VALENCIA'S MARICLE QUITS SOFTBALL TEAM.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

VALENCIA - Just days after signing a Division I softball scholarship to Villanova, Valencia High senior Danielle Maricle has quit the school softball team.

Maricle didn't show up last week for a mandatory meeting for Valencia returnees, and the 5-foot-11 infielder confirmed Tuesday that she won't play for Valencia, which reached the Southern Section Division I final last year.

``There's no way I'll be back. I think I'm going to try to broaden my horizons and focus on my grades,'' Maricle said. ``I love the girls. That's going to be the biggest thing I'll miss. They're great.''

Valencia coach Donna Lee said Maricle never told her she was leaving, but the coach was informed by other players.

``It's her choice. My feeling is I want girls who want to be out there,'' Lee said. ``I've got to abide by the kid's choice. I don't beg anyone to play. She'll be a loss to our program but we have younger girls who will have to pick up the slack.''

The season doesn't start until March but Lee said Maricle is no longer welcome back if she changes her mind.

Maricle batted .349 with one home run, 15 RBI and six stolen bases in 86 at-bats as a junior, helping Valencia to a school-record 29 victories. She's also a travel ballplayer who helped the Orange County Batbusters to an 18-under national championship two years ago, followed by a fourth-place finish in Gold competition this past summer.

Maricle is an honors student who plans to take two Advanced Placement courses at Valencia plus a physics course at College of the Canyons next semester. She's also a top volleyball player, and she said she might run track this spring to stay in shape.

``I think Danielle is just kind of winding down with the volleyball playoffs and a major scouting tournament (in travel softball) and all that good stuff,'' said her father, Mike. ``Right now she's just more into supporting the football team and cheering them on.''

--With standout kicker/punter Paul Weinstein among three Hart High football starters dismissed last week for disciplinary reasons, the Indians (9-2) are hoping to shore up their kicking game in time for Friday's Division II quarterfinal against Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga (9-2) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at College of the Canyons.

Chris Gill, who was Hart's primary junior varsity kicker, wasn't available during last week's 32-27 victory over Glendora because he had joined the JV basketball team. But after two botched extra points and several short kickoffs against Glendora, Hart has brought Gill onto the team this week.

``At first, Chris went out for basketball because we figured it would be a waste of time to miss basketball just to be a backup kicker,'' Hart coach Mike Herrington said.

Gill kicked 10 extra points for Hart's JV this season.

Steve Burton, a starting defensive lineman who has experience as a punter, averaged 33 yards on five punts against Glendora - despite a cast on his hand because of a broken thumb.

--Canyon High's J.J. DiLuigi has rushed for a school single-season record 1,602 yards entering Friday's Division II football quarterfinal at San Clemente (7-4), breaking Louis Montano's 2003 record last week with a 159-yard, two-touchdown performance against Damien of La Verne.

DiLuigi, a junior, has scored a school-record 39 touchdowns in 11 games, two shy of Ted Iacenda's Foothill League mark of 41 (Hart, 1995, 14 games).

In other Division II quarterfinal action Friday, Valencia (8-3) will play host to Chino Hills (11-0).

--Former Valencia football standout Geoff Tisdale, who set a league single-season record with 12 interceptions and was also a league track champion in the 100 meters, played two seasons at L.A. Valley College and said he is hoping to sign with Nebraska, the University of Southern California or perhaps Florida State.

Tisdale, a defensive back who totaled 11 interceptions over two JC seasons, said Nebraska has offered a scholarship and USC has expressed interest.

``Since Nebraska offered, nothing has changed, but I just got a call from USC,'' Tisdale said. ``I would love to go to USC - but Florida State is still my dream school.''

Tisdale's cousin, Chris Green, who played at Sylmar High before joining Tisdale at L.A. Valley College, also has received interest from Division I schools.

``Chris and I were just about the only sophomores at Valley. That's why we went 2-8,'' Tisdale said.

--Things haven't gone so smoothly in college for former Santa Clarita Christian High multisport standouts Orlandi Pena and Stephen Mercier, who dominated small-schools competition in football, baseball and soccer. Pena was limited to just one soccer game at The Master's after breaking his foot, and now Mercier's freshman baseball season is in jeopardy because of a serious foot injury after accidentally stepping on a stingray while surfing at Newport Beach.