Valley Christian High School

Senior Center Ken Brown scored 16 points and senior forward Mark Reed added 15 to lead Valley Christian High School to an easy, 79-38 win over Orange Lutheran at Valley Christian in Olympic League basketball play. Orange Lutheran scored in double figures in only the fourth quarter after Valley Christian (3-0, 12-1) had taken all of its starters out. The lone player in double figures for Orange Lutheran was senior Matt Zaun with 19 points. Orange Lutheran fell to 1-2 in league, 9-3 overall.

The Cerritos Valley Christian girls' volleyball team is a two-time defending Southern Section champion and 1997 state titlist, credentials that normally make opponents take notice. But when the Crusaders traveled to Orange County in September to take part in a prestigious invitational tournament, they apparently were a mystery team. "I don't think anyone knew too much about us," said Jennifer Fopma, a 6-foot-2 senior middle blocker.

In girls' action: Woodlake 43, Avenal 36--Woodlake High School of the Central Section, despite having no players scoring in double figures, advanced to the state Division III girls' basketball championship game with a victory over Avenal (20-6), also of the Central Section, in the Southern California Regional final at the Sports Arena. The Tigers (22-5) also won the regional last season before losing in the final at Oakland.

Championship--Division II Site--Cal State Fullerton When--5 p.m. today Huntington Beach (23-2)--Starters: Dana Atkinson, 5-9, outside hitter, Sr.; Allison Ciarelli, 5-7, setter, Sr.; Lori Daedelow, 5-9, middle blocker, Jr.; Stephanie Draeger, 5-8, outside hitter, Sr.; Julie Hinsche, 6-1, middle blocker, Sr.; Laren Wilson, 5-10, outside hitter, Jr. Napa (34-1)--Starters: Alynda Franco, 5-5, setter, Sr.; Lisanne Franchi, 5-4, back row specialist, Jr.; Jillian Imrie, 5-9, outside hitter, Jr.

John Brown, Whitney High School--Now an assistant basketball coach at the college prep school, Brown led the CIF Southern Section in scoring in 1983, the only season he played basketball for Whitney. His mark of 712 points was accomplished in only 23 games. Senior guard Alex Ahn is bearing down on Brown's record, but it has taken him three seasons and 59 games on the varsity to total 686 points. BASKETBALL Darrick Martin, St.

It's not the stipend that brings offensive coordinator Rick De Bie back to his alma mater, Valley Christian High School, to coach football every season. It's family. Football Coach Mike Wunderley is Rick De Bie's brother-in-law. A cousin, Harold De Bie, is athletic director and boys' basketball coach. Another cousin, Cari, is the girls' tennis coach. Rick's sons, junior Jeremy De Bie and sophomore Jonathan De Bie, are quarterbacks on the varsity and junior varsity football teams, respectively.

The Hall of Fame is an annual event honoring outstanding performances by athletes who reside in the city, were once residents of the city, participated on an athletic team headquartered in the city, or are currently participating in athletic programs in the city. The athlete of the year is the top award given. Performers of the year are chosen for each of the sports played in the city. Distinguished nominees are not award winners, but are recognized for their accomplishments.

It's known at Valley Christian High School as the jinx . In his eight seasons as coach, Mike Wunderley has taken the Crusaders into the playoffs in the Southern Section's Inland Conference. And each time, the tiny private school in Cerritos has found a way to stumble before the final. But this season, the jinx has been put to rest as the Crusaders (11-1) play Carpinteria (11-2) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Inland final at Gahr High in Cerritos.

Championship--Division II Site--Cal State Fullerton When--5 p.m. today Huntington Beach (23-2)--Starters: Dana Atkinson, 5-9, outside hitter, Sr.; Allison Ciarelli, 5-7, setter, Sr.; Lori Daedelow, 5-9, middle blocker, Jr.; Stephanie Draeger, 5-8, outside hitter, Sr.; Julie Hinsche, 6-1, middle blocker, Sr.; Laren Wilson, 5-10, outside hitter, Jr. Napa (34-1)--Starters: Alynda Franco, 5-5, setter, Sr.; Lisanne Franchi, 5-4, back row specialist, Jr.; Jillian Imrie, 5-9, outside hitter, Jr.

Che Holloway, Orange Lutheran running back, wasn't sure how to react. For 13 weeks, the Lancers have played football. Now, a little more than 24 hours before his last and most important game, he was being told to put everything on hold for a week. Orange Lutheran's opponent, Rosamond, was removed from the Southern Section Division X playoffs Friday for altering game films, leaving Holloway and his teammates to adjust to a new opponent and a week off.

A near-death experience? Maybe a little melodramatic. Surreal? "That sounds about right," Cerritos Valley Christian quarterback Kirk Saarloos said this week. "It hasn't really set in yet. It's weird, but we're playing in the [Southern Section] finals [tonight]. I know we're playing, but I still can't get used to it." Can you blame him?

Three years ago, when he was a sophomore at Orange Lutheran, Chris Amato went to his first meeting with new Coach Jim Kunau and was handed a playbook that, to him, looked as thick as the Yellow Pages. "I thought, 'Coach, no way are we going to learn all of this,' " Amato said. Fortunately for Orange Lutheran, Amato and his teammates figured things out. Tonight, Orange Lutheran will play in its second consecutive Southern Section Division X championship game.

Che Holloway, Orange Lutheran running back, wasn't sure how to react. For 13 weeks, the Lancers have played football. Now, a little more than 24 hours before his last and most important game, he was being told to put everything on hold for a week. Orange Lutheran's opponent, Rosamond, was removed from the Southern Section Division X playoffs Friday for altering game films, leaving Holloway and his teammates to adjust to a new opponent and a week off.

They watched a film of their titanic opponent-to-be and likely felt their stomachs somersault. They then watched a more pleasing video--Penn State's inconceivable upset of UCLA in the 1994 NCAA championship. Village Christian High's volleyball team members, who face heavily favored Santa Ynez in today's Southern Section Division III boys' final at Cypress College, got the message. "It shows that anything can happen when you're playing volleyball," said outside hitter Kiko Banos.

Four seasons ago, amid a setting that would best be described as nondescript, the boys' volleyball program at Village Christian was launched. "It was one step up from picnic volleyball," Village Christian Coach Steve Levoe said of the match against Viewpoint. "In the first game, we had exactly one bump, set, spike combination. By the end of the match, we had five or six of them. It was not pretty volleyball." Surprisingly, evidence of that inauspicious start has not been destroyed.

As Trisha Palmquist approached the bench during a timeout late in a basketball playoff game, the gravity of the situation hit her. She had just made a crucial mistake, and there was no place to hide. Palmquist looked up, and her eyes met those of teammate Lindy James. "She pumped me up," said Palmquist, a senior forward at Village Christian High. "She was just there, smiling and looking at me. Her own confidence gave me confidence."

A near-death experience? Maybe a little melodramatic. Surreal? "That sounds about right," Cerritos Valley Christian quarterback Kirk Saarloos said this week. "It hasn't really set in yet. It's weird, but we're playing in the [Southern Section] finals [tonight]. I know we're playing, but I still can't get used to it." Can you blame him?

As Trisha Palmquist approached the bench during a timeout late in a basketball playoff game, the gravity of the situation hit her. She had just made a crucial mistake, and there was no place to hide. Palmquist looked up, and her eyes met those of teammate Lindy James. "She pumped me up," said Palmquist, a senior forward at Village Christian High. "She was just there, smiling and looking at me. Her own confidence gave me confidence."

It's not the stipend that brings offensive coordinator Rick De Bie back to his alma mater, Valley Christian High School, to coach football every season. It's family. Football Coach Mike Wunderley is Rick De Bie's brother-in-law. A cousin, Harold De Bie, is athletic director and boys' basketball coach. Another cousin, Cari, is the girls' tennis coach. Rick's sons, junior Jeremy De Bie and sophomore Jonathan De Bie, are quarterbacks on the varsity and junior varsity football teams, respectively.