Channel Islands

Channel Islands, with five first-place finishes, scored 180 points in the Marmonte League wrestling championships Saturday at Westlake High to win the league title. The champions for Channel Islands are: J.R. Andrade, 135 pounds; Sam Marquez, 141; Sal Barajas, 157; Vic Balderama, 168; and Vince Plymire, heavyweight. Plymire and Thousand Oaks' 194-pounder Mike Yasenchok had the only pins in the meet.

A group representing residents near the Channel Islands Harbor has filed a lawsuit against the Ventura Regional Sanitation District, claiming the district plans to spend up to $27 million on a recycling center that may not be needed. The suit was filed last week by the Channel Islands Beach Community Service District, a public agency that provides water, sewer and trash collection services for 8,500 residents in the Channel Islands beach and harbor area.

Al Tarazon attained a long-sought personal goal this week when he was selected to replace the retiring Don Cardinal as baseball coach at Channel Islands High. Tarazon, 32, coached the Channel Islands junior varsity from 1987-90 and coached the varsity at Pasadena for the past two seasons. Returning to Channel Islands was always foremost on his mind. "We kind of talked about it before I left (for Pasadena)," Tarazon said. "I went away to get some varsity experience until Don decided to retire."

David Krewson completed eight of 18 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown as Simi Valley High picked up its first Marmonte League victory by beating Channel Islands, 14-6, Saturday night at Channel Islands. Channel Islands (1-7, 0-5 in league) was driving in the final minute, with Nick Ciari connecting on consecutive pass plays of 16 and 32 yards to move to the Simi Valley 32-yard line. Ciari's desperation pass, however, fell incomplete as time expired.

Channel Islands High, off to a sluggish start against Westlake, needed a swift kick when behind to get going. The Raiders got just that from senior J. Rosario Pina, who booted a 51-yard field goal to start Channel Islands on its way to a 31-15 Marmonte League victory Friday night at Hueneme High. "All week I was practicing long kicks," Pina said of his school-record field goal. "I thought I helped the team and motivated us to play harder."

Photography, art displays, a rain forest terrarium, marine aquarium and "hands-on" touch tanks are among the exhibits that will be available at the Celebration of Channel Islands National Park to be hosted by Ventura Harbor Village from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Channel Islands park staff members and volunteers will be available with displays on each of the five protected islands: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara.

It could have been billed as a "Night at the Races." Featured were four quick runners in the backfield for Oxnard and one thoroughbred charging for Channel Islands. The thoroughbred outclassed the four colts, however, and Channel Islands held on to defeat Oxnard, 26-25, in a nonleague game at Oxnard.

Senior O.J. Thomas and juniors Dwight Sattiewhite and Julius Samuel of the Channel Islands boys' basketball team have been declared academically ineligible and will miss the rest of the season. Thomas, Channel Islands' career assist leader, was averaging 13.8 points, 7.9 assists and 3.1 steals a game. Sattiewhite was the Raiders' leading scorer at 20.1 points and Samuel was their leading rebounder at 5.7 rebounds.

The Society of Travel Agents in Government has recognized Channel Islands Hotel Properties with the organization's 1997 Best Local Travel Supplier Program award. The company was honored for a May 1997 trip and tour coordinated for Sato Travel agents from San Diego. The event included a reception at the Oxnard Hilton, dinner at the Lobster Trap restaurant and tours of Ventura County hotels owned by Channel Island Properties.

The Channel Islands Beach Community Services District--which includes Silver Strand and Hollywood-by-the-Sea near Oxnard--is sponsoring a hot dog roast today to rally support for two residents' groups. The roast, intended to support the area's Neighborhood Watch group and a new emergency response team, will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jack's Sport Fishing, 3800 W. Victoria Ave.