia Arredondo (JR)
OF-Amber Giron (SO)/Erika Jackson (JR)
OF-Arrendondo/Ruiz
OF-Nava/Karina Gonzalez (SO)
For the second straight season, a trip to the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section finals slipped through the fingers of head coach Mike Rogers and his Gladiators. With the departure of eight everyday starters, Gahr will almost rebuild with a very inexperienced group of freshmen and sophomores. This has all of the makings of the team Gahr had in 2005 when it was loaded with the freshmen who graduated last season.
"It does [hurt], but we built up the program the last couple of years," Rogers said of not getting to the finals. "We lost a lot of great players last year who are doing excellent in the colleges right now. Nobody likes to lose but they didn't go down without a fight."
Four players return and all of them posses a lot of offensive punch. Mejia, who moves from the outfield, batted .333 last season, third on the team, scored 17 runs and drove in just as many. Miller batted .295, scored 16 times and drove in that same number. Ruiz (.279, 19 runs) also moves from the outfield and Sloan, who played in just 10 games due to an injury, still batted .375. Pitching will be the crucial key as San Gabriel Valley League rivals Downey and Warren both return at least one pitcher from last season. Rogers will still experiment with moving players position to position to find the right combination.
"Yeah, we have four returning players but we have a lot of new players and we have some good talent in this program right now," Rogers said. "If these girls continue to work hard, they're going to have the same success we've had in the past."
JOHN GLENN (0-21 last season, 0-12 in the Suburban League, seventh place)
Head coach: Pam Trimble (ninth season, 43-129-1)
Team's record previous five seasons: 27-79-1
Key losses: Janet Chavez, Justine Figueroa
Projected starting lineup:
P-Denise Ponce (FR)/Lily Moreno (SR)/Brenda Nava (SR)
C-Jackie DeAvila (SR)/Karla Lomeli (SO)
1B-Moreno/Nava
2B-Lyndsay Castello (SR)
3B-Bianca Martinez (SR)
SS-Jaclyn Zertuche (SR)
OF-Jennifer Alvarez (JR)
OF-Ashley Lopez (SR)/Lomeli
OF-Naomi Rubio (SR)/Ponce
The Lady Eagles haven't been to the playoffs since 1990 and if head coach Pam Trimble wants to break the drought, this might be the season with the return of nine players. Trimble has a pair of new additions in assistants Ed Chavez and Andy Garcia, the latter who has worked with U.S. Olympians. Trimble said the new hitting coaches will also bring a little different approach to the team and will not be afraid to take charge. Since it can't get any worse than it did last season, the team will be treated to pizza after each victory.
"The fact that I had them all want to come back and they wanted a change," Trimble said of the positives of last season. "They told me even before I had the new coaches, they were all offering to find coaches to help me because I knew I couldn't do it by myself. They were not happy with how things ended up and they were accepting responsibility for losing, which is a start."
Trimble hopes the margin of defeat won't be as big as it was last season. Look for Ponce, a former all-star in the Norwalk youth circuit, to be an up and coming hurler in the Suburban League while DeAvila figures to be a huge offensive threat.
NORWALK (17-11 last season, 9-3 in the Suburban League, second place, lost to Tesoro in the Division II wild card)
Head coach: Paulette Gasporra (sixth season, 67-54-1)
Team's record previous five seasons: 67-54-1
Key losses: Natalie Cano, Alexis Castaneda, Andrea Gutierrez, Stevie Lakey, Janae Townsend
Projected starting lineup:
P-Stephanie Jimenez (SR)/Cristina Jacobo (SR)/Kassandra Caro (SO)
C-Claudia Torres (JR)/Anai Zarate (SO)
1B-Michelle Contreras (SR)/Alex Gomez (JR)
2B-Zarate/Alexis Velazquez (SO)/Amanda Rosa (JR)
3B-Elizabeth Jimenez (JR)/Torres
SS-Caro/Jimenez, E.
OF-Gomez/Jordan Ancona (JR)/Jasmine Valenzuela (SO)
OF-Lorraine Fitzgerald (SO)
OF-Celina Hernandez (SR)
If the Lady Lancers continue their yearly pattern, then this is the season that head coach Paulette Gasporra wins the Suburban League. In the past three seasons, her teams have moved from fourth to second. Now is the time the Lady Lancers supplant pesky La Mirada for the top spot in the league.
"I think the team that we had last year battled and came out strong," Gasporra said. "We came out short but it was still an improvement from the season before. Was it disappointing? Yes. Was it something to work forward to for this year? Of course."
The heart and soul of the team is Stephanie Jimenez, who enters her senior season as the league's top pitcher. She also sets the tone when the Lady Lancers are batting as she is in the number one spot. Contreras and Elizabeth Jimenez add tons of punch in the middle of the order while the outfield is new but posses a lot of speed. The one major obstacle facing Norwalk will be dealing with the loss of junior Alexis Love, who has decided to concentrate on basketball. Love would have been another offensive threat.
"Stephanie has improved tremendously, both on the field and off the field," Gasporra said. "She's stronger as a player this year and she's also working both sides of the plate this year."
VALLEY CHRISTIAN (7-16 last season, 1-7 in the Olympic League, fifth place)
Head coach: Richard Avila (first season)
Team's record previous five seasons: 79-54-1
Key losses: Madi Larcher, Amanda Walhof
Projected starting lineup:
P-Beverly Bultsma (SR)/McKenzie Goff (FR)/Lexie Snyder (JR)
C-Emily Craig (JR)/Sydney Nelson (FR)
1B-Lina Avila (JR)/Charlene Bousema (SR)/Chelsee Brubaker (SR)
2B-Bultsma/Tatum Schultz (FR)
3B-Bousema/Brubaker/Nelson
SS-Schultz
OF-Ashley Oxley (SO)/Louisa Bakker (JR)
OF-Snyder
OF-Bousema
Richard Avila replaces Bill Garner as Valley Christian's new head coach and inherits a team that lost just two players. But also missing from the team, at least pitching wise, is Lina Avila who missed the final seven games of last season to a shoulder injury. She's back this season as the team's first baseman and will be a huge threat with her bat. That leaves the pitching duties open for Bultsma, who pitched a few seasons ago, newcomer Goff and Snyder.
"Everybody now is injury free," Avila said. "Obviously [Lina] will not be pitching this year but I do have pitchers who were injured last year that are going to able to go. I have a great freshmen class that also has a couple of pitchers. So now, it's going to be a share the wealth situation. We're not going to hesitate to share and we're not going to hesitate to make the changes when needed."
This team should win more games than last season and has the offense to do so. Brubaker has a lot of power but is also coming back from an injury that sidelined her all of last season. Oxley is a star in the making while Bousema brings some veteran leadership.
"I'm so excited because these kids have been playing travelball most of their lives and there's experience there," Avila said. "There's nothing like playing in a varsity game and when the pressure is on. But I think as we get going, and in our preseason, which is kind of soft, we'll give them that experience. So when we do hit league, they'll be ready to rock and roll. I expect a lot out of them."

Crime Summary
March 9-15, 2009

Felony Part I crime investigations dropped by two incidents last week when thirty-two were reported. Commercial burglaries increased, residential burglaries and robberies remained the same, and vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts were down. Calls for service rose slightly as 311 were handled compared to 308 the week before. The 2009 weekly average in calls for service is now 312. One robbery was reported when a male teen relinquished his cell phone after being threatened by two other teens. This occurred on Tuesday March 10 at 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Studebaker Road and Artesia Boulevard. For the third consecutive week, two residential burglaries were investigated. Open/unlocked doors or windows were involved in one, and a pried window in the other. No loss could be determined in either case. The 2009 weekly average in this category is now 2.5.
Burglars look for the easiest and most quiet way to enter homes and the most popular method is still locating an open or unlocked door or window. Make sure that you conduct the “exit check” by looking at all doors and windows before you leave the residence. Close them and lock them. There were three commercial burglaries recorded last week. All were closed businesses where cash, stereo equipment and a ping-pong table were stolen. Vehicle burglaries dropped by one crime over the previous week as ten were logged. High-volume commercial lots were the crime scenes in seven cases. Six involved SUVs. One car stereo and two GPS units were taken. Others stolen items included wallets, golf clubs, a bowling ball, cell phones, purses, laptop computers, a briefcase, and helmet. The 2009 weekly average in vehicle burglaries now stands at 8.5. Storing property in the passenger compartment, especially leaving it in plain sight, is exactly what the vehicle burglar will be looking for. Note the type of property stolen last week included wallets, credit cards, and cash. Don’t make the mistake of leaving valuable items behind because you just may never see them again. Vehicle thefts dropped from seven the past two weeks to three cases last week. Two were from high-volume commercial parking lots. One Honda, a Nissan, and a Mazda were reported stolen. The 2009 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 6.9. None of these vehicles last week were equipped with a steering wheel locking device. A common complaint among motorists is that these devices are too cumbersome and take time to engage and remove. If you own one of the most commonly reported stolen vehicles in Cerritos, such as an 80’s or 90’s Honda or Toyota, we would suggest that one of these devices become part of your auto accessories.