The undefeated Ventura College swimming and diving teams host their lone Western State Conference home meet Saturday at 10 a.m.

The defending state champion Ventura men (3-0), in the midst of a ninth straight undefeated season, feature returning All-Americans Collin Baratte, Spencer McGrath, Erik Rennspiess and Jordan Singleton.

The Ventura women, the defending WSC champion for the 10th time in 12 seasons, feature All-American sophomore Kayleigh Jeffery and freshman diver Lisa Simmons.

No matter the barrier, Moorpark College runner Nicole Rietveld is continuing her stellar freshman year.

The Simi Valley High product broke the school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase March 12 at the Cal State Northridge Invitational.

She had never run the event before and had only trained for the event's 30-inch barriers and water pits twice.

"I just wanted to try it because it looked really fun," said Rietveld. "I was really scared for the first two laps, but then I got into it."

Rietveld finished the event in 11:21.6. The previous school record of 11:59 was set by Berenice Magana in 2003.

"She's never done hurdles, either," said Moorpark coach Traycie Kephart. "But it was something she wanted to do and she built for it."

Reitveld, who finished fourth in last fall's Western State Conference cross-county championships, has also run the 800, 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meters for the Raiders.

"She's definitely talented," said Kephart. "The biggest thing is just not being afraid, being aggressive and keeping your pace consistent. She did that. She was up there in the front the whole time."

Was it beginner's luck? Reitveld will run the steeplechase for the second time today at the Riverside Invitational.

The Moorpark College softball team saw its fast start in the Western State Conference's Gold Division halted Tuesday with a 3-0 loss at Santa Barbara City.

The early first-place showdown left Santa Barbara (13-2) atop the Gold Division at 4-0 with Moorpark and Cuesta both a game back at 3-1.

Ventura College, which has captured the WSC all-sports Supremacy Award for 12 straight years, has regained the lead for this year's award after the winter season.

Ventura trailed Cuesta by four points after the fall campaign. Behind the women's basketball conference title, Ventura has regained the lead entering the spring season, 49-46.

Moorpark sits in fifth place with 37 points.

After two years in Ventura County, the California Community College basketball championships will return to Northern California next March at Consumnes River College in Sacramento.

Anyone present at the Ventura College Athletic Event Center for the state finals March 12 will remember the sight of the City College of San Francisco men's basketball team turning down the ladder during the postgame net-cutting ceremony.

Instead, the Rams opted to cut down the nets as a team, supporting themselves on the shoulders of teammates to cut down the nets.

The Moorpark College baseball team is strong-arming itself back into contention in the Western State Conference race.

After sweeping defending champion Oxnard this week, 7-3 and 3-1, Moorpark (8-9) has won three of four games in WSC North play and sits in second place ahead of a two-game series with first-place Cuesta Thursday and Saturday.

"We're doing a lot of things right," said Moorpark coach Mario Porto. "You prepare every year to do the right things and we're doing some right things. It's good to see."

The Raiders have already won more games in WSC North place this year than it did a year ago, when it was 2-18.

"The kids learned from last year and the new guys have bought into what we're doing," said Porto. "For a few games, it's meshed and things look good."

The obvious strength is in the pitching rotation. The trio of Landon Hunt, Tyler Karp and Michael Coates have given the Raiders a chance to win every time out.

"I feel comfortable with all our starters," said Porto. "Our pitching is our No. 1 asset right now."

During its recent upswing, which includes five wins in eight games, Moorpark has put together a 1.86 staff ERA.

Hunt, a Moorpark High product and Long Beach State signee, is 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA as a sophomore, striking out 15 in 20 2/3 innings.

The Raiders also received a recent boost at the back end of the staff, where Danny Hawes and Kevin Brown have recovered from injury to give them a setup man and a closer.

"Both those guys will be big assets for us," said Porto.

Brown made his first appearance of the season Thursday, striking out the last two batters with the tying runs on base to earn the save at Oxnard.

The baseball team isn't the only team on Campus Road off to a strong WSC start.

Despite an all-freshman roster, the Moorpark College softball team (8-7, 3-0) took over the early lead in the WSC's Gold Division by sweeping Ventura 3-0 and 4-2 last week and shutting out Oxnard, 4-0, Tuesday,

Jennifer Moreno, a Rio Mesa high product, is hitting .429 with 14 runs and 11 RBIs through 15 games. Pitcher JoJo Boicourt, a Hueneme High product, is 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA in WSC play.

The Ventura College men's swimming team once again proclaimed it will compete for statewide honors last weekend with a second-place finish at the Cuesta Invitational in San Luis Obispo.

The Pirates finished second, 85.5 points behind first-place Santa Rosa, 692.5-607, among 22 teams at the annual event.

Sophomore Collin Baratte finished second in the 100 backstroke (52.80 seconds), third in the 100 butterfly (52.74) and was part of teams that won the 400 medley relay (3:32.02, Jordan Singleton, Coleman Goode and Erik Rennspiess) and finished third in the 200 medley relay (1:37.73, along with Singleton, Goode and Steven Tennant).

Brendan DeLear and Thomas Maires finished second (4:50.37) and third (4:53.90) in the 500 freestyle. Rennspiess was also third in the 200 freestyle (1:45.60) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:01.71), Tennant was third in the 50 freestyle (21.72), and Goode was fifth in the 400 IM (4:20.26) and 100 breast stroke (1:01.06)

Sophomore Kayleigh Jeffrey won the 200 freestyle (1:59.06) and finished second in the 500 freestyle (5:22.20) to guide the VC women to a sixth-place finish.

The California Community College women's basketball Final Four arrives at Ventura College tonight.

-- Follow my live updates on Twitter.
-- Watch the broadcast at here

2011 CCCAA state championship games

MEN
San Francisco 83, Citrus 81 FINAL DeEnd Parker's tip in with 2.4 seconds to play decided the men's final. Runners up a year ago, CCSF wins its first title since 1962. CCSF's Fred Sturdivant had a game-high 24 points, 12 rebounds and a key block in the last minute. Lateef McMullan had 23 points for Citrus, including seven 3s. Citrus made 14 3s but was outrebounded, 46-27.

WOMEN
3:30 p.m. San Francisco vs. Santa Rosa

The California Community College women's basketball Final Four arrives at Ventura College tonight.

--Read my feature on Cypress coach Margaret Mohr, a product of La Reina High, here.
-- Follow my live updates on Twitter.
-- Watch the broadcast at here

2011 CCCAA state semifinals

WOMEN
5 p.m. San Francisco 50, Cypress 42 FINAL
7 p.m. Santa Rosa 55, Mount San Antonio 54 FINAL

The California Community College men's basketball Final Four arrives at Ventura College tonight.

--Read my feature on Fresno City coach Ed Madec, a product of Rio Mesa High and Oxnard College, here.
-- Follow my live updates on Twitter.
-- Watch the broadcast at here

2011 CCCAA state semifinals

MEN
City College of San Francisco 65, Saddleback 60 FINAL CCSF had four scorers in double figures, including Jonathon Williams (16 points) and Ivan Dorsey (14 points), as it avenged its loss in last year's state final. Wendell Faines had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Gauchos before leaving late with an injury.
7 p.m.: Citrus 44, Fresno City 32 HALF