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Bullfrogs, Blades Meet in Playoff Tonight

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The Bullfrogs continue their drive for a Roller Hockey International championship, playing host to the Los Angeles Blades in a semifinal playoff game tonight at the Anaheim Arena.

“Tonight’s contest will be the toughest of the year,” Bullfrog Coach Chris McSorley said.

The Blades, who finished second in the Buss Division to the Bullfrogs, defeated Anaheim in a shootout at the Forum during the teams’ final regular-season meeting. It was the Bullfrogs’ only overtime loss this season.

Anaheim won the regular-season series, 3-0-1, but no game was decided by more than two goals.

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Tonight’s winner advances to the RHI finals to face the Oakland Skates, the third-place team from the Buss Division, in a best-of-three series.

Anaheim reached the semifinals by posting a 15-8 victory over Connecticut last week. Joe Cook scored four goals and Savo Mitrovic had three for the Bullfrogs.

Ralph Barahona and Mike Callahan each scored two goals for the Blades in a 6-5 victory over Toronto Friday.

Tickets are available for tonight’s game from $6 to $50, with a two-for-one offer on selected seats. Opening face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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John Bryant, a member of Cal State Fullerton’s 1984 national championship baseball team, has been named the Los Alamitos High baseball coach, the school has announced.

Bryant was an All-Southern Section selection in baseball and a Times All-County pick in football at El Toro High. He became a two-time All-Conference selection in baseball at Rancho Santiago College and played two seasons at Fullerton.

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After two seasons with Cincinnati’s double-A affiliate, he became an assistant coach at Rancho Santiago, El Dorado High and Perris High, before becoming head coach at Moreno Valley Rancho Verde High, where his teams were 17-21 in two seasons.

Bryant replaces Rob Megill, who resigned after three years.

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Although television ratings for Sunday’s Pigskin Classic, which featured USC playing North Carolina, increased 67% over last year’s game, the telecast was only the third-highest rated sports program of the weekend.

KTLA-TV Channel 5’s airing of North Carolina’s 31-9 drubbing of the Trojans averaged a 7.7 rating in the Los Angeles market (including Orange County), according to A.C. Nielsen Co. With each rating point representing 49,657 households, it means about 382,300 households were tuned in.

The Pigskin Classic trailed Saturday’s Little League World Series Championship on KABC Channel 7, with an 11.6 rating, and the Raiders-Rams exhibition game, which drew a 9.3 rating Saturday on KCAL Channel 9.

Texas A&M;’s 10-7 victory over Stanford in last year’s Pigskin Classic, which marked Bill Walsh’s return to coaching, had a 4.6 rating.

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