Running back Gabriel Bostic not only returned to the Ventura College football team, he has been named the kick returner on JC Gridwire's preseason All-America second team.

The Floridian sat out last season after averaging 34.6 yards per kickoff return in 2007. He also rushed for 503 yards and two touchdowns on 103 carries.

The Ventura College football team was slotted No. 16 in the preseason Southern California football poll. It also received votes in the state poll.

The full polls are after the jump.

JC Gridwire has released its national two-year college football preseason poll.

Neither of the two local schools received a vote, but SCFA Northern Division foe College of the Canyons is No. 16.

While I was gone, Star teammate Loren Ledin wrote a fine feature on the Ventura College football team preparing for the debut of its on-campus stadium Sept. 5.

"It will make a huge difference," said coach Jon Mack. "Always before, a home game meant getting on the bus and going to Larrabee. It's supposed to be a 15-minute trip, but who knows? You can run into traffic, or some hangup. We always had to leave early, because we couldn't be late. In a way, we were visitors too.

"Now we really have a home-field advantage."

Belated congratulations to the Premier Development League champion Ventura County Fusion, who beat the Chicago Fire Premier 2-1 on Alfonso Motagalvan's scrappy, late goal on Aug. 8 to win its first North American title.

I wouldn't have missed it for anything but my wedding.

Star teammate Rhiannon Potkey covered the final fantastically, as this preview, this game story and this wrapup featuring Fusion midfielder Bedel Guei attest.

As reported by Star teammate Rhiannon Potkey last week, Moorpark College has put three athletic programs on hold because of the state budget shortfall -- wrestling, men's golf and women's golf.

Potkey's story is an in-depth look at the issues, including former two-time All-American wrestler Charles Sandlin's drive to save the wrestling program.

The suspensions are expected to save the college $85,000 to $90,000 annually. The Raiders now offer 13 sports.

"This was very, very hard because athletics is a thing that opens doors for a number of students who would not normally be here and I see it as an important part of our academic core," school president Pam Eddinger said. "But it really became about what 13 sports we could have that would touch the most amount of students and get them the most amount of exposure to move them through college."

... summer vacation is over, classes have begun and the information will begin to flow here on the College Sports Blog.

Fusion coach Graham Smith on the Fusion's shockingly comprehensive 6-1 win over the Bradenton Academics Saturday night in Laredo, Tex.

"I want them to enjoy the occasion because they deserve it," said Smith of his players. "Their attitude has been exemplary.

"It's been one of quiet confidence. I didn't see any frightened eyes out there. When that happens, you get a good feeling.

"They've come together as a group and we're extremely proud of them, regardless of what happens next."

Team news: Less than 20 minutes before kickoff. The players are on the field warming up. The Fusion are wearing its home blue shirts. "The atmosphere is great and the guys are fired up," texts team translator Greg Asatourian from Laredo, Tex.

Fusion starting lineup: Bryan Hill, Dylan Riley, Dillon Barna, Ivan Becerra, Armondo Guerrero, Bryan Byrne, Manny Guzman, Alfonso Motagalvan, Danny Barrera, Rodrigo Lopez, Anthony Hamilton.
Game-time conditions: 104 degrees, hot, humid and windy.
Kickoff
1st minute -- Hamilton floats in a good cross to start, but no one is there to attack it. Bradenton earns a corner on the count.
2nd minute -- Hill makes a huge save on the free kick, knocking it high and over. The corner is delt with by Byrne.
3rd minute -- Guzman plays it forward to Barrera, who is fouled and earns a free kick 25 yards out. Barrera takes the set piece and the goalkeeper palms it over for a corner.
4th minute -- Lopez nearly finds Becerra with the corner, but Bradenton attacker Stephen Morris gets forward past a few Fusion players. He breaks free 1 on 1 with Hill and just misses wide.
6th minute -- Barna heads away a Bradenton corner kick with ease.
7th minute -- Lopez gets back to handle a Bradenton corner and fouls midfielder Jose Roberto Ramos. But the free kick is turned over needlessly. Hamilton threatens on the counter attack but Motagalvan finishes over the bar.
8th minute -- Morris misses wide with a good chance on a Bradenton counter.
Asatourian adds "So far it has been a great up and down fast paced game.

9th minute -- Lopez finds Motagalvan who finds Byrne, whose cross is deflected over by Bradenton defender Guilherme Reis.
Asatourian adds "Morris looks dangerous and Bradenton is maintaining good possession."
13th minute -- Riley and Hamilton nearly pull off a give and go, but the shot is dragged wide.
Asatourian adds "Bradenton is having trouble containing Byrne."
14th minute -- Hamilton is played through by the shot is saved.
18th minute -- The Fusion has a penalty shout as Becerra may have been fouled in the box, but the ref doesn't give it. Lopez found Becerra with a great give and go and Ivan beat his defender.
20th minute -- A second Fusion shout comes to nothing as a potential Bradenton back pass is handled by the keeper, but it is missed by the referees.
Ranbir Shergill adds "should have had two penalties."
Asatourian adds "Everyone on our bench has been warned for protesting. Two stone cold penalties not awarded. Both teams are attacking furiously."
23rd minute -- Byrne drags a shot wide.
24th minute -- Lopez's cross to Riley creates a great chance by the free header from 6 yards goes just wide.
27th minute -- The Fusion bench explodes after Riley is given a yellow card after a disputed foul.
33rd minute -- Hamilton explodes down the wing, but the cross goes high. Byrne follows with a strong shot that is blocked down by a Bradenton defender.
36th minute -- Bradenton 1, Fusion 0: Bradenton scrambles home the opening goal off a ball that Hill couldn't catch.
38th minute -- Fusion 1, Bradenton 1: The Fusion immediatley equalize. Lopez explodes into the penalty area with a great dribble and finishes with a low shot.
40th minute -- Fusion 2, Bradenton 1: Lopez's cross is deflected and Becerra arrives to head the ball past the Bradenton keeper for a fantastic Fusion response.
Asatourian adds "This has been an amazing fast paced game full of chances with the Fusion having the most possession.."
43rd minute -- Bradenton earns a free kick but Cameron Hepple's free kick is driven wide.
44th minute -- Lopez's corner kick is driven in but Becerra's header is deflected.
45th minute -- Fusion 3, Bradenton 1: Barrera nods down into the box for Hamilton, who spins in the and finishes expertly for a mammoth two-goal halftime lead.

Halftime
46th minute -- The second half has kicked off without a substitution.
49th minute -- Bradenton forward Ederson Lopes gets into a good position, but Lopez wins it back for the Fusion and finds a streaking Guerrero. But the move comes to nothing.
51st minute -- Fusion 4, Bradenton 1: The Fusion have one foot in the final now. Barrera, the Westlake High product, takes the ball off a Bradenton defender, walks into the penalty area calmly and sends a curving shot home for a three-goal Fusion lead.
54th minute -- Fusion 5, Bradenton 1: The Fusion score its fifth unanswered goal. Bradenton was pushing forward looking to create some chances and the Hamilton punished it on the counter attack. Barrera picks up the assist.
55th minute -- Barrera, who has had a goal and an assist in the second half, yields for Agoura High graduate Sam Myerson. Barrera would have been suspended for the final with a yellow card.
59th minute -- Hagop Chirishian on for an injured Manny Guzman, right before Hill makes a great save. Bradenton wastes the resulting corner.
69th minute -- Ramos dribbles through the Fusion defense and slips a pass to Lopes to fire high.
74th minute -- Adam Smarte, who didn't start because of an elbow injury, comes on to replace Motagalvan.
75th minute -- Chirishian sets up a chance for Myerson, but the save is made.
77th minute -- Arthur Aghasyan comes on for Hamilton.
80th minute -- Avesyan is getting ready to replace Byrne.
NEWS UPDATE -- The PDL just cleared Ranbir Shergill to announce that, if the result stands, the Fusion will host the PDL final next Saturday night at Buena High.
90th minute - Fusion 6, Bradenton 1: Aghasyan makes it six with a header from Lopez in the final minute.

The score is final. The Fusion will host either the Chicago Fire or Cary Clarets Aug. 8 at Buena High for the PDL national title.

Last I heard, Chicago led Cary, 2-1.

Burnley F.C. of the English Premier League must be pretty pleased this morning, as the two Premier Development League teams with which it has worked have moved on to the PDL Final Four.

The Cary Clarets, who took Burnley's nickname after striking a partnership with the Lancashire club, clipped the host Des Moines Menace Friday night. That result came while the Ventura County Fusion, who served host to Burnley this month and may partner with the club in the future, were in the process of beating the Kitsap Pumas.

Both teams play today for the right to play next week in the PDL final.

Here's my story on the Ventura County Fusion's 2-1 win over the Kitsap Pumas in the Western Conference final Friday in Laredo, Tex.