Locals commit to Division I baseball programs

Two 2007 all-state baseball players from the area have made their college choices.

Durango's Niko Vasquez committed to Oregon State, and Bishop Gorman's Brandon Garcia committed to Southern California.

The players, both seniors this year, cannot officially sign until the early signing period, which begins Nov. 14.

Vasquez, a shortstop, was a first-team all-state pick after hitting .464 with six home runs and 33 RBIs as a junior.

Garcia was a second-team all-state selection as an outfielder. He batted .466 with six home runs and 38 RBIs in helping the Gaels to their second consecutive state championship in the spring.

Another former area baseball star, J.C. Leach, has signed to play with Brigham Young. Leach, a 2004 Centennial graduate, played at the Community College of Southern Nevada.

Leach's younger brother, Jordan, who graduated from Centennial this year, signed to play volleyball with BYU along with Centennial teammate Breyden Burley.

• BULLDOGS WIN -- Centennial won the Labor Day Classic girls volleyball tournament Monday, beating Moapa Valley 25-20, 21-25, 15-11 for the title.

The Bulldogs placed two players -- Johnna Brown and Morgan Veira -- on the all-tournament team.

Needles (Calif.) defeated Del Sol 26-24, 25-20 in the third-place match.

• PANTHER INVITE -- Four course records fell at the Panther Invitational cross country meet Saturday at Palo Verde.

Bonanza's Jacob Thornell set the 2.5-mile boys course record, winning the junior-senior boys race in 13 minutes, 8.7 seconds. Tech's Crystelle Schultz set the girls 2.5-mile course record, winning the junior-senior girls race in 16:24.7.

Two Arbor View runners set short-course records. Brooks Robinson set the boys record, covering the 1.5-mile course in 8:27.9. Kaitie Branton set the girls record in 10:41.3.

• STRENGTH IN NUMBERS -- While many area football teams rely on key players to play both offense and defense, other programs are fortunate enough to have set offensive and defensive units.

Spring Valley, which is 2-0 after a 23-16 win over Desert Pines on Friday, is one such team. The Grizzlies use their depth to wear down opponents.

Grizzlies standout linebacker Jeremy Kadoich said depth is a key to the team, and he's glad he's not asked to play offense.

"I don't know anything about offense," Kadoich said. "That stuff confuses me."

• ON THE AIR -- Friday's football game between Western and Coronado will be broadcast on KDWN-AM (720), beginning at 7 p.m.