The crack of the bat, the leap over hurdles, and the swing of the racket: These are all signs that the second half of the sports season has begun at Bakersfield College. BC has produced a long history of sports success both on and off the field and the coaches and athletes of the spring sports season plan to continue that tradition during the 2002 season.
BC has eight teams that compete in the Western State Conference during the second half of the school year, with men and women’s basketball resuming from the fall calendar. In addition to hoops, men and women compete in track and field, as well as tennis. softball and baseball round out the teams who will be competing for the ‘Gades this spring.
The women’s basketball team got off to a slow start, but head coach Paula Dahl was all smiles after its Jan 30 win against Glendale. The team reached the 100-point mark for the first time in three years.
“We were running the floor well. We were playing with a lot of confidence,” Dahl said. “I’m very pleased. We were playing the type of basketball I know we are capable all year.”
The ‘Gades play their final home game on Feb. 16 against L.A. Valley at 5:30 p.m.
A cold snap in the weather department at the end of January has not cooled the spirits of the BC baseball and softball teams.
The annual BC Alumni Baseball Game, which allows current players to match skills and experience with past BC players, was rained out on Jan. 27.
“I had alumni calling me this morning saying they were going to say home and watch football,” said BC head coach Tim Painton.
BC opened their season by hosting the Klassen corporation Tournament from February 1 thru 3 at Gerry Collis Field. They won their opening game against City College of San Francisco on Friday, and then lost the rematch on Saturday. They lost Golden West 7-4, but finished the tournament strong by beating Taft on Sunday to even their record at 2-2.
The ‘Gades return two starting pitchers from last year squad which finished the season 20-23, as well as the team’s Most Valuable Player. That honor went to Sean Alexander. As a freshman, the sophomore outfielder and first-team all division selection batted .370, had nine doubles and 18 runs batted in. Sophomores Sean Sorrow, an honorable mention all-division selection from last season, and Ryan Mask are two of the most experienced pitchers on the team, which consists of 17 freshmen.
Sorrow finished last season with a 7-5 record and had an earned run average of 2.43. He pitched 89 innings and recorded 66 strikeouts, while allowing just 13 walks. Mask pitched 82 innings during the 2001 season. He finished with a record of 3-6, had 57 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.95.
The ‘Gades will host the BC Light Brigade Tournament at Gerry Collis Field from Feb. 22-24 before beginning their league season vs. Glendale on Feb. 28 at Glendale. The two teams will play again on Mar. 2 at Gerry Collis Field.
The BC women’s fastpitch softball team brings solid coaching and talent into the 2002 season after finishing last year 24-17-1 (14-7 WSC).
Sandi Taylor, the 1997 WSC coach of the year, begins her 12th season as BC head coach. The ‘Gades will play at home in a three team tournament on Feb. 9 against El Camino (12 noon) and College of the Sequoias (4 p.m.). After another home game on Feb. 12 vs. Rio Hondo (5 p.m.), they will play in the BC Classic on Feb. 22-24 at North Rosedale Park.
Returning to the diamond from last years team are sophomore outfielders Jennifer Cook, catcher/infielder Devon Metzner, both from West High and infielder Brianna Dinwiddie from Bakersfield High. Outfielder Teresa Guerrero from Garces and pitcher/outfielder Candice Swan from Centennial round out the sophomore class.
Swan earned All-Southern California honors last season, and was also named 1st team all-Western State Conference. She broke the BC record for triples in a season having eight and had a .415 batting average. As a pitcher, she compiled a record of 6-7 and posted an earned run average of 2.03.
As a freshman last year, Guerrero broke the BC record for hits in a season with 72. She posted an overall batting average of .518, had an on-base percentage of .535, which also was a team record and stole 23 bases. She earned 2nd team WSC-All Conference honors.
Coming over from BC’s WSC Championship volleyball team are freshman infielders Rya Baker from Centennial High and Jennie Samarripas from Foothill High.
The BC men’s tennis team will try to build on its success from last year when it ended the season ranked 15th in the state.
Head coach Rob Slaybaugh will have 14 players representing ten different local high schools competing on the team this season. Slaybaugh is in his 14th year as head coach.
Returning players include sophomore Jimmy Bates, who finished last season ranked 17th in the state; Michael and Marc Johns from Centennial High School; Jeffery Warnick, who ended last year with a 14-4 record; Tim Lynott from Stockdale High School and Justin Ahart, who was the No.1 ranked player at Foothill High School last year. Janis Taurins, who graduated from Wasco High School as a foreign exchange student, is originally from Lathia, a breakaway country from the former Soviet Union.
Keith Hinds is beginning his first year as head coach for the women’s team. He coached West High School’s varsity boys’ team in 1998. He also was a tennis professional in Ventura, Ca. and Ann Arbor, Michigan before arriving in Bakersfield.
Playing on the women’s squad are Shanna Kwock, Brenda O’ Doherty, Crystal Hageman and Sarah Fear.
All four players won their singles and double matches Feb. 5 against West Hills College. They will host Glendale College on Feb. 12, Citrus College on Feb. 14 and Santa Monica on Feb. 19.
“The girls that I do have are all working hard,” Hinds said. There are positions available for additional players who have had high school varsity tennis experience, Hinds said. Anyone interested can contact Hinds in the Athletic Department or attend the practices held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 1 and 3 p.m. on the tennis courts.
Stability and youth are the adjectives to best describe the BC women’s track and field teams.
Head coach Pam Kelly, who is also the women’s cross-country coach, returns to the field for her 20th season.
The ‘Gades have only two sophomores on the team for the 2002 season, but they gain experience with athletes coming over from the cross-country team. Kelly says the team will be strong in the running events this season. Misty Coston was the WSC conference champion in the 100 meters and was sixth in Southern California while competing for last year’s team. Kristen Chambers, Rachel Rios, Adela Flores and Marabelle Vega all competed on the cross-country team during the fall season and look to carry their experience over to the track.
Flores was the team MVP and all four were in the top six in cross-county Kelley said. Flores, Vega and Rios qualified for the state meet in cross-country as well.
In the pole vault, Anna Bliss from Stockdale High School and Renae Rollo from Taft have both cleared nine feet-six inches.
Megan Clutters will be strong in the throws Kelley said. She was the small school Valley Champion in the discus.
The men’s track and field team has won the WSC conference title 10 out of the last 11 years. Last season, the ‘Gades finished third in the Southern California meet and were third in the state.
Bob Covey returns for his 39th season as head coach and will have some experienced athletes back from last season team.
Arthur Hinojos tied the team record in the high jump, clearing seven feet. Johnny Wiley was the conference triple jump champion and was 5th in the state meet last year. Jess Washington finished third in the state meet in the triple jump and was 5th in the national juniors meet. Stuart Richmond was the state Champion in the triple jump setting a mark of 51 feet, but may redshirt because of injury.
The ‘Gades will have another strong team competing in the throws Covey said. Chris Figures was second in the state in the shot-put and fifth in the hammer throw. He also holds the BC freshman record in the hammer throw. Joining his from last years team are Charles Faubus and Mike Poncetta.
On the track, BC will have some talented newcomers joining the team. Brian Andrews was fifth in the state of Washington in the 400 meters and will also compete in the 400 meter hurdles. Filip Walotka, a native of Poland, was the European juniors champion in the 400 meters, with a best time of 46:32.
In the distance events, sophomore Ricky Lee and freshman Antonio Armendariz from Ridgeview High, will be a top runners in the 5000 and 10,000 meters.
Both the women’s and men’s teams will host WSC meets on Feb. 14 at Memorial Stadium. They will host their second WSC meet on March 1 and a third meet on March 8 before competing in the BC relays on March 15 and 16.