Pepperdine’s Wolf Receives a Conference Call

Randy Wolf of Pepperdine was chosen pitcher of the year in the West Coast Conference by a vote of the coaches.

Wolf, a junior left-hander from El Camino Real High, was 9-4 with a 1.79 earned-run average.

Other Pepperdine players picked to the All-WCC team were Mark Lopez, a senior outfielder from Chatsworth High who batted .340, junior first baseman Tyler Ferrer (.320) and sophomore shortstop Dave Matranga (.305).

Center fielder Matt Riordan of Loyola Marymount and Westlake High, who batted .396, and Pepperdine right-hander Steve Schenewerk (8-3, 4.61) shared freshman of the year honors.

Schenewerk and outfielder Josh Oder (.338) were second-team All-WCC selections from Pepperdine. Outfielder Chris Cosbey (.279) and relief pitcher John Workman (4-5, 2.84) received honorable mention.

Pepperdine (34-25) was second in the WCC behind Santa Clara (20-8). Under first-year Coach Frank Sanchez, the Waves won 27 of their last 39 games.

Couch retires: Jim Couch, who led the Bell-Jeff High girls’ basketball team to the Southern Section Division IV-A title in March, ended months of speculation when he announced his retirement at the Bell-Jeff athletic banquet Wednesday night.

Couch, who has coached several sports since arriving at Bell-Jeff in 1973, first hinted about retirement just prior the championship game. It was the first Southern Section title in school history.

“I had a feeling of now what do I do?” said Couch, The Times’ coach of the year. “I had a feeling of emptiness inside. I guess the struggle to get there is more important than the reward.”

On a Mission: Four local high school soccer players who earned all-area mention from The Times last season have made commitments to Mission College, Free Spirit Coach Adolfo Perez said.

Forwards Gerardo Herrera and Jason Leonard, who helped El Camino Real reach the City Section title match, Kennedy midfielder Santiago Carbajal and Poly midfielder Mario Ceja are expected to have an immediate impact.

In addition, goalkeeper Phil Graham, an El Camino Real standout, has also committed to the Free Spirit.

To Westwood: Bridie Hatch of Nordhoff High, Ventura County champion in the 300-meter hurdles in 1995 and in the 800 this year, will walk on at UCLA.