Burnley Commits to Oregon St.

Running back Charles Burnley, who led Valencia with 1,631 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, has committed to Oregon State.

Burnley was charged last month with two counts of battery on school grounds after allegedly assaulting two classmates during a lunchtime fight Oct. 10. He was suspended from school for five days and missed a game against West Hills Chaminade.

Eric Sondheimer

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Beverly Hills receiver Sonny Shackelford has committed to Washington. Shackelford was selected as the Bay League’s best offensive player in a coaches’ vote after catching 67 passes for 1,353 yards and 20 touchdowns. He set a school record by averaging 20.2 yards per catch.

Steven Herbert

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Losing a league opener to a top rival is never desirable, but Cathedral City’s 2-1 loss to Thermal Coachella Valley in a boys’ soccer game on Dec. 20 might have helped the Lions win the Riverside Poly tournament last week.

With seven starters returning from last season’s team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division III playoffs, Cathedral City began the season with high expectations.

Perhaps too high, according to Coach Rick Sherwood.

“Some of the guys thought things were going to be handed to us,” he said.

After losing to Coachella Valley in its Desert Valley League opener, a refocused Cathedral City team went 5-0 in the Riverside Poly tournament. The Lions (11-2-1) blasted Riverside Arlington, 5-1, in the final on Dec. 24 after edging host and defending champion Poly, 2-1, in a semifinal a day earlier.

The Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles will host a track and field coaches’ clinic on Jan. 11 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

The clinic starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.

Information: 626-914-2794.

John Ortega

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Cari Klein of Los Angeles Marymount, which has won three consecutive state Division IV titles, has been selected girls’ volleyball state coach of the year by CalHi Sports.

The fifth-year coach led the Sailors to a 36-4 record a final national ranking of 20 in Student Sports magazine’s Fab 50. She was also named The Times’ coach of the year.

Outside hitter Cynthia Barboza, a 6-foot sophomore from Long Beach Wilson, was named to CalHi’s all-state first team. Barboza, The Times’ player of the year, was also CalHi’s sophomore player of the year.

Ashley Engle, a 6-2 opposite hitter from Anaheim Esperanza, was named freshman player of the year.

Selected to the all-state second team were Alli Dillon, a senior setter from Long Beach Wilson; Brandy Magee, a senior middle blocker from Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley; Kristin McClune, a senior middle blocker from Newport Harbor; Becky Green, a senior outside hitter from Huntington Beach Marina, and Stesha Selsky, a junior setter/outside hitter for Marymount.

Third-team selections included Dyanne Lawlor, a senior middle blocker/setter from Esperanza; Mallorie Croal, a sophomore outside hitter from Santa Ana Mater Dei, and Los Alamitos teammates Kara Uhl, a junior opposite hitter, and Laura Kroneberger, a senior defensive specialist.

-- Bob Rohwer