4 A Division

The Hart High softball team met its short-game match in the Southern Section 4-A Division final Friday night at Mayfair Park in Lakewood. Foothill's team speed and clutch hitting fueled its 5-2 victory over Hart. It was Foothill's first section championship. Foothill batters gave Hart's defense a healthy dose of its own game plan. The Indians were forced to rush throws the entire game--and paid the price because of it more often than not.

Spectators at tonight's Southern Section 4-A Division championship softball game might suffer double vision watching the teams from Hart and Foothill highs square off at Mayfair Park in Lakewood at 7:30. Both teams rely on "short-game" strategy, and each has lost seven games this season. Each starting pitcher has lost five games. The similarities between the teams do not end there. Hart's leadoff batter is Jamie Dean, a slap-hitter with exceptional speed.

Lumber and lightning it wasn't. Lumber and a little luck, perhaps. San Pedro High made the most of nearly every opportunity it was handed Wednesday night--and there was plenty to be had--and knocked off Poly, 6-3, in the City Section 4-A Division baseball final at Dodger Stadium. Poly committed five errors and fumbled away nearly two decades of San Fernando Valley dominance in the City. Valley schools had won 19 consecutive large-school titles entering the game.

Having already established herself as the team comedian, Hart High catcher Kim Neighbors sought to prove herself as a singer Tuesday when the Indians met top-seeded La Habra in a Southern Section 4-A Division softball semifinal at College of the Canyons. Neighbors has kept teammate Lauren Fenstemaker loose during the playoffs by telling jokes to the sophomore pitcher during visits to the mound. "Kim couldn't think of any jokes today, so she sang to me instead," Fenstemaker said.

When it comes to track, Peninsula High senior distance runner Maya Muneno has been a quick study. In her first three years in high school, Muneno competed in three sports, but track wasn't one of them. Now in her first season in the sport, Muneno, 17, is leaving a lasting impression. Muneno had the top qualifying time in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at the Southern Section 4-A Division preliminaries last week. At Saturday's division final at Cerritos College, she will run only the 3,200.

A decade of dominance came to an end for the El Camino Real High softball team Wednesday at the hands of an avenging foe. For the first time since 1981, El Camino Real will not be involved in the City Section 4-A Division championship game. San Pedro landed the knockout punch with a three-run ninth inning to beat El Camino Real, 6-3, in a playoff semifinal at South Gate Park. It was the first preliminary-round loss for Coach Neils Ludlow, who came to El Camino Real in 1985.

The El Camino Real and Chatsworth high football programs have agreed to swap places next fall in league play, allowing El Camino Real to remain in the City Section 4-A Division and Chatsworth in the 3-A. Based on its league record from 1991, Chatsworth (9-5, 4-3 in league play) would have been promoted from the 3-A North Valley League to the 4-A West Valley. El Camino Real finished 3-7, 1-6 and was scheduled to be moved from the 4-A to the 3-A.

Ocean View 3, Damien 2--Ryan Robertson, Daniel Tomlin and Ryan Schomberg scored as the Seahawks (22-4-3) took a 3-0 lead over Damien (20-6-2). Tomlin scored 25 minutes into the match. Robertson's goal came 10 minutes later and Schomberg scored early in the second half.

The senior combination of Charisse Sampson and Keshana Ledet was all Washington High girls' basketball team needed to continue its four-year domination of city teams Friday at the Sports Arena. Sampson and Ledet combined for 34 points and 20 rebounds to lead Washington to a 56-38 victory over Wilmington Banning for its fourth consecutive City 4-A Division championship.

Westchester High, the defending City 4-A Division boys' basketball champion, is the top-seeded team in the City playoff pairings released Friday. The Comets (23-2), the Western League champions, are followed by second-seeded Washington (18-4), the Southern League champion. The third-seeded team will be determined by a coin flip next week between Crenshaw (16-4) and Dorsey (17-5), which finished in a second-place tie in the Southern League.