while women bring home second

SAN MARCOS (2-05-2012) -- The Palomar men's swimming & diving team brought home the team championship with 741 points and the Comets' women's squad placed second with with 512 points. in the Waterman Festival that concluded a two-day run on Saturday at Wallace Memorial Pool.

In the Pentathlon portion of the meet on Friday, the men's team placed nine swimmers in the top 20, with five in the top 10 . Wyatt Woodworn took first place, followed by PC teammates Drew Thomas (third), Cody MoffatT (fourth), Kevin Reichel (f9fth) and Chaffin Blake seventh.

In the women's pentathlon, Laura Bryant finished second as the Comets placed four swimmers in the top 20.

In the regular porion of the meet on Saturday, Palomar's men took hom six first places -- Thomas in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.47), the 300 breast relay team (3:49.83), Misaki Onoue in the 1000 free (10:10.80), and both the 600 ironman relay team and the 400 free relay team.

For the PC women, the 200 medley relay team (2:03.00), Bryant in the 100 butterfly (1:03.17 and Melanie Consiglio in the 50 free (25.93).

BASEBALL: Palomar 7, Santa Ana 0

ABOVE: Josh Sabourin gets down a sacrifice bunt in the sixth inning in the Comets' 7-0 win over Santa Ana at Myers Field. Santa Ana mishandled the bunt, loading the bases. Palomar went on to score four times in the inning to break open a 3-0 game. BELOW: Winner Julian Esquibel delivers a pitch on his way to six shutout innings. The Comets wore camouflage hatsin their season opener to honor the military. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Comets knock off Dons in battle

of ranked teams; Gabrella 3-for-4

SAN MARCOS (2-03-2012) -- Palomar, ranked No. 8 among the nation's community colleges by PerfectGame.org, got six shutout innings from starter Julian Esquibel and three hits from Nico Garella on Friday as the Comets opened their baseball season with a 7-0 victory over Santa Ana.

The Dons came to town ranked No. 1 in California and on the Pacific Coast by the American Baseball Coaches Association and No. 1 in Southern California by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association.

Esquibel, a sophomore right-hander out of Vista High School, who was the Comets' ace starter a year ago, scattered four hits in his six innings, getting nine ground-ball outs and getting strong defensive support. Freshman left-handers Kyle Montiel and Matt Silberman came on in relief to preserve the shutout.

Gabrella, a red-shirt freshman shortstop from Cathedral Catholic High School by way of UC Santa Barbara, led a 14-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored as the Comets' leadoff hitter.

Audie Afenir (2-for-4, double, two runs scored), Casey Munoz (2-for 2-for--4, double, RBI) and Christian Johnson (2-for-3, run scored) also had multiple-hit games.

Danny Hanksley doubled in two runs, .and Tommy Cheek and Austin Muehring each doubled in a run. Reggie Jones beat out a suicide squeeze bunt for an RBI single. Cheek and Josh Sabourin also got down crucial bunts as the Comets forced the Dons into erros with nearly-flawless execution.

Palomar played errorlerss ball in back of its pitchers, and second-generation Comet catcher Audie Afenir had a big day defensively. He picked off a runner, threw out a runner trying to steal and made a good play to get another runner trying to score on a throw from Munoz in left to complee a game-ending double play.

Johnson, playing second base, handled seven chances in the field and turned a double play, taking a throw from Cheek at short and relaying the ball to Hawksley at first.

Sabourin also hit safely.

The Comets go on the road to play Ventura on Saturday at 1 p.m..

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Comets again pound ball at plate

but early pitching meltdown fatal

VENTURA (2-04-2012) -- Palomar continued to pound the ball at lthe plate on Saturday, but early-game pitching problems proved deadly as the Comets dropped a 13-8 non-conference decision to Ventura.

The Comets, coming off a 7-0 victory over highly-regarded Santa Ana to open the season Friday, knocked out 14 more hits against the Pirates, led by Reggie Jones (3-for-4, double, 4 RBIs, sacrifice bunt), Tommy Cheek (3-for-5, double, RBI) and Casey Munoz (3-for-5, double).

Palomar (1-1) couldn't hold early leads of 3-0 after a half-inning and 4-3 after 1 1/2 innings as Ventura (1-0) pushed 10 runs (9 earned) on 9 hits over the first four innings.

The Comets did get a superb relief inning from D.J. Zapata, who spent three seasons as a quarterback in the football programs at the University of Montana and Palomar since last pitching for Mission Hills as a high school senior. Zapata threw a scoreless seventh inning, recording two strikeouts and getting a weak ground out to first base.

Austin Muehring had a double and two walks for the Comets. Audie Afenir singled and drove in two runs. Josh Sabourin singled and walked. Nico Garbella contributed a single.

SOFTBALL: Comets 13, Eagles 1

ABOVE: Palomar catcher Mia Sprau tags out Mt. San Jacinto baserunner at the platein the fourth inning in Comets' 13-1 home-opening win. -- Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW LEFT: Katie Wilford, who went 3-for-4 with a triple, double and three RBIs.

Same result as Palomar blasts

Mt. San Jacinto in home opener

SAN MARCOS (2-03-2012) -- It was the same story for the Palomar softball team in its home opener on Friday as it was in the Comets' double-header sweep of Victor Valley to open the season on Wednesday.

Another run-rule wiln. Another big day at the plate. Another strong pitching performance.

The Comets won the non-conference game 13-1 behind the pitching of Brenna Parker (1-0) and munltiple-hit performances courtesy of Katie Wilford (above left), Riesa Tanielu, Mia Sprau, Jasmine Vogel and Parker.

Wilford went 3-for-3 with a triple, double, and three RBIs, Taniele (2-for-2, double, three stolen bases). Sprau was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Vogel went 2-for-4 with a tiple, doule and RBI. Parker was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Coach Lacey Craft's Comets are 3-0 and have outscored their opponents 38-1 going into a home game vs. Saddleback on Monday at 3 p.m.

W. BASKETBALL: Palomar 56, IVC 38

Ashley Witherspoon drives against Imperial Valley on Friday evening. She pulled up and scored on the play (below). -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Comets play best game as they

turn back Arabs on cancer night

SAN MARCOS (2-03-2012) -- Coach Leigh Marshall's Palomar basketball team was at its best on Friday evening in the first game of the Coaches vs. Cancer double-header with the men's team.

The Comets opened up a 10-point halftime lead and went on to rout the Arabs 56-38 at The Dome.

Alliya Pinckney led the Comets (5-18, 3-6) with 13 points. Mariah Bennet scored 11 points.

Palomar helped itself by going 13-for-14 from the free throw line. Soli Faapouli went 4-for-4 from the line.

After trading the early lead back and forth with the Arabs, the Comets went on top 18-17 on a Faapouli bucket and began to draw away after that.

M. BASKETBALL: Knights 68, Comets 58

ABOVE: Nate Coleman takes the ball to the hole to score for the Comets against San Diego City College. BELOW: Vuk Ecmecic puts the ball up on a put-back after a missed shot by the Comets. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

First-place City buries 14 3's and

turns back Palomar at The Dome

SAN MARCOS (2-03-2012) -- Visiting San Diego City College swept in to town on Friday evening and knocked down 14 3-point shots, five by Stephon Lamar, as the Knights beat Palomar 68-58 to remain alone atop the Pacific Coast Athletic Conferencve.

Monas Stephens went 10-for-13 from the field as he led four Knights in double figures with 23 points. Lamar had 19 points.

For the Comets, Chris Gorman went9-for-10 from the free throw line and finished with 21  points. He also dished off four assists and played a key role in bringing Palomar, which trailed by as many as 23 points, back in the second half to make the game respectable.

Vuk Ekmecic was 6-forp-7 from the field and had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Comets in only 12 minutes of playing time.

Joe Vaz contributed 11 rebounds, including four on the offensive board. Vaz, Chamron Morgan and Zach Ramirez each tallied eight points.

FOOTBALL: Signings, Transfers

Westbrooks (Nevada) and Kose

(Montana) sign; List is at seven

SAN MARCOS (2-01-2012) -- Palomar sophomore receiver Nigel Westbrooks (left, Mission Hills High School) signed with the University of Nevada on Wednesday, bringing the list of Comets from last football season moving on to play at the 4-year level to severn and still counting.

Linebacker Jeremiah Kose (right), who came to Palomar from Vista High School, also signed on Wednesday, with the University of Montana.

Westbrooks caught 52 passes for 709 yards and 11 touchdowns during the 2011 season. He tied a Palomar record with four touchdown receptions in a 44-41 win over Saddleback on Nov. 5. In two seasons at Palomar, he had 91 receptions for 1,187 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Kose recorded 88 tackles, second highest on the team, 7 tackles for losses, 5 sacks, 2 pass break-ups, 2 quarterback hurries, 4 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. He stole the ball from a Fullerton player and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown in a 41-18 victory over the Hornets on the road on Oct. 22.

Five Comets transferred at the semester break -- receiver Alex Wheat to Utah State, quarterback David Fisher (Vista High) to Kent State, linebacker Adam Witzmann (La Costa Canyon) to Charleston Southern, safety Devin Taverna (Oceanside) to South Dakota and slot receiver Dallas Butler (Misiion Hills) to the University of San Diego.

Wheat and Kose both are freshmen.

M. BASKETBALL: Comets 81, Olympians 66

ABOVE: Zach Ramirez, whose 11 first-half points enabled the Comets to take a four-point halftime lead, steals the ball from Mesa's Chris Barrow on Wednesday evening. Ramirez took the ball in to score on a layup. BELOW LEFT: Chris Gorman drives off a pick. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Palomar rolls up SD Mesa ...

Double-doubles for Morgan, Vaz

SAN DIEGO (2-1-2012) -- Chris Gorman (18 points, 5 assists), Chamron Morgan 16 points, 12 rebounds) and Joe Vaz (13 points, 10 rebounds) led visiting Palomar to an 81-66 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory ast San Diego Mesa on Wednesday night.

Zach Ramrez scored all 11 of his points in the first half in leading the Comets to a 40-36 lead at intermission.

Morgan also had a crucial defensive performance in the second half, holding Mesa's best player Dee Hugie to just six points over the last 20 minutes.

Vaz, playing with an injury, was 3-for-3 shooting and 7-for-7 from the free throw line for Palomar.

Vaz gavethe Comets the lead for good when he dropped in two free throws with 6:15 remaining in the game.

SOFTBALL: Palomar at Victor Valley

Avii ignites Comets' 15-0, 10-0

opening sweep of Rams on road

VICTORVILLE (2-01-2012) -- Samantha Avii (left) pitched a shutout in the first game and went 7-for-8 on the day on Wednesday as Palomar swept a season-opening doubleheader from Victor Valley 15-0 and 10-0 in a pair of five-inning mercy-rule games on the road.

Avii struck out seven in four innings and Bree Burns came in to strike out the side in the fifth in Game 1. Brenna Parker was 4-for-4 at the plate with a triple, three runs scored and three RBIs. Avii was 4-for-4, scored two runs and drove in two runs. Katie Wilford was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Raea Tanielu homered.

Burns pitched a shutout in Game 2. Avii (3-for-4, double, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs) led the Comets at the plate.  Parker was 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.

PCAC: Academic All-Conference Honorees

71 fall sports Comets receive

academic all-conference honors

SAN MARCOS (1-31-2012) -- The Pacific Coast Athletic Conference has honored 71 Palomar fall sports athletes as academic all-conference award winners.

Minimum qualifications for the award include at least a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, successful completion of at least 12 units of coursework and active participation on an intercollegiate athletic team.

Nine athleties achieved straight-A 4.0 grade-point averages -- Austin Cloes (above left) from the men's basketball team, Gianna Cioe (women's golf), Natasha Bartolotti and and Lauren Weiler (women's soccer), Anneke Bulthuis (above right), Elle Farrell and Jennifer Godfrey (women's volleyball) and Chloe Heath and Michelle Thornbury (women's soccer).

Football had the most honorees (19), followed by wrestling (8), women's soccer (7), women's water polo (7), women' golf (6),  women's cross country (5), women's basketball (4), women's volleyball (4), men's basketball (3), men's soccer (3), men's water polo (3) and men's cross country (2).

More than half of the 71 all-conference qualifiers had grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher, while the 147 fall sports athletes who passed 12 or more units achieved an aggregate 3.04 GPA. Women;s golf had an aggregate 3.52 GPA, women's water polo 3.21 and women's volleyball 3.17.

Palomar's All-PCAC academic all-conference award winners:

MEN'S BASKETBALL -- Austin Cloes, Chris Gorman, Joe Vaz

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL -- Irene Amezcua, Mariah Bennett, Katelyn Bonner, Tiana Dominick

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY-- Joshua Lemack, Omar Romero

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY -- Kathryn Bouvatte, Courtney McvGowan, MaryElizabeth Morones, Mayra Olea, Katie Sanger

FOOTBALL -- Erik Aunese, Brandon Blinn, Jon Conde, Michael Connelly, David Fisher, Gabriel Frost-Horton, Brandon Green, Kyle Greenwood, Demarcus Henderson, Morgan Kimbarow, Eugene Lott, David Moodie, Manasee St. Vil, Josh Sherlock, David Villanueva, Anthony Walker, Alex Wheat, Adam Witmann, D.J. Zapata

WOMEN'S GOLF -- Sadye Busby, Gianna Cioe, Taylor Crandall, Allysa Masaniai, Natascha Wiebe, Bobbi Wolfenden

MEN'S SOCCER -- Ricardo Godino, Alexis Mercado, Javier Sanchez

WOMEN'S SOCCER -- Natasha Bartolotti, Kelsey Kyneson, Keriann Nomura, Tessa Stark, Sara Stotler, Lauren Weiler, Sarah West

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL -- Anneke Bolthuis, Elle Farrell, Jennifer Godfrey, Andrea Johnson

MEN'S WATER POLO -- Dan Hartl, Stephen Krvk, Htrhh Knapp

WOMEN'S WATER POLO -- Chloe Heath, Hailey Holthaus, Michelle Thornbnury, Jessica villareal, Kimberly Walters, Charlie Warburton, Stephanie West

WRESTLING -- Jacob Asaeli, Chris Bascon, Cody Gratis, Matt Lewellen, Jarrod Mcehee, Simon Olguin, Tim Randall, Kyle Vexler

FOOTBALL: 4-Year Transfer Report