Encinas commits to LMU
St. Paul High School senior-to-be Gabe Encinas has made an oral commitment to Loyola Marymount University. He said he will receive a scholarship covering 85 percent of his academic financial needs.
"It is a good fit for me," Encinas said Wednesday afternoon."It is close enough to home to be near my family, and far enough to be on my own. I really like the location, close to the beach and Los Angeles."
Encinas said he was influenced by potential for opportunity and the quality of recruits who have committed to the Lions.
"The coaches are really good," Encinas said, "and I feel (LMU) gives me a chance for a championship run, both in conference and nationally. The other guys they've picked up, I know alot of them, and they are really quality players. It's just a good spot for me."
In his last outing with his ABD travel ball team, against a Northern Calfiornia ABD travel ball team, he pitched five innings of one-hit, shutout baseball with 10 strikeouts
He and St. Paul teammate Chris Willson will compete in the Area Code Games beginning Tuesday. Encinas said two games will be played at USC and the rest at Blair Field in Long Beach. ...
Clearning up rumors about California kicker Eric Stern's scholarship with Utah State:
He reportedly will pay for his first semester, and will receive the scholarship for the second semester. He is on the official roster and will compete for the place kicking duties, and possibly as a punter. ...
Santa Fe's talented lineman, Nck Finney, will "walk on" at San Jose State. Good for him. At that level, coaches don't let just anybody "walk on." They obviously have seen potential in him and that's half the battle. Good luck to him.
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About this blog
Roger Murray is the prep sports editor for the Whittier Daily News.
Good luck seniors,
The big test now comes. Grades will get you somewhere. Sports should be fun. Enjoy the ride and be carefull of foolish pressure don't forget about the people who gave you support and for the who did't, forgive but not forget.
has anyone heard of any information on the kids from St Paul or Cal Hi, was there more arrest? Do they have all the kids involve? I heard at York field that more kids from St.Paul were arrested.
Does SP still believe in God? The La Serna kid needs our prayers. St. Paul only thinks about the school. If SP is a school of Faith they will served the people.
Yo, swordsman fan: The rumors are true. Rene Medina, St. Paul's fine young quarterback/pitching prospect, has transferred to St. John Bosco.
SP Alum:
3 to 4 in the MORNING!!!!!! "They were just there" is a bunch of BS!!! Why didn't they stop it. They are all friends. If they are not why would they be in the car? Face Up!
Because of all the drama, coach Pete G left. He would put out one fire and another would start. I guess he figure he wasn't a fire fighter. and if things don't change at SP everything is gonna go up in flames. Pete was too good for St. Paul. Everyone is glad for him. He's doing great things at his new school.
anyone know how true the transfer rumors are about that freshmen kid Medina...the pitcher?
The St Paul nation sticks together! We take on all comers. So line up fools. You can talk about us all day.
Wow, it’s hard to understand SP’s mind set;… their recent blogs don’t show any kind of concern for the La Serna student or LS alum, maybe I am wrong, it seems they rather fight about what someone blogged earlier…(uncle Hank) ….. He “Eric” is doing a lot better but he may never be the same, we all hope and pray he will. Isn’t life about the living? Aren’t we all worth something? I say God bless us all because He created us all.
My experience with Jasper Meza was a positive one. I hear his brother is a "jerk"; in and out of trouble consistently.
I do not understand Jasper's participation, but then with time is change.
ya i heard the kids from SP were just there at the scene, but the kids from cal were the ones who did all the damage. The only reason the SP kids were apart of it was because they were in the car while this was happening. and the lou kid you are wondering about goes to cal hi as well.
I agree with SJB, because st paul does and has had for a while now, lots of problems. just look at the enrollment that has been declining for about 7 or 8 years now. sp don't look outside but look inside. That's if you want to stop the slid into nowhere. The all girl school is not far away.
Another St Paul open mouth insert foot comment!!! …….“it take two to tangle”. That is true but 12 (with weapons) to 1 doesn’t really adhere to that comment now does it? And good look’n out for your people…….I myself along with just a mom and many others in here will continue to pray for the LS player and his family……as well as for justice.
Not sure what kind of truth can come out of 12 nearly beating 1 to death but you keep hope alive my brother!!!!!! Isn’t it about that time of year that you and the other lemmings start heading towards the cliffs?????
Hey "NOW" St Paul RULES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No one has said who started the fight in the first place. I think everyone needs to know. Was it St.Paul or Cal Hi or someone else? What trigger this? There has to be more to the story.
To all of you -
I know nothing about all the arrests except it seems that there are now 9 to 10 boys arrested. Justin Lau did attend Cal High when he was a freshman but I do not know where he attended last year. I hope all is going well with the young man from La Serna. I know of many, many people from Cal High keeping him in their prayers and we will all continue to do so.
We are not fans of St.Paul; Too many problems over there.
Well everyone knows it take two to tangle and there’s two sides to every story. The ones involved are only kids. And to St. Paul, Cal Hi a few bad apples do spoil the whole barrel if their bad apples? We at St. Paul hope the truth comes out and our people are cleared.
Just a mom --- Jasper Meza, 19, Christian Meza 18 and Justin Lau, 17 are the only names I've seen mentioned so far but others have been arrest recently. I know the Meza brothers are from CAL so I'm assuming Lau is from SP since those were the only two schools mention in the article in which the boys names were mentioned.
"a few bad apples do not spoil the whole barrel." well said!
Good luck gabe wish u nothing but luck ignore the HATERS they hate u cuz they can't be u,
To just a mom
Are there going to be more arrest? We all hope the Whittier police round up everyone and prosecute them to the fullest of the law. Our young boy was lucky this time, everyone is truly happy with his recovery.
Great comment uncle Hank. Your uncle is right Gabe, you have all the tools and great resources in your uncles. I have spoken to your uncle while watching you pitch at St. Paul. He knows what he is talking about from experience, he has been thru the ups and downs. I also agree the only one who could bring you down is yourself and i dont see that happening. Good luck in the USA trials. Keep doing what you do and you will be alright. Cant wait to see you pitch your senior year. There are alot Gabe Encinas supporters who wish you the best. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!
I am a Cal High parent and want to send my prayers out for the La Serna graduate and hope his recovery will be quick. How sad I am for the situation, but I want to remind everyone that a few bad apples do not spoil the whole barrel.
Does anyone know which persons being charge were from Cal Hi and which were from St Paul? I mean who were the adults? ………Great news the Eric is doing much better.
I have agreed on Encinas's ability and performance.
Cal Hi C: He did not "have to go to a private school".
If he is the brother of the Encinas who graduated from Santa Fe about 4 years ago, the parents made an excellent decision to REMOVE HIM FROM A PROGRAM THAT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT GETTING THE MOST FROM THEIR PLAYERS. "A STAGNANT PROGRAM UNDER MISDIRECTION. AT A SCHOOL THAT COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE BASEBALL PROGRAM. WHY ELSE WOULD THEY NOT MAKE A GOOD CHANGE, NOT HIRE SOMEONE TRAINED BY HENDRY! THEY MAY NEED THE OPPOSITE, A 180 DEGREE CHANGE! How could it hurt? Look at the talent they have lost in Gabe.
The older brother witnessed it and the parents took action.
And, it is really not the "quality of St. Paul" that is real good (because Gabe made St. Paul this year: without him they would have lost more; example La Salle) but that Santa Fe baseball has done zero with good talent since Kotsay took them to the "Quarters" back in 92?
OK MISTAKE: IT WAS HIS COUSIN WHO ATTENDED SANTA FE. BUT THE "WORD" SPREAD TO GABE'S FAMILY AND THEY DID THE RIGHT THING.
THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY? YOU MAY BE GOING TOO FAR. TIME WILL TELL. GOOD LUCK GABE. STAY POISED.
This is for all the haters out there. Gabe is the best high school pitcher that I have seen come out of the whittier area in a long,long, time. No disrepect to those good pitchers over the years. But Gabe is a great pither. I have seen him grow from a kid to a man. He has the potential, talent ,tools to succeed in life. He has pitch to the best hitters and talent in the country,and has done well. Still he has his senior year to go.And to the haters who can't write anything good,your life must really suck. you need to check yourselves. As for my nephew, I love you, keep working hard,Good Luck with the USA trials in September in South Carolina. I kwow you will do well, its in the blood.Just one more thing mijo, only Gabe can mess up Gabe. So keep your head high and go after your dreams and goals and thats to become a professional baseball player, and nobody can take that way. God Bless You.
wow, I just read the article, looks like Eric will be ok, justice will be served for you Mr Meza and co!
Three charged in beating of La Serna High alum
WHITTIER - Prosecutors charged two brothers and a teen on Monday with the attempted murder of a former La Serna High School football player beaten by a group wielding bricks and baseball bats……………………Westphal said some of the teens arrested are Cal High students, while some are from St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs.
These two school are in here talking crap about each other and then I read something like this? We all need to say a prayer for Eric Vandendries and that justice is served for all those involved!!!!
Cal Hi C
Why are you such an idiot. Sounds like jealousy to me. As much as I dislike the institution that is St. Paul, I will never single out an individual, especially a kid. Gabe is moving on because he is a great player, regardless where he plays. I would like to congratulate him for his accomplishments just like you should. Grow up you little moron & think next time you decide to type.
Yup we cant spell but we sure have way more success than Cal Hi obviesly LOSERS!
cal hi umm just stop what your saying because obviesly your just hating on the kid. You could so tell that you are. That's just hilarious. You got nothing else to do with your life so you just hate on Encinas because he is better than you. Haha thats a great laugh because i havn't heard of anyone else who's going to a D.1 college around the other schools including yours, and Im pretty sure if you've graduated which I think you have, you probably went to a jc as well. So please save the embarrassment of yourself because your nothing and this kid is living the best life you could think of, because he's accomplished way more in high school than you did.
You fools still can't spell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Apanches
Listen, just a random fellow said; you cannot spell or make sense. Random fellow, who just happen to come across this blog and decided to give us a false history lesson, I will ask how it is harder to graduate from a private school when the teachers have no degrees. In addition, when they do receive them they leave the school. What you’re saying is family members did better a public school “SFS”.
everyone always has something bad to say about st.paul,this is just out of anger knowing tht stpaul is the best school in the area. u can say la habra is but when it comes to atheltics who plays the better teams? we may not always come out on top but we fight through it, no oher scho . ol around here wud b able to compete with the schools st.paul competes with, u cant learn the discipline and he desire to win aywhere else other than at st.paul,thts why i am a CIF champion,say what u have to say but u cant take tht away from our program
Thank you, Mr. Murray.
It has been a real pleasure reading your articles and blogs...
To the Cal Hi Scum that commented this just to put down Encinas, u said that you bet no one from his family has ever gone to college. Well guess what you're wrong, because obviesly his cousin Anthony Encinas who attended Santa Fe High School and graduated not to long ago, who was also the best pitcher in the area and one of the best in the counrty like Gabe, went to play baseball at USC. So dont start with that whole going to a private school because he couldn't do it by himself thing because as im not mistaken private school is way harder to graduate from than a public school. Also i know his family and the two back rounds he comes from and that's both his Encinas side and his moms side which is the Corona side. Do you not know who his uncles are, Hank Corona and John Corona. Both of those guys were two power house pitchers back then, and they were both from Santa Fe. John made it all the way to AAA ball in the minor league system before he got hurt. So basically it seems like his household is fine if im not mistaken. So don't be trying to put down his family like that because his family i bet has way more success than yours and that's the only reason why your hating because none of your family has the chance to do what this kid has done and probably never will. Encinas stay strong man and never let anyone bring you down. They're going to continue to hate because they have nothing better to do in thre life except hate on high school kids. Good luck with USA and your next season. I know I'll be hearing good things about you.
Had to go to a Private school, I'll bet no one from his family ever went to college. It starts in the home!!!!! The heights our higher: even when your support group has no idea.
I am an avid St. Paul athletics hater. I have even thrown a stab at this young man, but to have the opportunity to further your education, I tip my hat to this gent. Good luck Mr. Encinas.
Congrats to Gabe Encinas and his family.