Kennedy Rises to Top in Transfer of Power

The latest ABC’s of City Section athletics come courtesy of Kennedy High.

Take the best players from Taft, graft them to an already able-bodied Kennedy roster, and you get:

A) A super-team that will roll through Northwest Valley Conference play and contend for the City 4-A championship;

B) Recruiting charges from opposing coaches;

C) Charges by Kennedy faculty that a former Taft assistant barred from stepping on the floor at Kennedy has indeed been coaching the team, leading to the suspension of Cougar Coach Donis Bailey.

Of course, the answer is all of the above, but only A matters because B and C have come and gone somewhat quietly as conference play commences today.

Bailey, a Kennedy counselor, was reinstated as coach after the players rallied to her side and denied that the banned assistant, Brian Lewis, has done any coaching.

The rival coaches doing the grousing don’t get overly indignant because they are resigned to life in the City.

And so, the lineup of holdovers Tamaya Morris, Coyles Scarbrough and Tammi Barber combined with transfers Vanessa Dunn, Monia Calhoun and Rosie Ortiz is set to win the West Valley League as easy as the players make an uncontested layup.

“Kennedy will obviously be dominant,” said Lori Chandler, coach of El Camino Real. “But if they don’t win the City championship, all their efforts will be wasted.”

Kennedy (12-3) appears to be too tough, but the Conquistadors (7-0) are the team most likely to put a dent in the Golden Cougars’ plans. El Camino Real won the Van Nuys tournament, but has not played the caliber of competition Kennedy has.

Still, returning point guard Aja Diamond, returning forward Justina Williams and transfer Cara Blumfield are good players. Blumfield, a sophomore who started at Calabasas last season, is averaging 23.2 points.

Chatsworth has moved up to the West Valley League after winning the 3-A North Valley League and going 20-7 last season. The transition could be rough because the Chancellors lost four starters to graduation and another transferred to Alemany.

“I’m actually very excited about our young talent,” Coach Emad Whitney said. “We’re going to be smaller than normal, but we are eager.”

Point guard Patricia Nuno, a junior transfer from Littlerock, and freshman shooting guard Alice Elias are the biggest causes for Whitney’s enthusiasm.

Taft, which ran off 20 consecutive victories last season behind Dunn and Calhoun before losing in the playoffs, is rebuilding under first-year Coach Brandy Price.

With Chatsworth moving up, the North Valley League is up for grabs, with Granada Hills and San Fernando having the best shot.

Freshman forward Jessica Cosby has been brilliant for the Highlanders, averaging 21.2 points and 17.8 rebounds during their 3-3 nonleague start.

Linda Gayton, a 5-foot-10 forward, rebounds well and Saki Uechi is a good three-point shooter.

San Fernando Coach Christine Fotis is encouraged because of her team’s six nonleague losses, four have been by four points or fewer.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: The only four conference players who averaged double figures in scoring last season are from Kennedy--Tamaya Morris (17.6), Vanessa Dunn (16.2), Monia Calhoun, (15.2) and Coyles Scarbrough (13.3). The top three returning rebounders also are Golden Cougars--Dunn (10.7), Tawanna Thomas (10.2) and Monia Calhoun (8.9). . . . Only in assists and steals does a player from another team surface--El Camino Real’s Aja Diamond led the conference with an averages of 6.9 assists and 4.5 steals. Diamond is joined by sophomore Cara Blumfield, a transfer from Calabasas who started as a freshman. Blumfield leads the conference with a scoring average of 23.2.

* THE PROMISING: Chatsworth point guard Patricia Nuno, a transfer from Littlerock, is an accomplished ballhandler. . . . Jessica Cosby, a 5-9 forward at Granada Hills, might be the top freshman in the Valley, averaging 21.2 points and 17.8 rebounds. . . . Anica Arriola, a junior guard, is a strong defensive player for San Fernando.

* FAST FACT: Dunn, a two-time All-City player, has played only five games because of a bruised tendon in her right knee, but she will be back in the Kennedy lineup today or Friday.