Michelle Serrato has earned her spot

"She says, 'Don't do me any favors. I want to earn everything I get,' " Coach Javier Cid said.

Serrato, who also plays on special teams, participated in Roosevelt's 39-29 victory over Huntington Park last Friday and got a few carries earlier in the season against L.A. Contreras, making her decision to play with the boys seem worthwhile.

"Practice and everything is all worth it in the end when you're on the field and play in the games," said Serrato, who is 5 feet 6 and 155 pounds.

Cid said he doesn't give Serrato special treatment because of her gender.

"I told her, 'Hey, I'm not going to let you play just because you're a girl,' " he said. " 'Is that what you expect? If you're going to get any playing time, it's because you earn it.' "

Serrato said she hasn't been subjected to any ribbing.

"For the most part, everybody's positive and asks me how it is playing on the team and if it's difficult to keep up with the boys," she said. "I've been playing since I was a freshman, so I've kind of learned to catch up with them."

Serrato nearly had a female counterpart in the East L.A. Classic last year. Cid and Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez had talked about letting Serrato match up against Bulldogs defensive end Stephanie Lopez, but Lopez quit the team early in the season.

"That would have been a neat deal," Hernandez said. "[Lopez] was stronger than a lot of boys on the team."

Request denied

The Southern Section Area Placement/Releaguing Committee has rejected a request by the Marmonte League to move to the Foothill Area, clearing the way for the possibility of Westlake Village Oaks Christian moving to the Marmonte League.

If the Marmonte League request had been approved, Oaks Christian would not have been considered for the league during the revamping of leagues that takes effect in 2010.

Oaks Christian is trying to switch places with Calabasas and join the Marmonte League for football and possibly other sports. But Marmonte League schools have been trying to keep the league intact.

This decision opens the way for other schools in the Ventura County area to push Oaks Christian into the Marmonte League. Oaks Christian competes in the Tri-Valley League.

Hansen gliding

Every year, 16-year-old Kate Hansen of La Canada continues to defy logic. She lives in Southern California but has become one of the nation's top luge competitors.

She has earned a spot on the U.S. team that will race on the World Cup circuit in Germany, Austria, Italy and Japan this winter.

The world championships will be in February at Lake Placid, N.Y.

Last year, Hansen began the season by racing in the youth division (16 and under). In January, she moved up to the junior division (20 and under) and won the junior world championship and junior national championship.

She is the youngest member of the U.S. World Cup team.

Etc.

Running back Arby Fields of Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos has committed to Northwestern.

Bolch and Sondheimer are Times staff writers.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com