If you whistle while you work it must be time for the sporting season to begin at the Beach. The first whistle is Friday night when the Arizona Wildcats come to George Allen Field with a perfect record and a couple of question marks. The Cats are perfect because this is game one, just as it is for the 49ers. Last year, The Beach (18-6-1) went to the Elite Eight and UA stayed in the desert with a miserable 1-16-2 mark.
Like the LBSU side, the Cats watched the Olympics—especially their rep and fellow teammate, Ana Montoya who played for Columbia. Sophomore Mykaylin Rosenquist was most excited about being able to watch one of her teammates compete on the television. “It’s really exciting to see one of our players on the big screen,” Rosenquist said. “I know Ana has so much pride in her home country, Colombia, so making it to the 2012 Olympics is such an honor for her.”
Arizona coach Lisa Oyen (eighth season, but her second as head coach) is still trying to pick between two goal keepers—a Texas Tech transfer, Gabby Kaufman and a lanky (5’10”) freshman Allison Gondosch. Two incoming freshmen were added late to the Wildcat roster and may have an impact on the Arizona team. Hannah Wong and Autumn Lockwood will add versatility and talent to the Wildcat roster. Lockwood, an incoming freshman out of Morgantown, West Virginia, will contribute to the Arizona defense. During Lockwood’s senior year of high school, she was chosen as co-defender of the year in West Virginia. Wong participated on the New Zealand women’s Under-17 soccer team that represented New Zealand’s international Under-17 team in various tournaments around the world. Wong is an attacking forward who will bring speed and agility to the Arizona roster.
The home girls scrimmaged under their new lights Friday night and junior Chyann Saban scored in the second half against San Diego State in a 1-1 tie. There was no overtime period played as both teams congratulated each other at the end of regulation.
LBSU tallied five saves for the game as sophomore Marrina Meyers played in the first half recording two saves, while fellow classmate Kaci McCain closed out the last 45 minutes with three saves. The 49ers finished with seven shots for the game and two corner kicks, while the Aztecs turned in 11 shots and three corner kicks.
The Saturday whistle will come from the sauna known as the Gold Mine in a scrimmage featuring London gold medalist Misty May-Treanor plus a bunch of past stars facing the 2012 women’s indoor volleyball team. Treanor’s presence should help the gate in a year when each sport needs to raise more money after a ten percent budget cut. And, look for assistant coach and front row hitter Ericka Chidester get some big blasts off on her trainees from the sweet sets of Treanor.
The returning Niners have a formidable front line with middle blocker and 2011 honorable mention 6-6 All-American Haleigh Hampton and fast rising 6-3 Alma Serna. The Beach gals look to defend their 2011 Big West championship against the conference, including new member Hawaii, who rejoins the league in 2012. The 49ers were picked to finish second behind the Rainbow Wahine in the Big West preseason coaches poll.
Long Beach State received 66 votes in the AVCA preseason poll, beginning the season just outside of the Top 25. After playing against the alumni, the Niners will begin the season on August 24, traveling to Lexington, KY for the Kentucky Classic where they will play Lipscomb and North Carolina before closing out the tournament against the hosts, No. 13 Kentucky.
SCATTERED DUST—Expected returning pitcher Matt Anderson will not return. He got a $400,000 deal with Seattle after his fast ball move from 87-89 to 92-96. Seattle, you will note, is the MLB home of another Dirtbag hurler, Jason Vargas, who improved to 13-8 with a masterful road win over hometown hero and his former 2004 team mate Jared Weaver.
Weaver and Vargas, both of whom were drafted in 2004, started against each other two other times in the majors—both last season. Vargas won the first matchup 3-0 at Seattle, and neither pitcher got a decision the second time around as the Angels won 1-0 in 10 innings.
“I’ve pitched pretty well in those games and so has he,” Vargas said. “Today I threw my changeup for strikes early in the game, then just below the strike zone later. And when the hitters fell behind, they were a little more willing to chase that pitch. They were set up for a big inning a couple of times, but I got out of it with the help of our defense.”
Besides being the home of the Area Code Games for a week every summer, of course Blair Field serves as Long Beach State’s home field and over the last two seasons, the Dirtbags and their opponents have hit just seven home runs at Blair.
In 17 games over five days at the Area Codes, high school players swinging wood bats have hit as many home runs—seven—as college players swinging metal bats hit at Blair in 57 games over the last two years. Is the ball got more juice then Denny’s on Saturday morning?
Northwoods league and returning Niner Richard Prigatano is the league MVP. The freshman from LBSU is batting .318 and leads the team in doubles (14), home runs (10), RBI (47) and stolen bases (18).
Last of the player/coach movements might come from the coaching staff. Insiders are somewhat worried that a couple of assistants in men’s basketball and a head coach in men’s volleyball still need to be locked into new deals and during a cloudy economic environment.
Closing quote—The drama of Olympic women’s water polo with Spain had USA head coach Adam Krikorian, shall we say, nervous after a too tight semi final in which the coach goofed.
“About 30 seconds to go,” he said as to when he felt his team had won. “I was so focused today, I was still pissed with myself about what I did two days ago (calling an illegal time-out in the semis, awarding a penalty for Australia and a chance for the extra-time). So I just told myself to stand there all the way to the very end…. We played with a lot of heart that was it.” After collecting two silver medals and a bronze since the 2000 Olympic Games, the Americans finally got the gold. See you around the campii—DR. DAN