Tyler Abbott, a senior pitcher with the Royal High baseball team, has committed to UC Irvine.
Abbott is 5-2 with an earne run average of 0.70.
Oaks Christian School senior Chase Bloch is not only a great swimmer, he's a coach-in-the-making, too.
It seems that Bloch has been working after practices with teammates on the Lions. The objective? To make sure that the Lions don;t have to settle for anything but a CIF-SS team championship at the Division II finals in May.
"I've been staying after practice to help out as much as I can," he said. "I think we've got a lot more depth this year. We're all looking forward to the CIF meet.
A year ago, Oaks Christian placed second in the Division II championships, ending its streak of four successive Southern Section crowns.
The development of Newbury Park High football and its emphasis on a quick-striking, four-wideout scheme changed the face of Ventura County football.
But, eventally,the region's defensive coaches force Newbury Park to change, too.
Pass defenses became more sophisticated and pass rushes became more formidable, says former Newbury Park coach George Hurley.
"There were some teams, like Agoura, that really gave us trouble," said Hurley. "One of the big things they did was disguise defenses. One play it was eight guys in coverage. The next play, came the all-out blitz. Eventually, they caught up to us."
Keith Smith, the former standout quarterback for the Newbury Park High football team, will be honored in June with his induction into the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame.
While his football credentials are remarkable, one question remains: Could he have been a professional baseball player, if he so chose?
Probably yes. But Smith has no regrets that he chose to play football for the University of Arizona, then in the Canadian Football League.
"I had the football kind of mentality," he explains. "I lived for football game days. I was always intense, always eager to get out on the field. Baseball required more of an even temperament."
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