Hodges, Pickler Are Top Coaches

Jack Hodges, Saddleback College baseball coach, and Brad Pickler, Cypress softball coach, were selected Orange Empire Conference coaches of the year for the 1997-98 school year, the conference announced.

Hodges led Saddleback to a 39-12 record, a share of the conference title, and a second-place finish in the state. Hodges has a record of 233-149 record in nine seasons at the college.

Pickler’s Cypress softball team won its second consecutive state title and finished with a 53-5 mark. Pickler, who has been the conference softball coach of the year six times, has a 523-158 record in 12 seasons. His 1991 team also won a state title.

The winners were selected by a vote of athletic directors and administrators.

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David Castleton, a wide receiver from Orange Coast and a transfer from Brigham Young, probably will be out for the season because of a broke collarbone he suffered Saturday in the Pirates’ loss to Palomar.

Castleton, from Mater Dei, was hit in the end zone on an incomplete pass.

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Soccer: Cypress, the top-ranked women’s soccer team in the state, takes on Orange Coast at 7 tonight at Cal State Fullerton.

Jane Specht leads Cypress (11-0-1, 2-0) with 15 goals and the Chargers have scored a conference-best 69.

Taylor Yurada has 12 goals and Emma Ekbald 10 for Orange Coast (6-3-2, 3-0), which has 33 goals.

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Long Beach (4-0) remained first in the Southland football poll and Palomar (4-0) is second.

El Camino (4-0) is third, Hancock (4-0) fourth, Chaffey (3-0) fifth, Mt. San Antonio (3-1) sixth, Ventura (4-0) seventh, Cerritos (3-1) eighth, Grossmont (3-1) ninth and Mt. San Jacinto (3-0) is 10th.