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University of Arizona coach Sean Miller just had some nice comments about La Mirada High graduate Derrick Williams, who was the Press-Telegram's 2008-09 Dream Team Player of the Year.
"He's a legit 6-foot-8, weighs about 230 pounds, is a great kid who is a hard worker and easy to coach. He has as bright a future as anyone in our program."
The coaches are about ready to start strolling to the podium here in the LAX Hilton.
First off, the results of the media poll, with my comments:
1. Cal (obvious choice to win it)
2. Washington (solid pick in this spot)
3. UCLA (could win conference, if nine frosh/sophs come through)
4. Arizona (Sean Miller was a great hire)
5. Oregon State (won't surprise anyone this season)
6. Oregon (hard to figure)
7. Arizona State (yes, Sun Devils will miss James Harden significantly)
8. Washington State (could be better than this projection)
9. USC (ditto the WSU comment)
10. Stanford (Landry Fields will get up a lot of shots and maybe lead conference in scoring).
I've seen several comments on the blog about Los Alamitos quarterback Dylan Lagarde's eligibility at Poly after transferring from Serra (in Gardena).
Here's the deal: There is now a rule within California (in which place for several years) in which a high school athlete, going into his sophomore year, can transfer high schools have immediate varsity eligibility at the new school without a change of residence.
I may have been in Downey for the Lynwood at Warren SGVL clash but I've first got to touch upon the game that was played on the east side of Long Beach Friday night.
I can't recall a more stunning Moore League score than the 35-34 that gave Millikan its double-overtime victory over Poly since the 15-13 score that gave the Rams' their last victory over the Jackrabbits -- in a Moore League finale in 1985 that handed the eventual Southern Section Big Five (as it was called then) co-champion its first defeat of the season.
Props to Millikan's Kirk Diego (as well-liked and respected as any coach in the area) and his Rams for the victory that pushed them to 6-2 and put them solidly in position for a berth in the Southern Section playoffs.
I don't know all the details but I read in Bob Keisser's early story that the Jackrabbits committed 19 penalties and had a significant number of turnovers.
Not to take anything away from Millikan's effort, but that sounds like the Jackrabbits -- who had a bye last week after their defeat to Lakewood -- either weren't mentally or physically ready to give the kind of performance needed to start a new winning streak Friday.
Suddenly, the Jackrabbits -- at 2-5 overall and 1-2 in Moore League -- find their playoff hopes sliding close to the precarious side.
Four Moore League games (at Wilson next Friday; at home to Cabrillo; and on the road to Compton) remain for Poly. The Jackrabbits have to win two their streak of not missing the playoffs since 1979 will be snapped.
Of course, this has been a season for streak-snapping for Poly opponents . . .
Two of next Friday's Moore clashes (Poly at Wilson and Millikan at Lakewood) are now among the most significant games in the Southland next week.
Thoughts on other games:
*Warren outscored Lynwood 28-0 in the second quarter to spark a 38-21 victory over Lynwood.
The Bears' Jesse Callier is the best high school running back I've seen this season but I'm not sure Warren's defense -- burned by Lynwood's quickness at times -- is quite stout enough to win four Southern Section Western Division playoff games.
*Norwalk (60-8 over Cerritos) and La Mirada (42-12 over Mayfair) sure set the table very nicely Friday night for their Suburban League showdown at Excelsior Stadium next Friday evening, didn't they?
*Servite snapped its mega losing streak (since 1988) to Mater Dei Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium by stopping the Monarchs, 30-20, in a Trinity League game. Like I said with Lakewood knocking off Poly a few weeks ago: If the Friars couldn't beat Mater Dei this season with the Friars clearly having the most gifted team, maybe it was never going to happen again.
CIF Southern Section assistant commissioner Rob Wigod (who oversees football) told me late Thursday night that the Southern Section office had cleared Poly transfer quarterback Dylan Lagarde for immediate varsity eligibility for the Griffins.
Apparently Lagarde's family, during a meet in the Southern Section office in Los Alamitos, produced the necessary documentation to that he and his family had made a residential move (from Torrance to Rossmoor) and granted his eligibility with Coach John Barnes' program.
Lagarde made his varsity debut with the Griffins Thursday night, throwing for 195 yards (on 10 completions in 21 attempts) and running for two scores while playing approximately 3 1/2 quarters of an eventual 52-0 Sunset League victory over Marina at Westminster High.
The Griffins face unbeaten and top-ranked (in the Pac-5 Division) Edison Friday night at Huntington Beach High.
The Knights trail 38-21 early in the fourth quarter. They have considerable speed at the skill positions.
And, yes, Jesse Callier is very much the real deal. He has rushed for three touchdowns with 211 yards on 19 carries.
Long touchdown runs by Jesse Callier (62 yards) for Warren and Desmond Williams (71) for Lynwood highlighted the first quarter at Warren High.
We're starting the fourth quarter . . . . and there will be a running clock the rest of the way.
Thinks are going to be considerably tougher for the Griffins next Friday night, when they play top-ranked Edison at Huntington Beach High.
Oops . . . officials still have signaled for a running clock! Ouch!
Two touchdown runs for Los Alamitos' running back Nick Richardson. This is shaping up to be the blowout that was expected.
Dylan Lagarde, a sophomore quarterback who quit the Poly football team after starting the Jackrabbits' first four games before transferring to Los Alamitos late last month, is scheduled to start the Griffins' game against Marina tonight at Westminster.
The Griffins' starting quarterback during the team's 5-1 start, senior Dylan Cook, quit the team on Tuesday.
The Jordan High wrestling program is in need of a varsity coach. According to Athletic Director Ron Massey, ``it's possible'' that a teaching position on the Jordan staff could go along with the coaching assignment.
Possible candidates should contact Massey at (562) 423-11471, extension 2162.
I caught both practice sessions (8 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.) of the Long Beach State men's basketball today.
Some quick thoughts:
*Assuming to significant injuries, depth will be a strength for Coach Dan Monson's club. He might be able to play 10 to 12 players per game, relatively comfortably.
*Eugene Phelps, Greg Plater and Andrew Fleming are much improved. I think Phelps will join Larry Anderson, Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson as sophomore starters, with senior Stephan Gilling taking the other spot.
But Fleming and Plater will be the first post and guard substitutes, respectively.
*Newcomers Lin Chang and Kyle Richardson (Mayfair High) are still trying to grasp terminology, the demands of the coaches and the need to play at a high level of intensity every moment.
Someday the 6-7 Richardson will be looked up as one of the biggest recruiting "coups" ever pulled off by a Long Beach coaching staff.
The 49ers will be back at it Sunday morning (8 to 10) and afternoon (3 to 5) in the Walter Pyramid.
Happy birthday, John R. Wooden, whose influence on basketball and things a lot more important than hoops continues ever stronger today.
The Big West Conference has done away with what used to be an "annual basketball media day", in large reason because fewer and fewer media-types were attending each October in Irvine.
This morning the conference, along with Downtown Disney's ESPN Zone, presented an alternative "media day" scenario and the execution of the idea was a bit more successful than I anticipated it would be.
The "Big West ESPN Zone Cookoff Challenge" brought together the head men's and women's coaches at Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, and UCs Irvine and Riverside.
Each school's pair of coaches got 20 minutes to emulate a pesto pasta dish prepared beforehand for ESPN culinary staff and then toss together their own creation while conference officials, school boosters and, yes, even a few media-types (includes yours truly and another PT staffer, Robert Morales).
File this under "irony": One of the three judges -- sports columnist Marcia Smith of the O.C. Register -- was the most high-profile media-type in the building.
The only coach-prepped pasta I partook of was LBSU's Dan Monson's "Meat Special" (49ers' women's coach Jody Wynn whipped up the prerequisite pesto pasta).
Monson spiked his giant rigatoni with ample portions of shrimp, sausage and chicken, generous doses of Parmesan cheese and enough cream and garlic to merit Monson's other name for his dish "heart attack special".
But it was tasty and I even discovered some broccoli in it, as well!
The CSF duo of Bob Burton and Marcia Foster bagged medals (yes, they gave medals with ribbons) in three of the five categories: Presentation, Best Taste and Top Chef, in large part based on Foster's "Smokin', Chokin' Chicken".
I can see Burton lugging those three faux-Olympic medals into some player's abode on a recruiting visit next spring. It will wow 'em!
"Kitchen Nightmare" honors (based on lowest combined score via the three judges) with the UC Riverside pare of Jim Wooldridge and John Margaritis.
I loved the Highlanders' women's coach's response after the medal was hung around his neck:
"I was scared I would come home (from the event) and my wife would think I could cook."
Let's see the Pac 10 top that!
Long Beach State women's basketball coach Jody Wynn has picked up her third commitment from a prep senior standout, landing 6-foot-3 post Janae Coffee (Clovis West High in Fresno).
Check this report out:
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncw/recruiting/tracker/school?schoolId=299&season=2010&page=briefingroom
The game is getting out of hand: Wilson is up 33-7 with three minutes to go. It's a nice start to Moore League play for the Bruins, indeed.
. . . with seven minutes to go after sophomore Alex Boy's 42-yard field goal.
He had one from 35 yards out earlier in the third quarter.
Alden Darby scored on a 9-yard run with 2:05 remaining in the second quarter and the Bruins' advantage has been cut in half as the teams cool (or warm?) their heels at halftime.
Ezell Ruffin scored on a 5-yard with 14 seconds to go in the first quarter for Wilson but the big play was a 60-yard hook up between Harper and Josh Bell.
A big blow for Millikan: quarterback Paul Slater appears to have re-aggravated a neck injury that kept him from calling signals the past few weeks. His pads are off and he has ice on his neck on the bench.
The host Bruins are up 7-0, courtesy a sweet 30-yard run by sophomore quarterback Brett Harper on a 4th-and-1 situation. Three minutes remain in the first quarter . . .
A great job by the Press-Telegram's Dave Felton revisiting the participants during the last game a Poly High football team lost to a Moore League opponent:
http://www.presstelegram.com/moresports/ci_13520610
LBSU coach Jody Wynn has picked up her second commitment, this time from a guard from Modesto.
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncw/recruiting/tracker/school?schoolId=299&season=2010&page=briefingroom
The Fullcourt Press Coaches Clinic will be held in the Gahr High gymnasium on Wednesday, with coaches on all levels of basketball invited.
And it's one that any coach will want to attend.
The speakers: 4 p.m., Ben Howland (UCLA); 5, Johnny Dawkins (Stanford); 6, Max Good (Loyola Marymount); 7, Steve Fisher (San Diego State); 8, Kevin O'Neill (USC).
And the price is a bargain: It's free!
. . . Long Beach wins the fifth set, 15-11, and the match . . . Naomi Washington had seven kills in the decisive set.
The Gauchos are elated and the 49ers are in a daze . . . and that's because UCSB has just evened the match after winning the fourth set, 25-18.
First one to 15 (with a two-point advantage) wins this thing and you've got to like the visitors' chances right now . . .
. . . 14-11 . . . timeout, Long Beach . . . momentum on visitors' side.
The Gauchos pulled away for the final five points to win, 25-20 . . . now it gets interesting.
The 49ers are now just a set away from recording a significant Big West Conference victory, knocking off the Gauchos in the second set, 25-22.
The 49ers were outstanding while winning the first set, 25-18.
But the Gauchos are playing better and Long Beach's defense and hitting aren't quite as sharp.
UCSB is in from in the second, 16-13.
Nice crowd and a nice match so far in the Walter Pyramid . . . Long Beach State is leading UC Santa Barbara in the first set, 20-14, and Gauchos' coach Kathy Gregory has called a second timeout.
The Griffins' defense finally surrendered some offense after holding the team's first three opponents scoreless.
But not to worry . . . Los Alamitos is 4-0 after handling a very good La Habra club, 28-13.
This is the Griffins' best D is several seasons. And Coach John Barnes' offense isn't bad, either.
Junior running back Nick Richardson has -- in the lexicon of today -- quite a "burst" and he displayed it often while scoring twice and rushing for 188 yards on 21 carries.
The Griffins should handled L.A. City club Narbonne next Thursday night and take a 5-0 record into a Sunset League opener against Newport Harbor on Oct. 16.
Happy Days are here again for Barnes' Crew!
. . . and Los Alamitos is still up following a dazzling 61-yard TD run by Nick Richardson. It was sharp, folks!
There is 7:25 remaining ... and the Griffins are going to have really let this one slip away.
. . . and the Los Alamitos Griffins continue to lead, 21-6 . . . lots of bugs in the Gahr press box.
It's getting dangerous, boys and girls . . .
Nick Richardson (no relation to Shaq) just scored on a 47-yard burst with a bit more four minutes into the third quarter. Boyer's kick makes it 21-6.
Quarterback Cody Clements and running back Josh Quezada combined for a 19-yard scoring toss before intermission to help La Habra cut Los Alamitos' lead to eight points (14-6). The conversion kick was missed.
Quezada (75 yards on 11 carries) is easily the best offensive player on the field.
The Griffins had a 48-yard pass and run hookup between Dylan Cook and Shaq Richardson for their first score, and a blocked punt by Robert Watson and 1-yard dive by Joe Locher for their other TD.
Sweet . . . not!
The battery power on this baby (laptop) is, give or take, an hour and a half . . . that isn't going to cut it.
Please come back on, power!
I'm in Cerritos getting ready to cover high school football teams from Los Alamitos and La Habra . . .
I made a bad choice on the pre-game meal, though. The eating establishment shall go unnamed. I passed on a couple of good options (BJ's Pizza/Lucille's BBQ) . . . live and learn.
I just finished a telephone conversation with 6-foot-9 Nick Shepherd, and the senior at Westbury Christian in Houston seemed excited about his future as a member of Coach Dan Monson's Long Beach State basketball program.
Shepherd, who committed to the 49ers Wednesday night, said the effort that Monson and assistant Eric Brown put into recruiting him since early July was a big factor in his decision, as was the reception he and his mother received when they visited the campus early last month.
His mother, Nyla Shepherd, is an accountant who coaches the volleyball team at Westbury Christian. She was volleyball standout at LSU who was recruited by Brian Gimmillaro and the 49ers' volleyball program when she was a prep star in Louisiana.
Check out more details in my story in Friday's Press-Telegram.
