HOT OFF THE PRESS HIGHLAND ON VERGE OF WRESTLING TITLE THE HIGHLAND OF PALMDALE WRESTLING TEAM CAN CLINCH ITS 13TH DUAL MEET GOLDEN LEAGUE TITLE IN 15 YEARS WITH A WIN AGAINST PALMDALE TONIGHT. THE BULLDOGS WILL TRAVEL TO FACE THE FALCONS IN ONE OF TWO MEETS AT PALMDALE HIGH. THE SECOND MEET WILL FEATURE QUARTZ HILL AGAINST LANCASTER.

< Highland (21-1, 5-0) is looking to take back the championship Antelope Valley won last season in a close match.

It took nine tiebreakers to give Antelope Valley the win after coming back from a a 15-point deficit to tie the score at 29. It was the Antelopes' first title in 20 years.

Ryan Gifford, Mike Larkin, Randy Wallerstein, Nelson Guerrero and Greg Burton have been key to Highland's success.

Gifford and Larkin are standouts in their respective weight categories. Gifford, wrestling in the 160-pound category, is 33-4, while Larkin is 33-6 competing at 152-pounds.

``I call them my twin towers because they are tall, strong and hard to bring down,'' Bulldogs coach Mike Young said. ``One of the key differences between this team and last year's is that it has a team feel. They build off each other, and everyone is a key to our success.''

Highland's last dual-meet loss came against Ventura on Dec. 6.

``After facing a very good Ventura team, our guys realized they needed to step it up a notch,'' Young said. ``They did just that by beating Oxnard the next time around.''

The Bulldogs placed second out of 51 teams at the Blackwatch Invitational early this month. -- Ivan Orozco

Waves' Coleman to be honored Former Pepperdine baseball ace Paul Coleman will be honored as the program's John Scolinos Distinguished Player Award recipient Saturday following the Waves' annual alumni game at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

Coleman was a 12th-round draft pick of the Dodgers last year after finishing his Pepperdine career with a 20-13record and 3.92 ERA in 90appearances. The left-hander was the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2005, when he set a team record with 16 strikeouts against New Orleans.

The alumni game is scheduled to start at noon. Pepperdine's alumni aren't the only ones who will be in action this weekend. UCLA's baseball alumni game is Saturday at noon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. -- Heather Gripp

UCLA, USC win volleyball awards UCLA's Andy Banachowski was named ASICS/Volleyball Magazine National Coach of the Year after guiding the Bruins to a 33-4 record and their first Final Four appearance since 1994.

UCLA senior Nana Meriwether and sophomore Nellie Spicer were among the 20 players selected first-team All-Americans. Senior outside hitter Katie Carter was an honorable-mention pick.

USC senior Debora Seilhamer was selected ASICS/Volleyball Magazine National Defensive Player of the Year, finishing with a school-record 721 digs this season and a Pacific-10 Conference record 2,071 in her career.

Seilhamer and junior Asia Kaczor were both selected second-team All- Americans. -- Erik Boal