(From Cary, N.C.) Gabiriel Encinas pitched solid baseball and today was one of 34 players named to the 2009 18U National Team Trials unit that will begin competition in Cary, N.C.in Sept. 7 early September for spots on the 18U National team that will compete in the in the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships scheduled Sept. 25-Oct. 4 in Barquisimetos, Venezuela.
The final 18U National Team roster of 29 players will be announced Sept. 17 following an evaluation period during five days of practices, intrasquad scrimmages and exhibition games.
Encinas, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander who will be a senior this fall at St. Paul High School and last week was named the Daily News Baseball Player of the year, was impressive over eight innings of work in which he reportedly gave up four hits and one unearned run. Included was a perfect four-inning stint opening day.

More accolades for La Habra's Ronnie Hillman. After being named the MVP in the Freeway League track and field finals for winning four individual titles -- 100, 200, long jump and triple jump, he is the league's boy Athlete of the year. Just to refresh your memory, he rushed for 1,137 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 12.3 yards per carry, and had 57 receptions for 939 yards (16.4 ypc) a d 14 TDs. He played his best against the best, i.e. in a 28-21 loss to Division I San Clemente, rushed for 116 yards and added 81 yards in receptions. During the season, he had runs of 77, 75 and 70 (twice) yards, and three others of more than 50 yards. ...

The report that Highlanders' defensive back Dominic Sierra has been been offered by Hawaii is correct. Coach Frank Mazzotta confirmed he has accepted the offer. No confirmation the 6-foot-1, 198-pounder will play linebacker for the Rainbows. ...

St. Paul pitcher Gabe Encinas texted from a National Showcase camp in North Carolina that he pitched four perfect innings Thursday (" ... 12 up, 12 down, with three Ks"). ...

The coaching staff for the East squad in Friday night's Hall of Fame football game at Bassett High School is singing the praises of Pioneer's Matt Botello. Not surprised here. The mightiest little (5-foo7-7, 185) Titan has long been underrated by everyone but coach Ramon Juarez. Cat quick and more powerful than size would indicate, outstanding receiver out of the backfield and standout return guy for special teams. Coming off an impressive performance in the 605 All-Star Classic.

The release dates for the 2009 Daily News All-Area selections for spring sports :
Athletes of the Year - June 23
Baseball - June 24
Softball - June 25
Boys tennis - June 26
Boy volleyball - June 27
Boys track - June 30
Girls track - July 1
Boys swimming - July 2
Girls swimming - July 3

Concerning the reported transfer of Loyola linebacker Bronson Green to
St. Paul, it is not true, at least not right now. A St. Paul school
spokesperson said he is not enrolled and is not working out with the
football program. ...

Add St.Paul: The report there is "about 45" boys out for football is
either misleading or erroneous. As of Saturday, the Swordsmen have
"about twice" that many. ...

At this early point in the season (actually, while interest is year
round, the football season doesn't begin until August), is it really so
important who is the freshman football coach at St. Paul? ...

If you're going to post unfounded rumors that a coach is seeking
numbers for players from another school (the implication being something
illegal is afoot), identify the players, so it can be checked out. Or is
the allegation merely meant to stimulate interest and controversy? ...

Anonymous posted the names and specifics of four large bodied
athletes. Nothing else, other than titled "Prospects." Should it be
assumed there is some type of dubious implication meant there. If it's
CalHigh of which you speak, say so. If otherwise, say so.

Add Anonymous: You posted "Cal Hi report; ..... We're looking to go 10-0. Don't
see much competition in our league." Pioneer and La Serna might have
something to say about that. Don't know yet about Whittier and El
Rancho. And as for Santa Fe, best to let the big dog sleep. Much is
being said about the Chiefs and their staff, not a lot of it positive.
Come late November, some of the more vocal folks might be seeking spices
to put on their crow. ...

A 5-yard pass from Steven Del Villar to Eddie Aguirre with about 15 seconds left in the game provided the deciding points in Pioneer's 21-14 victory over Artesia Sunday in the second day of the Watts Summer Games at Los Angeles Southwestern College.
The Titans lost their first game Sunday to Los Angeles Banning, 20-9, but the win over Artesia was their third in four games and most likely moves them into next weekend's competition for the Games' football championship.
Pioneer defeated Fairfax, 26-13, and Morningside, 23-15, Saturday.
Del Villar, who passed for three scores against Artesia, made several crucial, on-target throws that were dropped and proved costly against Banning.
"Overall, we didn't play our best football today," Pioneer coach Ramon Juarez said, "but I was pleased with the we way fought back.
"It looked like we didn't have a lot of emotion after losing to Banning. I think the players were a little disappointed after losing that one. We were down 14-6 going into the second half (against Artesia), but we came back to tie the score, and then got the ball left with about three minutes remaining. Aguirre started on a short slant, then released to the outside to grab Del Villar's accurate pass.
A decision concerning which teams advance to Saturday's final rounds will be made Monday, but Pioneer defeated all three of its opponents in its bracket, giving Juarez reason to be optimistic about the Titans' chances to continue.

Pioneer defeated Fairfax, 26-13, in their opening round of the Watts Summer Games Saturday.
No word yet on the result of their game with a very athletic-looking Morningside team.

Do to opening ceremonies that begin at 8 a.m., Saturday's football games at Los Angeles Southwest College have been set back an hour. That means Pioneer will play Fairfax at noon and Morningside at 2 p.m.
Sunday's schedule remains the same.

Pioneer's football program begins the Watts Summer Games Saturday with games against
Fairfax at noon and Morningside at 2 p.m. at Los Angeles Southwest College (1600 West imperial Highway, corner of Imperial and Western, right off the 105 Freeeway). The Titans come back Sunday to play LA Banning at noon and Artesia at 2 p.m.
"We like playing in the Watts Games because we feel there is a good chance we wil see some speed and some man-to-man coverage that we don't see during the regular season," coach Ramon Juarez said. "We also like it because its more like a real game than some of the other competitions. We play on a field 70 yards by 50 yards, and you move the ball down the field. You have three downs to make 10 yards and a first down until you're iniside the 40 (yard line) and then you have four downs. Two twenty-minute, running time halves and one time out per half. It's all very fast paced."
There are games starting on two fields every hour from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Rotary of Whittier's 13th annual high school all-star baseball and softball Classics were impressive.
TIn softball, the Red team defeated the Blue team, 3-2. The pitching was solid but not dominating (that's good), there was enough hitting to maintain interest (that's good) and there were plenty of standout defensive efforts to keep the game close (that's very good).
Sonora's Alexa Limon was the Reds' MVP after delivering a two-run single for the deciding run. She also pitched four innings in relief. La Mirada catcher Dana Garcia was the Blues' MVP after getting a double and single. She would have had a third single but was robbed on a controversial call at first base. Priscilla Licon (Whittier) got the win, while Kim Lopez (La Mirada) took the loss.
Sparkling Blues defense was displayed by shortstop Lauren Yao (Cantwell), third baseman Jackie Cisneros (Montebello), center-fielder Marilyn Toriz (El Rancho) and a pair of team double plays. The Reds, who also turned a double play, got key defensive gems from first baseman Sarah Calzada (tiwce), third baseman Monica Robles and Sonora catcher Ariel Tsuchiyama, who would have been a front-runner for Player of the Game had there been such an award given.
The Red team also won the baseball game, with La Serna's Ben Burke slugging a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning for a 6-4 victory over the Blue team. The homer earned Burke the Reds' MVP honor. La Habra's Jake Garvey, who had a double and single, was the Blue MVP.
The defensive play of the game was turned in by Blue center-fielder Ron Palacios (Pioneer), who made a sliding catch of Chris Carrillo's (St.Paul) sinking line drive, recovered and threw to second to double up a runner in the fourth inning. His effort kept the Red team from scoring a run when the next batter, Santa Fe's Francisco Fuentes, singled.
Fuentes pitched two no-hit innings and picked up the victory, and Ryan Ball (St. Paul) had two strikeouts in one inning of work and got the save. Ray Aguirre (Pioneer) took
the loss.
The most important aspect in both games: A good time was had by all.

.

Timely hitting, Courtney McGee's standout pitching and error-free defense carry Whittier
Christian past No. 1 seed San Dimas, 3-2 in eight innings. It is the Heralds' second CIF title in the sport in as many trips to the finals.

Whittier Christian High School Athletic Director and head football coach Jon Caffrey has resigned from both positions to become the head football coach at Sunny Hills High school.
Caffrey led Whittier Christian to league championships and the CIF Southern Section, Division XIII semifinals when his teams posted 11-1 and 10-3 records overall in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
"I came here to build a football program, and I feel I've accomplished all I can," Caffrey said.
In six seasons at the helm, Caffrey's teams posted a 40-29 record overall, including a 12-12 mark in three different leagues -- Delphic, Alpha and Olympic.
This past season, the Heralds were 4-6, including a 1-3 mark in the Olympic League.
Caffrey also has been instrumental in upgrading some of the school's athletic facilities, perhaps most significantly the weight room with top-flight equipment which is used by all of the Heralds' athletic teams.
At Sunny Hills, he will take over a program that was 15-25, including 6-13 in the Freeway League, over the past four seasons.
The program appeared to be regaining credibility last year under first-year coach Marcelo Giuliano, posting a 6-5 record overall and finishing third (3-2) in league. The Lancers returned the CIF playoffs for the first time since 2004, losing to Western, 38-15, in a Division VI first-round game.
"Sunny Hills is an outstanding school academically," Caffrey said. "When I interviewed, I was really impressed with the administrators.
"They're looking for someone to build a program. I'm looking for a last stop. I'm not interested in moving around, and I'm looking at Sunny Hills as a last move."

La Habra running back Josh Quezada, offered by Utah and San Diego State, and tight end John Gilbert Gandour, offered by San Diego State.
Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary wide receiver/defensive back Jeffrey Taylor, offered by the University of Nevada, Reno.

The corrected roster for the East baseball team in the Rotary of Whittier's 13th Annual All-Star Baseball and Softball Classics scheduled June 10 at York Field in Whittier:
La Serna -- Ben Burke, p/of/1b; Andy DeCorte, p; Brandon Montoya, c/inf/of; Freddie Sanchez, ss/3b. Montebello -- Jose Alamo, of; Art Carrasco, ss/2b/p. Santa Fe -- Francisco Fuentes, p/1b/of; Michael Munoz, of.
Schurr -- Ricky Mendez, of; Jerry Perez, p/3b. Sonora -- Daniel Gonzales, 1b; Cameron Luitwieler, 3b; Steven Mancilla, ss/2b. St. Paul -- Ryan Ball, cf/p; Chris Carrillo, c.

La Habra High School running back Ronnie Hillman, the Daily
News Football Player of the Year, heads a list of twenty-six local
athletes who will participate in the 2009 Annual 605 All-Star
Football Classic.
The game will be played Saturday beginning at 6:05 at Cerritos
College in Norwalk.
Mayfair has eight players, La Habra has seven and Santa Fe five as
the schools with the most participants on the 47-player East roster.
Other area schools being represented for the East are California, La
Serna, Pioneer, St. Paul, Whittier and Whittier Christian.
Warren is represented by four athletes to top the 48-player West
roster that includes local entries from Cantwell, El Rancho and
Schurr.
Coaches for this year's game are Santa Fe's Jack Mahlstede for the
East and Warren's Chris Benadom for the West. This is Mahlstede's
fifth participation. It is Benadom's first.
Mahlstede, along with Artesia coach Norm Flowers and former Paramount
head coach Ken Sutch, will be inducted into the 605 Hall of Fame, and
Hillman will receive the Player of the Year award in ceremonies
during the annual Hall of Fame banquet scheduled Friday, June 5 at
the Norwalk Sports & Arts Complex, 13200 Clakdale Ave., Nowalk.
Tickets for the banquet are $20 and include a buffet dinner. Doors
open at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Rich Estrella at (714)
522-8895.
The rosters:
East (No., pos., school)
1. Andre Allen, wr, Mayfair
2. Osagie Odiase, db, St. Paul
3. David Arteaga, db, La Habra
4. Ronnie Hillman, rb, La Habra
5. Adrian Lopez, lb, Santa Fe
6. Jimmy Ohiri, qb, Mayfair
7. Randall Nygren, qb, La Habra
8. Joe Casey, lb, La Habra
9. Jake Peppard, dl, La Habra
10. Jeremy Brown, pk, Los Altos
11. Jose Guzman, rb, Norwalk
12. Jonathan Rodriguez, wr, La Serna
15. Deondre Powell, wr, Gahr
17. Tim Moten, wr, John Glenn
18. Brandon Estrada, wr, Mayfair
20. Ronald Kennedy, db, Mayfair
21. Michael Allain, rb, Fullerton
22. Clarence Bowden, rb, Cerritos
24. Matthew Botello, rb, Pioneer
25. Michael Demery, db, St. Paul
28. Eric Stern, pk, California
30. Daniel Enriquez, rb, Whittier
31. Nathan Vanderlinden, dl, Mayfair
32. Louie Lozano, rb, La Serna
36. Nikolai Crouch, dl, Santa Fe
40. Mark Edwards, rb, Whittier Christian
41. Erik Wiersma, lb, Mayfair
45. Aaron Turner, rb, Santa Fe
50. Ricky Starr, te, Gahr
51. Gerardo Avila, lb, California
42. Dfrain Zendejas, ol, Gahr
53. Ryan Willig, ol, Gahr
54. Randall Hicks, dl, Fullerton
55. Fou Fonoti, ol, Mayfair
64. Rafael Mendez, ol, Whittier
65. Scott Hutcherson, ol, Sonora
67. Willie Mayoral, ol, La Habra
70. Eric Lopez, ol, Santa Fe
72. Andre Polo, ol, Fullerton
74. Nick Finney, dl, Santa Fe
75. Nick McDermott, ol, La Habra
76. Mike Saenz, dl, La Serna
77. Bradley Henderson, dl, Mayfair
78. Joey La Rosa, ol, Artesia
79. Nick Beyer, ol, California
84. Nate Blaikie, te, California
97. Joseph Gonzalez, dl, St. John Bosco

West team
1. Michael Allen, wr, Lynwood
2. Lamont Rowe, db, St. Anthony
3. Christian Rogers, wr, LB Wilson
4. Ricky Mendez, qb, Schurr
5. John Graves, rb, St. Anthony
6. Steven Ybarra, lb, Garfield
7. Eric Hayes, db, Lakewood
8. Luis Bretado, db, Warren
9. Lanny Delgado, wr, Garfield
10. Christian Funches, lb, Bellflower
11. Chris Perez, lb, Cantwell
12. Jesse James, db, Dominguez
13. Mika Yandall, lb, St. Anthony
14. Giovanny Salazar, k, Bell Gardens
15. Jayson De Kruyf, wr, Valley Christian
17. Roman Lewis, qb, LB Cabrillo
18. Jeffrey Taylor, wr, Cantwell
19. Robert Bebek, te, LB Wilson
20. Marcus Galan, rb, El Rancho
21. Fred Rogers, wr, Paramount
22. Jeremiah Higgins, rb, Downey
23. Kyle Marshall, db, LB Cabrillo
24. Keith Holland, rb, Downey
25. Robert Duran, lb, Schurr
27. Shawn Esparza, rb, Warren
28. Taniela Maka, lb, LB Jordan
31. Isam Pegues, rb, Lynwood
32. Nick Cruz, dl, Lakewood
33. Teuita Palu, rb, LB Jordan
35. Andre Degarmo, lb, Warren
42. Leiatava Tua, lb, LB Cabrillo
44. Kendall Warren, dl, Dominguez
45. Ricardo Ramirez, lb, Huntington Park
51. Larry Lehauli, dl, Paramount
52. Lavell Lincome, dl, LB Jordan
54. Sam Nunez, ol, Warren
56. Bryne Utu, dl, Dominguez
57. Jerry Ford, lb, Paramount
58. Marc Gonzalez, ol, Schurr
64. Jamall Tucrkile, ol, Lynwood
65. Andrew Burgueno, ol, Garfield
67. Eli Martinez, dl, LB Millikan
72. Jared Vos, ol, Valley Christian
74. Cesar Estrada, ol, Bell Gardens
75. David Lujan, ol, Downey
79. Jordan Scanlan, ol, Cantwell
94. Eric Zuniga, dl, El Rancho
97. David Banuelos, dl, Don Bosco Tech