GOOD ADVICE BAD CONTROVERSY HITS RAIDERS.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Just seven matches into its existence, the Moorpark College women's golf team has its first controversy.

Coach Will Thurston is protesting the result of Monday's Western State Conference match against College of the Canyons and Santa Barbara, saying players from the other two teams received incorrect advice from their coaches on how to play out of a water hazard.

``I've been to so many junior and pro tournaments, hundreds and hundreds of tournaments,'' Thurston said, ``and the bottom line is that you have to adhere to the rules of golf. If you don't, if you change the rules as you go along, you are going to have chaos going on.''

As it stands now, Canyons won the match at Robinson Ranch Golf Course with a team score of 353, followed by Moorpark (362) and Santa Barbara (398). Thurston said his appeal would affect the outcome of the match.

The appeal was scheduled to be made in writing to conference commissioner Aviva Kamin on Tuesday. It centers around Thurston's contention that the rules for playing out of a lateral water hazard and a regular water hazard were misinterpreted by the two coaches who offered advice to their players.

``Golf has a lot of rules, but they all have to be followed,'' Thurston said.

--Tough decision: Moorpark's football team will go into its second game against West L.A. without a definitive quarterback.

Tim Bird and Mike Spargo each played the equivalent of one half on Saturday against Chaffey, but neither freshman impressed coach Jim Bittner enough to earn the starting job.

Bird played the first and third quarters and went 13 of 29 for 115 yards and one touchdown, while Spargo finished 4 of 11 for 29 yards and also rushed for 32 yards.

``The Chaffey game didn't really show us too much,'' Bittner said. ``It was hard to judge, because Spargo had to scramble a little bit more.''

The one bright spot for the Raiders' offense was Ray Carmel, the converted defensive back who played both tailback and receiver against Chaffey. He had 17 carries for 58 yards.

``Whatever little offense we had came from Ray Carmel,'' Bittner said. ``He held up real well.''

--Moving on: Thurston, a assistant football coach for 21 seasons before resigning to start up the men's and women's golf programs, said he didn't feel much sorrow about being away from the football field on Saturday.

``It was time to move on,'' Thurston said. ``At one time I had high aspirations to be a head football coach, but after being an assistant coach for so long, I just figured it wasn't going to happen.

``I needed a change, and lucky for me, I have a background in golf, and in coaching women's sports. I'm very comfortable in this role, and this is a chance for me to make an impact.''