Lonzo Ball, Garrett Carter and Bryce Peters named 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game Nominees

Three boys basketball players from the local coverage area have made the 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game Nominees list
A total of 326 nominees were announced on the boys list, with California having the most nominees with 51 names.
The locals athletes among the names are:

Bryce Peters of Damien High School

Peters is committed to the University of Colorado on a basketball scholarship. He scored 11 points in the Ron Massey Classic victory over Sunnyside on Jan. 2.

Garrett Carter of Etiwanda High School

Carter played with the Eagles on Dec. 30 in the third place game of the 2015 MaxPreps Holiday Classic Nike Division Tournament. Carter and the Eagles return to the court tonight in nonleague play against Colony High.

Lonzo Ball of Chino Hills High School

Ball proved to be the key for No. 1 state ranked Chino Hills, who brought home the MaxPreps Holiday Classic Open Division Championship, with a near triple-double performance. Ball scored 31 points with 12 assists, eight rebounds and four blocks against Redondo Union, 96-80. Lonzo also had a 23-point performance against Georgia Jonesboro in the tournament’s semifinal game.

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Local area swimmers headed to inaugural CIF State meet

Inaugural CIF State Swimming and Diving

Event 3 – Girls 200 Medley Relay

No. 21 seed RedlandsCIF State Swim

1) Melissa Pepper 2) Summer D’Arcy 3) Niki Proctor 4) Alex Zak 5) Victoria Benitez 6) Mia Ryan 7) Libby Pry

No. 22 seed Redlands East Valley

1) Emily Longfellow 2) Alexa Melara 3) Autumn D’Arcy 4) Emily Rigsby 5) Sidney McNeil 6) Erin Doolittle 7) Allison Wieseler

Event 4 – Boys 200 Medley Relay 

No. 9 seed Redlands East Valley

1) Fernando Duenas 2) Jack Moyles 3) Benji Duenas 4) Kyle Acevedo 5) Reymond Munson 6) Christian Solis 7) Wade Allsup 8) Daniel Precie

No. 23 seed Damien

1) Steven Fleurant 2) Mac Quinn 3) Grant Farias 4) Richie Campbell 5) Diego Torres-Casso 6) Sean Murakoshi 7) Jakob Burris 8) Max Ries

Event 5 – Girls 200 Freestyle

No. 2 seed Ayala – Kenisha Liu

Event 6 – Boys 200 Free

No. 16 Chino Hills – Michael Tenney

Event 7 – Girls 200 IM

No. 13 seed Mikki Thompson

Event 8 – Boys 200 IM

No. 21 seed Redlands – Collin Green

Event 9 – Girls 50 Free

No. 15 seed Redlands – Melissa Pepper

Event 10 – Boys 50 Yard Free

No. 13 seed Damien – Richie Campbell

Event 11 – Girls 100 Butterfly

No. 23 seed Diamond Bar – Kathleen Gani

Event 12 – Boys 100 Butterfly

No. 18 seed Redlands East Valley – Fernando Duenas

Event 13 – Girls 100 Yard Freestyle

No. 1 seed Ayala – Kenisha Liu

Event 14 – Boys 100 Yard Free

N/A

Event 15 – Girls 500 Free

No. 8 seed Ayala – Mikki Thompson

No. 22 seed Redlands – Marleigh Aulis

Event 16 – Boys 500 Free

No. 10 seed Chino Hills – Michael Tenney

No. 17 seed Redlands – Collin Green

Event 17 – Girls 200 Free Relay

No. 7 seed Ayala

1)  Megan Delgado 2) Shannon Steele 3) Mikki Thompson 4) Kenisha Liu 5) Emma Ahadoberry 6) Marissa Gaslan 7) Colleen Gamboa 8) Sawyer Belville

Event 19 – Girls 100 Back

N/A

Event 20 – Boys 100 Backstroke

No. 17 seed Redlands East Valley – Fernando Duenas

Event 21 – Girls 100 Breaststroke

No. 23 seed Redlands – Niki Proctor

Event 22 – Boys 100 Breaststroke

No. 18 seed Los Osos – Brian Whittington

No. 22 seed Redlands East Valley – Jack Moyles

Event 23 – Girls 400 Free Relay

No. 8 seed Ayala

1)  Megan Delgado 2) Shannon Steele 3) Mikki Thompson 4) Kenisha Liu 5) Emma Ahadoberry 6) Marissa Gaslan 7) Colleen Gamboa 8) Sawyer Belville

No. 22 seed Redlands East Valley

1) Emily Longfellow 2) Mikayla Jean 3) Autumn D’Arcy 4) Emily Rigsby 5) Erin Doolittle 6) Sidney McNeil 7) Allison Wieseler

Event 24 – Boys 400 Yard Free

No. 17 Redlands
1) Tom Frye 2) Tyler Ocasio-Pare 3) Collin Green 4) Shea Macready 5) Matthew Keeling 6) Jack Topoleski 7) Nick Cortz 8) Matthew Ryan

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CIF-SS Division II Boys Diving Championships

Results of the CIFSS Division II Diving Championships:
 

Prestin Li of Diamond Bar finished the highest among local area athletes for either boys or girls Division II diving during the first day of the CIF Southern Section Swim and Dive Finals. Li finished with a score of 435.75 to finished ninth.

Noah Luna of Damien was second among local area boys finishing 14th overall in the field of 32, with a score of 367.05, followed by Aaron Garcia of Upland.

Local Boys:
Prestin Li of Diamond Bar (9th place) 435.75
Noah Luna of Damien (14th place) 367.05
Aaron Garcia of Upland (15th place) 363.75
Brian Murarik of Etiwanda (20th place) 220.75
Jeff Harris of Bonita (24th place) 135.30
Nicolas Pinson of Bonita (25th place) 129.95
Christian Darino of Bonita (26th place) 129.15
Zachary Walker of Bonita (27th place) 123.45
Grant Andres of Los Osos (31st place) 109.85
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Rancho Cucamonga employing transfer QB for second consecutive season

OS24-AMATDAMIEN-WL“One and done” doesn’t quite have the same connotation in the case of Rancho Cucamonga High School football as it does college basketball. But the Cougars are incorporating a senior transfer quarterback for the second straight season courtesy of Gage Pucci’s transfer from Damien.

Adam Friederichsen, a transfer from Carlsbad La Costa Canyon prior to last season, completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,849 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions before walking on at Arizona following his lone season at Rancho Cucamonga. Pucci’s numbers in two seasons as a starter at Damien don’t measure up, but the 5-foot-11, 195-pound rising senior will be surrounded by much more talent at Rancho Cucamonga, one of the best two or three programs in the Inland Valley.

As a junior at Damien, Pucci completed 47 percent of his passes for 1,498 yards with 15 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

“He’s learning the offense, picking it up pretty well,” Rancho Cucamonga coach Nick Baiz said. “He’s a leader. He’s a tough kid. I think our biggest issue will be if we can put together an offensive line that will keep him upright.”

Continue reading “Rancho Cucamonga employing transfer QB for second consecutive season” »

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Damien grad who walked on at USC, finished at Sacramento State, signed by Packers

Ryan McMahon, a safety who walked on at USC following his football career at Damien and played his final two years of college football at Sacramento State, was signed by the Green Bay Packers on Thursday.

Ryan McMahon USC MugMcMahon had multiple scholarship offers when he graduated Damien, but I remember the conviction in his voice five years ago when he explained to me his belief that he could play at a higher level. Apparently that attitude has carried him a long way.

He must have made an impression at the Packers’ rookie orientation camp in May, where he earned an invite to training camp. Of course, he still has a long way to go to make the 53-man roster, but I’m sure there are plenty of people who didn’t envision McMahon ever signing an NFL contract. At the very least, his look in this Sacramento State bio picture looks like something that would fit in Green Bay.

Continue reading “Damien grad who walked on at USC, finished at Sacramento State, signed by Packers” »

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Damien, St. Lucy’s file federal lawsuits against CIF, commish to avoid parochial league

With 44 schools from which to choose, only three were removed from the Mt. SAC area this year. All three are Catholic affiliated.

This is the argument lawyers representing Damien and St. Lucy’s will utilize in a federal lawsuit they hope will prevent their clients’ athletic teams from being placed in leagues with parochial schools in the fall of 2014, according to San Gabriel Valley Tribune Staff Writer Aram Tolegian’s story. The decision was ostensibly based on competitive equity, something the schools’ lawyers find questionable when the obvious common thread is the schools’ religious affiliation.

The reasons cited for the lawsuits are one thing. The reasons Damien and St. Lucy’s would like to remain in their current arrangement is another.

Both are competitive in the Sierra League, but if forced to move in the fall of 2014, could land amongst a group of private schools with a reputation for a higher level of play in all sports. Apparently that level is high enough that the two schools – along with Westlake Village Oaks Christian and Ventura St. Bonaventure – are willing to take the CIF State, CIF-Southern Section and CIF-SS Commissioner Rob Wigod to court.

Continue reading “Damien, St. Lucy’s file federal lawsuits against CIF, commish to avoid parochial league” »

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2013 All-Valley Boys Volleyball Team: Claremont senior follows in big footsteps

Steven Zetterberg Claremont POY
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Stephen Zetterberg, Claremont
Story By Staff Writer Michelle Gardner
Volleyball isn’t the traditional sport for boys to focus on growing up in the Inland Empire. For most that would be basketball, soccer or baseball.

Stephen Zetterberg grew up competing in those too but older brother Andrew played volleyball, so that’s the sport he gravitated toward.

He’s gotten pretty good.

Zetterberg, 17, registered 234 kills in 68 sets in leading the Wolfpack (25-6, 11-1 in Pacific League) to the second round of the CIF playoffs. He earned first team All-CIF recognition in Division II and is being honored as the All-Valley Player of the Year.

Continue reading “2013 All-Valley Boys Volleyball Team: Claremont senior follows in big footsteps” »

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2013 All-Valley Boys Golf team: Damien’s Tsujimoto goes out on top

Brandon Damien Golf POY
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Brandon Tsujimoto, Damien, Senior
Story By Staff Writer Keith Lair
Brandon Tsujimoto started the 2013 golf season strong and finished just as strongly.

The senior helped the Spartans to the season-opening Riverside Poly tournament championship. He had Damien’s co-low score of the event. He had the Spartans’ low scores in other tournaments and helped Damien to an undefeated team season and the Sierra League title.

He was fourth in the Father Joe Barry Masters tournament at Ancil Hoffman Golf Course. The Spartans finished fourth in the two-day tournament. He was 16th in the three-day Champions Invitational at the Golf Club at Terra Lago. He was also low medalist in six league matches.

He seemed to play his absolute best golf when it counted the most. That would be the postseason.

Continue reading “2013 All-Valley Boys Golf team: Damien’s Tsujimoto goes out on top” »

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2013 All-Sierra League baseball team: MVP was the only easy decision

The jumble of teams behind Sierra League champion West Covina South Hills during the regular season didn’t make for any easy decisions after the year ended. The all-league team had an obvious MVP, but there were plenty of arguments to be made beyond that. As it turned out, second-place Damien, and third-place Claremont (which tied in the standings) received three first team all-league selections as did third-place Chino Hills.

MVP: Adrian Dehorta, Sr., South Hills

First Team
Anthony Seminaris, Sr., Ayala
Robert Longtree, Sr., Ayala
Dylan Lowenstein, Sr., Chino Hills
Jeremy Steggell, Sr., Chino Hills
Austin Harvey, Sr., Chino Hills
Nick Costello, Sr., Claremont
Jeremy Giles, Sr., Claremont
Alex Galuchie, Jr., Claremont
Jordan Abernathy, Jr., Damien
David Banuelos, Jr., Damien
Grant Hockin, Jr., Damien
Continue reading “2013 All-Sierra League baseball team: MVP was the only easy decision” »

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Damien pitcher selected to Under Armour All-America game in Chicago

Damien pitcher Grant Hockin was selected on Tuesday to be one of 36 players in the Under Armour All-America baseball game Aug. 24 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

The junior right-hander committed to UCLA will participate in four days worth of events, including a formal workout for Major League Baseball scouts. The game will be televised live by the MLB Network at 11:30 a.m. on the last of the four days.

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