Emotional Gore Helps U.S. to Lead

Jason Gore cried when the national anthem was played during the opening ceremonies for the 36th Walker Cup on Friday at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y.

On Saturday, he helped the United States team nearly make the Great Britain-Ireland team cry uncle by building an 8 1/2-3 1/2 lead after the first day of the biennial competition that is amateur golf’s version of the Ryder Cup.

Gore and John Harris defeated Gary Wolstenholme and Keith Nolan, 6 and 4, as the U.S. swept the four alternate shot foursomes in the morning round. Only twice before in Ryder Cup history has a team taken a 4-0 lead and both times it led to runaway victories for the U.S.

Gore, from Pepperdine and Hart High, turned back Graham Rankin, 3 and 2, to win his afternoon singles match--sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to end it.

“My hands are still shaking,” Gore said. “It’s amazing to play for your country. I’m just sort of speechless right now.”

Gore isn’t scheduled to play in the alternate shot foursomes this morning but will play Craig Watson at 10:30 a.m. PST in singles. The U.S. needs only four of 12 points today to reclaim the Walker Cup.

BASKETBALL

New Ventura College basketball Coach Jim Keating has returned to Redding to straighten out any problems over his resignation at Shasta College, but is expected to be at his new job next week, said Dick James, Ventura College athletic coordinator.

James said Keating, who was in the area this week, cut short his Southland visit after newspapers reported he may be having doubts about leaving Shasta.

“He claims [Shasta College officials] did not ask him for a letter of resignation,” James said. “His contract [with Ventura College] begins [Tuesday]. He was going back up there to work on getting communication straightened out.”

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Erin Boisclair of Agoura Hills and Jessica Lehnhoff of Cooper City, Fla., lost, 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 7-5, to Janet Bergman of Hilton Head, S.C., and Katie Granson of Bethlehem, Pa., in Saturday’s semifinals of the girls’ 18-and-under doubles division at the United States Tennis Assn. Junior National tournament in San Jose.

The pair will play for third place today against Lauren Kalvaria of Indialantic, Fla., and Gabriela Lastra of Reno.

FOOTBALL

Cal Lutheran punter Jeff Shea, who kicked 53 times for an average of 45.3 yards per punt last season, was named to Street & Smith’s Division III preseason All-American team.

Among the high school ranks, Notre Dame running back Justin Fargas is the lone player from the region among Street & Smith’s Top 50 seniors for 1997.

Two other players, running back Desmond Davis of Oxnard High and Shaun Avalos of Sylmar, are listed among the magazine’s other seniors to watch.

SOFTBALL

The Ventura County Pumas’ 14-and-under softball team defeated the West Bay (Burlingame) Nuggets, 6-2, and then rallied to beat the Orange County Batbusters, 3-2, Saturday in the ASA 14-and-under national tournament in Rockford, Ill.

With the victory over the Batbusters, the Pumas advanced to face the Orange County Athletics today for a berth in the championship game of the 74-team, double-elimination tournament.

Against West Bay, Adrienne Alo had three hits and two runs batted in. The Southern California Stealth lost, 1-0 and 2-0, in two games against the Orange County Athletics on Saturday and finished ninth in the 82-team ASA 16-and-under national tournament in Fresno.

BASEBALL

The Westlake Senators 14-and-under Amateur Athletic Union team fell, 3-2, to the San Diego Sting and wound up finishing fourth in the 66-team AAU national tournament Saturday in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

Despite throwing a four-hitter, John Metzbower of Westlake Village got the loss in the third-place game.