Bennett Replaces Injured Watkins at Simi Valley

Simi Valley High junior quarterback Tim Bennett will start Friday night against Newbury Park--and probably for the remainder of the regular season--because of an ankle injury suffered by senior starter Jeremie Watkins during the Pioneers’ 17-10 Marmonte League win over Royal, Simi Valley Coach Roger McCamy said.

Watkins, who entered the game as the area’s third-leading passer, was injured while being tackled with 39 seconds remaining in the first half. X-rays Monday revealed Watkins’ left ankle is broken.

The ankle was placed in a removable cast for two to three weeks while Watkins undergoes therapy.

Watkins (6-foot-1, 185 pounds), a backup to Bennett’s brother, Eric, last season, has completed 54% of his passes for 1,174 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is eighth in the state in passing.

Bennett (6-0, 155) rallied the Pioneers (3-2, 1-1 in league play) against Royal by connecting with Nathan Simmons on a 46-yard touchdown pass play with 29 seconds to play. Bennett was four of 17 for 51 yards and an interception. This season, he has passed 116 yards.

College Basketball

John Wooden, former UCLA basketball coach, will be the guest at Northridge’s 3rd Annual TipOff Banquet on Nov. 7 at the Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills.

Information: 818-885-3215.

Philip Mathews, coach at Ventura College, will teach defense at a basketball coaches clinic at Pepperdine on Nov. 6.

Mathews’ Ventura teams have won eight Western State Conference championships and a state junior college title in 1987.

UCLA Coach Jim Harrick, Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury, Wave women’s Coach Mark Trakh and Dominguez High boys’ Coach Russell Otis also will offer instruction.

Information: 310-456-4161.

Names in the News

Robert Trice and Aimee Stone have been selected Cal State Northridge’s Athletes of the Month for September.

Trice, a senior from Rocky Point, N.C., has rushed for 539 yards and six touchdowns. He set school rushing records in the past two football games.

Stone, a junior from Thousand Oaks, leads the women’s volleyball team in kills, digs and service aces.