Sports Shorts: Aliso Niguel Hopes to Make Statement Against Oilers

Early season records can be very deceiving, but if Aliso Niguel High's football team can improve to 4-0 with a victory over visiting Huntington Beach on Friday night, that will be a shot heard across the campus of every other school in the Sea View League.

The Wolverines’ three victories this season -- enough to convince the voters to include them in the this week at No. 10 -- have come over teams whose combined record is 1-7. On the other hand, Huntington Beach has defeated Sea View League-favorite El Toro, 23-21, in the season's opening week, lost the next week to undefeated Corona del Mar, 28-21, then defeated Foothill, 32-13.

The Oilers have amassed about twice as much passing yardage as they have rushing, thanks to senior quarterback Michael Chislock. People are saying Huntington Beach could realistically expect to challenge for a playoff spot out of the typically rugged Sunset League, but that will only happen if the Oilers can win at least three games against Los Alamitos, Edison, Newport Harbor, Fountain Valley or Marina.

Aliso Niguel senior quarterback Nick Carducci has thrown for five touchdowns and has had only one pass intercepted. The Wolverines depend on sophomore Ryan Walker and senior Kyle Paris to move the ball on the ground, but that may not be enough against the Oilers, who won last year’s game 44-3. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

ALISO NIGUEL RUNNERS EXCEL AT CROSS-COUNTRY COUNTY CLASSIC

Aliso Niguel High runners competed in the Cross Country Classic Friday and Saturday at Estancia High. The 31st annual meet was co-hosted by Woodbridge, Estancia, and Costa Mesa high schools and the Newport-Irvine Rotary Club, and was sponsored by Puma.

Here are results of races in which the Wolverines scored among the top 10:

DIVISION 1

Senior Boys Individuals -- 1. Fisk (Tesoro) 14:52; 2. Salas (Redlands) 14:56; 3. Duncan (Crescenta Valley) 14:57; 4 Rodriguez (El Rancho) 14:57; 5. Alwafai (Aliso Niguel) 15:00; 6. Williams (Aliso Niguel) 15:02; 7. Dougherty (La Quinta) 15:19; 8. De La Rosa (Arcadia) 15:20; 9. Orosco (Buchanan) 15:26; 10. Robles (Colton) 15:27

Senior Boys Team Scores -- 1. Rocklin 122; 2. Crescenta Valley 140; 3. El Toro 158; 4. Arcadia 175; 5. Green Valley/Las Vegas) 207; 6. Desert Vista/Arizona 235; 7. Aliso Niguel 253; 8. Murrieta Valley 264; 9. Great Oak 273; 10. Shadow Ridge 281

Junior Boys Team Scores -- 1. El Rancho 86; 2. Arcadia 109; 3. Tesoro 117; 4. Aliso Niguel 152; 5. Great Oak 164; 6. Desert Vista/Arizona 216; 7. El Toro 239; 8. West Ranch 242; 9. Trabuco Hills 263; 10. Ayala 277

Freshman Boys Individuals -- 1. Gonzalez (Warren) 15:58; 2. Rodriguez (Warren) 15:59; 3. Kaufman (Hart) 16:03; 4. Rubira (Hart) 16:08; 5. Tapia (Great Oak) 16:18; 6. Voth (Buchanan) 16:34; 7. Kushen (Tesoro) 16:39; 8. Jacobs (Aliso Niguel) 16:47; 9. Liebman (Hart) 16:49; 10. Arvizu (Great Oak) 16:56

For complete results in all divisions, click here.

We’re a little late with this one, but for complete results of the Sept. 10 Laguna Hills Invitational, click here.

Coming up on Saturday are the Dana Hills Nike Invitational as well as the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto.

WOLVERINES ADVANCE TO VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS

Aliso Niguel’s girls volleyball team advanced to the semifinals of the Silver Division of the Aloha Classic Saturday at Capistrano Valley High.

San Juan Hills also reached the semifinals of the Silver Division, which was won by Campbell Hall of North Hollywood.

Yucaipa defeated Chino Hills, 19-25, 28-26, 15-7 to win the Gold Division title.

Mission Viejo and Tesoro both advanced to the semifinals, before losing. The Diablos lost to Chino Hills, 25-20, 25-19 and the Titans fell to Yucaipa (15-25, 25-23, 17-15.

SIP AND TIP

Aliso Niguel’s boys water polo program will hold a wine tasting fundraiser at the Salt Creek Wine Company, 30100 Town Center Dr., B-@, Laguna Niguel. Cost is $40 per person and includes appetizers and drawings.

More information can be found by checking the team's website.

WRESTLING OFFICIALS NEEDED FOR 2011-12 SEASON

The Orange County Wrestling Officials Assn. is looking to add officials to its rosters and is holding its first mandatory meeting for candidates for the 2011-12 high school season on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Room 240 (across from gymnasium) at Corona Del Mar High School.

For more information, contact Bruce Terry at (714) 876-7230 or drbruceterry@yahoo.com.

IVC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL HOSTS 'DIG PINK' GAME

Proceeds from the Irvine Valley women's volleyball home match on Friday, Oct. 28, against Orange Empire Conference rival Golden West, dubbed the "Dig Pink" match, will be donated to the Side-Out Foundation, which raises awareness for breast cancer research nationwide through volleyball matches, clinics and camps.

Everyone who donates $5 will receive a pink T-shirt from ASICS and a pink spray cleaner from Simple Green. To check out the Side-Out Foundation’s website, click here.

Have some high school news or a score that you'd like to share? Send it to O.C. Patch sports editor Bob Rohwer at bob.rohwer@patch.com.