DAILY UPDATE.

COLLEGES

Antelope Valley College 

Track coach Mark Covert is especially happy these days and he has good reason to be.

His son and AVC 800-meter runner Chris Covert signed a letter of intent with Cal State Fullerton on Friday and will compete for the Titans in the fall. The younger Covert, a Paraclete High of Lancaster graduate, will also run cross country in addition to the 800.

As a freshman, Covert earned Foothill Conference honors as a member of AVC's 4X400 relay and his cross country time of 21:12 was the fourth-best mark on the team.

- Sean Ceglinsky

HIGH SCHOOLS

Antelope Valley 

Johnny Walker, the lightning-quick option quarterback for the football team, was impressive at the SoCal Nike Football camp. Walker more than held his own against some of the other top juniors on the West Coast. Walker had the third-best time in the 20-yard shuttle. His mark of 4.04 was only a hundredth of a second behind the two athletes who tied for first.

- Matthew Kredell

Highland

The junior varsity softball team has had to deal with a rash of injuries since the start of the season. Ace pitcher Kelly Bannon broke her foot and will be out at least a month, possibly the rest of the season. Also, catcher Candace Shanks hurt her knee three weeks ago and has not returned to action.

In their absence, pitcher Krystal Varela and freshman center fielder Chelsea Orosco have been the standouts.

- Nevin Barich 

Lancaster

An offense that was quieted in last week's Golden League opener against Quartz Hill should have a better chance to show its potential when the Eagles softball team, with aspirations of contending for its first league title, faces Palmdale today. The Falcons are coming off a 13-1 league loss to Highland on Thursday.

The game is at 3:15 p.m. at Lancaster.

- Heather Gripp

Littlerock

Junior track standout Valerie Woods, sister of former Lobos' state champion Rodney Woods, looks to continue her string of triple-jump victories against visiting Lancaster in the Golden League finale at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Woods has a personal best of 36 feet, five inches. ``She's the one to beat in the Golden League,'' coach Terral Moore said.

Other top performers for the girls' team include freshmen Christina Horner (high jump, 800 and 400) and Dominique Calvin (100, 200).

- Gerry Gittelson

Palmdale

Derek Hagan finished sixth in the boys' triple jump against elite competition from around the nation at the Arcadia Invitational on Saturday. Hagan jumped 46 feet, his second-best jump of the season and best under normal wind conditions. It was the 14th-best jump in the state this season. Hagan won the triple jump at the CSUN/Alemany Relays in March under windy conditions.

- Matthew Kredell

Paraclete

After splitting with Alpha League-favorite Village Christian of Sun Valley last week, the Spirits' baseball team should have an easier time against Marshall Fundamental of Pasadena in this week's two-game series that begins today at Marshall.

Paraclete had a chance to get an early leg up on the entire Alpha League in Friday's rematch after pounding the Crusaders 12-4 earlier in the week behind Dan Fluharty's complete game.

But Village Christian, ranked sixth in the Southern Section Division V poll, beat the Spirits 5-1, dropping Paraclete to 1-1 in league play, 11-5 overall. The Spirits are unranked in the latest divisional top 10.

- Chris Cocoles

Quartz Hill

The softball team plays host to Antelope Valley today at 3:15 p.m. as the Rebels look to remain atop the Golden League. Quartz Hill is off to a 2-0 start in league play, with games against A.V. and at Palmdale on Thursday.

Quartz Hill had two convincing wins last week, routing rapidly improving Littlerock (9-7-1, 1-1) 10-1 on Thursday behind Jennifer Curtier's home run and three hits total.

The Rebels beat Lancaster 5-1 last Tuesday and are 11-6 overall, 2-0 in Golden League play. Quartz Hill shares first place with arch-rival Highland.

- Chris Cocoles