You may want to remember this name: Josh Gooch. Some day, he may be a star.

He's already off to a fast start, finishing in the top five of the King of the Blues contest, a national search by the Guitar Center for the next great undiscovered blues guitarist.

Gooch, 18, was chosen from among 4,000 contenders across the country to play in the finals last week at the House of Blues Sunset in Hollywood.

The Rancho Penasquitos resident's performance earned a standing ovation, according to Dave Konstantin, who plays with Gooch in a local blues band called Road Dogs.

"Going that far is quite amazing, especially for someone who has only played for four years," said Konstantin. "Josh has got great musical maturity, way beyond his years."

Gooch picked up one of his dad's guitars at age 14.

The 2009 Westview High School graduate plans to pursue a music career.

He has written a lot of songs and is trying to put together a professional group.

His contest success won him three Gibson guitars and a lot of exposure.

Judges at the finals were Hubert Sumner, who played with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, Dweezil Zappa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and a guitarist from Toto.

"I just loved the opportunity to show the music I enjoy and expose other people to the music I love," he said. "I felt it was a good performance. The crowd seemed to enjoy it. ... That was the real goal, to get the crowd into it."

Gooch has a pair of upcoming gigs with the Road Dogs, 9 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Kraken in Cardiff and 7 p.m. the next night at the Vista Entertainment Center.

Visit joshgooch.com.

Shrine honor: A distinguished football career was recognized with the induction this month of Vista resident Mario Mendez to the Aztec Hall of Fame at San Diego State.

Mendez was a running back for the Aztecs from 1961 to 1963.

He was named to the all-conference team in 1963 and chosen as the team's most valuable player.

Mendez was one of a large group of junior college players brought in by first-year coach Don Coryell to turn the program around.

Those were the days before "Air Coryell."

In fact, Mendez recalls, Coryell emphasized running the football in those early years.

After college, Mendez played in 1964 as a wide receiver for the Chargers.

He went on to teach at Monte Vista High School for 10 years and for 25 years at Palomar College, where he coached track and served for four years as head football coach, retiring in 2003.

"To be honored with all the other guys who have gone through there is a real distinction for my family and for my teammates," Mendez said.

Return visit: It was like old home week at Wednesday's San Diego North Chamber of Commerce mixer.

In attendance was the chamber's former chief executive Gary Powers, with his wife, Sharon. They're back in town after spending two years in Dahlonega, Ga., where Powers headed the Chamber of Commerce until injuring himself in a fall off an 18-foot ladder.

He was wrapping power poles with red ribbon for a candy cane effect when he tumbled off the ladder onto his head, fracturing his neck and left elbow.

Powers is recovering well, no surprise to his grandson, who told Sharon, "Grandma, don't worry. He's a tough old bird."

They're happy to be back in Rancho Bernardo, where "we get to see the sun every day," Powers said.

Georgia was rainy and humid, he reported.

The couple moved back into their Seven Oaks home, which they rented out while they were away. They plan to travel and enjoy retirement.

Around town: About 500 people will get up early Saturday to participate in the "Give thanks. Walk." event benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Walkers will take off at 7:45 a.m. from the Plaza Camino Real in Carlsbad, doing laps until they have reached 5 kilometers. Visit givethankswalk.org. ... Chick-fil-A in San Marcos is among the restaurants in the chain raising money Saturday for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light the Night" fundraiser. Twenty percent of proceeds from the day's sales will be donated to the charity. The store is at 587 Grand Ave.

Contact staff columnist Jeff Frank at 760-740-5419 or jfrank@nctimes.com.