JUNIOR COLLEGE FALL PREVIEW.

Cross country

No area JC cross country program has had nearly as much recent success as Glendale's men. The Vaqueros, state champions in 1995 and 1998 and sixth-place finishers last season, have won eight consecutive Western State Conference titles.

The top returning runner is sophomore Luis Castaneda, who was an area-best 13th at the state finals.

Glendale's women, third in the state last year, also return a strong group. Sophomore Liliana Hernandez, eighth at the state finals, will lead the defending WSC champions.

Moorpark's women finished 16th in the state.

-- Kevin Connelly 

Golf

The Moorpark women's team will have to start from scratch as first-time coach Gary Abraham heads a group of incoming freshman to replace an entire team that finished third in the state last season and second in the Western State Conference.

With little time to recruit, Abraham was able to commit just high school players: Jackie Eldridge (Rio Mesa of Oxnard) and Breanna Cervantes (Pacifica of Oxnard).

Abraham's other players, Tracy Gilchrist, Denise Modglin, Char Layton and Annmarie Mair, were all recruited from Wood Ranch Country Club in Simi Hills, where Abraham worked as an assistant pro.

College of the Canyons also will rely heavily on freshmen -- mostly from Hart High of Newhall.

Four of the five freshman on Gary Peterson's roster are former Indians, including Tessa Harp, Krystal Pieracci, Ashley Redmond and Eleanna Tan.

Freshman Darlene Bognot (Monroe of North Hills) and sophomores Christina Sandnes (Hart) and Danielle Caffey make up the remainder of the Cougars' roster and will try to help COC improve upon a fourth-place finish in the WSC.

-- Nathan Brown

Water polo

Overcoming the powers from the northern portion of the Western State Conference could be more difficult this year, but Valley College is up for the challenge. The Monarchs hope an influx of talented youth will allow them to dethrone Cuesta on the men's side and Ventura on the women's side.

Valley's men finished second in the WSC last year, with the Monarchs' only conference loss being to Cuesta. However, a return to the playoffs requires overcoming the departure of last year's WSC Co-Player of the Year Nestor Dordoni. The Monarchs have a handful of returning players, and coach Jim McMillan said they all need to play larger roles than a year ago for a lineup that is looking for its next leader.

On the women's side, Valley, College of the Canyons and Santa Monica look to avoid a repeat of last season in which they finished in the bottom three slots in the six-team conference. Ventura swept through WSC play undefeated last year led by freshman goalkeeper and Player of the Year Brandy Creek.

-- Heather Gripp

Wrestling

Moorpark has won five state titles in the past 15 years, with the most recent in 2000.

The Raiders will have to continue their success without coach Paul Keyshaw, who won three state titles in his 10 seasons. Keyshaw departed to take over at Fresno City College, which he has reffered to as his ``dream job.''

Aaron Jackson, who wrestled for Moorpark during the 1982-83 season, will take over for the Raiders as head coach.

-- Justin Frank