Paul Islas scored a first-half goal to tie him with current coach Jaime Ramirez for third on Fresno Pacific's career scoring list at 54, and the top-seeded Sunbirds beat McMurry 3-0 to open the National Christian College Athletic Association soccer championships in Kissimmee, Fla.

Alvaro Nogales, a freshman, made it 1-0 with 18 minutes left in the first half. Fabian Rangel and Steven Waite combined in goal for the seventh shutout of a now 13-match winning streak for Fresno Pacific (17-4). Next is fourth-seeded Palm Beach Atlantic at 4:30 p.m. PST today.

Fresno Pacific men win hoops game

Fresno Pacific shot 54% while scoring 50 points in the first half and coasted to a 95-62 nonconference win over visiting UC Merced on Wednesday.

Malcolm Griffin led the first-half charge for the Sunbirds (4-3) with 20 of his 25 points. John Taylor scored 17 of his 25 in the second half.

Kevin Ellsworth (Buchanan High) had five points for the Bobcats (0-8).

Rams collect CVC soccer honors

Fresno City College's Jenna Thomason was the MVP and teammates Alicia Kolter (forward), Laura McIntosh (midfielder), Moriah Rodriguez (defender) and Jasmine Cordova (goalkeeper) also won top honors at their position on the All-Central Valley Conference women's soccer team.

Stephanie Agavo was selected the Freshman of the Year in a season that saw the Rams win the CVC title at 6-0 and go 17-5-2 overall, losing to Sierra 2-1 in the third round of the NorCal Regional.

Gilcrest Tourney draws loaded field of state JC women's hoops powers

Mount San Antonio and Ventura colleges, which have combined to win 11 of the past 17 state women's basketball championships and occupied the top two spots in this year's preseason state rankings, headline the 16-team Gilcrest Invitational this week at College of the Sequoias in Visalia.

Third-ranked Fresno City also is in the field with Reedley, Porterville and host COS. Games begin at noon today.

Fresno City faces Riverside at 8 p.m. in the old gym. Other state-ranked teams on hand are No. 6 Foothill, No. 7 Cerritos and No. 8 Santa Rosa. The championship is 4 p.m. Sunday.

Mt. SAC (6-0) beat Ventura 74-71 last week to win the VC-Kiwanis Tournament.

PGA qualifying tourney includes ex-local prep standouts Ernst, Patel

Steve LeBrun shot an 8-under 64 on PGA West's Stadium Course in La Quinta to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour qualifying tournament, where former Valley prep stars Derek Ernst and Bhavik Patel are in the hunt.

Ernst (Clovis East High) shot a 68 on the Stadium Course and is tied for 20th in the 172-player field. Patel (Bakersfield/Fresno State) is tied for 50th after a 70 on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.

The top 25 and ties will receive 2013 PGA Tour cards and the next 50 and ties will earn Web.com Tour cards.