Santa Monica Sports Notes

In Riverside, North Venice lost to South El Monte, 6-5, despite a three-run homer by Hermino Garcia. The team came back to defeat Santana Little League of San Diego, 13-1, but lost to Norco, 8-6, despite three hits each by Danny Casanova (Santa Monica High) and Carlos Gonzalez. In the tournament first baseman Matt Winkleman, who had a fine sophomore season at St. Monica, continued to hit with power...

High school football practice begins Aug. 21. New Santa Monica High offensive co-ordinator Tebb Kusserow will return from travel abroad as he resumes coaching after a nine-year absence, working with head coach Norm Lacy...

Organizers of the CaliFlorida football bowl game have Lacy under consideration to coach the California team in the Dec. 23 game at the Coliseum but there are many factors involved. One is to decide whether the Samohi coaching staff wants to take on the project after going through an entire season. The CIF playoffs go into the first week of December...

Santa Monica Girls Lose In State Tournament

By Mitch Chortkoff

The Little League season is over in Santa Monica, but what a season it was.

The final team to be eliminated was the Santa Monica Junior Girls softball squad (ages 9 and 10), who became the first one from the Santa Monica Little League to reach the state tournament.

Santa Monica got there (to Temecula) by winning two prior tournaments, eliminating defending state champion Manhattan Beach along the way.

However, at the state tournament the girls lost to Rancho San Diego, 14-2, and then were eliminated with a second defeat, this time 13-3 to Southridge of Fontana.

Dana Sigman and Saltana Megalos had 11 strikeouts in the two games but the team had too many errors.

But the Santa Monica girls took their place in local Little League history with their performance. They achieved something no team in all the years of the program was able to do.

The District 25 champions, Santa Monica West, also had a memorable time, winning the opening tournament by defeating Playa Vista twice. They too were eliminated as they moved up in the playoffs but can look back at some terrific achievements. Santa Monica East didn't fare well but it's still a memorable experience for these youngsters to be chosen as all-stars.

It will be fun to watch these young players advance in their careers. Some will play for our local high school teams.