Rancho Buena Vista

It's a difficult thing, bucking history. Point Loma discovered that. Rancho Buena Vista continued to remain unbeaten in section playoff games, winning its ninth consecutive with a 27-12 victory Saturday night over Point Loma in front of 4,200 at Vista High School. RBV will play Palomar League rival Orange Glen in the semifinals Saturday at a site to be determined. Each of the Longhorns' menagerie of backs shone at one time or another.

Vonn Fe'ao has quite a story to tell his friends when he gets back to Hawaii. Fe'ao escaped a bases-loaded jam with a double play in the top of the fifth inning, then secured the victory with a homer in the bottom of the inning Saturday as West Oahu of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, advanced to the title game of the Little League World Series with a 6-1 victory over Rancho Buena Vista of Vista, Calif. West Oahu (5-0) won the U.S.

After coming from behind to win its first two games this season, Westminster took an early lead Friday night, then watched as San Diego Rancho Buena Vista stormed back to record a 37-6 victory in a nonleague game at Vista High School. Westminster, which has not started a season 3-0 since Coach Stan Clark came to the school in 1985, went 31 yards in six plays to score on its first possession after Kevin Wingerd recovered a Rancho Buena Vista fumble on the third play of the game.

Angry and confused, the Los Alamitos boys' basketball team walked into the Arrowhead Pond Friday night not knowing what to expect. Three days earlier the Griffins had been stunned in their season opener, a 13-point loss to Sonora in which their teamwork went out the window. "Personally, that loss was a great disappointment," guard Andrew Pleick said. "We played like individuals. Tonight the team had something to prove."

Darryl Parker, one of only two juniors selected to The Times All-County boys' basketball team last season and considered one of the county's top recruits, has made a verbal commitment to UC Santa Barbara. Parker, a 6-foot-6 senior at Rancho Buena Vista, said he will sign with the Gauchos during the early signing period for college recruits, Nov. 14-21.

As a wee lad, Scot Frontis was just another Scott. "There must have been about seven other Scotts in first grade," Frontis recalled. "So, to make it easier on the teacher, we dropped the 'T.' " In a swimming pool, where everyone looks alike, Frontis again has separated himself from his peers--this time in the San Diego Section championships at Mt. Carmel High School Saturday. The senior from Valhalla set a section mark--one of four on the day--in winning the 100-yard butterfly (50.

The University of San Diego High School football team, facing a 40-7 deficit, scored 29 fourth-quarter points and came within an offensive pass interference penalty of upsetting top-ranked Rancho Buena Vista in a San Diego Section 2-A quarterfinal playoff game Saturday night at Vista Stadium. RBV dominated every phase of the game through three quarters, then held on for a 40-36 victory. It will play Avocado League rival Oceanside Friday in a semifinal game.

Orange Glen and Rancho Buena Vista, the county's only two unbeaten high school teams, Saturday received the top seedings in the San Diego Section football playoffs. Orange Glen (10-0), champion of the Palomar League and ranked No. 3 in the county by The Times, is the No. 1 seed in the 3-A division. Avocado League champion Rancho Buena Vista (10-0), ranked by The Times as the county's No. 1 team in only the school's second year, is seeded No. 1 in the 2-A division.

The Rancho Buena Vista football team doesn't look to surprise any of its opponents with the offense it runs. Nothing fancy for this second-year school. Of course, when you have two of the top running backs in San Diego County and an experienced and disciplined offensive line, why do anything but run the ball? Rancho Buena Vista ran 42 times for 371 yards in routing visiting Crawford, 46-24, Friday night at Vista High. "Our emphasis is running the ball," Rancho Buena Vista Coach Craig Bell said.

The place was a mess. Shoulder pads, helmets, chin straps, sweaty jerseys and paper cups were seemingly everywhere. To make matters worse, players were dumping their gear on the floor. "I'm glad I don't have to clean this up," a janitor said. Amid the clutter stood Craig Bell, the football coach at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, a new school in the San Diego Section this year. "Welcome to our famous cafeteria," Bell said. Not locker room. Cafeteria.

After 16 games on the road, Narbonne's powerful girls' basketball team finally will play a home game Friday against Dorsey. Narbonne, however, is anything but road weary. The Gauchos improved to 15-1 on Wednesday with a 71-29 Southeastern Conference victory over Gardena. "We'll probably be at home in the playoffs but we try to get on the road as much as possible to get the players used to performing in uncomfortable settings," Narbonne Coach James Anderson said.

Ray Palmer scored seven of his 10 points during the final three minutes to lift Crenshaw to a 79-69 victory over La Puente Nogales in a Division I Southern Regional first-round game Tuesday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills. With 3:45 to play, Nogales led, 62-61, but a layup by Palmer with 2:59 remaining put the Cougars back on top for good. Ronnie Arch scored 21 points to lead Crenshaw (25-5). Shomario Richard scored 27 points to lead Nogales (26-5).

After coming from behind to win its first two games this season, Westminster took an early lead Friday night, then watched as San Diego Rancho Buena Vista stormed back to record a 37-6 victory in a nonleague game at Vista High School. Westminster, which has not started a season 3-0 since Coach Stan Clark came to the school in 1985, went 31 yards in six plays to score on its first possession after Kevin Wingerd recovered a Rancho Buena Vista fumble on the third play of the game.

How They Fared Friday No. 1 Vista (10-0) def. Torrey Pines, 20-3 No. 2 El Camino (9-1) def. Rancho Bernardo, 31-7 No. 3 Point Loma (9-1) def. Morse, 16-0 No. 4 La Jolla (10-0) def. Kearny, 33-7 No. 5 USDHS (9-1) def. Mission Bay, 49-14 No. 5 Torrey Pines (8-2) lost to Vista, 20-3 No. 7 Chula Vista (8-2) def. Castle Park, 28-14 No. 8 Rancho Buena Vista (5-5) lost to Fallbrook, 23-7 No. 9 Morse (6-4) lost to Point Loma, 16-0 No. 10 Mira Mesa (6-2) def. Patrick Henry, 35-0

The rivalry in Vista reached its peak Saturday night. Each side began chanting out its school's name during a pregame moment of silence for a teacher who had recently died. They traded yells during the National Anthem. "Rancho." "Vista." "Rancho." And that was only the appetizer. The main course was every bit as tasty. Top-ranked Vista overcame a two-touchdown deficit for a 24-21 victory over fourth-ranked Rancho Buena Vista in front of 8,000.

Strangely enough, a 10-yard punt by Mission Viejo quarterback Payson LeMeilleur was the key play in a 21-14 victory against Rancho Buena Vista on Saturday night at Mission Viejo High School. Mission Viejo (2-0) broke a 14-14 tie in the fourth quarter on Deron Drake's third touchdown run of the game, but it was LeMeilleur's punt on the last play of the third quarter that set up the victory.

Aaron Miradon did not give up a hit in 5 innings as Torrey Pines came from behind to defeat Rancho Buena Vista, 7-6, in a Goodman-Pirate tournament game at Torrey Pines. Miradon (2-0) struck out 10. In 14 innings this season, Miradon, who also has a save, has struck out 24 and allowed only 2 hits. Rancho Buena Vista scored all its runs in the first two innings, when Torrey Pines starter Bobby Kennedy walked six before being lifted for Miradon in the second.

They call it "The Hive." That's where the Lincoln High School boys' basketball team does its swarming. The structure is along the lines of a midwestern field house with its arched wooden roof. The formation on the ceiling is like that of a honey comb or beehive. First-year school Rancho Buena Vista made its debut in "The Hive" Friday night in the San Diego Section Division III semifinals. Top-seeded Lincoln came out for its pregame warmups circling the floor while Rancho Buena Vista was on it.

Lynne V. Cheney, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, came to Vista Thursday to tell the social studies teachers of Rancho Buena Vista High School that they can rest assured: They're doing it right. Cheney held a round-table discussion at the school that will be recognized at the White House on Oct. 25 for excellence in history.