Sports

VIVA LAS VEGAS?

Robert Moore, who has a 17-6 record in two seasons as Culver City High football coach, said he may resign.

“Right now it’s 50-50 that I’ll come back,” Moore said from his Las Vegas home. “Every day I spend in Las Vegas, the more I want to stay here and not go back to Culver City.”

Moore purchased a house last summer in northeast Las Vegas where his wife and two children live. He lives in Culver City five days a week and commutes to Las Vegas on weekends. Moore’s mother-in-law, Marge Herbert Bell, who lived with the family in Las Vegas, died of kidney failure Dec. 8. Moore said it has been difficult for his wife to take care of the family by herself.

“My wife needs me out here and needs my support since her mother died,” said Moore, who is a walk-on coach. “I’m leaning toward staying here in Las Vegas then traveling back and forth to Los Angeles.”

Moore has two children: Brandon, 10, and Breana, 5.

If he resigns, Moore wants to return to college and get his teaching credential.

Moore replaced Lou Lichtl as the Centaurs’ coach in 1993. He guided the Centaurs to a 8-4 record during his first season. Last season, the Centaurs (9-2) won the Ocean League title for the fourth time but were upset by Santa Maria, 33-29, in the first round of the Southern Section Division VII playoffs.

“I like Las Vegas,” Moore said. “It’s nice and quiet out here.”

RECRUITING UPDATE

Culver City quarterback Damon Williams has decided to include UCLA among his five official campus visits.

Williams, The Times’ 1994 Westside Back of the Year, will visit Nevada Las Vegas this weekend. He also plans to visit Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado State.

Williams completed 110 of 202 passes for 2,168 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed 50 times for 236 yards and seven touchdowns.

Williams said he is not leaning toward signing with any school, but is intrigued about the possibility of playing at UCLA. Wayne Cook, the Bruins’ starting quarterback last season, has exhausted his eligibility.

“All I have to do is learn their system,” Williams said. “I think I have athletic ability to play there now.”

The last black quarterback to play at UCLA was Bert Emanuel, who appeared in one game against Oklahoma in 1990. Emanuel later transferred to Rice and is now a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons.

Prep football players can begin signing national letters of intent on Feb. 8.

RECRUITING, PART II

Williams’ favorite receiver, Jasiri Rodell, may attend USC.

Rodell, who recently was named to the all-state team by Cal-Hi Sports magazine, said he is taking recruiting trips to USC, Nevada Las Vegas, Arizona State and Colorado State.

“I’m leaning toward either USC or Nevada Las Vegas,” said Rodell, who has been recruited by 10 other schools.

Rodell, however, must pass the Scholastic Aptitude Test to qualify for a scholarship. He scored 650 on his first attempt and is waiting for the results of his second test.

Rodell, who was named to The Times’ Westside team for the second consecutive year, caught 55 passes for 1,380 yards and 13 touchdowns.

BOUNCING BACK

Westchester Coach Ed Azzam Jr. received tragic news Dec. 28 that his father, Ed Azzam Sr., died after a heart attack.

Azzam was not present when the Comets lost to Inglewood, 79-61, last Thursday in the Best of the West Invitational semifinals at Artesia High. It was the third meeting between the two schools.

The Comets, who were coached by assistants Earl Brown and Dewit Cotton, did not play with much emotion.

“We were a little confused because Coach Azzam wasn’t here,” Comet standout Danny Walker said. “He’s our leader and he controls us. Without him, some of the guys played crazy.”

Although Inglewood’s standout player is Paul Pierce, the biggest Comet killer was Jan Thomas, who made six of seven three-point shots. Thomas, who had a game-high 24 points, was a backup shooting guard to Walker last season at Westchester.

“Jan is still a friend of mine even though he transferred,” Walker said. “But on the court, it’s different.”

The Comets came back to beat tournament host Artesia, 69-63, to finish third.

Azzam came back to coach the team.

“I felt badly that I didn’t go to the Inglewood game,” he said. “From what I hear we were not very impressive. It didn’t sound like we did a good job and played together.

“Every once in a while we don’t distribute the ball well and we try to do too much off the dribble.”

With talented guards Walker, Ben Sanders and Jason Hart, the Comets are among the favorites to win the City Section 4-A Division title.

“The city is a lot more even than it has been in the past,” Azzam said. “We have the talent to step up and be a notch better than the other teams, but we haven’t done that yet.”

GROWING IN STATURE

Murphy used to boast about having players like 6-foot-10 Brad Wright and 6-8 Freddie Bradford. But now the Nobles have to settle for speed over size.

Murphy, led by 6-2 Pierre Elize, beat a much taller Los Angeles, 66-64, last week to win the six-team Culver City tournament.

Elize, the tallest member of the team, averaged 19 points a game and was voted tournament most valuable player.

“We start four guards and a forward,” Coach Andrew Hunter said. “We have to score a lot of our points off our transition.”

Omar Zelaya, a 5-10 guard, and Josh Mason, a 5-8 guard, are two of the fastest and most talented players on the team.

Murphy (8-5) plays host to La Salle in the Santa Fe League opener. With the departure of Verbum Dei to the Camino Real League, there is a wide-open race for the Santa Fe League title. Murphy, La Salle and Cathedral are the league favorites.

BACK IN ACTION

Taryn Reynolds, one of the Westside’s top basketball players, is recovering from a sprained right ankle and is expected to return to the Notre Dame Academy lineup tonight.

Reynolds injured her ankle during the championship game of the Beverly Hills tournament.

The Regals (4-5) have lost three of their last four games with Reynolds sidelined.

Last season, Reynolds led the area in scoring at 24 points a game and was named to The Times’ Westside girls’ all-star team.

The Regals will need her in the lineup when they play Immaculate Heart in a Sunshine League opener tonight at La Salle High in Pasadena.