December 2009 Archives

The Jackrabbits knocked off Irving (Texas), 58-46, late Tuesday night in Fort. Worth (Texas) to advance to tonight's championship game of the Whattaburger Tournament in Fort Worth.

Poly, 11-2, faces 15-1 Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) in the final.

Just received an email from Fox Sports West spokesperson Whitney Garvens, with this explanation as to why the Fox Sports South broadcast of tonight's Long Beach State-Duke basketball game was blacked out in Southern California:

"I was able to get in touch with Fox Sports South and they confirmed that they only have the rights to televise ACC games in the ACC footprint, except for the Sunday Night Hoops package. The same holds true for fans with ESPN's Full Court Package."

There you have it . . .

Long Beach cut its deficit to 13 points (66-53) with about 7 1/2 minutes to play but came out losing by 21 points -- 84-63.

Duke hit 15 of 26 shots from behind the arc and blocked 10 Long Beach shots.

Still no definitive answer as to why the Fox Sports South broadcast of the game was blacked out in the Southland.

A Long Beach representative at the game said he was told that the blackout was ``on Foxs Sports West's end'' but a Fox Sports West spokesman said tonight that wasn't the case.

The bottom line is: It wasn't shown here.

The Long Beach State men's basketball team is trailing Duke, 45-25, at intermission.

There isn't a lot of mystery remaining as to the outcome of that game but there is still a mystery is to why no one (at least those with the DirecTV package) is getting the Fox Sports South broadcast of the game.

I spoke to a DirecTV representative who said that the broadcast isn't being blocked by them.

Stay tuned . . .

The Poly High Jackrabbits edged Westlake High of Austin, 67-66, in a second-round game earlier today and will face Irving High of Texas tonight (7:30 Pacific Time) in a championship semifinal of the WhattaBurger Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.

Junior Ryan Anderson led the way against Westlake with 24 points.

The Bruins will take a 5-7 record into the beginning of Pacific-10 Conference play Thursday against Arizona State after a rather ho-hum victory over a seriously out-manned Delaware State team.

The Bruins were outscored by two points over the final 20 minutes and that is indicative of a team probably lost a bit of focus on both ends of the floor after intermission.

The Bruins will need two solid halves to beat the Sun Devils Thursday -- in reality, they will need their best overall performance of the season to knock off an ASU team that has probably maximized its talent as well as any team in the conference so far.

UCLA's men's hoops team leads Delaware State at intermission, 38-19.

If you're looking for little Pacific-10 Conference perspective, the Hornets lost by 42 points (76-34) at Arizona State on Dec. 12.

And the Bruins play host to the Sun Devils in a conference opener Thursday afternoon at 1:30.

If upsets could be recorded after just a half of play, the Long Beach State men's basketball team would have just pulled off a stunner.

The 49ers, in Lexington, are tied at 37 at intermission with unbeaten and No. 3-ranked Kentucky.

The Wildcats have been hurt by foul issues: Their three best players, freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins and junior Patrick Patterson, were on the bench much of the half after each picked up two personal fouls.

You can count on the Wildcats playing with a lot more energy in the second 20 minutes -- and that Wall, Cousins and Patterson are going to be on the floor a lot more than they were in the first half.

De La Salle takes a couple of knees and wins, 28-14, over unbeaten Crenshaw.

After De Anthony Thomas' two electric scoring runs that gave the Cougars a 14-zip advantage, the Spartans dominated in methodical and precise fashion.

It was just another example of what that's the best high school football program in America, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

Before I pack up the laptop and bust the Accord back to Laguna Niguel, my award winners after a long Saturday:

BEST TEAM
That's easy -- De La Salle.

BEST-COACHED TEAM
That's even easier -- De La Salle

BEST PLAYER
And that's REALLY easy -- Robert Woods of Serra.
He'll be in the NFL four or five years from now.

RUNNER-UP, BEST PLAYER
Nicholas Echeverry. His four field goals, including the 23-yarder as time expired, saved the Servite Friars' bacon. It got them a State D-II title (33-30 over Rocklin), as well.

Terron Ward scored from four yards out and De La Salle is a PAT away from going up, 28-14, with 3:07 to go.

Would things have been more interesting if De Anthony Thomas has not suffered a sprained ankle?

For sure.

Would it have changed the outcome?

I doubt it.

De La Salle has the ball at the Crenshaw 4, on third down, with a timeout and 3:10 remaining. Any score, in reality, puts this thing out of reach.

De La Salle just dominated the Crenshaw defense on an impressive drive and is up, 21-14, and seemingly in control of this thing.

Crenshaw can't block or and can't fight off blocks . . . at least not tonight.

. . . and the score is tied at 14.

But De La Salle has all the momentum. The Spartans have got a real good read on the Crenshaw offense now.

Now that was an impressive drive . . . one the Spartans needed to get back into the game.

De La Salle's OL got a real nice rhythm on that drive and blocked exceptionally well. And the Spartans' sophomore QB, Bart Houston, is impressive.

This is going to be a high-scoring affair . . .

This time from about the 10, on fourth and five. His explosiveness is breathtaking!

Junior De Anthony Thomas went 44 yards for a TD on Crenshaw's second play from scrimmage.

The cat is fast!

Three out and for De La Salle . . . and a short punt gives Crenshaw the ball at the Spartans' 41.

This baby is going to start about 12 minutes late . . . c'mon! Let's get this contest going!

Nicholas Echeverry just cooly and oh so calmly delivered on a 33-yard field goal attempt as time expired:

Servite 33, Rocklin 30 . . . and the Friars are the State Division II champions.

Props to Rocklin: The Thunder was tough.

There is time out, with 46.8 seconds to go, and Servite has a second down at the Rocklin 9 . . . unless the Friars turn it over again (which they did, losing the ball at the 1 before getting it back on a pic), a FG attempt is a lock for Echeverry.

It's 30 apiece, with 8:51 to go in the fourth quarter . . .

All that touted Servite discipline has disappeared . . . penalties galore of late . . . Friars better regroup in a hurry.

Since we last visited, Rocklin scored again, forced a Servite punt and has the ball on the Friars' 48!

Servite 30-23 . . . 10:19 to go!

Tiger Sorenson -- he cat has to golf, right? -- and Holden Huff connected on a post corner in the end zone and Rocklin makes it 30-17 . . . .

Nick With the Wunderleg just sailed one through the uprights from 43 yards out . . . and Servite continues to tighten the vice on the outcome of this one . . . six minutes or so to go in the third quarter.

I'm going to be on the Prime Ticket halftime show of the Crenshaw-De La Salle Open Division championship game . . .

The subject . . . high school hoops in California this season.

Our little buddy Nick just punched in a 39-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

Either De La Salle or Crenshaw is going to have to win in overwhelming fashion to challenge Servite for honorary "best team in California this season" kudos . . .

Servite quarterback Cody Fajardo, on third-and-12, just hooked up with Rudy Guerrero with an absolutely nifty 60-yard scoring toss.

That's a dagger, folks . . .

Servite leads Rocklin, 24-10, with 7:14 to go in the second quarter.

Vincent Barrow added a 22-yard field goal for Rocklin and the Thunder trails Servite just 17-10 with 9:23 to go in the first half.

Once again, I may have called "blowout!" a bit too early in the ballgame!!!!

Nicholas Echeverry -- all 5-6 and 160 pounds of him -- just banged in a 47-yard field goal for Servite and the Friars lead, 17-7 . . . about a minute left in the first quarter.

Quarterback Cody Fajardo scored on a short scamper and Chris Nicholls returned a punt 55 yards.

Friars 14-0, 5:49 to go in first quarterback. This looks like a significant mismatch.

Rocklin threw a pic and the Friars have the ball on the 13 in the D-II game . . it's early, folks

On a day when they were anything but sharp, the Cavaliers had too much quickness and way, way too much Robert Woods for their Northern California counterparts.

And they're the California State Division III champions . . .

Junior Woodson Greer just had a big stop on the Marin QB on fourth down and Serra takes over on the Marin 49 with 2:24 to go . . . barring a fumble, it's over . . .

. . . with 4:43. Marin has a first down at the Serra 42 . . .

Serra's offense, other than when Robert Woods touches the ball, isn't so much today.

Marin gets the ball back on its 36 after a short punt.

Serra 24-20 . . . . 6:16 to go in the fourth quarter, timeout . . .

Sophomore Marquise Lee, who is a heck of a hoopster, by the way, just made an interception for Serra.

Barring another turnovver, the Cavaliers shouldn't let this one slip away now . . . they've got it on their 42 with 7 1/2 minutes to go.

Serra has a nasty case of self-destructiveness today.

Robert Woods just fumbled out of the Marin end zone, costing his team six points and the ball.

Earlier, his 59-yard punt return for a score was called back for an illegal block.

Marin is still in it with 10 minutes to go, down 24-20 . . .

Robert Woods has been touted as the No. 1 football prospect in the California senior class and he looks every bit that for Serra today.

He just took another short Connor Preston pass, slipped three or four would-be tacklers, and put the Cavaliers back in front.

. . . Chris Tewhill picked up a fumble by Shaquille Richard and went 50-something yards for a touchdown. Marin leads, 20-17 . . .

Is Serra focused on this game or still in a post "We beat Oaks Christian" high?

The Cavaliers settled for a field goal.

Serra junior George Farmer, who has huge rep, just dropped his third pass. The first two of those muffs prevented touchdowns.

. . . and Serra recovers a fumble at the Marin Catholic 21.

The Wildcats can't do things like that and pull off the upset.

Serra just got burned for a 78-yard play-action scoring pass on second-and-7 . . .

An observation: The Cavaliers are very fast defensively. They are not very good, defensively.

They might have struggled to get beyond the second round of the CIF Southern Section's Pac-5 playoffs.

Marin Catholic's only hope is to keep the ball -- a long time -- and score on each possession. Because I don't think the Wildcats have a hope of stopping Serra's passing attack.

Prestoin just connected with former Los Alamitos standout Paul Richardson for eight yards and it's 14-7, Cavaliers, with 6:32 to go.

The Wildcats had recovered an onside kick after its mammoth scoring drive but lost a fumble in the red zone, setting the table for another Serra "passing league" display.

Wow ... talk about jumping to hasty conclusions . . .

Marin Catholic runs the Double-Wing offense . . . and runs it very well. And Serra's defense doesn't seem too well prepped for it, based on the nine minute, 80-something-yard drive for a TD the Wildcats just expertly executed to tie the score at 7 with 2:29 to go in the first quarter . . .

Play one from scrimmage in the Serra-Marin Catholic Div. III state title was a quick hitch from quarterback Connor Preston to wide receiver Robert Woods.

Sixty-seven yards later, it's 7-0, Cavaliers. This could get ugly in a hurry.

Roy Gordon, whose two late 3-pointers got Leuzinger in position to win, missed a shot from behind the arc in the right corner as the buzzer sounded as the Jackrabbits prevailed in a consolation game of the Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High.

Saturday's schedule:
11 a.m., Harvard-Westlake vs. Huntington Beach
12:30 p.m., Lakewood vs. Phoenix St. Mary's
2, Leuzinger vs. Clovis West (7th place)
3:30, Poly vs. Rancho Verde (5th place)
5, Jordan vs. Centennial (3rd place)
6:30, Serra vs. Ocean View (championship)

. . . on Leuzinger, at 41-6, heading into the fourth quarter of a fifth-place semifinal of the Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High.

. . . to a 73-44 victory over Jordan in the TOC semifinals.

That means the host Seahawks will play Serra at 6:30 Saturday night in the title game. it should be a good one. It's a rematch of sorts: Ocean View prevailed, 46-41, in a Southern Section playoff semifinal last March.

Jordan faces Centennial in a 5 o'clock third-place tilt.

The host Seahawks had a late 6-0 burst, sparked by a spectacular block by Best in the West selection Anthony Brown, and lead the Jordan Panthers at intermission, 35-26.

Ocean View has committed 10 turnovers (Jordan has five) but the Panthers haven't been able to capitalize on enough of them. And the Seahawks have been crushing Jordan under the offensive glass for numerous second- and third-shot opportunities.

Jesse Jones (12 points) is the leading scorer for the Panthers and Avery Johnson has11 for Ocean View.

The winner of this tilt faces Serra in the title game Saturday night at 6:30.

Lakewood (56-53 to Rancho Verde) and Compton (65-50 to Phoenix St. Mary's) lost consolation games in the Tournament of Champions today.

Jordan and Ocean View are in the second quarter of a championship semifinal. It started about a half-hour behind schedule, so the chances of Poly-Leuzinger making it into Saturday's Press-Telegram could be slim. It will probably start sometime after 9:15 or so.

Jordan just held off Clovis West (63-55) to advance to a Friday night semifinal with host Ocean View in the Tournament of Champions.

Here's Friday's schedule:

3 p.m, Lakewood vs. Huntington Beach
4:20, Compton vs. Phoenix St. Mary's
5:40, Rancho Verde vs. Clovis West
7, Jordan vs. Ocean View
8:30, Poly vs. Leuzinger.

Leuzinger rallied from 21 points down in the first quarter to beat Compton, 74-65, in a Tournament of Champions pool-play game at Ocean View High.

Wednesday's other scores:
Jordan 70, Phoenix St. Mary's 69
Clovis West 58, Huntington Beach 53
Centennial 82, Harvard-Westlake 58
Ocean View 75, Lakewood 64

Here's the Thursday schedule:
3:30, Huntington Beach vs. Phoenix St. Mary's
5, Compton vs. Harvard-Westlake
6:30, Serra vs. Centennial (championship semifinal)
8, Jordan vs. Clovis West.

Friday's partial schedule:
3, Lakewood vs. Huntington Beach-St. Mary's loser
4:20, Compton vs. to be determined
5:40, Rancho Verde vs. TBD
7, Ocean View vs. Jordan or Clovis West
8:30, Poly vs. Leuzinger

The Bruins had things pretty much under control all evening while knocking off the 49ers, 25-20, 25-20 and 25-16 in a first-round NCAA Tournament match played in Pauley Pavilion this evening.

Yikes . . .

WESTERN DIVISION
Dominguez (6-5) at Alemany (9-3)
Frank Says: The Dons have had one of the most amazing single-season turnarounds in memory and this is definitely a program that will seriously contend for a Southern Section title a year from now. But the Dons are too young to knock off the Warriors ("Warriors . . . come out and play! I love that movie!), who have lost only to Oaks Christian, Harvard-Westlake and Bishop Amat. Watch out for the Dons in 2010! Alemany 28, Dominguez 20

Here we go: Selected CIF Southern Section football semifinal predictions, starting with Friday night:

PAC-5
Mission Viejo (12-0) vs. Servite (11-1) at Cerritos College
Frank Says: The Friars will be BY FAR the best team the untested Diablos have faced this season. I don't think either of these teams would/will beat Lakewood or Edison in the Dec. 12 title game. But I do think the Diablos will take a 13-0 record into Angel Stadium. Mission Viejo 24, Servite 17

SOUTHERN
Laguna Hills (10-2) at La Mirada (11-1)
Frank Says: Laguna Hills is very well coached and the defending division champion. And this will be a much tighter affair than will the other division semifinal Saturday night. But the Matadors will prevail to do their part to create an all-Suburban League final. La Mirada 27, Laguna Hills 21

SATURDAY
Garden Grove (12-0) vs. Norwalk (11-1) at Excelsior Stadium
Frank Says: The Lancers, as the Suburban League's third-place team, blitzed host Garden Grove in the first round a year ago, 38-6. The Argonauts are the division's top seed but they'll be overwhelmed by the Norwalk Wing-T once again. Norwalk 51, Garden Grove 24

PAC-5
Lakewood (11-1) vs. Edison (12-0) at Orange Coast College
Frank Says: Had the Lancers not let a game with still-unbeaten Crenshaw slip away (29-28) in the season opener, this matchup would be taking place where it belongs -- in the Dec. 12 championship game. The Chargers have played an extremely difficult schedule (Dana Hills twice; Servite; Mater Dei; and the Sunset League competition) but haven't played anyone nearly as gifted as the Lancers. The Chargers are minus two key defensive players (linebacker Shaun McLaughlin and Charles Burks), sidelined with injuries. And that could hurt significantly as they try to contain QB Jesse Scroggins and the rest of the Lancers' offensive weapons. If lineman Justin Utupo and his buddies can make things uncomfortable for Edison quarterback Matt Viles, the Chargers' offense will be hamstrung. And the winner is . . . Lakewood 28, Edison 21