Palos Verdes

Crespi 16, South Torrance 6--Crespi pitcher Chad Nichols helped himself at the plate with two hits and five RBIs in the Redondo-Palos Verdes consolation-bracket game. Nichols, who started on the mound, rapped a bases-loaded single that scored three in the third then drove home two more with a single in the fourth. He also scored two runs. Ken Franco and Greg Scuderi both doubled as five players each had two hits for Crespi (8-9).

On its way to the State Division III girls' basketball championship game, Palos Verdes High has defeated seven playoff opponents by an average of 36 points. Will things get any tougher for the Sea Kings (30-2) when they meet Healdsburg (30-4) for the state title at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the Oakland Coliseum Arena? Palos Verdes Coach Wendell Yoshida isn't sure. In fact, Yoshida isn't sure where the city of Healdsburg is located. "No, I don't know where Healdsburg High is," Yoshida said.

American Republic Bancorp of Torrance said Friday that it has reached an agreement to acquire Palos Verdes National Bank in a combination cash-stock transaction worth about $5 million. John B. O'Donnell, president of American Republic, said the Palos Verdes bank will retain its name and operate as an independent subsidiary. The deal must be approved by Palos Verdes National shareholders and by federal regulators.

Thursday's Bay League baseball game between Beverly Hills and Palos Verdes high schools was suspended in the first inning when Beverly Hills second baseman Jason Goldberg was knocked unconscious in a collision with a teammate. Goldberg ran into right fielder Robby Wells chasing a shallow fly ball by Palos Verdes' Tryon Liesy with one out in the top of the first. Palos Verdes Coach Gil Eberhard said Goldberg was unconscious for "at least a half hour" before he was taken away by paramedics.

Construction has begun on Wallace Estates, a $50-million housing development on the Palos Verdes Peninsula that will eventually have 82 custom homes. The 25-acre site on Armaga Springs Road near Highridge Road is the last major parcel approved for residential development in Rancho Palos Verdes, according to a spokesman for Wallace Estates Associates, the project's developer. The 15-unit first phase of the project will be completed by next March, and prices are expected to start at $595,000.

If this season was any indication of what is to come, we haven't heard the last of the Palos Verdes High girls' tennis team. A young and talented Palos Verdes team unseated two-time defending champion Corona del Mar in the CIF-Southern Section 4-A Division championship match Tuesday at the Claremont Tennis Club. Palos Verdes (21-0) was awarded the victory on games, 77-67, after the match ended in a set tie, 9-9.

Rancho Palos Verdes Miraleste and Palos Verdes will play for the Southern Section girls' 4-A high school tennis title for the fourth straight year today at the West End Tennis & Racquet Club in Torrance at 1 p.m. Defending champion Miraleste is undefeated in 20 team matches. Palos Verdes has a 22-2 record, both of its losses to Miraleste.

Palos Verdes High School football player Andrew Miller, whose neck injury caused a game against Torrance High to be called with 4:44 left Thursday night at Torrance Stadium, will miss only one or two games, school officials said Friday. Miller had a strained neck and was released from Torrance's Little Company of Mary Hospital late Thursday night. Miller stayed home from school Friday, Palos Verdes Athletic Director Pete Fawaz said. "But he's doing fine," Fawaz said.

Blake Anderson, a 6-foot, 180-pound veer quarterback from Palos Verdes (Calif.) High School, has given a verbal commitment to attend Colorado University, and he admits he will feel pressure to live up to the family name. Anderson's father and uncle were All-Americans at Colorado. Blake's father, Dick Anderson, played defensive back at CU and went on to All-Pro fame with the Miami Dolphins. Blake said he was told by CU coaches he would play either wingback or defensive back.