IF A COMMUNITY COLLEGE football coach had a checklist for success, it would probably include such things as regular bowl appearances, .700-plus win percentage, high transfer rate to four-year programs, former players shining at major colleges, etc.

Well, check it out.

John Beam, the Laney College athletic director and offensive coordinator, and head coach Jay Uchiumi have helped Laney achieve all of the above, and then some.

Laney, ranked seventh in Northern California and 15th in the state with a 2-0 mark entering the week, won 36 games over the previous four seasons and earned four straight bowl victories. Moreover, Beam, in his sixth year at Laney, said that players are transferring to four-year schools at a nearly 90 percent rate. Last year 26 Eagles sophomores moved on to the next level.

In Oakland, where teenage success stories are often overshadowed by its troubled streets, Laney's success formula is proving impossible to ignore. Keeping people in school is a big deal.

"Absolutely," Beam said of the JC route. "It's an opportunity for kids to carry on their academic pursuits as well as athletics. They go hand-in-hand."

And everywhere Beam looks these days he sees progress and vitality in the program. One example: Laney had a staggering 103 freshmen try out for football this fall.

Laney is also embarking on a huge expansion in the athletic department. Work on the new athletic

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field house, along with a new all-weather baseball diamond, will break ground in October, Beam said. The field house will have a state-of-the-art weight room, training room, meeting rooms, lockers, and even a study hall.

Ex-Laney stars are succeeding at the next level. Hayward High graduate Charles Walker, who sat out the 2008 season with an injury, had 10 catches in his debut at Marshall on Sept. 5, a 31-28 victory over Southern Illinois. Former Laney and UNLV running back Frank Summers has landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Summers also played for Beam when he coached at Skyline High.

So things are looking good in Laney athletics, an Oakland success story.

STATS-O-RAMA: Statistics keepers needed their "A" games on Friday night when Diablo Valley College (2-1) took a wild 47-44 win over county rival Los Medanos in Pleasant Hill. DVC quarterback Blake Wayne, a freshman from De La Salle, was 29-for-33 for 371 yards with five touchdowns. Daniel Adler (College Park) had 13 catches for 240 yards.

As for Los Medanos,

Thomas Hampton, the state's leading rusher, ran for 187 of his 244 yards in the first half. Hampton hails from the Bronx, N.Y.

A PERFECT 10: The College of San Mateo football team entered the week unbeaten and ranked No. 10 in the state in scoring at 47.5 points a game. In this week's J.C. Grid-Wire national rankings, CSM is No. 15, No. 7 in California and No. 2 in Northern California. By the way, CSM drew a nice crowd of 1,775 for its home opener Sept. 5 against De Anza, the largest turnout of the NorCal games.

TIDBITS: Diablo Valley College's fifth induction class into its hall of fame includes Charlotte Wiley (softball), John Green (men's basketball), Marianela "La La" Del Barco (women's volleyball), Mark Cook (gymnastics), Cesar Medina (baseball), Mike Emry (cross country, track), and Laura Mann (women's soccer). The ceremony is Feb. 25 at Norseman Restaurant on campus. Call Steve Ward for ticket information 925-685-1230 (ext. 2742). ... Holy Names University senior Mustafa Celik was selected as the California Pacific Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for Sept. 7-14 .

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