Playing catch-up

Tony Altobelli

It’s like dropping a bag of marbles on an angled tile floor. Trying

to get every last one isn’t easy and neither is trying to hunt down the

whereabouts of every local athlete now playing in colleges and

universities throughout the country.

I’ve managed to track a few of them down and here’s what they’re up

to.

In the football world, former Newport Harbor standout Brett Baker is

still the No. 1 defensive force for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

After leading the Mustangs in tackles with 98 last season, Baker has

already posted 45 tackles and has two interceptions.

Baker is also the Mustangs’ punt returner with seven attempts for 51

yards.

Baker’s teammate and former rival at CdM, tight end Tim Thurman, is a

major spark for the Mustangs’ passing game, catching four balls for 35

yards with one touchdown this season.

Meanwhile, at Georgetown University, CdM products Ryan Cooper and

George Sumner are each making major contributions for the Hoyas.

Cooper, a free safety who had nine tackles, two interceptions and

broke up two passes for Georgetown last year, already has four tackles to

go along with the responsibility of being a starter.

Sumner, a Hoyas’ wide receiver, is on track to eclipse his receiving

totals from the previous two seasons.

He currently has 16 catches for 177 yards and has two touchdowns. In

his two previous seasons, Sumner totaled 41 catches for 517 yards and two TDs.

On the women’s volleyball front, Duke University’s Krista Dill, a

major factor to Newport Harbor’s back-to-back CIF Division I state

championships in 1998-99, is third on the Blue Devils with 270 kills.

Dill has helped Duke jump out to an 11-4 overall record and a 1-1 mark

in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

For those that saw Dill’s former teammate, April Ross guide USC to a

win at UCI, the Anteaters’ Brenda Waterman, another former Sailors’

standout from the state championship squads, is making a big impression

for the Anteaters.

The freshman is fourth on UCI’s squad with 95 kills and is second on

the staff with 127 digs. In the match with Ross’ Trojans, Waterman led

UCI with 15 kills.

Oh yeah, that Ross kid is doing pretty good too.

Ross leads the Trojans with 109 kills and is second with 93 digs,

helping USC to the No. 1 ranking in the nation.

On the soccer front, Former Estancia High boys soccer scoring machine

Esaul Mendoza is getting is feet wet to collegiate soccer at Vanguard

University.

The freshman, who helped guide the Eagles to the CIF Southern Section

Division IV title with 46 goals as a senior, has two goals for the Lions

and has helped take some pressure off of VU sniper Diego Goni.

Goni is third in the Golden State Athletic Conference with nine goals,

or half of Vanguard’s production.

Another former Eagle goal-scorer, freshman Edson Anaya, has two goals

and two assists for Orange Coast College, while fellow Costa Mesa native,

Jesus Cervantes has tallied three goals and four assists.

In other Vanguard University news...

The VU women’s soccer team has started the 2000 season with some spark

in the offense, scoring 33 goals in 10 games en route to a 6-4 overall

record.

Setting the pace for the Lions’ attack is Ganesa Cobb.

Cobb has eight goals and four assists, while Betsy Nienhuis has added

six goals and four assists.

Where better than Hope International University for the Lions’ women’s

volleyball team to post their first win of the season. Congratulations.

After 11 matches and two near-misses, the Lions found themselves on

the winning side of a 15-12, 15-7, 15-0 win on Oct. 3.Megan Godfrey led

the Lions’ attack with 12 kills and 13 digs.

For former coaches, friends and family members who are interested in

keeping the Pilot in touch with those hard-to-find, out-of-area college

athletes from the Newport Beach-Costa Mesa-Corona del Mar triangle, fax

any and all information to (949) 650-0170, or call me at (949) 574-4222.