November 2010 Archives

Royal vs Hart @ Valencia High Five Classic
November 30, 2010
Final Score: Royal 60, Hart 50

Royal Points
Kaity Lykins: 9, 9 rebounds, 5 assists
Aubree Mittel: 7
Chelsea Jacoby: 15, 6 steals
Gabbi King: 8
Heather Tomaszewski: 19, 7 rebounds
Brooke Zamora: 2

Hart Points
Boscarino: 11
Lionetti: 3
Rentro: 4
Galsshoff: 5
Falcone: 12
Stalely: 11
Reininger: 4

Score by Quarters
Royal: 17, 10, 16, 17 - 60
Hart: 9, 21, 13, 7 - 50

Records
Royal 1-0
Hart 0-1

New coach Jaclyn Johnson has Bell-Jeff off on the right foot with two back-to-back victories.

The Guards beat Chatsworth, 58-47, Tuesday in a pool play game at the Inglewood tournament.

Bell-Jeff handled Redondo Union, 56-34, Monday.

Two more victories would put Bell-Jeff in the championship game Saturday with a possible matchup against Long Beach poly looming.

One day after losing a close game against Harvard-Westlake in overtime, Sierra Canyon bounced right back with a 59-47 victory against Antelope Valley.

Tori Wells scored 19 points and Toni Oni had 14 for the Trailblazers (1-1).

The first day of the Simi Valley tournament started with four games.

Valencia received 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists and six steals from Boston College-bound Lonnie Jackson in an 88-55 victory against Besant Hill.

Dos Pueblos defeated Rio Mesa. Jay Larinan scored 26 points in the win, including three dunks. Joseph Soto led Rio Mesa with 23 points.

Simi Valley had a tougher time than expected with Verdugo Hills but emerged with a 64-56 victory.

George Washington-bound forward Jonathan Davis scored 24 points with 12 rebounds, eight assists and five steals.

Simi Valley trailed 29-25 at halftime and was down by as many as eight points in the third quarter before going on a 9-0 run to take control.

Chatsworth almost pulled off the biggest upset of the young season but fell, 71-68, against McClymonds (Oakland).

Chatsworth was losing 42-23 at halftime but battled back and took a one-point lead after Jason Monje baseline jumper with 37 seconds remaining.

McClymonds tied the game at 68 after making one of two free throws leaving Chatsworth one more chance.

Derrick Hector lost the ball with seven seconds remaining at the top of the key and Kenya Harris went the other way for a layup and free throw after he was fouled while scoring.

Hector scored 21 points, including four second half 3-pointers to lead Chatsworth.

Dalvin guy had 18 points to lead McClymonds.

Austin McBroom had a triple-double - 12 points, 10 assists and 10 steals - for the Vikings in the 72-35 blowout win in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament at Campbell Hall High School.

Along with McBroom, Cole Huff had 27 points and 10 rebounds and K.J. Smith scored 20 for Campbell Hall.

Inglewood girls basketball tournament update

Sites are Inglewood High, Serra High, St. Bernard High, St. Mary's Academy High

Elite Bracket
Beverly Hills 54 Huntington Park 46
Serra 42 Monroe 36
Bishop Montgomery 79 Reseda 31
Bell Jeff 56 Redondo Union 34
View Park Prep 52 Inglewood 48
Harvard Westlake 38 Sierra Canyon 36 (OT)
St Bernard over Westchester
Santa Monica 66 Mayfair 47

GOLD BRACKET
Mira Costa 72 Sun Valley Poly 24
Chadwick 42 Hawthorne 40
South Torrance 58 Sylmar 33
Culver City 37 Taft 27
Marlborough 51 Garfield 40
Maranatha 61 West Torrance 50
Gahr 82 St Mary's Academy 36
Peninsula 64 Hollywood 19

The Alemany boys' basketball team got its season off on the right foot in a 79-66 victory against Hawthorne in the first round of the Westchester tournament.

Max Guercy scored 32 points, including 13 of 14 from the free throw line to help the Warriors hold off a late Hawthorne rally.

Alemany went on a 24-0 run covering the last five minutes of the third quarter and the first two minutes of the fourth quarter but surrendered a 24-4 run as Hawthorne had a chance to close within three points but Jacory Clarke missed a free throw to convert a three-point play with under one minute remaining.

"We will learn how to win eventually," Alemany coach Tray Meeks said.

Alemany was held to no field goals over the final six minutes of the game but came through with 13 of 19 free throw shooting.

"We started turning the ball over and taking bad shots," Guercy said. "We needed to stay running and get out on the break."

Alemany will face defending City Section semifinalist Washington Prep in Wednesdays quarterfinals with a possible matchup against Taft in the semifinals on Friday.

K.J. Moffett had 19 points and Dorsey transfer Marqueze Coleman contributed 13 points in his debut for Alemany.

Alemany looks to have a bright future one year after reaching the Div. IV-A championship game as Guercy, Coleman and Moffett are only juniors, Andrew English is a talented sophomore and Meeks showed off freshman forward Rahzaun Henderson, who scored six points.

Rare is the day when Alemany coach Dean Herrington doesn't have a new trick play designed for a big playoff game, but of course he is not saying a thing as the Warriors ready for a Pac-5 semifinal Saturday against defending champion Servite (12-0). Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Cerritos College.

"Even my principal, Frank Ferry, asks me, and I tell him the same thing I tell you -- you'll just have to wait and see," Herrington said.

Servite,coming off a 40-16 win over Crespi, has won 23 in a row.

"They're physical, and they're playing with a lot of confidence," Herrington said. "Their defense definitely fires to the ball. They're very physical, just a solid team that does not give up the big play. We're ready, because at this point every team you play is going to be great."

Linebacker Bryce Henderson looks like he is out for the year from a knee injury in the first round, and sophomore Rene De Leon is doing a good job after spending the first nine weeks on the JV.

"Rene is phenomenal. It takes some of the sting out of losing Bryce," Herrington said. "He had nine tackles last week. He's playing really well."

We will be keeping track of eight boys tournaments and four girls tournaments this week as the high school season finally gets underway.

There are boys tournaments at Westchester, Pasadena, Simi Valley, Providence, Milken Community, Redondo Union, Burbank and Campbell Hall.

Girls tourney's are at Inglewood (actually four locations), Valencia, Palisades and Ventura.

The Pierce College womens basketball team could not extend its season opening six-game winning streak Sunday in the finals of its own tournament.

The Brahmas dropped a close 62-61 decision against Barstow.

Pierce had beaten Barstow 98-70 on Nov. 20 in the championship game of the Barstow tournament.

Monica Jackson, the states leading scorer at close to 30 point per contest had 22 to lead the Brahmas.

The Northern Division semifinals are set with Oaks Christian visiting Valencia on Friday and St. Bonaventure at Westlake also on Friday now.

The rematch of the Seraphs and Warriors was supposed to be on Saturday but it has been changed for some reason or another.

More details coming.

St. Bonaventure beat Westlake, 32-31, Nov. 5 in a Marmonte League contest.

Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D

Crescenta Valley West Ranch Thousand Oaks Notre Dame
Simi Valley Grant Pasadena Whittier
Immaculate Heart Granada Hills La Canada Verdugo Hills

Tuesday ,November 30 Bye
HOME TEAM IS LISTED FIRST

3:15 Whittier v Verdugo Hills Notre Dame
4:45 La Canada v Pasadena Thousand Oaks
6:15 Grant v Grenada Hills West Ranch
7:45 Simi Valley v Immaculate Heart Crescenta Valley

Wednesday, December 1

3:15 Thousand Oaks v Pasadena La Canada
4:45 Notre Dame v Verdugo Hills Whittier
6:15 West Ranch v Grenada Hills Grant
7:45 Crescenta Valley v Immaculate Heart Simi Valley

Thursday, December 2

3:15 Thousand Oaks v La Canada Pasadena
4:45 Grant v West Ranch Grenada Hills
6:15 Whittier v Notre Dame Verdugo Hills
7:45 Crescenta Valley v Simi Valley Immaculate Heart

Friday, December 3
Big Gym Small Gym

3:15 C2 v D2 C3 v D3
4:45 A2 v B2 A3 v B3
6:15 C1 v D1
7:45 A1 v B1

Saturday, December 4

12:00 Bronze Division Consolation
1:30 Bronze Division Finals
3:00 Silver Division Consolation
4:30 Silver Division Finals
6:00 Gold Division Consolation
7:30 Gold Division Tournament Championship

12th Annual Oak Park Eagles
Winter Basketball Tournament
December 7-10th, 2010

Gold Pool Black Pool
Oak Park Saugus
Oxnard Agoura
Bishop Diego Hueneme
Ventura St. Bonaventure

Tuesday, December 7 Wednesday, December 8
3:30 Bishop Diego vs. Ventura 3:30 St. Bonaventure vs. Saugus
5:00 Hueneme vs. Saugus 5:00 Ventura vs. Oxnard
6:30 Agoura vs. St Bonaventure 6:30 Bishop Diego vs. Oak Park
8:00 Oak Park vs. Oxnard 8:00 Agoura vs. Hueneme

Thursday, December 9 Friday, December 10
3:30 Oxnard vs. Bishop Diego 3:30 Gold Pool #4 vs.Black Pool #4
5:00 Hueneme vs. St. Bonaventure 5:00 Gold Pool #3 vs.Black Pool #3
6:30 Oak Park vs. Ventura 6:30 Gold Pool #2 vs.Black Pool #2
8:00 Saugus vs. Agoura 8:00 Gold Pool #1 vs.Black Pool #1

The Pierce College womens basketball team improved to 6-0 and advanced to the championship game of its own tournament with a 82-57 victory against L.A. Southwest.

The Brahmas will face Barstow at 3:30 p.m.

Taft graduates Danielle Tyler and Amari Hampton had 22 points and 21 points, respectively to lead the Brahmas.

Tyler drained five 3-pointers.

Monica Jackson contributed 15 points for Pierce.

Pierce will be heavy favorites after thrashing Barstow, 98-70 in the championship of the Barstow tournament Nov. 20.

The Pierce College womens volleyball team had no trouble with an old nemesis Saturday in a Southern regional quarterfinal playoff game.

Orange Coast College had knocked off the Brahmas in 2006 and 2008 but Pierce returned the favor with a 25-14, 25-21, 25-13 sweep of the No. 7 seed.

No. 2 Pierce moves on to Tuesdays semifinals against El Camino or Fullerton. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Woodland Hills.

Louisville High graduate Sarah Martin had 22 kills and Taft graduate Sarah Potter had 10 kills to lead Pierce (26-2).

Julianna Hicks had 43 assists and Kathleen Wright (Royal) had three aces.

For the first time in a long time, Chaminade is turning into a football school. The Eagles play Saturday at Arroyo Grande in a Western semifinal, just the third time over the past 23 seasons Chaminade has made it the final four.

"I think our kids are picking up some momentum and getting better, and the coaching staff is more comfortable with each other," second-year coach Ed Croson said. "The pieces are starting to come together."

No one has made a bigger turnaround than Chatsworth, 10-2 heading into a City Div. II semifinal Friday against visiting Palisades after the Chancellors won just two games last year.

Curtis Ervin, a quarterback, has made a huge impact after joining a month into the season - Chatsworth is 7-1 with him as a starter - while running back D'ondre Alexander has rushed for 1,255 yards with 25 touchdowns after starting the season as a fourth-stringer.

"We're doing a pretty good job. I'm happy to be winning," coach Jason Camp said.

After knocking off top-seed Azusa in the first round of the Mid-Valley playoffs, Village Christian came through with another impressive victory by shutting out Rosemead 34-0 in the quarterfinals.

Led by linebackers Omar Eloustaz and Ryan Canino and defensive lineman Misha Gordon, Village Christian held touted running Matt Fregoso to 123 yards in 34 carries after he came in with 2,336 yards, including 336 or more three times over the previous four games.

This is the first time Cortez has made it the quarterfinals since winning back-to-back section titles at Paraclete in 2000 and 2001.

"I'm missed it," Cortez said.

Village Christian Amjed Aboul-Hosn has rushed for 1,871 yards, 219 shy of Jason Christiansen's 2003 school record of 2,090.

Malcolm Thomas, a top running back for Panorama, fractured his elbow in a 35-28 loss at Chatsworth on Friday. It could take six weeks to heal, which means Thomas is probably not going to be able to play in the annual Daily News East-West All-Star Game on Jan. 16 at College of the Canyons in Valencia.

You've got to love Arleta coach Jeff Engilman's playoff strategy: "I told the kids if we have to practice another week, you might as well win the game."

It's getting serious in the Southern Section Pac-5 football playoffs, as three of the four semifinalists are undefeated in the Southern Section's most competitive division -- including Alemany.

The Warriors (12-0) play Servite (12-0) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Cerritos College, while Mission Viejo (12-0) plays at Mater Dei (8-4) on Friday.

"Oh man, it's going to be exciting," Alemany linebacker Jesse Sampson said

Defending champion Servite, coming off a quarterfinal win at Crespi, has won 23 in a row, while Alemany has moved up three divisions this season to join in.

"Servite, they're good, but now everyone is pretty good," Alemany coach Dean Herrington said. "We need to go out and play and not turn the ball over."

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS

SOUTHERN SECTION

Times/sites subject to change

PAC-5

Alemany (12-0) at Servite (12-0), 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Cerritos College - Alemany, led by QB Vernon Adams, scores a lot of points, but this one figures to be a close, low-scoring affair.

NORTHERN

Oaks Christian (10-2) at Valencia (11-1), 7 p.m. Friday - Valencia's Steven Manfro has rushed for 2,439 yards and scored 40 TDs.

St. Bonaventure (11-1) vs. Westlake (11-1), site TBA, 7:30 p.m. Friday - Westlake looks to avenge a 32-31 double OT loss last month that broke the Warriors 22-game winning streak.

WESTERN

Chaminade (11-1) at Arroyo Grande (10-2), 7:30 p.m. Saturday -- Visiting Eagles are hoping it's not a long ride home.

MID-VALLEY

Whittier Christian (11-1) at Village Christian (8-4) at Glendale High, 7:30 p.m., Friday -- After failing to defeat a .500 opponent in the regular season, Village Christian is a Cinderella team.

EAST VALLEY

St. Margaret's (9-3) vs. Paraclete (11-1) at Antelope Valley College, 7:30 p.m. Friday - After being dropped a division after reaching the Mid-Valley quarterfinals last year, Paraclete is out to prove a point.

Sierra Canyon (11-1) at Yucca Valley (7-4-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday - Sierra Canyon's only blemish is a regular-season loss to top-seed Paraclete.

NORTHEAST

Vasquez (10-1) at Boron (11-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday - Boron has scored 50 or more eight times.

CITY SECTION

DIV. I

Taft (9-3) at Carson (10-2) - Taft is much improved since the beginning of the season, especially on defense.

DIV. II

Fairfax (8-3-1) vs. Arleta (11-1) at Monroe HS - Arleta coach Jeff Engilman: "Our guys need to play their hearts out, simple as that."

Palisades (7-5) at Chatsworth (10-2) - Chatsworth must feel invincible after winning just two games last year.

Just touched base with Thousand Oaks coach Mike Leibin, who reports Mullaney had 20 receptions to give him 121 for the season, tying the state record of 121 by Steve Martinez of L.A. Wilson all the way back in 1977.

"That's what my stat guy is telling me," Leibin said.

Leibin said he plans to go over every play of the game one more time in the morning to make sure it's all legit.

Richard Mullaney of Thousand Oaks caught 19 passes for more than 300 yards tonight in a Northern loss to Oaks Christian, setting a Southern Section season record of 120 receptions. The old mark was 111 by Pepe Villasenor of St. Bonaventure in 1996.

Mullaney fell one shy of the 1977 state record of 121 by Steve Martinez of L.A. Wilson,

CIF-SS NORTHERN DIVISION
Oaks Christian 57, Thousand Oaks 34
Valencia 40, Moorpark 21
Westlake 49, Palos Verdes 28
St. Bonaventure 45, Canyon 21

CIF-SS PAC-5 DIVISION
Servite 40, Crespi 16
Alemany 42, Lakewood 21

CIF-SS WESTERN DIVISION
Serra 40, Camarillo 7
Chaminade 37, Atascadero 19

CIF-SS MID-VALLEY DIVISION
Village Christian 34, Rosemead 0

CIF-SS EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Paraclete 35, Grace Brethren 15
Sierra Canyon 35, Twentynine Palms 6

CIF-SS NORTHEAST DIVISION
Pasadena Poly 43, Desert Christian 27
Vasquez 31, Desert 6

CIF-SS NORTHEAST DIVISION
Mayfair 35, Burroughs 27

CIF-SS 8-MAN DIVISION I
Excelsior 66, Santa Clarita Christian 56

CITY SECTION DIVISION I
Taft 35, Dorsey 18

CITY SECTION DIVISION II
Arleta 32, Franklin 14
Chatsworth 35, Panorama 28
Palisades 50, Poly 40

A football season that seemed so promising came to a sudden end Friday, as Crespi High lost to visiting Servite 40-16 in the Southern Section Pac-5 semifinals before an overflow crowd of about 5,000 in Encino.

Crespi (8-4)came in averaging nearly 400 yards per game, but the Celts were stymied by Servite's hard-hitting defense, as Kenny Stenhouse, who entered with 32 touchdown passes, completed just 15 of 26 for 118 yards and one touchdown, as Crespi was limited to 250 yards total offense.

"Servite is a good team. We tried our best," Crespi defensive back Charles Washington said.

Crespi's Connor Loftus kicked four field goals, as Servite (12-0) jumped to a 33-0 lead before Washington, playing quarterback in a wildcat formation, scored on a 80-yard with a minute left in the third quarter.

"The first half, we came out kind of slow," Washington said. "But we fought until the end

Crespi added a touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 12-yard pass from Stenhouse to Devin Lucien, followed by a successful two-point conversion pass to make it 33-16, but second-seeded Servite was never seriously threatened.

It was a sweet return for Servite coach Troy Thomas, a Crespi alum who was the Celts' head coach for four seasons ending in 2004, as defending section champion Servite won its 23rd in a row.

After failing to reach the playoffs the past two seasons, Crespi did better under new coach Jon Mack, who replaced Jeremiah Ross in the spring and delivered on his promise to at least make the postseason.

But on a chilly night when Crespi needed to play a near-perfect game and to rise to the occasion, the Celts did not execute well and never responded after giving up an early lead.

"I feel good. It was nice to see all the guys who welcomed me back," Thomas said. "It's good to see Crespi back in the hunt."

Mistakes have hurt Crespi in the first half, as the Celts have fallen behind 23-0 in a Pac-5 quarterfinal before a huge crowd in Encino.

Down 10-0, Crespi blew a sure touchdown when Devin Lucien slipped past the secondary on a long pass by Kenny Stenhouse, but Lucien dropped it.

Five plays later, Stenhouse fumbled and teammate Jordan Simmons pounced on it, only to see the football squib away and get recovered by Servite's Matt Inman.

Servite capitalized on Connor Luftus' 23-yard field goal to make it 13-0, then Crespi's Patrick Cassley's punt was blocked by Connor Hoffman and recovered by London Lewis in the end zone for touchdown.

Loftus kicked his field of the half, this one from 41 yards, and it was 23-0 when Crespi took over with one last chance to put some points on the board before halftime.

The drive stalled on the Servite 33, and a 50-yard field goal attempt by Cassley was short with six seconds remaining, but Servite committed a rougher-the-kicker penalty that pushed the ball to the Servite 18 for a final play.

Instead of going for a field goal, Crespi decided to run a play, and Stenhouse fade pass to Stenhouse was well-covered and fell incomplete.

Oaks Christian 40, Thousand Oaks 14
Chaminade 21, Atascadero 13
Valencia 20, Moorpark 14
Westlake 35, Palos Verdes 7
St. Bonaventure 24, Canyon 7
Village Christian 20, Rosemead 0
Sierra Canyon 20, Twentynine Palms 0
Taft 14, Dorsey 10
Arleta 16, Franklin 8
Chatsworth 35, Panorama 7
Palisades 36, Poly (Sun Valley) 20
Pasadena Poly 22, Desert Christian 13
Alemany 21, Lakewood 14
Paraclete 10, Grace Brethren 7

It's nearly an hour before kickoff, and every seat is filled here at Crespi, as the host Celts ready themselves for a Pac-5 quarterfinal against defending champion Servite, set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m.

I bumped into Servite coach Troy Thomas, and he was in a great mood, no doubt enjoying the memories from playing for then in the Celts mid-1980s, then coaching here for four seasons ending in 2004, when he guided Crespi to a lower-division section title in 2004.

-

In a Northern Division quarterfinal, Oaks Christian goes 60 yards in seven plays takes a 6-0 lead against Thousand Oaks when Ishmael Adams scores on an 8-yard run. About two minutes later Adams scored on a 60-yard run to make it 12-0.

It's a few hours before kickoff as the Pac-5 playoffs are about to get underway, as Alemany plays at Lakewood, and Crespi plays host to Servite.

Alemany is missing starting linebacker Bryce Henderson, who twisted his knee early in the first quarter Friday in a win over Newport Harbor. Crespi is without two-year starting kicker Patrick McDonough, who has left the school for personal reasons.

The stores are just opening on the morning after Thanksgiving, and the Taft Toreadors already have their game faces on, as they prepare to face Dorsey tonight in L.A. in the City Section Div. I quarterfinals -- the same opponent that knocked Taft out of the playoffs a year ago in the same round.

"We'll have to claw, scratch and fight for everything we get," coach Matt Kerstetter said.

The Campbell Hall boys basketball tournament is set for Nov. 29-Dec. 4

Pool A has Campbell Hall, Hoover, Poly and West Adams Prep

Pool B has Calabasas, Canoga Park, Blair and University

Monday November 29th
4:30 pm West Adams vs. Poly
6:00 pm Calabasas vs. Canoga Park
7:30 pm Campbell Hall vs. Hoover

Tuesday November 30th
5:00 pm University vs. Canoga Park
6:30 pm Calabasas vs. Blair
8:00 pm Campbell Hall vs. Poly

Wednesday December 1st
6:00 pm University vs. Blair

Thursday December 2nd
4:30 pm Hoover vs. Poly
6:00 pm Campbell Hall Girls Game
7:30 pm Campbell Hall vs. West Adams

Friday December 3rd
5:00 pm Hoover vs. West Adams
6:30 pm Blair vs. Canoga Park
8:00 pm Calabasas vs. University

Saturday December 4th
2:30 pm 7th Place Game
4:00 pm 5th Place Game
5:30 pm 3rd Place Game
7:00 pm Championship Game

The Milken Community tournament starts Monday Nov. 29

Eight boys teams are participating.

Monday Nov. 29
4:15 p.m. Milken Community vs. Viewpoint
5:45 p.m. Villanova Prep vs. Rolling Hills Prep
7:15 p.m. Highland Hall vs. Yeshiva
8:45 p.m. New Community Jewish vs. Shalhevet

Tuesday Nov. 30
3 p.m. Milken Community vs. New Community Jewish
4:30 p.m. Shalhevet vs. Viewpoint
6 p.m. Yeshiva vs. Villanova Prep
7:30 p.m. Rolling Hills Prep vs. Highland Hall

Wed. Dec. 1
4:15 p.m. Milken Community vs. Shalhevet
5:45 p.m. Rolling Hills Prep vs. Yeshiva
7:15 p.m. Highland Hall vs. Villanova Prep
8:45 p.m. Viewpoint vs. New Community Jewish

Thu. Dec. 3
3 p.m. 7th place game
4:30 p.m. 5th place game
6 p.m. 3rd place game
7:30 p.m. Championship game

The 22nd annual Paul Sutton boys' basketball tournament starts Thu. Dec. 2

Calvary Baptist vs. Holy Martyrs, 3 p.m.
Oakwood vs. Pilibos, 4:30 p.m.
San Marino vs. St. Genevieve, 6 p.m.
Waverly vs. Providence, 7:30 p.m.

Action continues Friday and Saturday.

The championship is Saturday Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Nine teams are entered in the Valencia tournament.

Games start Tuesday Nov. 30.

Pool A has Hart, Oxnard, Royal and Silverado

Pool B has Burroughs, Knight, Saugus, Stockdale (Bakersfield) and Valencia

Tuesday Nov. 30
3 p.m. Oxnard vs. Silverado
4:30 p.m. Stockdale vs. Burroughs
6 p.m. Saugus vs. Knight
7:30 p.m. Hart vs. Royal

Wed. Dec. 1
3 p.m. Royal vs. Oxnard
4:30 p.m. Silverado vs. Hart
6 p.m. Stockdale vs. Valencia
7:30 p.m. Knight vs. Burroughs

Thu. Dec. 2
3 p.m. Royal vs. Silverado
4:30 p.m. Hart vs. Oxnard
6 p.m. Knight vs. Valencia
7:30 p.m. Burroughs vs. Saugus

Fri. Dec. 3
4:30 p.m. Saugus vs. Stockdale
6 p.m. TBA vs. Valencia

Sat. Dec. 4
1:30 p.m. Consolation game
3 p.m. Consolation game
4:30 p.m. Third place game
6 p.m. Championship game

And here it is:

DAILY NEWS TOP 20

1. Alemany (11-0) - Next round in Pac-5 could see three undefeated semifinalists
2. Westlake (10-1) - Won't have to deal with 40-mph winds like last week
3. Oaks Christian (9-2) - Wow, 5-foot-6 Ronny Camacho has 171 tackles
4. Valencia (10-1) - Faces nemesis Moorpark in Northern quarterfinal
5. Crespi (8-3) - Looking to pull upset over defending Pac-5 champ Servite
6. Chaminade (10-1) - What an impact second-year coach Ed Croson continues to make
7. Canyon (10-1) - A win over St. Bonnie would be by far greatest in Varner era
8. Taft (8-3) - Hoping to avenge last year's playoff defeat to Dorsey in City rematch
9. Thousand Oaks (8-3) - Richard Mullaney needs 11 catches for Southern Section record
10. Moorpark (6-5) - Can scrappy Musketeers knock out Valencia for third year in row?
12. Paraclete (10-1) - Spirits have won 10 in a row by 10 points or more
13. Burroughs (8-3) - Still alive in Southeast quarterfinals despite 0-3 start
14. Quartz Hill (8-3) - Lost in first round of playoffs
15. Poly (9-2) - Can any City Div. II opponent stop Parrots' wing-T?
16. West Ranch (6-5) - First-ever playoff appearance did not go as planned
17. St. Francis (6-5) - Golden Knights lost Western playoff opener
18. Notre Dame (2-8) - Lost to a lot of really strong teams
19. Arleta (9-2) - Engilman wants to go out a winner
20. Chatsworth (9-2) - Look who has gone from 2-8 to 8-2?

Taft High has 10 former players in Div. I and the night before Thanksgiving was a solid night for four of them.

Calvin Haynes scored a career-high 27 points in a 13-point victory against Charlotte, 2009 Daily News Player of the Year Michael Williams poured in 17 points in San Francisco's loss at Montana St., 2010 Daily News Player of the Year Bryce Jones had 15 points in USC's 27-point victory against Fullerton and Garrett Green had eight points and nine rebounds in LSU's 42-point victory against Centenary.

Basketball season has finally arrived.

Here are eight tournaments and all contain local teams. Check it out.

Westchester tournament
Nov. 29-Dec. 4
16 teams
Locals entered: Taft, Alemany, Community Charter.

Pasadena tournament
Nov. 29-Dec. 4
15 teams
Locals entered: Cleveland, Birmingham, Sylmar, Reseda, San Fernando, Arleta, Valley Torah.

Redondo Union tournament
Nov. 29-Dec. 4
16 teams
Locals entered: Harvard-Westlake. Long Beach Poly (No. 1 in state) also in this tournament.

Campbell Hall tournament
Nov. 29-Dec. 4
Eight teams
Locals entered: Campbell Hall, Calabasas, Poly, Canoga Park, Hoover

Burbank tournament
Nov. 29-Dec. 4
12 teams
Locals entered: Burbank, Agoura, Canyon, Glendale, Hart, Notre Dame, Royal, Burroughs, Renaissance Academy.

Simi Valley tournament
Nov. 30-Dec. 4
14 teams
Locals entered: Simi Valley, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Rio Mesa, Valencia, Golden Valley, Chatsworth, North Hollywood.

Cal State Northridge baseball head coach Matt Curtis announced the signing of eight student-athletes who will join the program in the 2011 fall semester.

"I am really proud of the early signing class that we have put together," said Curtis, who will be entering his first year as head coach of the Matadors in 2011. "I am confident this group will be the foundation for the type of program we want to build here at Cal State Northridge."

Infielder Aaron Ashton, left-handed pitcher Jerry Keel, right-handed pitchers Jordan Johnson and Danny Keller, catcher Alexis Mercado, outfielder Travis Mitchell, second baseman Ryan Raslowsky, and right-handed pitcher Gabe Saquilion comprise the inaugural recruiting class under coach Curtis and his assistants.

All eight student-athletes are incoming freshman from California.

"Coach Larkin and Coach Leary worked extremely hard in a short period of time to evaluate and recruit the arms and athletes that we need to compete, and win, in the Big West Conference," said Curtis.

Cal State Northridge Baseball's 2011 Recruiting Class

Name Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. Hometown/Previous School
Danny Keller RHP R/R 6-5 200 Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park HS
Jerry Keel LHP L/L 6-6 240 Palmdale, Calif./Palmdale HS
Jordan Johnson RHP R/R 6-3 170 Elk Grove, Calif..Franklin HS
Gabe Saquilion RHP R/R 6-0 175 San Diego, Calif./Horizon Christian Academy
Alexis Mercado C R/R 6-3 205 Chula Vista, Calif./Otay Ranch HS
Aaron Ashton INF L/L 6-3 210 Whittier, Calif./La Serna HS
Travis Mitchell OF L/R 5-9 170 Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King HS
Ryan Raslowsky 2B R/R 5-9 160 Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo HS

Danny Keller
Newbury Park, Calif. (Newbury Park HS)
RHP - 6-5, 200 - R/R

· Prepped at Newbury Park High School under head coach Matt Goldfield
· Earned Most Valuable Player accolades as a freshman pitcher in 2008
· Invited to participate with the Team USA Northern California squad in 2009
· Member of the Brewers Elite Scout Team in 2009 and 2010
· Received Marmonte League Honorable Mention in 2010
· Competed in the 2010 Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.
· Participated in the Professional Baseball Scouts of Southern California All-Star Game in 2010
· Older brother Steven is currently on the Northridge baseball roster as one of the team's catchers
· Earned two wins, three saves, batted .328, hit one home run, and drove in eight runs in 2010

Jerry Keel
Palmdale, Calif. (Palmdale HS)
LHP - 6-6, 240 - L/L

· Prepped at Palmdale High School under head coach Craig Mesler
· Named the top starter for the second consecutive season
· Earned Palmdale High School Pitcher of the Year in his sophomore and junior seasons
· Received Golden League Pitcher of the Year accolades in 2010
· Selected to the All-Golden League First Team, All-Antelope Valley First Team, and Southern Section All-CIF Team in 2010
· Finished his junior season with a league-leading 1.47 ERA and 69 strikeouts
· Pitched for the Urban Youth Academy All Star team in their U.S.-Japan High School Federation All-Stars Series
· Competed in the 2010 Professional Baseball Scouts of Southern California All-Star Game
· Selected to the All-Golden League Second Team as a sophomore

Jordan Johnson
Elk Grove, Calif. (Franklin HS)
RHP - 6-3, 170 - R/R

· Prepped at Franklin High School under head coach Mike Cody
· Named to the Delta Valley Conference First Team in his junior season
· Led his baseball team in strikeout average, fanning 38 batters in his 26.2 innings pitched
· His skill set and versatility earned him a spot in the starting lineup at seven different positions
· Selected to tryout for Team USA 2011
· Competed for Pro Player Baseball, Trosky Baseball, and the Colorado Rockies scout team this past summer. In his combined 52 innings pitched, Johnson struckout 101 batters and allowed only nine earned runs
· Fastest clocked pitch registered at 93 MPH
· Hit .284, scored 22 runs, drove in 25 batters, and stole three bases in 2010

Gabe Saquilion
San Diego, Calif. (Horizon Christian Academy)
RHP - 6-0, 175 - R/R

· Prepped at Horizon Christian Academy under head coach Clarence Black
· Named to the All-Coastal League First Team in 2010
· Selected to the 2010 San Diego All-Academic Team
· Awarded the ACSI Distinguished Christian High School Student Award in recognition of his leadership skills and attributes utilized in an athletic environment
· Earned All-Coastal League Second Team honors in 2009
· Competed for the San Diego Stars this past summer and was also a member of the Seattle Mariners Scout Team
· Participated in the 2010 Junior Olympics and 2010 Arizona Senior Classic
· Held his opposition to an on-base percentage of .261 and struckout 47 batters in his 38.1 innings thrown in 2010. Also finished his junior season with a .385 batting average, .487 on-base percentage, and .785 slugging percentage

Alexis Mercado
Chula Vista, Calif. (Otay Ranch HS)
C - 6-3, 205 - R/R

· Prepped at Otay Ranch High School under head coach Bob McCurdy
· Earned All-Mesa League First Team Honors in 2010
· Named to the All-Mesa League Second Team in 2009
· Competed for the So Cal Rays Scout Team this past summer
· Also participated in the So Cal Scout League All-Star Game
· Finished the 2010 season with a .488 batting average and 37 RBIs

Aaron Ashton
Whittier, Calif. (La Serna HS)
INF - 6-3, 210 - L/R

· Prepped at La Serna High School under head coach Anthony Gonzales, Jr.
· Named to the All-Area First Team in 2009 and 2010
· Also earned All-League First Team recognition the last two consecutive seasons
· Received Offensive Player of the Year honors as voted upon by his teammates
· Batted .403 with six home runs and 29 RBIs last season
· Voted team Rookie of the Year in 2009
· Helped the Lancers finish the 2009 season as Del Rio League Champions
· Finished the 2009 season with a .392 batting average, four home runs and 28 RBIs

Travis Mitchell
Riverside, Calif. (Martin Luther King HS)
OF - 5-9, 170 - L/R

· Prepped at Martin Luther King High School under head coach Ken Scott
· Received the Riverside Martin Luther King Offensive Player of the Year award last season
· Earned Big VIII All-League honors
· Batted .435 against league opponents in 2010
· Named to the All-Tournament Team for his efforts during the 2010 Anaheim Lions Tournament
· Invited to participate in the Pro Baseball Scouts of Southern California Jesse Flores Memorial All-Star Game as a member of the North squad
· Finished the 2010 season with a .360 batting average, 21 runs, ten RBIs, and 11 stolen bases

Ryan Raslowski
Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo HS)
2B - 5-9, 160 - R/R

· Prepped at Mission Viejo High School under head coach Chris Ashback
· Earned All-South Coast League Most Valuable Player accolades in 2010
· Also received Baseball Athlete of the Week recognition from the South Coast League
· Led the Diablos in four different categories with his 30 RBIs, 15 sacrifice hits, 14 stolen bases, and two triples
· Like his future Matador teammate Travis Mitchell, Raslowski was also named to the Anaheim Lions All-Tournament Team this past season
· Started all 28 games he played in during the 2010 season and finished with a .382 batting average and .421 on-base percentage

Jeff Cortez, head coach of Village Christian, is leaving once the playoffs are over to move to Tennessee, so perhaps it's no surprise the Crusaders are playing like they're on a mission.

They upset top-seed Azusa in the first round of the Mid-Valley Division, and they have another tough game Friday against Rosemead in the quarterfinals at Glendale High.

"This is my last season. I'm heading to Knoxville," said Cortez, citing family reasons.

So can underdog Village Christian go all the way? It's not like Cortez does not know how to win under pressure -- at Paraclete, he was just 28 when he won his first of two consecutive sections titles in 2000 and 2001.

"That would be sweet to win it all if it did happen," Cortez said.

Now 38, Cortez, a Tim Lins prodigy when they were together at Crespi, is hoping to land a coaching gig in Tennessee.

"I sent a bunch of resumes to see if something opens up. We'll see what happens," Cortez said.

Pierce College dropped to 0-5 this season. here is the full box courtesy of Dave Rogahn

Monday, November 22, 2010
@ West LA College
WSC Crossover Game

LA Pierce Brahmas 67:
1-Tarrance Taylor, SG - 5/11 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 ast, 1 pf, 14 pts
21-Jeremy White, SF - 4/8 fg, 1/2 ft, 9 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 10 pts
22-Chris Smith, PG - 2/13 fg, 3/5 ft, 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 7 pts
32-Nathaniel Boykin, PF - 2/6 fg, 0/2 ft, 12 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 4 pf, 4 pts
55-Franco Thomas, C - 1/2 fg, 0/2 ft, 7 reb, 1 blk, 1 pf, 2 pts
15-Juan Gil, F - 4/7 fg, 0/2 ft, 3 reb, 1 ast, 2 pf, 11 pts
13-Josh Reveles, G - 1/6 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 3 pf, 3 pts
23-Oliver Matthews, F - 0/1 fg, 2 stl, 3 pf, 0 pts
25-Chris White, F - 1/2 fg, 2 reb, 2 pts
4-Pat Abbott, G - 3/6 fg, 2/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 1 pf, 11 pts
31-Rashaad William, C - 1/3 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 r5eb, 1 blk 1 pf, 3 pts
team rebounds: 7
Totals: 24/65 fg (.369), 10/21 ft (.476), 52 reb, 18 ast, 3 blk, 5 stl, 19 pf, 67 pts

3-pt fg (9): Gil 3, Abbott 3, Taylor 2, J.White
Intentional Foul: Boykin
Turnovers (23): Smith 5, Abbott 4, J.White 3, Thomas 3, Reveles 3, Boykin 2, Taylor, Matthews, C.White

West LA Wildcats 74:
5-Savion Udeh, SG - 3/9 fg, 6 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 7 pts
23-Alex Huerta, PF - 1/7 fg, 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 pf, 2 pts
25-Mouhamed Diop, C - 1/5 fg, 1/2 ft, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 1 pf, 3 pts
31-Anthony Cannon, SF - 7/12 ft, 3/7 ft, 6 reb, 5 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 3 pf, 18 pts
35-Christian Wyms, PG - 6/10 fg, 6/6 ft, 5 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 3 pf, 18 pts
1-DeAndre Davis, G - 6/13 fg, 4/7 ft, 3 reb, 5 ast, 6 stl, 2 pf, 18 pts
2-Michael Sullivan, F - 0/2 fg, 2/2 ft, 4 reb, 1 stl, 2 pf, 2 pts
21-Christian Beecham, C - 3/6 fg, 0/4 ft, 4 reb, 7 blk, 3 pf, 6 pts
3-Andrew Aguilar, G - 0 pts
11-Gerald Pitts, F - 1 stl, 0 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 27/64 fg (.422), 16/28 ft (.571), 41 reb, 20 ast, 12 blk, 15 stl, 19 pf, 74 pts

3-pt fg (4): Davis 2, Udeh, Cannon
Technical Foul: Davis
Turnovers (14): Cannon 4, Davis 3, Udeh 2, Wyms 2, Huerta, Sullivan, Beecham

Halftime Score: West LA 39, LA Pierce 34

Updated Records: West LA 2-3, LA Pierce 0-5

After Pierce led 8-4, West took a 15-point lead at 36-21 and led by 11 at 58-47 in the 2nd half. Pierce cut the deficit to two at 69-67 with 1:05 left but never pulled even.

Simi Valley High has finally released its bracket for the annual tip-off tournament.

The tourney starts Nov. 30 and concludes Sat. Dec. 4

Here is the schedule for the first two days. There are 14 teams so the organizers have gone with two brackets of four and two pools of three.

I don't have a degree in rocket science to figure it all out but here is the first day.

Tue. Nov. 30
Valencia vs. Besant Hill, 3:30 p.m.
Rio Mesa vs. Dos Pueblos, 5 p.m.
Simi Valley vs. Verdugo Hills, 6:30 p.m.
McClymonds vs. Chatsworth, 8 p.m.

Tue. Nov. 30 at Camarillo High
North Hollywood vs. Newbury Park, 5:30 p.m.
Camarillo vs. Golden Valley, 7 p.m.

Ventura and Clovis East begin play on Wed.

Alemany is the San Fernando Valley's only undefeated team at 11-0, but the Warriors are limping into a Pac-5 quarterfinal Friday at Lakewood, as key linebacker Bryce Henderson is questionable with a twisted knee. The junior is scheduled to undergo an MRI today.

Also, defensive back Major Armstead remains sidelined with season-ending shoulder injury, and defensive back/backup kicker Daniel Serrato is out indefinitely because of a neck injury. Plus, starting linebacker Jesse Sampson played last week but is not 100 percent because of ankle injury.

After scoring an upset in the season finale over Olympic League rival Cerritos Valley Christian just to make the playoffs, Village Christian seized the momentum by knocking off top-seeded Azusa 31-24 in the first round of the Mid-Valley playoffs.

Cayden Boyd, a junior 150-pound backup quarterback who had barely touched the football all season, scored on a 2-yard run in the final minute for the winning touchdown.

"If that (Village Christian) is the worst team in our division, then CIF has no clue what they are doing." Azusa coach Joe Sherf said. "There is no way that team is the 16th-best team in the Division."

Thousand Oaks' Richard Mullaney has 101 receptions, putting him in rare company with just three other locals who've surpassed 100 in a season. The others are Dan Moody (110, Crescenta Valley, 2001), Sean Coen (107, Canyon, 2003) and Leodes Van Buren (101, Newbury Park, 1993).

Mullaney is still going, too, as the Lancers play host to Oaks Christian on Friday in a Northern quarterfinal. Mullaney, an Oregon State-bound senior, had eight catches for 103 yards and a touchdown last time against Oaks Christian.

The Southern Section record is 111 by Pepe Villasenor (St. Bonaventure, 1996), now the offensive coordinator at Crespi.

Southern Section

Friday, 7:30 p.m. tentatively

PAC-5

Alemany (11-0) at Lakewood (10-1) - Alemany will look to QB Vernon Adams, a two-year standout coming off one of his best games after passing for 197 yards, rushing for 135 and accounting for four TDs in a first-round win over Newport Harbor.
Except for a loss to Long Beach Poly, Lakewood has won every game by 10 points or more. Tyler Schultz has passed for 2,082 yards and 30 TDs.

Servite (11-0) at Crespi (8-3) - Crespi's defense is improving, but the key for the Celts remains QB Kenny Stenhouse -- who has passed for 3,048 yards and 32 TDs -- along with his coterie of top WRs Devin Lucien, Chris Harper and Michael Davison. However, Crespi has seen few defenses as tough and physical as top-seed Servite, the defending Pac-5 champion.

NORTHERN

Oaks Christian (9-2) at Thousand Oaks (8-3) - Oaks Christian barely escaped with a 28-26 home against the Lancers during the regular season, and this time Thousand Oaks, led by receiver Richard Mullaney (101 catches, 12 TDs), has home-field advantage.

Valencia (10-1) at Moorpark (6-5) - Valencia, led by QB Alex Bishop and RB Steven Manfro, has been eliminated by Moorpark in the playoffs the past two seasons.

Palos Verdes (10-1) at Westlake (10-1) - Westlake, averaging 43.5 points, is the defending Northern champion and has won 24 of the past 25.

Canyon (10-1) vs. St. Bonaventure (10-1), site TBA - After winning just two games last season, underdog Canyon will play like it has nothing to lose against the host Seraphs.'

WESTERN

Serra (11-0) at Camarillo (8-3) - High-powered Serra, the defending CIF State Div. III Bowl champion, has won 25 in a row, and most of the victories have been one-sided.

Atascadero (9-2) at Chaminade (10-1) - The host Eagles are hoping it's going to be a long ride home for distant Atascadero.

SOUTHEAST

Burroughs (7-4) at Mayfair (7-4) - Will Burroughs' tough nonleague schedule continue to pay off?

MID-VALLEY

Rosemead (8-3) vs. Village Christian (7-4) at Glendale HS - Village Christian is coming off an upset over No. 1 seed Azusa.

EAST VALLEY

Paraclete (10-1) at Grace Brethren (8-3) - Paraclete is gearing for another showdown with Alpha League rival Sierra Canyon.

Twentynine Palms (8-3) vs. Sierra Canyon (10-1) at Granada Hills HS - See above.

NORTHEAST

Pasadena Poly (8-3) vs. Desert Christian (9-2) at Lancaster HS - Desert Christian is enjoying its best season ever after winning its first playoff game.
Vasquez (9-1) at Desert (7-4) - Desert has salvaged its season after an 0-3 start but appears overmatched against the visiting Mustangs.

CITY SECTION

All games Friday 7 p.m.

DIVISION I

Taft (8-3) vs. Dorsey (10-1) at Rancho Cienega Park - Taft, led by QB Michael Bercovici (3,240 yards, 32 TDs in 10 games), looks to avenge a quarterfinal loss to Dorsey in last year's quarterfinals - plus the Dons handed Taft an opening loss this season.
Over the past four games, Bercovici has passed for 21 TDs without an INT.

DIVISION II

Franklin (8-3) vs. Arleta (10-1) at Monroe HS - Arleta coach Jeff Engilman, who has accomplished the rare feat of winning City titles at three different schools (Manual Arts, Sylmar and Arleta), would love to go out a winner in his final season.

Panorama (6-5) at Chatsworth (9-2) - Panorama, led by RB Malcolm Thomas, defeated Chatsworth 28-19 in the season opener, but months later the win was overturned by forfeit; now they go at it again with a lot more on the line.

Palisades (6-5) at Poly (9-2) - Poly's high-powered double-Wing offense should be too much for Palisades to handle.

The Pierce College womens basketball team is still unbeaten after a 98-70 victory against Barstow in the championship of the Barstow College tournament Saturday.

State leading scorer Monica Jackson scored 29 points and has 129 through four games, including a season high 42 against Imperial Valley.

Taft graduate Amari Hampton recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL QUARTERFINALS

Southern Section

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

PAC-5

Alemany (11-0) at Lakewood (10-1)
Servite (11-0) at Crespi (8-3)

NORTHERN

Oaks Christian (9-2) at Thousand Oaks (8-3)
Valencia (10-1) at Moorpark (6-5)
Palos Verdes (10-1) at Westlake (10-1)
Canyon (10-1) at St. Bonaventure (10-1)

WESTERN

Serra (11-0) at Camarillo (8-3)
Atascadero (9-2) at Chaminade (10-1)

SOUTHEAST

Burroughs (7-4) at Mayfair (7-4)

MID-VALLEY

Rosemead (8-3) at Village Christian (7-4)

EAST VALLEY

Paraclete (10-1) at Grace Brethren (8-3)
Twentynine Palms (8-3) vs. Sierra Canyon (10-1) at Granada Hills HS

NORTHEAST

Pasadena Poly (8-3) vs Desert Christian (9-2) at Lancaster HS

CITY SECTION

All games Friday 7 p.m.

DIVISION I

Taft (8-3) vs. Dorsey (10-1) at Rancho Cienega Park

DIVISION II

Franklin (8-3) vs. Arleta (10-1) at Monroe
Panorama (6-5) at Chatsworth (9-2)
Palisades (6-5) at Poly (9-2)

Hey Troy, welcome back but don't get too comfortable.

That's what Crespi must be thinking, as powerful Servite and its coach Troy Thomas, a Crespi alum and former Celt head coach, return to Encino for a Pac-5 quarterfinal Friday that's intriguing because it features Crespi's high-octane offense against Servite's stout defense.

There won't be an empty seat in the house for this one.

"We're excited about whoever we play, but it's nice to be at home," said Crespi coach Jon Mack, whose Celts (8-3) upset Sunset League champ Los Alamitos in the first round. "I am real pleased with my team. The kids are playing their hearts out, and it's very exciting to be playing during Thanksgiving."

Crespi's Kenny Stenhouse has passed for more than 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns, but Servite (11-0) has allowed just 10.1 points per game.

After winning just two games last year, Canyon is 10-1 after defeating Palmdale 24-13 in the Northern playoff opener Friday, but if the Cowboys want to keep going, they'll have to figure out a way to get past second-seeded St. Bonaventure in the quarterfinals Friday in Ventura.

Canyon's Jonathan Jerozal has passed for 29 touchdowns, but he has seen few opponents that play defense like St. Bonaventure, led by oversized linebackers Jalen Jefferson and Cody Kurz and elite defensive back Tanner Souza.

It's rematch time for Valencia High, as the high-powered Vikings get another shot at Moorpark after losing to the Musketeers in last year's Northern semi's.

Both advanced Friday in the first round, and they face off Friday at Moorpark in the quarterfinals.

A year ago, Valencia and its ultra productive duo of quarterback Alex Bishop and running back Steven Manfro won 12 in a row while scoring at least four TDs in every game before getting smacked in the mouth 40-14 by the Musketeers in Valencia's own house; both backs were non factors that night.

Which brings us back to the present. Bishop and Manfro are again enjoying huge seasons, and the Vikings need big performances from them if they want to survive the rematch.

The Pierce College womens basketball team improved to 3-0 Friday with a 100-98 victory against Mt. San Jacinto in a semifinal game at the Barstow tournament.

The Brahmas are getting things done behind four players that attended high schools in the City Section's West Valley League.

Monica Jackson, who went to Chatsworth, scored 34 points while Taft graduates Amari Hampton, Skyy Lewis and Danielle Tyler had 27, 16 and 16 points, respectively.

Jackson is averaging 33.3, probabaly good for tops in the state.

Pierce plays in the championship game Saturday at 3 p.m. at Barstow College

A dominant quarterback can carry a team in the football playoffs, and that's what's happening at Alemany High.

Vernon Adams turned in another terrific performance Friday in a 27-7 Pac-5 victory over visiting Newport Harbor, completing 17 of 23 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown and rushing a for a career-high 135 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries.

Alemany (11-0) plays at Lakewood (10-1) on Friday in the quarterfinals.

Adams scored on runs of 1, 35 and 20 yards, faking out several defenders and making impressive cutbacks on each of his last two touchdowns.

"Vernon is magical when he runs the football," receiver Shane Drozdowski said. "He's everything to our team. I don't know where we'd be without him. He came to play tonight."

After leading Alemany to a Western Division title berth as a junior last year, Adams has proved even better this season, as Alemany has moved to the Pac-5, the Southern Section's most competitive division.

He has completed 67 percent for 2,410 yards and 23 touchdowns, and he has rushed for 702 yards and 13 touchdowns, accounting for 36 touchdowns overall, while also averaging 43.6 yards as a punter.

"I've never run for 100 yards before. I think the difference tonight was I didn't take any big sacks - I just took what the defense gave me," Adams said. "Three touchdowns? That's a record, too."
NH 0-7-0-0- 7
AL 14-0-6-7-27

A-Adams 1 run (Meza kick)
A-Adams 35 run (Meza kick)
NH-Yokoyama 13 run (Ochoa kick)
A-Adams 20 run (kick failed)
A-Richardson 21 pass from Adams (Meza kick)

Leaders:

Rush
NH-Yokoyama 26-146
A-Adams 16-135
Pass
NH-Rios 13-21-2-91
A-Adams 17-23-1-197
Receive
NH-Morton 8-53
A-Drozdowski 5-37

Vernon Adams scored his third touchdown on a 20-yard run, and Alemany leads Newport Harbor 20-7 after three quarters.

Scores rolling in:

CIF-SS NORTHERN DIVISION
No. 1 Oaks Christian 34, Saugus 8 ...
No. 3 Westlake 58, Knight 8 ...
No. 4 Valencia 42, Highland 17 ...
Moorpark 27, Mira Costa 17
Palos Verdes 48, West Ranch 10 ...
Canyon 24, Palmdale 13 ...
Thousand Oaks 28, Quartz Hill 21 ...

CIF-SS PAC-5 DIVISION
No. 3 Alemany 27, Newport Harbor 7 ...

CIF-SS SOUTHEAST DIVISION
No. 4 Burroughs 41, El Rancho 21 ...
Santa Fe 28, Burbank 14 ...

CIF-SS MID-VALLEY DIVISION
No. 4 Covina 42, La Canada 14 ...

CIF-SS NORTHWEST DIVISION
Compton Centennial 67, Oak Park 48 ...

CIF-SS WESTERN DIVISION
No. 2 Dominguez 28, St. Francis 25 ...
Arroyo Grande 27, Rio Mesa 20 ...
Camarillo 23, Dos Pueblos 22 ...

CIF-SS EAST VALLEY DIVISION
No. 1 Paraclete 42, Desert Hot Springs 6 ...
No. 3 Sierra Canyon 48, Bishop Diego 17 ...
Grace Brethren 48, Notre Dame (Riverside) 19 ...

CIF CITY DIVISION II
Hamilton 26, No. 1 Reseda 20 (OT) ...
No. 4 Arleta 34, Roosevelt 32 (OT) ...
Poly 24, El Camino Real 14 ...

Alemany scored on its first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead.

After recovering an opening onside kick, Alemany drove 49 yards on six plays, the key a 38-yard pass from Vernon Adams to Cameron Washington. Adams soon cashed in with a 1-yard scoring run.

On its next drive, Alemany went 99 yards in 13 plays, consuming five minutes, 40 seconds. Adams completed four passes for 32 yards and finished with a 35-yard touchdown run, going sideline to sideline while faking out several defenders.

Newport Harbor fed the football to junior Buzzy Yokoyama, who rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries in the first half, including a 13-yard touchdown run.

Bryce Henderson, Alemany's leading tackler, twisted his knee early in the first quarter and did not return.

In the first half, Adams completed 9 of 14 for 104 yards, and he rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns on six carries.

At the break:

CIF-SS NORTHERN DIVISION
No. 1 Oaks Christian 31, Saugus 0 ...
No. 2 St. Bonaventure 44, Redondo Union 0 ...
No. 3 Westlake 27, Knight 0 ...
No. 4 Valencia 35, Highland 3 ...
Moorpark 21, Mira Costa 10 ...
Palos Verdes 35, West Ranch 3 ...
Canyon 10, Palmdale 0 ...
Quartz Hill 21, Thousand Oaks 14 ...

CIF-SS PAC-5 DIVISION
No. 3 Alemany 14, Newport Harbor 7 ...

CIF-SS SOUTHEAST DIVISION
No. 4 Burroughs 21, El Rancho 14 ...
Santa Fe 21, Burbank 7 ...

CIF-SS WESTERN DIVISION
Rio Mesa 20, Arroyo Grande 20 ...
Dos Pueblos 13, Camarillo 9 ...

CIF-SS EAST VALLEY DIVISION
No. 3 Sierra Canyon 28, Bishop Diego 7 ...
Grace Brethren 13, Notre Dame (Riverside) 6 ...

CIF-SS NORTHWEST DIVISION
Oak Park 28, Centennial (Compton) 27 ...

CIF CITY DIVISION I
Taft 49, West Adams 21 ...

CIF CITY DIVISION II
No. 1 Reseda 14, Hamilton 12 ...
Roosevelt 14, No. 4 Arleta 12 ...
El Camino Real 14, Poly 7 ...

Welcome to the big leagues, Alemany.

The Warriors have still never won a title in the Mission Hills school's 54-year history, but here they are bumped up to the Pac-5, the Southern Section's most competitive division, and the playoffs begin tonight against visiting Newport Harbor (6-4).

Alemany is a perfect 10-0, and the Warriors look to continue their winning streak and make their way through the playoffs after finishing as a Western Division runner-up last year.

Alemany's key players are quarterback Vernon Adams, offensive lineman Akeem Gonzales, receiver Shane Drozdowski, linebacker Jesse Sampson and defensive backs Jerico Richardson and Deron Smith.

Newport Harbor's top players include running back Buzzy Yokoyama (1,101 yards, 11 TDs in seven games), Stanford-bound lineman J.B. Salem and receiver Parker Norton (53 receptions, five TDs).

Monday 11/29

Summit vs Arroyo Valley 3:30
Cleveland vs Reseda 5:00
Corona Cent vs. L.A. Marshall 6:30
Price vs San Fernando 8:00

Tuesday 11/30

Sylmar vs Birmingham 5:00
Etiwanda vs Valley Torah 6:30
Pasadena vs Arleta 8:00

Wednesday 12/1

Governor's Division

Pool A San Fernando vs. Arroyo Valley 3:30
Pool B Reseda vs Valley Torah 5:00

President's Division

Cleveland vs Corona Cent. 6:30
Price vs Summit 8:00

Thursday 12/2

Governor's Division

Pool B Valley Torah vs Arleta
Pool A Arroyo Valley vs L.A. Marshall

President's Division

Etiwanda vs Birmingham 6:30
Pasadena vs Sylmar 8:00

Friday 12/3

Governor's Division

Arleta vs Reseda 4:00
L.A. Marshall vs San Fernando 5:30

It is never too early to look toward next year.

I know the playoffs haven't even started but here is a preliminary schedule for the Marmonte League for 2011.

Fri. Sept. 16
Thousand Oaks at Moorpark
Calabasas at Westlake
Newbury Park at Simi Valley
St. bonaventure at Royal
Oaks Christian at Agoura

Fri. Sept. 23
Westlake at Thousand Oaks
Moorpark at Newbury Park
Royal at Calabasas
Agoura at Simi Valley
St. Bonaventure at Oaks Christian

Fri. Sept. 30
Newbury Park at Thousand Oaks
Westlake at Royal
Moorpark at Agoura
Calabasas at Oaks Christian
Simi Valley at St. Bonaventure

Thu. Oct. 6
Thousand Oaks at Royal
Newbury Park at Agoura
Oaks Christian at Westlake
Calabasas at Simi Valley
St. Bonaventure at Moorpark

Fri. Oct. 14
Agoura at Thousand Oaks
Royal at Oaks Christian
St. Bonaventure at Newbury Park
Simi Valley at Westlake
Moorpark at Calabasas

Fri. Oct. 21
Oaks Christian at Thousand Oaks
Agoura at St. Bonaventure
Royal at Simi Valley
Newbury Park at Calabasas
Westlake at Moorpark

Fri. Oct. 28
Thousand Oaks at St. Bonaventure
Simi Valley at Oaks Christian
Calabasas at Agoura
Newbury Park at Westlake
Moorpark at Royal

Fri. Nov. 4
Thousand Oaks at Simi Valley
St. Bonaventure at Calabasas
Moorpark at Oaks Christian
Agoura at Westlake
Royal at Newbury Park

Thu. Nov. 10
Calabasas at Thousand Oaks
Simi Valley at Moorpark
Westlake at St. Bonaventure
Oaks Christian at Newbury Park
Agoura at Royal

Chaminade guard Travis Newman has signed with Sonoma State.

Newman is a 5'11 guard who was an all-Mission League selection as a junior.

Newman is expected to team with junior forward Annie Tarakchian and lead Chaminade to the Mission League championship.

A lot of coaches have been asking about when the divisions for basketball will be released so they will know what teams they need to be looking our for come playoff time.

Well, it is finally out.

www.cifss.org

Select basketball from the sports tab and then news.

The Pierce College mens basketball team fell to 0-4 in the early season after a 75-57 setback against Glendale College.

Glendale was led by Antonio Garrett's 17 points and 13 rebounds. Garrett prepped at Monroe.

Nathaniel Boykin and Chris Smith (Burroughs) each had eight points to lead Pierce.

Jahmel Taylor, a sophomore transfer from Notre Dame has been offered a scholarship by USC.

Taylor is a fast, strong point guard who impressed USC coach Kevin O'Neill during summer play.

Taylor is expected to lead a talented Sierra Canyon team, which features juniors Jesse Howell and Julian Brooks and freshman Brian Alberts and Marsalis Johnson.

Among the teams that have the biggest turnaround this season is Canyon, which has gone from 2-9 last year to 9-1.

The surging Cowboys play host to Palmdale on Friday in the first round of the Northern Divison playoffs, and there has not been this much excitement on campus since coach Harry Welch left in 2006. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

"It's a great reward for all the hard work these boys have done over the past year," said Canyon coach Chris Varner, in his fourth season.

Its only loss of the season to high-powered Valencia, Canyon has an effective one-two punch with quarterback Jonathan Jerozal and running back Darius Rudolph.

Jerozal, a junior who is being recruited by BYU, has completed 62 percent for 2,667 yards and 29 touchdowns, including a 93-yarder.

Rudolph, also a top track sprinter who is the reigning Foothill League champion in the 100 meters, didn't play in the finale against Golden League because of a minor injury, but he is back this week. He has rushed for 1,185 yards and 10 touchdowns, including five performances of 149 yards or more, and he has 13 touchdowns, including a 99-yard kick return.

The Cowboys are favored Friday but could have a tough time in the second round if powerful St. Bonaventure advances as expected. At any rate, Canyon has a good future because Jerozal will be back next season, along with sophomore receiver Drew Wolitarsky, who has had a quite a season with 66 catches for 1,334 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Palmdale has endured its up downs, losing three out of four at one point including two shutouts. But since multi-purpose back David Richards has switched permanently to quarterback, the Falcons have looked a lot better. They've won four in a row, all by 14 points or more.

Of the local programs that have moved up this season, the majority have responded remarkably well to a jump in competition.

Alemany went from the Mission League and the Western Division to the Serra League and the Pac-5 - the section's most competitive division - and so far the Warriors have done better than last year, when they were 7-3 in the regular season and finished 10-4 with a loss in the Western final. This year, Alemany is 10-0 and seeded No. 3 in the Pac-5, as the Warriors open Friday against visiting Newport Harbor.

The others who've moved are Oaks Christian and Harvard-Westlake.

Oaks Christian made the biggest jump of anyone by moving from the lightly regarded Northwest Division to the Northern, and the Lions are 8-2 and seeded No. 1 heading into a first-round game Friday against visiting Saugus.

Harvard-Westlake, decimated by injuries, did not make the playoffs after going from the Del Rey League and Northwest Division to the Mission League and Western Division. The Wolverines went 2-7-1 and finished in last place. Over the final month of the season, Harvard-Westlake begun building for the future by giving sophomore backup quarterback Chad Kanoff a lot of playing time, including one start. He has looked good.

There is no hotter quarterback than Taft's Michael Bercovici, who in just nine games has passed for 2,932 yards and 31 touchdowns - an average of 325.8 yards per game, including five consecutive performances of 323 or more.

Bercovici is closing in on Cary Dove's 2001 Taft record of 3,310 yards.

"He should break Dove's record for sure, and Dove had more games," Taft coach Matt Kerstetter said.

Back then, Dove had All-American Steve Smith as his top receiver, and this season Bercovici has Michael Thomas, who has 76 receptions for 1,392 yards and 15 touchdowns; Thomas had yet to be held to fewer than 100 yards receiving in a game.

Scholarship offers continue to pour in for Crespi receiver Devin Lucien, who reports Kentucky is the latest to offer. The fast 6-foot-2 senior has 10 offers, including UCLA, Oregon State, Arizona State and Colorado.

SOUTHERN SECTION

First round 7:30 p.m. Friday unless indicated

PAC-5

Crespi vs. Los Alamitos at Veteran's Stadium, 7 p.m. Thursday

Newport Harber at Alemany

NORTHERN

Saugus at Oaks Christian

Thousand Oaks at Quartz Hill

Moorpark at Mira Costa

Highland at Valencia

Westlake at Knight

West Ranch at Palos Verdes

Palmdale at Canyon

WESTERN

Camarillo at Dos Pueblos

Oxnard at Paso Robles

Culver City at Chaminade

Arroyo Grande at Rio Mesa

St. Francis at Dominguez

SOUTHEAST

Burbank at Santa Fe, 7 p.m.

El Rancho at Burroughs, 7 p.m.

NORTHWEST

Compton Centennial at Oak Park

Village Christian at Azusa

La Canada vs. Covina at Covina District Stadium, 7 p.m.

EAST VALLEY

Desert Hot Springs vs. Paraclete at A.V. College

Riverside Notre Dame vs. Grace Brethren at Moorpark College

Campbell Hall at St. Margaret's

Bishop Diego vs. Sierra Canyon at Granada Hills High

NORTHEAST

Fairmont Prep vs. Desert Christian at Lancaster High

St. Genevieve at Vasquez

CITY SECTION

All games Friday, 7 p.m.

Div. I

Sylmar at Carson

Kennedy at Garfield

West Adams at Taft

Granada Hills at Crenshaw

Div. II

Hamilton at Reseda

Roosevelt at Arleta

Hollywood at Chatsworth

El Camino Real at Poly

Rocky Sherwood, a two-year starting catcher for Golden Valley, has signed a letter of intent to attend Spalding University in Louisville.

Palmdale's Jerry Keel has signed a baseball scholarship with Cal State Northridge.

College basketball is back and Taft had 10 players across the country on Div. 1 rosters.

Larry Drew at North Carolina, Garrett Green at LSU, Calvin Haynes at Oregon St., Justin Hawkins at UNLV, Eugene Phelps at Long Beach St., Michael Williams at San Francisco, Pierson Williams at Loyola (Maryland), Bryce Smith at CSUN, Chano Rasiduddin at Arkansas St. and prized freshman Bryce Jones at USC.

Pierson Williams has a foot injury and is expected to to redshirt.

Very impressive for Taft and coach Derrick Taylor.

Taft is the clear favorite to win the City Div. I championship this season and send multiple players on to Div. I institutions.

In fact, Spencer Dinwiddie has committed to Colorado and it wouldn't be surprising to see Kevin Johnson, Stephen Maxwell, Corey Blackwell and Khiry Williams moving on as well.

Taft asst. coach Rene Lopez has sent over a primer for the semifinals on Tuesday.

Girls Volleyball Playoffs: (Semi-Finals) #1 Taft vs. #4 Polytechnic Tuesday 7pm At The Legendary Taft High School.

-Winner Advances To 2010 CIF Los Angeles City Section Division II Championship Saturday, November 20, 2010 At 2:30pm At Roybal Learning Center.

- Arman Mercado Has 24-2 Girls Career Record At Home (Taft) vs. City Section Opponents In The Playoffs. Can He Make It 25 vs. The Poly Parrots?

-Mercado Has Not Lost A Home (Taft) Playoff Match With The Girls Since 2003 Semi-Finals vs. Palisades.

-Mercado Has A Combined 38 Match Winning Streak At Home (Taft) With Both Girls & Boys In The Playoffs vs. City Section Opponents. (Current Longest Streak In The City Section)

-Taft Girls Attempt To Make It's 5th Trip To The Finals In 9 Seasons. 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009...(2010)? And That's Not Including 2008 Invitational Championship.

-Arman Mercado Is Undefeated 3-0 At Roybal Learning Center. (2008 Girls Invitational, 2009 Girls D-II, 2010 Boys D-I)

-Expect A Packed House At Taft As The Only Two Valley Teams In Division II Remain...

-Taft Will Attempt To Finish Off The East Valley League In The 2010 Playoffs Defeating #17 North Hollywood First-Round, #9 Grant In Quarter-Finals And Now #4 Poly In The Semi-Finals...

PAC-5
Long Beach Wilson (5-5) at No. 1 Mission Viejo (10-0)
Edison (7-3) at Santa Margarita (8-2)
Mater Dei (6-4) at Long Beach Poly (8-2)
Tesoro (7-3) at No. 4 Bishop Amat (9-1)
Newport Harbor (6-4) at No. 3 Alemany (10-0)
San Clemente (8-2) at Lakewood (9-1)
Crespi (7-3) at Los Alamitos (8-2)
Long Beach Jordan (6-4) at No. 2 Servite (10-0)

NORTHERN
Saugus (5-5) at No. 1 Oaks Christian (8-2)
Thousand Oaks (7-3) at Quartz Hill (8-2)
Moorpark (5-5) at Mira Costa (7-3)
Highland (5-5) at No. 4 Valencia (9-1)
No. 3 Westlake (9-1) at Knight (6-4)
West Ranch (6-4) at Palos Verdes (9-1)
Palmdale (7-3) at Canyon (9-1)
Redondo (6-4) at No. 2 St. Bonaventure (9-1)

WESTERN
Beverly Hills (6-4) at No. 1 Serra (10-0)
Camarillo (7-3) at Dos Pueblos (7-3)
Downey (6-4) at Inglewood (8-2)
Oxnard (8-2) at No. 4 Paso Robles (8-2)
Culver City (6-4) at No. 3 Chaminade (9-1)
Ventura (6-4) at Atascadero (8-2)
Arroyo Grande (8-2) at Rio Mesa (6-4)
St. Francis (6-4) at No. 2 Dominguez (9-1)

SOUTHEAST
Bellflower (5-5) at No. 1 West Covina (9-1)
Burbank (7-3) at Santa Fe (6-4)
Diamond Ranch (5-5) at Mayfair (6-4)
El Rancho (6-4) at No. 4 Burbank Burroughs (6-4)
Muir (6-4) at No. 3 La Mirada (7-3)
California (3-7) at Bonita (9-1)
Norwalk (6-4) at Arcadia (7-3)
Walnut (6-4) at No. 2 La Serna (9-1)

NORTHWEST
Verbum Dei (5-5) at No. 1 Nordhoff (10-0)
Santa Ynez (5-5) at North Torrance (7-3)
El Segundo (6-4) at Lompoc (7-3)
Carpinteria (7-3) at No. 4 Cantwell-Sacred Heart (9-1)
Templeton (6-4) at No. 3 Bishop Montgomery (9-1)
Compton Centennial (5-5) at Oak Park (6-4)
Mary Star (4-6) at Morro Bay (5-5)
Santa Paula (5-5) at No. 2 South Torrance (9-1)

MID-VALLEY
Village Christian (6-4) at No. 1 Azusa (10-0)
Temple City (4-6) at Rosemead (7-3)
Bell Gardens (7-3) at Whittier Christian (9-1)
La Canada (5-5) at No. 4 Covina (9-1)
San Dimas (6-4) at No. 3 Arroyo (9-1)
La Puente (8-2) at Maranatha (7-3)
Baldwin Park (5-5) at Schurr (6-4)
Gladstone (5-5) at No. 2 Monrovia (8-2)

EAST VALLEY
Desert Hot Springs (7-3) at No. 1 Paraclete (9-1)
Riverside Notre Dame (7-3) at Grace Brethren (7-3)
Linfield Christian (6-4) at Big Bear (8-2)
Campbell Hall (7-3) at No. 4 St. Margaret's (7-3)
Bishop Diego (5-5) at No. 3 Sierra Canyon (9-1)
Sage Hill (8-2) at Twentynine Palms (7-3)
Brentwood (7-2) at Rubidoux (7-2-1)
Yucca Valley (5-4-1) at No. 2 Aquinas (9-1)

NORTHEAST
Mojave (6-4) at No. 1 Bishop (9-1)
Chadwick (8-2) at St. Monica (8-2)
Anza Hamilton (6-2) at Pasadena Poly (7-3)
Fairmont Prep (4-6) at No. 4 Lancaster Desert Christian (8-2)
St. Genevieve (7-3) at No. 3 Vasquez (8-1)
Desert (6-4) at California Military Institute (7-3)
Boron (9-1) at Saddleback Valley Christian (5-5)
California City (5-5) at No. 2 Rio Hondo Prep (8-1)

EIGHT MAN DIVISION 1
QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 Faith Baptist (10-0) at Thacher (5-3)
Windward (6-4) at No. 4 Rolling Hills Prep (8-1)
No. 3 Santa Clarita Christian (9-1) at Laguna Blanca (6-3)
No. 2 Cate (9-0) at Excelsior (5-4)

Marmonte League Coach of the Year
Name School
James Park Thousand Oaks
Brock Redmond Agoura

Marmonte League co-MVP's
Name School
Rachel Cookus Thousand Oaks
Karis Schneider Thousand Oaks

Marmonte League First Team
Name School
1 Kayla Sears Moorpark
2 Kalle Mulford Royal
3 Amanda Soper Royal
4 Summer Esseff Thousand Oaks
5 Kendall Frisoli Thousand Oaks
6 Jillian Johnson Thousand Oaks
7 Courtney Birkett Westlake
8 Hannah Schuett Westlake

Marmonte League Second Team
Name School
1 Jackie Nadler Agoura
2 Hailey Wahl Agoura
3 Izzy Sagely Moorpark
4 Amber Wizwell Newbury Park
5 Becca Kremer Royal
6 Torrey Campbell Simi
7 Hannah Porter Thousand Oaks
8 Paige Harris Westlake

Marmonte League Third Team
Name School
1 Katie Soto Agoura
2 Marissa Rossi Calabasas
3 Morgan Collet Newbury Park
4 Rebecca Jones Royal
5 Emily Plowman Royal
6 Taylor Susim Simi
7 Chelsea Cooper Thousand Oaks
8 Julia Mannisto Westlake

The Oaks Christian girls' volleyball team is riding high tonight after a five-game victory against top-seeded La Canada in a Div. II-AA quarterfinal playoff match at La Canada.

The Lions are into the semifinals on Tuesday, possibly against No. 4 seed Chino Hills.

Oaks Christian won in dramatic fashion, which is nothing new to the Lions.

They are 5-1 in five game matches this season, having beaten Camarillo, Brentwood, La Reina, Mission Viejo and now, La Canada.

"I don't know how to explain it," senior middle blocker Michele Boskovich said.

The Lions (23-11) have been on a roll as of late, playing well at the Redondo Union tournament, upending La Reina near the end of the regular season and taking down North Torrance, Mission Viejo and defending champion La Canada in the playoffs.

"I realy think all our seniors and experience are starting to come through," coach George Hees said. "It has been a rollercoaster of a year."

Daniel Sorrato, an Alemany junior hospitalized after collapsing on the field in a 38-30 win over visiting Bishop Amat, is OK, coach Dean Herrington said.

"He's fine. They took him overnight just to make sure and to give him an MRI and make sure there was no blood clot or anything like that," Herrington said.

Sorrato went down near the Alemany sideline a few moments after a teammate made a tackle on a kick return.

"It was really weird because he never got hit in the head," Herrington said. "He must have got a pinched nerve or something. He'll be out at least another week."

Thousand Oaks' Richard Mullaney caught six passes in a 29-28 overtime win over visiting Moorpark, giving him a school-record 88 receptions.

"Dave Anderson had the old record, and Richard broke it in 10 games, and Anderson played 12 games," Thousand Oaks coach Mike Leibin said.

The win puts Thousand Oaks in fourth place over the fifth-place Musketeers, and though that does not sound very impressive, Leibin thinks it should be good enough for a home seed in the playoffs considering the three teams that tied for first -- Oaks Christian, Westlake and St. Bonaventure -- might be the top three seeds.

"I think we have a good argument to be seeded somewhere between four-through-six," Leibin said. "All I'm saying is, just look who's better and who's not better."

Shockwaves continue to run through the San Fernando Valley following Crespi's dramatic 34-28 win at Notre Dame that was decided on the last play, when from his own 32, Kenny Stenhouse threw a short pass to Michael Davison, who broke a few tackles and pitched to Terrence Williams, who ran the final 50 yards for a touchdown, diving into the end zone with a defender hanging onto him.

A playoff berth was on the line, as Crespi overcame a 21-point deficit to make the postseason for the first time since 2007, while Notre Dame failed to qualify for the first time in many years.

The whole thing has to be a rush for Crespi's first-year coach Jon Mack, who graduated from Notre Dame in 1978 and later was an assistant under mentor Kevin Rooney, who is still there in his 31st year as head coach.

"I'm very, very proud of my team. We never quit," Mack said. "We kept battling back and battling back, and I'm very proud of the boys. All of them. When you're down 21 points, you can't give up in that situation even though it can be overwhelming. One play, one first down at a time, you crawl back in."

Stenhouse passed for 380 yards, giving him a Crespi season-record 2,827 yards. He also passed for three touchdowns to give him a school-record 29.

"Kenny has had a terrific year. He's a great young man," Mack said.

Mack does not even want to think about how devastating a loss would have been.

"You never say the 'L' word. You don't worry about anything but the next play," he said. "I'm real proud of my team. We didn't achieve all of our goals, but we get to keep playing. The kids are ecstatic, and that doesn't even begin to describe it."

Playoff pairings are scheduled to be released today. In the Pac-5, the section's most competitive division, the Celts probably will open on the road, but you won't hear any complaints.

"I'm pretty sure we'll draw a league champion, but that's OK. Let's go play," Mack said.

Taft was hoping for a top-three seed in the City Section Div. I playoffs beginning this coming Friday, but instead the Toreadors will have to settle for No. 5, as pairings were determined by a vote of the coaches on Saturday morning.

Taft (7-3), averaging 41 points and riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping through West Valley League competition, open against visiting West Adams (2-8). The championship game is Saturday, Dec. 11 at the Coliseum. Kickoff is 1 p.m

As is often the case in City Section football, the San Fernando Valley was snubbed, as the top four seeds went to No. 1 Crenshaw, No. 2 Venice, No. 3 Dorsey and No. 4 Dorsey.

"We got screwed a little bit, but we're opposite Crenshaw in the bracket, so we would see them at the Coliseum if we make it," Taft coach Matt Kerstetter said.

The other locals to make the Div. I field are Sylmar, Kennedy and Granada Hills.

In Div. II, Reseda is top-seeded, as the undefeated Regents open against visiting Hamilton. Poly is No. 2 and Arleta is No. 4.

City Section playoffs

Div. I

First-round Friday

No. 16 Sylmar (5-5) at No. 1 Carson (8-2)

No. 9 Kennedy (5-5) at No. 8 Garfield (6-4)

No. 12 West Adams (2-8) at No. 5 Taft (7-3)

No. 13 Gardena (2-8) vs. No. 4 Dorsey (9-1) at Jackie Robinson Stadium

No. 14 Locke (5-5) at No. 3 Venice (6-4)

No. 11 Westchester (6-4) at No. 6 San Pedro (7-3)

No. 10 L.A. Jordan (6-4) at No. 7 Narbonne (5-5)

No. 15 Granada Hills (4-6) at No. 2 Crenshaw (8-2)

Div. II

First-round Friday

No. 16 Hamilton (4-6) at No. 1 Reseda (10-0)

No. 9 Fairfax (6-3) at No. 8 Marshall (8-2)

No. 12 Franklin (7-3) at No. 5 Jefferson (9-1)

No. 13 Roosevelt (6-4) at No. 4 Arleta (9-1)

No. 14 Panorama (5-5) at No. 3 South East (7-3)

No. 11 Hollywood (7-3) at No. 6 Chatsworth (8-2)

No. 10 Lincoln (9-1) at No. 7 Palisades (5-5)

No. 15 El Camino Real (4-6) at No. 2 Poly (8-2)

The Oaks Christian boys' water polo team handled Pacifica of Oxnard, 13-5, in a Div. VI quarterinal playoff match at Oxnard High.

The Lions advance to the semifinals Wednesday against top-seeded Rio Mesa at Cal Lutheran at 3:15 p.m.

Leave it to the City Section to get things wrong as usual.

Canoga Park goes 6-4, beats Sylmar and finishes third in the Valley Mission League.

But the Hunters were passed over for the final playoff spot in Div. II, in favor of Hamilton (3-6), who finished next to last in the Western League and had to go overtime to beat Cleveland.

What a shame.

There has been much hype about Poly going 8-2 this season and its star running back Kevin Ervin.

Let's see if the Parrots are for real when they play El Camino Real in a Div. II first round game Friday.

Can the Parrots beat a West Valley League team?

UPCOMING MATCHES

Tuesday, Nov. 16: vs. No.25 Bakersfield College (7:00pm, South Gym)

Thursday, Nov. 18 (Sophomores Night): vs. Santa Monica College (7:00pm, South Gym). Come by and watch the final regular season match as we honor our seven Sophomores and gear up for the upcoming playoffs.

OVERALL STATS (as of November 8)

Sophomore Outside Hitter, Sarah Martin is leading the conference in kills (333) and second in aces (47). Freshman Libero, Kathleen Wright, is leading the conference in two categories: 377 digs and an unmatched, almost unheard of, 80 aces. Sophomore Middle, Reanna Hill, is currently second in conference in the Block Assists (45 blocks) and Solo Block (29 blocks). Freshman setter, Julianna Hicks, is leading the conference in assists with 814.

To view the most current rankings in the state, go to the link below:

http://www.cccaasports.org/Volleyball/Women/rankings.asp

Former Golden Valley forward Trevor Wiseman made his collegiate debut For Hawaii on Friday in a game against Montana St.

Wiseman came off the bench and scored two points, grabbed seven rebounds and had two assists and two steals in 18 minutes of action.

Alemany High finished undefeated in football for the first time in the school's 54-year history Friday, improving to 10-0 with a 38-30 victory over visiting Bishop Amat before an overflow crowd of more than 7,000 in a Serra League showdown pitting two unbeaten teams in the last game of the regular season.

Vernon Adams completed 15 of 18 for 243 yards and three touchdowns, and he also rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown, as Alemany won a league title in its first season moving up to from the Mission League.

The win all but assures a top-four seed in the Pac-5 playoffs beginning next Friday, as pairings are scheduled to be released Sunday.

With Bishop Amat (9-1) trying to drive for the potential tying touchdown, Deron Smith intercepted a pass at the Alemany 42 with two minutes, eight seconds remaining.

"All I could think of was I had to make the play," Smith said. "We did really well tonight, and Vernon did well, too. I think we can compete with anyone."

Adams connected on scoring passes of 14 yards to Shane Drozdowski, 4 yards to Steven Mitchell and 38 yards to Jerico Richardson, and Adams also scored on a 14-yard run.

Bishop Amat was hoping to finish undefeated for the first time since 1994.

Bishop Amat's star running back Jalen Moore finished with 116 yards in 23 carries but in the second half was limited to 22 yards on seven carries. He scored three touchdowns on runs of 13, 1 and 7 yards.

Alemany played without standout linebacker Jesse Sampson, who suited up but did not play because of an ankle injury.

The game was delayed 32 minutes when Alemany junior Daniel Sorrato collapsed shortly after a teammate made a tackle on a kickoff return to open the second half. He was talking and moving his arms and legs as he was loaded into an ambulance and transported to a hospital.

BOX SCORE

BA 9-8-7-7-30
ALEM 7-21-10-0-38

A-McCullough 20 fumble recovery (Meza kick)
BA-Moore 13 run (Gutierrez kick)
BA-Safety, Gener tackled Adams in end zone
A-Drozdowski 14 pass from Adams (Meza kick)
BA-Moore 1 run (Moore run)
A-Mitchell 4 pass from Adams (Meza kick)
A-Richardson 38 pass from Adams (Meza kick) 28-17 half
A-Adams 14 run (Meza kick)
BA-Moore 7 run (Gutierrez kick)
A-FG Mesa 42

Rush:
BA-Moore 23-116
A-Adams 20-70
Pass:
BA-Ruiz 11-16-1-123
A-Adams 15-18-0-243
Receive:
BA-Gonzalez 4-39
A-Drozdowski 5-53

R: A 10-0, 4-0; BA 9-1, 3-1

Finals for the night:

Westlake 56, Calabasas 6 ...
Thousand Oaks 29, Moorpark 28 (OT) ...
Oaks Christian 59, Agoura 17 ...
St. Bonaventure 58, Royal 17 ...
Simi Valley 26, Newbury Park 14 ...
Alemany 38, Bishop Amat 30 ...
Crespi 34, Notre Dame 28 ...
St. Francis 34, Harvard-Westlake 7 ...
Chaminade 13, St. Paul 12 ...
Reseda 48, Panorama 22 ...
Canoga Park 14, Sylmar 13 ...
Poly 63, Grant 33 ...
Arleta 28, Verdugo Hills 7 ...
Taft 65, Granada Hills 21 ...
El Camino Real 41, Birmingham 28 ...
Rio Mesa 34, Camarillo 21 ...
Glendale 54, Hoover 19 ...
Monrovia 34, La Canada 10 ...
Palmdale 22, Highland 7 ...
Campbell Hall 31, Montclair Prep 22 ...
Grace Brethren 40, Villanova Prep 8 ...
Nordhoff 23, Oak Park 7 ...
Flintridge Prep 34, Webb 14 ...

8-MAN DIVISION I (first round)
Faith Baptist 54, Victor Valley Christian 6

It's a wild, exciting game at Alemany, as the host Warriors lead 28-17 at the half.
Alemany scored two touchdowns over the final 44 seconds of the first half to pull ahead 28-17.

After Bishop Amat's Jalen Moore scored on a 1-yard run with 44 seconds left to forge a 17-14 lead, Adams drove Alemany 72 yards on four plays - a 10-yard pass to Shane Drozdowski, a 24-yard scramble, a 34-yard pass to Zach Hernandez, then a 4-yard touchdown pass to Steven Mitchell.

On the ensuing kickoff, a squib kick by Alemany's Martin Meza bounced off Sal Velasquez's foot and was recovered by Meza with 13.2 seconds before the break. On the next play, Adams eluded a couple of oncoming rushers, then passed 38 yards to Jerico Richardson in the end zone for a 28-17 lead.

Adams was 9 of 11 for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

Alemany scored first on Saladin McCullough's 20-yard fumble return.

Moore scored two touchdowns in the first half on runs of 13 and 1 yard. Through two quarters, he rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries.

Last week of the regular season. Here's where the teams are at the break:

St. Francis 24, Harvard-Westlake 0 ...
Notre Dame 28, Crespi 7 ...
Chaminade 3, St. Paul 0 ...
Oaks Christian 42, Agoura 3 ...
Westlake 42, Calabasas 0 ...
Rio Mesa 17, Camarillo 7 ...
Arleta 28, Verdugo Hills 0 ...
Campbell 24, Montclair Prep 9 ...
Canoga Park 14, Sylmar 7 ...
Reseda 24, Panorama 7 ...
El Camino Real 21, Birmingham 0 ...
Monrovia 17, La Canada 3 ...
Glendale 26, Hoover 13 ...
Grace Brethren 33, Villanova Prep 0 ...
Nordhoff 10, Oak Park 0 ...

Alemany is behind 9-7 to visiting Amat, as the Warriors have scored on Saladin McCullough's 20-yard fumble return, while Amat has scored on Jalen Moore's 13-yard run plus a safety.

It's a big night at Alemany, as the host Warriors prepare for Bishop Amat in season-finale showdown between two 9-0 Serra League teams competing in the Pac-5 Division, the Southern Section's most competitive division.

The teams are on the field getting ready for the kickoff in about an hour or two, and the stands are filling up on both sides.

What's the key? Both teams are versatile on offense, so whichever quarterback plays the best -- Alemany's Vernon Adams versus Bishop Amat's Rio Ruiz -- should be in good shape in what's expected to be a very close game.

It would also help if Alemany can find a way to contain Bishop Amat receiver Wallace Gonzalez, who's 6-4, 240 pounds, and runs and catches like a top-flight receiver.

Oaks Christian shortstop Drew Hacker has committed to Pepperdine.

Hacker becomes the third Lions player to commit, joining Trevor Gretzky (San Diego St.) and Evan Ocello (Holy Cross).

Next up for Oaks Christian could be lefthanded starting pitcher Travis Radke.

Radke indicates Portland and San Diego St. are in the lead.

All games Friday 7 p.m. unless noted

Crespi (6-3, 1-2) at Notre Dame (2-7, 1-2) - It's going to be a popping in Sherman Oaks because there is so much on the line in this rivalry showdown that determines which team goes to the playoffs as the Serra's League's third and final entrant - and which one stays home.

For either team, a loss is going to be devastating. Crespi brought in new coach Jon Mack before spring workouts and is expecting an instant turnaround after the Celts failed to make the playoffs the past two years despite lots of talent both seasons. Notre Dame has averaged more than 11 wins over 10 years heading into this season, and no one on campus, including 31st year coach Kevin Rooney, can remember the last time the Knights did not make the playoffs.

Some of Crespi's top players are QB Kenny Stenhouse, WRs Devin Lucien and Chris Harper, OL Jordan Simmons and DL Reggie Coates. Notre Dame is led by QB Matt Lathuras, RB Khalfani Muhammad, DLs Micah Peters and J.J. Sabatine, LB Nick Huynh, DB Nick Holland and PK Hayden Ross.

The Knights are a heavy underdog, so perhaps Rooney needs to come up with a win-one-for-the-Gipper pregame speech.

"I haven't figured out what I'm going to say, but in the end it's going to come down to making plays on the field," Rooney said.

Bishop Amat (9-0, 3-0) at Alemany (9-0, 3-0) - There is a lot at stake in this showdown of unbeatens, as the winner takes the Serra League title and remains in the hunt for a CIF State Bowl berth, while the loser figures to take a big hit in the playoff seedings and can all but forget about a state bid.

Both feature prolific offenses, but the key could be defense. Alemany needs to figure out a way to stop Bishop Amat's powerful running back Jalen Moore, one of the Pac-5's best, while also containing QB Rio Ruiz.

For Alemany to succeed, the Warriors need a strong performances from LBs Jesse Sampson, Bryce Henderson and Tyler Dabovich. They're an undersized unit - no one weighs more than 200 - but they're quick, and they love to hit.

Granada Hills (4-5, 2-2) at Taft (6-3, 4-0) - Taft's Michael Bercovici needs 422 yards passing to hit 3,000, and don't be surprised if the Arizona State-bound QB achieves the milestone because he has totaled 323 yards or more in each of the past four games, and he has a high of 474.

Overall, Bercovici, a Westlake transfer, has completed 170 of 274 (62 pct.) for 2,578 yards and 25 TDs in eight games. Michael Thomas, an Oaks Christian transfer, has 69 receptions for 1,197 yards and 14 TDs.

Reseda (9-0, 5-0) at Panorama (5-3, 5-0) - Reseda is hoping for an undefeated season, but tonight the Regents face an angry Panorama team that's seething after being tagged with three forfeit losses because an ineligible player.

The host Pythons are looking for their first-ever league title, and the game plan is to feed the football to RB Malcolm Thomas, one of the City's best.

Moorpark (5-4, 5-3) at Thousand Oaks (6-3, 5-3) - Even though both have already secured the final two playoff spots in the 10-team Marmonte League, don't think there isn't plenty of motivation because the loser almost certainly will have to open the Northern playoffs on the road against a league champion.

FRIDAY

Arleta at Verdugo Hills, 7 p.m.
North Hollywood at Monroe, 7 p.m.
Poly at Grant, 7 p.m.
Franklin at Eagle Rock, 3 p.m.
Canoga Park at Sylmar, 7 p.m.
Kennedy at San Fernando, 7 p.m.
Cleveland at Chatsworth, 7 p.m.
El Camino Real at Birmingham, 7 p.m.
Animo South Los Angeles vs. Sherman Oaks CES at Reseda HS, 7 p.m.
Fulton vs. Douglass at West Adams HS, 7 p.m.
Campbell Hall vs. Montclair Prep at Pierce College, 7 p.m.
Desert Christian at Lucerne Valley, 7 p.m.
Santa Clara at Malibu, 2:30 p.m.
Villanova Prep vs. Grace Brethren at Moorpark College, 7:30 p.m.
Eastside at Knight, 7 p.m.
Highland at Palmdale, 7 p.m.
Lancaster at Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.
Littlerock at Quartz Hill, 7 p.m.
Agoura at Oaks Christian, 7 p.m.
Moorpark at Thousand Oaks, 7 p.m.
Simi Valley at Newbury Park, 7 p.m.
Royal vs. St. Bonaventure at Buena HS, 7 p.m.
Westlake at Calabasas, 7 p.m.
Chaminade at St. Paul, 7:30 p.m.
Gardena Serra at Cathedral, 7 p.m.
St. Francis at Harvard-Westlake, 7 p.m.
Crescenta Valley at Arcadia, 7 p.m.
Hoover at Glendale, 7:30 p.m.
Camarillo at Rio Mesa, 7 p.m.
Viewpoint at Rio Hondo Prep, 7:30 p.m.
La Canada vs. Monrovia at San Marino HS, 7 p.m.
Bell-Jeff at Salesian, 7 p.m.
Oak Park at Nordhoff, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

Whittier Christian at L.A. Baptist, 11 a.m.

0 - Opponents to hold Taft's Michael Thomas to fewer than 100 yards receiving

14-1 - Notre Dame's record vs. Crespi over past 15 games

350 - Bench press by Poly linebacker Edgar Del Gado

432.9 - Canyon's yardage per game

485.7 - Taft's yardage per game

Saugus should have a good team this coming spring. Pitcher Scott Kerrigian is headed to Notre Dame, while Nick Lombardi is going on a visit to Dartmouth this weekend and Justin Sheehan has an offer from Coppin State.

Saturday, November 20th, 2010 (10:00am - 3:30pm)

Taft High School Main Gymnasium
5461 Winnetka Ave.
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Game Schedule

10:00am Taft vs. Oaks Christian
10:30am Notre Dame vs. Cleveland
11:00am Sylmar vs. Compton Centennial
11:30am Compton vs. Oaks Christian
12:00pm Taft vs. Notre Dame
12:30pm Cleveland vs. Sylmar
1:00pm Compton Centennial vs. Oaks Christian
1:30pm Taft vs. Compton
2:00pm Compton Centennial vs. Notre Dame
2:30pm Oaks Christian vs. Cleveland
3:00pm Compton vs. Sylmar

Games will be two, eight minute stop time quarters

Harvard-Westlake's Damiene Cain is expected to announce he is committing to Colorado this week, according to sources.

Cain, a 6'7 forward was also considering San Diego St.

Cain will become the second area commit to Colorado along with Taft's Spencer Dinwiddie.

The move makes sense as Colorado is joining the PAC-10. Both players will receive plenty o fopportunities for good exposure.

It was a good day at Golden Valley today, as Branndi Melero signed a softball scholarship for Auburn, and baseball standout Scott Barlow signed with Fresno State.

It is going to be interesting to see what the Northern Division playoff draw looks like when it is released Sunday.

The top four seeds to be exact.

Westlake and St. Bonaventure have been widely regarded as better than Oaks Christian the entire season but the Lions won a pivotal coin toss Tuesday to be the No. 1 team from the Marmonte League, all but assuring Oaks Christian is the top-seed in the division.

St. Bonaventure has to go in before Westlake, so the Seraphs will get the No. 2 spot.

Now, the interesting part comes for No. 3 and No. 4.

Westlake should be No. 3, considering the Warriors have been ranked in nearly every regional or national poll the entire season while Valencia hasn't been on the radar screen and has a loss against non-playoff team Loyola.

However, don't be surprised if some backdoor deals go down on the football advisory committee (Westlake coach Jim Benkert is on the committee) and Valencia leapfrogs Westlake for No. 3. That would ensure St. Bonaevnture and Westlake wouldn't have to play each other until the finals.

The Southern Section coaches poll has had Westlake, St. Bonaventure and Oaks Christian at the top of the poll the entire season, so it would be very strange to see Westlake somehow drop to four.

Especially after the coaches only dropped the Warriors to No. 2 after the double-overtime, one-point loss against St. Bonaventure.

It wouldn't be right but there are some with power out there who want to see Westlake and St. Bonaventure in the championship.

All three teams still have to win Friday in regular season finales.

Max Miller, who was an all-Southern Section selection last year for Montclair Prep has signed a letter of intent with Monmouth Univ. in New Jersey.

Miller had 48 hits, six home runs and 50 runs scored for the Mounties.

He's one of California's top uncommitted recruits, and Alemany's Akeem Gonzales continues to earn respect for the undefeated Warriors.

Not only is Gonzales doing a great job as an offensive lineman blocking for standout quarterback Vernon Adams, but he also has 52 tackles and 11 sacks as a defensive lineman heading into the Serra League finale Friday against visiting Bishop Amat.

Gonzales is weighing offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nebraska, Oregon State, Utah, Washington and others.

Here are the matchups for the City quarterfinals tonight.

Div. I
Cleveland at Granada Hills
Birmingham at Narbonne
Van Nuys at Sylmar
El Camino Real at Carson

Div. II
Grant at Taft
Verdugo Hills at Poly
Eagle Rock at Palisades
Bravo at Venice

It figures to be a dramatic weekend of high school football, and the biggest finale of all is the Serra League showdown Friday between Bishop Amat and host Alemany, both undefeated and in the hunt for a state bowl berth - so there is more than a league title and playoff position at stake.

Both feature dynamic offenses, as Alemany is led by quarterback Vernon Adams, receiver Shane Drozdowski and offensive lineman Akeem Gonzales, while Bishop Amat features quarterback Rio Ruiz, running back Jalen Moore and 6-5, 240-pound receiver Wallace Gonzalez.

"This game is for all the marbles," Adams said.

Ruiz is one the division's hottest quarterbacks, and Gonzalez presents matchup problems.

"That receiver is just a monster, and the quarterback has a cannon for an arm," Alemany coach Dean Herrington said. "He's got one of the strongest arms I've seen, and (Gonzalez), even if we have good coverage on him, he can still catch the ball, and that's a little scary."

Bishop Amat defeated Alemany by 22 points last year, and over the past two seasons, the Lancers have beaten area powers Notre Dame (twice), Loyola (twice), Crespi and St. Bonaventure.

Bishop Amat has a large following, so it's a good idea to arrive early to ensure a seat.

"There's going to be a lot of people," Herrington said.

If Alemany wins, it will be a team effort - not just the players, but the coaches, too, Herrington said, pointing specifically to his brother, Rick, Alemany's defensive coordinator.

"Rick always has something, some little tweak that really helps out," Herrington said. "He's one of the reasons we're 9-0."

In the Marmonte League, Westlake (8-1, 7-1), Oaks Christian (7-2, 7-1) and St. Bonaventure (8-1, 7-1) are tied for first place, and none of them play each one another Friday in the finale.

If they remain tied as expected, Oaks Christian goes to the playoffs as the top seed after winning a coin flip that put Oaks Christian second and Westlake third; the coin flip was a bad break for Westlake, a week ago riding high with a 22-game winning streak before losing 32-31 in double overtime to visiting St. Bonaventure.

There is a lot at stake Friday when Notre Dame plays host to arch-rival Crespi in a 7 p.m. Serra League finale. The winner makes the Pac-5 Division playoffs, and the loser does not.

Whoever loses, it's going to be devastating. Notre Dame, just 2-7, has made the playoffs every season for so long that 31st-year coach Kevin Rooney can't even remember the last time the Knights weren't there. Over 10 seasons heading into this year, Notre Dame was 113-13-1 - a winning percentage of .893 - including eight seasons in which the Knights lost two games or fewer.

Plus, Notre Dame has won 14 of the past 15 against Crespi, so the Celts (6-3) are the last opponent the Knights want to lose to in such an important game.

"It should be fun and exciting. It's a big game, and both teams wants to win," Rooney said. "Obviously, I'd rather the game be for a league championship and all that kind of stuff."

After winning lower-division titles in 2004 and 2005 and then reaching the 2007 Pac-5 final, Crespi has not made the playoffs since, suffering through two underachieving seasons before coach Jeremiah Ross was forced out in January and replaced by Jon Mack, who won seven section titles in 17 seasons at St. Bonaventure.

"Every game is a big game, but if we had taken care of business earlier ... ," Mack said. "I think Notre Dame is a lot better than their record indicates. They've been kind of snakebitten. We've got to line up and play great defense, and we've got to score when we're on offense."

Panorama High has been forced to forfeit its first three football victories because of an ineligible player, so instead of being 8-1, the Pythons are 5-4, 5-0 heading into the Valley Mission League finale Friday against visiting Reseda (9-0, 5-0). Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Emilio Rodriguez, a senior multi-purpose back who transferred from league rival San Fernando, participated in the first three games of the season but was not officially cleared until Week 4, the City Section ruled; Panorama is Rodriguez third school after first playing for Kennedy as a sophomore.

"It's not his fault. We had all the paperwork filled out and it didn't get it turned in on time," Panorama coach Devon Rose said. "It's very frustrating."

Rose said there was a communication error with a Panorama administrator that caused the paperwork mistake.

Panorama's victories over South Gate, Chatsworth and Arleta have been overturned, City Section spokesman John Aguirre confirmed.

It's the first day to sign official letters of intent on Wednesday, and Saugus is celebrating with four signess in a special campus ceremony at noon.

They are: Ashley Butera, Nevada; Kelsey Christopherson, Cal State, Monterrey Bay;
Erica Escedy and Jenna Kelly, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and Sara Sheir, Northwestern.

In just nine games, Kenny Stenhouse is 79 yards shy of Matt Wabby's 2005 Crespi single-season passing-yardage record of 2,526 (14 games) and one touchdown shy of Bryan Bennett's 2009 record of 27.

Heading into the Serra League finale Friday at Notre Dame, Stenhouse has passed for 2,447 yards and 26 touchdowns. Kickoff is 7 p.m., and a Pac-5 playoff berth is on the line.

Pierce College had a three-point advantage at halftime of its season opener against host Pasadena but couldn't protect the lead in a 71-61 setback in a nonconference game.

Jeremy White scored 15 points to lead the Brahmas (0-1).

Pierce tied the game at 54-54 but let Pasadena go on a 12-0 run to pull away midway through the second half.

Shawn Hampton had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead Pasadena. Marcus Harvey added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The game was a track meet with both teams going up and down the floor.

You could tell it was early in the season because the shooting was atrocious.

Pasadena was 3 of 22 from 3-point range and Pierce only connected on 3 of 12 from deep.

Pierce has home games Wed. Nov. 17 vs. Glendale College and Wed. Nov. 24 vs. Antelope Valley College.

Christian Lopes, a former Valencia standout now a senior at Edison in Huntington Beach, has committed to USC.

Lopes, a shortstop, hit 25 home runs in two seasons with Valencia, including 15 as a sophomore in 2008.

The Taft boys' basketball team is ranked No. 22 in the country in the preseason ESPN Fab 50 poll.

The Toreadors will feature seniors Spencer Dinwiddie (6'4), Kevin Johnson (6'10) and Georgia transfer C.J. Blackwell.

Coach Derrick Taylor will have no trouble going to his bench with star players such as Brandon Perry, Stephen Maxwell, Khiry Williams, Kris Yanku, Sandro Alberto and Ajon Efferson to choose from.

Taft is the clear cut favorite ahead of Westchester, Fairfax and Crenshaw to win the City championship.

Taft begins play Monday Nov. 29 in the first round of the Westchester tournament with a 7:30 p.m. game against King-Drew.

The Toreadors will also play area juggernaut Harvard-Westlake at Pierce College on Sat. Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Only three other schools made the cut for the top 50.

Long Beach Poly checked in at No. 13. The Jackrabbits feature Boston College-bound forward Ryan Anderson, USC-bound guard Alexis Moore, Alex Carmon and super-sophomore Roschin Prince.

Taft and Long Beach Poly are expected to meet in the So. Cal. Div. I regional final in March.

Mater Dei was No. 43 and Lincoln of San Diego was No. 50.

Lincoln is coached by former Van Nuys head coach and Cleveland asst. Jason Bryant.

Bryant led the Hornets to the state Div. II championship last season.

Lincoln features UCLA-bound guard Norman Powell, Rasean Simpson and sophomore twin guards Tyree and Tyrell Robinson.

Monday November 29

3:00pm Gardena vs. Compton
4:20pm Palisades vs. Long Beach Jordan
5:40pm Centennial (Compton) vs. Santa Monica
7:00pm Harvard-Westlake vs. Lynwood
8:20pm Mayfair vs. Redondo Union

Tuesday November 30

3:00pm Loser of Palisades/Jordan vs. Loser Harvard-Westlake/Lynwood
4:20pm Loser of Gardena/Compton vs. Mayfair/Redondo Union
5:40pm Long Beach Poly vs. Santee
7:00pm Fairfax vs. Dominguez
8:20pm Pacific Hills vs. Bakersfield

There are three local teams in the ever-popular Westchester tournament.

Here is the schedule in order of the bracket

Washington vs. Manual Arts, 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29
Alemany vs. Hawthorne, 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29
St. Bernard vs. Community Charter, 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29
Taft vs. King-Drew, 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29

Dorsey vs. Carson, 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30
Peninsula vs. Windward, 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30
Leuzinger vs. Morningside, 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30
Westchester vs. West Torrance, 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30

Some interesting matchups could include Taft vs. Alemany in the semifinals and the winner taking on Windward in the championship.

Steve Dillon, a top defensive lineman for Palmdale, has committed to USC.

"I feel good," Dillon said. "USC is close to home, and my family liked USC more than the other colleges. It was between USC and Cal, and I still like Cal, but I am not going to change my mind."

There was time hen it was rare to find players from Los Angeles in the NBA and even more rare to find players from the San Fernando Valley in the league.

Check out this list of pro guys from L.A.

DeMar Derozan (Compton)-Toronto Raptors
Amir Johnson (Westchester)-Toronto Raptors
Nick Young (Cleveland)-Washington Wizards
Jordan Farmar (Taft)-New Jersey Nets
Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall)-Philadelphia 76'ers
Jason Collins (Harvard-Westlake)-Atlanta Hawks
Jarron Collins (Harvard-Westlake)-L.A. Clippers
Brandon Jennings (Dominguez)-Milwaukee Bucks
Craig Brackins (Lancaster)-Philadelphia 76'ers
Baron Davis (Crossroads)-L.A. Clippers
Trevor Ariza (Westchester)-New Orleans Hornets
Ryan Hollins (Pasadena)-Cleveland Cavaliers
Jason Kapono (Artesia)-Philadelphia 76'ers
Paul Pierce (Inglewood)-Boston Celtics
Gilbert Arenas (Grant)-Washington Wizards
Pooh Jeter (Serra)-Sacramento Kings
Aron Afflalo (Centennial Compton)-Denver Nuggets
Taj Gibson (Stoneridge Prep)-Chicago Bulls
Craig Smith (Fairfax)-L.A. Clippers

What a memorable collegiate debut it was for Pierce College guard Monica Jackson.

Jackson, who prepped at Chatsworth scored 42 points to lead the Brahmas to a season opening 87-76 victory against Imperial Valley.

Pierce also got big contributions from Skyy Lewis (15 points) and Amari Hampton (12 points. Both played at nearby Taft.

1. Alemany (9-0) - Coach Dean Herrington always says being No. 1 is a jinx

2. Westlake (8-1) - Loss to St. Bonnie broke 22-game winning streak

3. Oaks Christian (7-2) - Looking more and more like old self

4. Valencia (8-1) - How did the Vikes ever lose to Loyola?

5. Crespi (5-3) - Looked very impressive in 41-7 win over Loyola

5. Chaminade (8-1) - Hung tough with powerful Serra in 35-21 loss

7. Canyon (8-1) - Nothing more sweet in Santa Clarita than beating Hart

8. Taft (6-3) - On auto pilot until at least the second round of City playoffs

9. Moorpark (5-4) - Clinched a playoff spot with win over Simi Valley

10. Thousand Oaks (6-3) - Avondre Bollar's is among area's hottest QBs

11. Quartz Hill (7-2) - Streaking Rebels have won five in a row

12. Paraclete (8-1) - Spirits believed being No. 2 behind Sierra Canyon was rank

13. Reseda (9-0) - Still hasn't faced a really tough opponent, but why argue with perfection?

14. Burbank (7-2) - Now that Burroughs lost, Pacific finale has whole new meaning

15. West Ranch (5-4) - Back in thick of things after defeating Saugus

16. Saugus (5-4) - Finishing against high-powered Valencia never much fun

17. Hart (5-4) - Indians have blown double-digit second-half leads three times in row

18. St. Francis (5-4) - Should have no problem with injury-strapped Harvard-Westlake

19. Notre Dame (2-7) - Showdown with Crespi is for a playoff berth

20. Panorama (8-1) - A 43-41 win over Kennedy was a little hairy

Bishop Amat (9-0, 3-0) at Alemany (9-0, 3-0) - It does not get better than this: two undefeated rivals in the Southern Section's largest division going head to head in the last game of the season.

Alemany didn't play as well as expected Friday in a 28-14 victory over Notre Dame, but the Warriors still have a chance to finish undefeated in the regular season for the first time in the school's 54-year history. Some of the top players are QB Vernon Adams, WR Shane Drozdowski, OL/DLs Akeem Gonzales and Kyle DeVaughn and LB Jesse Sampson.

Bishop Amat has a talented QB in Rio Ruiz - also a top baseball player - and a game-breaking RB in Jalen Moore.

Notre Dame (2-7, 1-2) at Crespi (6-3, 1-2) - This is a heated rivalry that figures to get a lot hotter because the winner of this Serra League game makes the playoffs, and the loser stays home.

Crespi has been shaky since league competition started, but the Celts looked very good Friday in a 41-7 win over Loyola, particularly the defense. That's good news for the Celts, who have allowed as many as 622 yards in one game this season.

Notre Dame is not nearly as strong as usual, but the Knights have history on their side by going 14-1 against Crespi over the past 15 games.

Burbank (7-2, 5-1) at Burroughs (5-4, 5-1), Thursday 7 p.m. - This Thursday Night Special is always one of the area's most anticipated rivalry games, but this time a share of the Pacific League title is on the line, so it's even more interesting.

Burbank's Adam Colman is among the league's top QBs, and he has reputation for thriving under pressure. It's a good quality to have because a crowd of 8,000 is expected.

This year, The Big Game between Burbank and Burroughs might just live up to its name. The annual neighborhood showdown, one of California's longest running rivalries, got a lot more interesting when Burroughs lost its first league game this past Friday with a 28-21 loss to Muir.

It's the last week of the season, and Burbank (7-2, 5-1), Burroughs (5-4, 5-1) and Arcadia (6-3, 5-1) are all tied for first. Burbank plays at Burroughs at 7 p.m. Thursday, and Arcadia plays host to Crescenta Valley (4-5, 2-4) at 7 p.m. Friday.

"I think Arcadia is going to win, so whoever wins between Burroughs and us gets a share of the title," Burbank coach Hector Valencia said. "The cool thing about it is the Big Game has meaning again, because for most of the past 15 years or so, the game really didn't have any meaning."

A crowd of 8,000 is expected, and it might be the biggest turnout for the next however many years because the stadium is being rebuilt after the season with a smaller seating capacity.

"Once they tear it down, the facilities will be nicer but there won't be as many seats because of wheelchair access and all that kind of stuff," Valencia said.

Burroughs has a lot to lose because the Indians can slip to as low as fourth place with a loss, while Burbank is in jeopardy of falling to third.

"Burroughs is fast and aggressive and definitely well-coached. We've got our work cut out," Valencia said.

There are a couple of huge games in the Serra League, which competes in the Pac-5 Division, one of the few Southern Section divisions that does not include any at-large playoff berths.

The Crespi-Notre Dame winner Friday in Encino goes to the playoffs; the loser stays home. Crespi has not made the playoffs since 2007, while Notre Dame has made it for at least the past 20 years.

Meanwhile, another Serra showdown pits Bishop Amat and host Alemany in a battle of unbeatens, as both are 9-0 and want to preserve a top-four seed in the playoffs - not to mention a possible state bowl invitation.

Both have top quarterbacks in Bishop Amat's Rio Ruiz and Alemany's Vernon Adams, and both have talented, proven coaches in Bishop Amat's Steve Hagerty, who built a dynasty at Paraclete, and Alemany's Dean Herrington, one of the architects behind Hart's dynasty in the 1990s and early 2000s.

All of Alemany's old records were lost in the 1994 earthquake, but Herrington has been told no Alemany team has ever gone undefeated in the regular season -- and of course never through the playoffs, as the Warriors are still in the hunt for their first football title.

Even though Alemany has not lost a game and has defeated respectable opponents such as Alemany, Taft and Crespi, the Warriors are new to the Pac-5, the section's most competitive division, while Bishop Amat won 10 games last year; therefore, it's only natural to tab Bishop Amat the favorite.

"We have our work cut out for us, no doubt about it," Herrington said. "Bishop Amat is the consensus pick."

All but two of Bishop Amat's victories have been by 10 points or more, as the Lancers, led by Ruiz, running back Jalen Moore and 6-5, 240-pound receiver Wallace Gonzalez, are averaging 37.6 points.

Both played Notre Dame in their last game - Bishop Amat is coming off a bye - and while the Lancers won 52-7 on Oct. 29, Alemany had to come from seven points down Friday in a 28-14 win that did not include as many highlight-reel plays as usual.

"Bishop Amat is loaded. We have to play a lot better than we did against Notre Dame," Herrington said. "Our kids need to come out loose and play hard and see what happens. The good thing is, all the pressure was in the weeks leading up to this. It's kind of nice knowing we're already going to the playoffs."

A fight broke out on the field Friday afternoon in a eight-man game between L.A. Lutheran and host Westmark, and four players were ejected, including three from L.A. Lutheran. ...

On Granada Hills' opening drive Friday in an eventual 17-13 victory over visiting Birmingham, the Highlanders orchestrated a scoring drive for the ages, running an incredible 27 plays while gobbling up 16 minutes, 32 seconds before Jonathan Powell scored on a 1-yard run. ....

Valencia running back Steven Manfro had another big night in a 49-17 win over Golden Valley. He carried seven times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yarder, and he also scored on a 72-yard pass reception. In nine games, Manfro has rushed for 1,760 yards on 136 carries - an average of 12.9 yards per carry - and he has 31 receptions for 705 yards and eight touchdowns. Overall, the 5-11, 180-pound senior has 35 touchdowns, two on kick returns. ...

After losing its first six games by an average of more than three touchdowns, North Hollywood has won two in row, including a 27-17 comeback victory at Verdugo Hills, as Ulysses Ruiz rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries, including a late 15-yard touchdown that put the Huskies up for good.

Bell-Jeff athletic director Jaclyn Johnson is adding anew title to her responsibilities.

She is taking over the girls' basketball program.

The school had hired David Jensen last spring in the wake of long-time and well-liked coach coach Bryan Camacho leaving to take an asst. position at Cal St. Northridge.

"Things didn't work out," Johnson said.

Johnson is an alum, who led the Guards to a Southern Section championship in 1999 and had a brief stint in the WNBA.

Pierce College leads Imperial Valley, 38-32, at halftime in its season opener.

Pierce started four players from the West Valley League, including three players from Taft.

Chatsworth's Monica Jackson leads the team in scoring with 17 points at the break

Taft senior guard Spencer Dinwiddie has committed to Colorado.

Dinwiddie had been pursued by Oregon, Harvard and several other schools.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE -- Wow, what a costly football loss for Westlake High.

The host Warriors fell 32-31 in double overtime to Marmonte League rival St. Bonaventure before a capacity crowd of 5,500, and there went Westlake's 22-game winning streak, a chance to win the outright league title, and perhaps most important the team's hopes for an eventual state bowl berth.

Down by six in overtime, St. Bonaventure (8-1, 7-1) scored Shaun Wick's 10-yard run, followed by the winning two-point conversion pass from Marc Evans to Cody Kurz, who until that point had not touched the football all night.

Westlake's Nick Isham completed 26 of 38 passes for a career-best 367 yards and three touchdowns, including a 25-yarder to Nelson Spruce in overtime.

Isham also threw touchdowns passes of 9 yards to Spruce and 13 yards to Cody Tuttle, and Westlake also scored on Jared Fry's 53-yard punt return.

It was not an easy night for Isham, who was constantly forced out of the pocket and was sacked seven times, as St. Bonaventure avenged a semifinal loss to the eventual Northern Division-champion Warriors last year in the semifinals.

In the first overtime with both teams starting from the 25-yard line, St. Bonaventure decided to go for it on fourth-and-3 from the 7, and Tanner Souza was tackled a yard short of the first down to give Westlake the ball and chance to win it.

Two plays following a holding penalty, Isham hit Spruce on a 20-yard pass to set up a potential winning field goal, but Alex Ball shanked a 26-yard attempt.

SB 7-14-0-3-8 -- 32
Westlake 7-3-0-14-7 -- 31

W-Tuttle 13 pass from Isham (Ball kick)
SB-Souza 54 pass from Evans (Rominger kick)
SB-White 9 pass from Evans (Rominger kick)
W-FG Ball 28
SB-Wick 3 run (Rominger kick)
W-Fry 53 punt return (Ball kick)
W-Spruce 9 pass from Isham (Ball kick)
SB-FG Rominger 31
W-Spruce 25 pass from Isham (Ball kick)
SB-Wick 10 run (Kurz pass from Evans)

Rush:
SB - Wick 20-130
W - Mowry 20-59
Passing:
SB - Evans 25-44-2-238
W- Isham 26-38-1-367
Receive:
SB -White 7-55
W - Spruce 9-146

R: SB 8-1, 7-1; W 8-1, 7-1

Some of the games are rolling in:

St. Bonaventure 32, Westlake 31 (2OT) ...
Moorpark 35, Simi Valley 0 ...
Thousand Oaks 52, Calabasas 26 ...
Oaks Christian 45, Newbury Park 0 ...
Royal 37, Agoura 34 ...
Alemany 28, Notre Dame 14 ...
Crespi 41, Loyola 7 ...
Valencia 49, Golden Valley 17 ...
Canyon 36, Hart 29 ...
West Ranch 21, Saugus 20 ...
Serra 35, Chaminade 21 ...
St. Francis 28, Cathedral 21 ...
St. Paul 30, Harvard-Westlake 28 ...
Arleta 62, Sun Valley 0 ...
Poly 44, Monroe 0 ...
San Fernando 29, Van Nuys 24 ...
Reseda 21, Canoga Park 16 ...
Taft 42, Cleveland 7 ...
Panorama 43, Kennedy 41 ...
Camarillo 42, Channel Islands 6 ...
Burbank 39, Crescenta Valley 26 ...
Muir 28, Burroughs 21 ...
Arcadia 49, Glendale 14 ...
La Canada 21, San Marino 7 ...
Paraclete 22, Sierra Canyon 12 ...
Fillmore 13, Oak Park 7 ...

This place is really rocking. Westlake just scored on Jared Fry's 53-yard punt return, and now it's 21-17 St. Bonnie with 2:52 left in the third.

This place is packed, and no one is going anywhere.

Here's how it looks at the break:

Crespi 21, Loyola 7 ...
Notre Dame 14, Alemany 14 ...
St. Bonaventure 21, Westlake 10 ...
Oaks Christian 38, Newbury Park 0 ...
Thousand Oaks 35, Calabasas 12 ...
Moorpark 14, Simi Valley 0 ...
Agoura 31, Royal 14 ...
Muir 21, Burroughs 7 ...
Burbank 27, Crescenta Valley 6 ...
Poly 21, Monroe 0 ...
San Fernando 21, Van Nuys 8 ...
Arleta 48, Sun Valley 0 ...
Serra 14, Chaminade 14 ...
Harvard-Westlake 14, St. Paul 14 ...
Camarillo 14, Channel Islands 6 ...
Fillmore 6, Oak Park 0 ...
Hart 14, Canyon 9 ...
Saugus 20, West Ranch 14 ...
Paraclete 22, Sierra Canyon 6 ...

Westlake trailed 21-10 at the half.

The Warriors started well enough on their first possession by driving 70 yards in nine plays culminating with an an 8-yard touchdown pass from Nick Isham to Cody Tuttle. The scoring drive took less than three minutes, the key play Isham's 24-yard pass to Tuttle, who had three receptions for 51 yards on the drive.

But Westlake failed to score another touchdown over proceeding two quarters. The Warriors were forced to punt on their next two possessions before Isham hit Jared Fry on a 35-yard pass to set up Alex Ball's 28-yard field goal that cut St. Bonaventure's lead to 14-10.

After St. Bonaventure scored another touchdown on Shaun Wick's 3-yard run to boost the lead to 21-10 with just over two minutes left in the half, Westlake had another good chance to score. Isham connected on four completions, including passes of 16 and 10 yards to Nelson Spruce. With the Warriors in field-goal range at the 26, Isham was forced out of the pocket and tried to force a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Jalen Jefferson.

Westlake amassed 208 yards in the first half, as Isham completed 11 of 18 for 161 yards.

Evans did a good job matching up with Isham. In the first half, the St. Bonaventure quarterback completed 14 of 19 for 160 yards.

It's a close game here at Westlake, as the host Warriors scored on their first possession, but then St. Bonnie scored, too, and it's 7-7.

Westlake scored on a 13-yard pass from Nick Isham to Cody Tuttle, and St. Bonnie answered on a 54-yard pass form Marc Evans to Tanner Souza.

Isham has passed for 61 yards.

Scores from the afternoon ...

Flintridge Prep 35, Viewpoint 0 ...
Montclair Prep 58, Marshall 0 ...
Faith Baptist 54, Hillcrest Christian 0 ...
Westmark 48, L.A. Lutheran 36 ...

OK, it's finally here -- the most anticipated game of the year so far, Westlake vs. St. Bonaventure.

Well, almost here. The players are trickling out to go through warmups, and kickoff is slated for 7 p.m., about an hour from now.

Westlake is 8-0 and has won 22 in a row, and St. Bonaventure is 7-1 with the only defeat an overtime loss to Oaks Christian.

Dillon van der Wal, a 6-foot-7 tight end for Oaks Christian, has committed to Arizona State.

After much speculation about his possible retirement following this year, Oaks Christian football coach Bill Redell has decided to return for the 2011 season.

Redell, who boasts a 217-62-3 career record including six consecutive Southern Section championships from 2003-08 at Oaks Christian, will guide the Lions (6-2, 6-1) for at least another year in the 10-team Marmonte League.

Redell's decision comes in time for Oaks Christian's game tonight against visiting Newbury Park (3-5, 2-5).

He also made the announcement prior to Oaks Christian's annual open house, which is being held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

If you thought Steven Manfro's highlight video from last year was good, just check out his new one. It's sick.

1. Westlake (8-0) - Warriors can all but clinch Marmonte title with win over St. Bonnie

2. Alemany (8-0) - TE Jesse Sampson averaging 24 yards per reception

3. Oaks Christian (6-2) - Can't afford a slip against dangerous Newbury Park

4. Valencia (6-1) - Alex Bishop has passed for 2,128 yards, 20 TDs

5. Chaminade (8-0) - Friday is the big test against league favorite Serra

6. Crespi (5-3) - All three losses to teams ranked among Cal-Hi Sports' top 17 in state

7. Canyon (7-1) - Faces a hungry Hart team fighting for Foothill's last playoff spot

8. Taft (5-3) - Expect Toreadors to put up 50 points against Cleveland

9. Moorpark (4-4) - Record is not flashy but Musketeers have faced tough competition

10. Thousand Oaks (5-3) - With 71 receptions, Mullaney on pace to break own record of 80

11. Saugus (5-3) - Cents are a different team with healthy RB Tyler Watt

12. Quartz Hill (6-2) - Among three Golden teams tied for first, and Palmdale is not one of them

13. Hart (5-3) - Tonight we'll see what kind of motivator Mike Herrington is

14. Paraclete (7-1) - Ranked behind Sierra Canyon but figures to be slight favorite tonight

15. Reseda (8-0) - With Panorama looming in finale, Regents need to TCB against Canoga

16. Burbank (6-2) - High-powered Bulldogs averaging 450 yards per game

17. Notre Dame (2-6) - Knights can make season by upsetting Alemany

18. St. Francis (4-4) - Out of contention for Mission title but still in playoff hunt

19. Burroughs (5-3) - Tough nonleague slate is paying off in Pacific League

20. Sierra Canyon (8-0) - Most wins have come easy, but Paraclete should present challenge

All games Friday, 7 p.m. unless indicated

St. Bonaventure (7-1, 6-1) at Westlake (8-0, 7-0) - Westlake, led by QB Nick Isham and WR Nelson Spruce, averages 41.8 points and 413 yards, but tonight the Warriors face a stifling defense in what figures to be a challenging Marmonte League showdown between highly competitive programs.

Some of Westlake's other top players are RB Tavior Mowry, DL Justin Solis, DB Dashon Hunt and LB Max Winsberg.

St. Bonaventure, led by LBs Jalen Jefferson and Cody Kurz, has a lots of strength and size, including 21 who weigh 215 pounds or more.

Serra (8-0, 3-0) at Chaminade (8-0, 3-0) - The top two teams in the Western Division go head to head in this heavily anticipated Mission League contest, and both love to score points so there should be lots of touchdowns.

Top-ranked Serra has won 23 in a row and 36 of its past 37, and there are lots of key returnees from last year's CIF State Div. III Bowl championship team, including QB Conner Preston and WR George Farmer, one of California's fastest players.

Chaminade, making a resurgence with second-year coach Ed Croson, is much younger with a large contingent of juniors and sophomores, but at least the Eagles have a special-teams advantage with top PK/punter Matt Goudis.

Loyola (3-6, 0-3) at Crespi (5-3, 0-2) - The pressure is on Crespi to hold onto its playoff chances, as the Celts probably need to win their final two games -- though eventually there could be a scenario in which Crespi, Notre Dame and Loyola finish in a three-way tie for third and use a coin flip to decide which one goes to the playoffs.

With a limited rushing attack that has yet to see anyone rush for more than 100 yards in a game, Crespi has been succeeding with an all-out passing attack led by QB Kenny Stenhouse and elite WRs Devin Lucien, Mike Davison and Chris Harper. But the Celts have struggled against the run, and that means Loyola's ultra fast RB Jared Baker could present problems; if Baker runs for 200 yards - a distinct possibility - Crespi might be in trouble.

Sierra Canyon (8-0, 5-0) vs. Paraclete (7-1, 5-0) at Antelope Valley College - These well-fortified small-school powers have been waiting for two months to face off, and the big night is finally here.

Sierra Canyon scores lots of points, as top QB Tyler Stewart loves to pass to Shane Harrison in key situations. There are a lot of other athletic skill players such as WR Julian Brooks and RBs Xavier Menifield and Danny Jordan.

Paraclete, led by coveted DL Lavonte Barnett and DB Darian Thompson, prides itself on defense.

The Spirits have won seven section titles through the years, while Sierra Canyon is in its second year of 11-man football.

Hart (5-3, 1-2) vs. Canyon (7-1, 2-1) at College of the Canyons, 7:30 p.m. - These Foothill League rivals have faced off in some epic classics through the years, and tonight's game is important because Hart is in danger of not making the playoffs for the first time in coach Mike Herrington's 22-year career.

Canyon has a top passing combo with junior QB Jonathan Jerozal and sophomore WR Drew Wolitarsky.

OTHER GAMES

Friday

Monroe at Poly, 7 p.m.
North Hollywood at Verdugo Hills, 7 p.m.
Sun Valley at Arleta, 7 p.m.
Eagle Rock at Los Angeles Wilson, 7 p.m.
Annenberg vs. Fulton at Birmingham, 7 p.m.
Canoga Park at Reseda, 7 p.m.
Panorama at Granada Hills Kennedy, 7 p.m.
San Fernando at Van Nuys, 7 p.m.
Birmingham at Granada Hills, 7 p.m.
Chatsworth at El Camino Real, 7 p.m.
Cleveland at Taft, 7 p.m.
Grant at Sylmar, 7 p.m.
Montclair Prep vs. Pasadena Marshall at Pasadena HS, 7 p.m.
Sierra Canyon vs. Paraclete at Antelope Valley College, 7 p.m.
Lancaster Desert Christian at Mammoth, 7 p.m.
Vasquez at Lucerne Valley, 7 p.m.
Canyon vs. Hart at College of Canyons, 7:30 p.m.
Saugus vs. West Ranch at Valencia, 7 p.m.
Valencia vs. Golden Valley at Canyon HS, 7 p.m.
Malibu vs. Grace Brethren at Moorpark College, 7:30 p.m.
Eastside at Palmdale, 7 p.m.
Knight at Littlerock, 7 p.m.
Lancaster at Highland, 7 p.m.
Quartz Hill at Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.
Moorpark at Simi Valley, 7 p.m.
Newbury Park at Oaks Christian, 7 p.m.
Royal at Agoura, 7 p.m.
St. Bonaventure at Westlake, 7 p.m.
Thousand Oaks at Calabasas, 7 p.m.
Serra at Chaminade, 7:30 p.m.
Harvard-Westlake at St. Paul, 7:30 p.m.
St. Francis at Cathedral, 7 p.m.
L.A. Baptist at Maranatha, 7 p.m.
Village Christian vs. Whittier Christian at Whittier College, 7 p.m.
Burroughs at Muir, 7 p.m.
Crescenta Valley vs. Burbank at Burroughs HS, 7 p.m.
Glendale at Arcadia, 7 p.m.
Pasadena vs. Hoover at Glendale HS, 7 p.m.
Camarillo at Channel Islands, 7 p.m.
Flintridge Prep at Viewpoint, 2:30 p.m.
San Marino at La Canada, 7 p.m.
Loyola at Crespi, 7 p.m.
Notre Dame at Alemany, 7 p.m.
Fillmore at Oak Park, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Kilpatrick vs. Campbell Hall at Birmingham HS, 7 p.m.
St. Genevieve vs. St. Monica at St. Bernard HS, 7 p.m.

0 - Losses by Hart's 22-year coach Mike Herrington to Canyon teams not coached by Harry Welch

27-15 - Hart's all-time record against Canyon

28 - Chaminade's Matt Goudis' career field goals

68.9 - Canoga Park's Fabian Alomar's passing percentage

318 - Taft's Michael Bercovici's passing yardage per game

1,030 - Sylmar's Jamel Jones rushing yardage

Todd Jackson, a former girls' coach at Canyon and Golden Valley, is the new boys' coach at Fulton Prep, replacing Chuck Norman.

Jackson, 40, has good connections at the school. His brother, Sean, is the head football coach.

Also, Fulton Prep has an impact transfer in senior Kyro Rezkalla, a 6-foot-5 guard who played at Cleveland in Reseda last season.

Scott Kerrigan, a top pitcher for Saugus, has committed to University of Notre Dame.

Good luck to Trevor Matern, a former Hart standout who is scheduled to undergo eye-socket surgery this morning in Palo Alto for the second time after being hit with a line drive in practice in 2009.

Matern, injured while playing for University of San Francisco before transferring to Solano JC, is slated to have orbital reconstructive surgery to have a plastic plate replaced by titanium mesh plate secured to his left cheekbone.

The sophomore should recover in time for January workouts.

Oaks Christian pulled off one of the biggest shockers of the season in a gut-wrenching 23-25, 25-20, 28-26, 16-25, 15-13 victory against Tri-Valley League rival La Reina.

The victory kept La Reina from an undefeated romp through league play.

The Regents (23-3, 10-1) had lost only one game coming in.

Oaks Christian would have swept if not for blowing an 18-11 lead in game one.

La Reina led 11-8 in game five but the Lions would not be deterred on senior night scoring seven of the next nine points.

Tara Robinson had 23 kills to lead the Lions.

Kat Workman had 21 kills and 34 digs for La Reina, which could drop from No. 2 in the Div. II-AA rankings.

Oaks Christian, meanwhile, could be headed for the top 10 when playoff pairings are released Sunday.

The eight-team Crescenta Valley tournament is set for Dec. 6-10.

Crescenta Valley, Sun Valley, South Pasadena and Antelope Valley are in pool "A" while Simi Valley, St. Francis, Flintridge Prep and Chatsworth are in the pool "B".

Pool "B" is stacked with Simi Valley's Jonathan Davis (George Washington commit), Flintridge Prep's Kenyatta Smith (Harvard-commit) and the Chatsworth trio of Derrick Hector, Jason Monje and Frankie Flores.

There are three games each day on Dec. 6, Dec. 7, Dec. 8 and Dec. 9.

The championship is scheduled for Friday Dec. 10 at 7:45 p.m.

West Valley League rivals Granada Hills and Taft have each received No. 1 seedings for the City Section girls' volleyball playoffs.

Defending champion Granada Hills is in Div. I and defending championTaft is in Div. II.

Oaks Christian has taken a 2-1 lead on La Reina in Tri-Valley League finale for the Lions.

La Reina is undefeated in league play and has wrapped up the championship but had only lost one game coming into the match.

Can Oaks Christian pull off the upset?

Stay tuned...........

The Trinity Classical Academy girls' volleyball team finished up its regular season
today with a victory against Newbury Park Adventist Academy; 25-22, 25-14,
25-18.

The win resulted in the schools first ever league championship in the Omega League.

Junior Karli Klar had eight kills and one ace.

Sophomore Julia Howell had seven kills and three aces

Trinity improved to 11-4, 10-1 in its first year of varsity competition.

Riding a 22-game winning streak, defending Northern champion Westlake High (8-0, 7-0) can all but clinch the Marmonte League football title Friday with a victory over visiting St. Bonaventure (7-1, 6-1) in what figures to be classic public-vs.-private showdown before a capacity crowd. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

"I'd say it's our toughest game this year," Westlake defensive back Casey Bliss said. "It's not just for the Marmonte title. We want to win it outright and use this game to prove we're worthy for a state (bowl). I think we're ready for St. Bonnie."

Westlake has scored at least 31 points in every game and has yet to allow more than 14, which is good for team morale because everyone gets to play, but it would be nice if the starters were a bit more battle-tested for early November.

"We're really chomping on the bit for a challenge," Westlake coach Jim Benkert said. "I think we've been up by 40 points or more at halftime four times so far, so the challenge is to play four quarters against a good football team. We're excited to play this team. It will be a good game. I'll tell you that. We're good, they're good. It's two good teams playing against each other."

Presale tickets are available at Westlake, and it's a good idea to purchase them in advance because the event might sell out.

"I like getting interceptions, and I've had a lot of good coaching that's helped me out," Hamilton said.

He's only 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds, but Hamilon has emerged as one of the Foothill League's brightest young talents. He has 46 tackles (37 unassisted), three fumble recoveries and three pass deflections.

"I think Scott has an uncanny ability for hunting the football," Saugus coach Jason Bornn said. "Other teams look at him and think he's too short or maybe he's too slow, but he's a tremendous athlete. It's his first year playing football, and he's done with hoops. No hoops anymore."

Saugus is averaging fewer than 300 yards total offense for the season but has yet to allow a Foothill League opponent to score more than three touchdowns in a game thanks to an opportunistic defense that has forced 20 turnovers; Hamilton is a big part of Saugus' success.

"I think we're pretty good. We have a chance to go far," Hamilton said. "We can keep winning if we all play together because we've got heart."

With two Foothill League games remaining, Hart is in danger of not making the playoffs for the first time in coach Mike Herrington's 22-year career.

A loss to Canyon on Friday would all but eliminate Hart (5-3, 1-2) from finishing in the top three, and that's what it takes to qualify for the Northern Division playoffs.

Herrington has never lost to a Canyon team not coached by Harry Welch.

Hart is tied with West Ranch (4-4, 1-3) for fourth, and they play each other in the finale on Nov. 11. But if both lose Friday - West Ranch plays Saugus (5-3, 2-1) - then they're both out, and Valencia (7-1, 3-0), Canyon (6-1, 2-1) and Saugus will be in no matter what.

Major Armstead, a junior receiver for Alemany, is out for the season because of a broken collarbone.

"He was our fastest player," Alemany coach Dean Herrington said.

Tyler Glasnow, a senior pitcher for Hart, has committed to Portland in the West Coast Conference.

Glasnow, a protege of top pitching coach Jim Wagner, also received interest from Cal, UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly SLO and Santa Clara.

Taft asst. coach Rene Lopez has correctly predicted the top 5 spots for the City playoffs in girls' volleyball the last two years.

He has taken another crack at it this year. Here are his predictions. The seeding meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at Venice High.

Division II
1, Taft
2, Venice
3, Polytechnic
4, Palisades
5, Verdugo Hills

Division I
1, Granada Hills
2, Carson
3, Narbonne
4, Sylmar
5, Birmingham

Village Christian flamthrower Emily Seidel will sign a letter of intent Nov. 10 with Nevada-Reno.

Seidel has been a top pitcher for three years with staggering strikeouts numbers.

Conner Calabro, Zoe Katz and Sabrina Santamaria combined to win all nine singles sets for Campbell Hall in a 15-3 Alpha League girls' tennis victory Monday at Brentwood, completing a perfect regular season for the Vikings (13-0, 8-0), the top-ranked team in Southern Section Div. I.

Sarah Lee and Valerie Thong swept in doubles, along with Alexis Pereira and Ava Sadeghi for Campbell Hall, which increased its winning streak to 29 consecutive matches.

The Vikings compete in the league tournament today and Thursday at Brentwood, then await the release of the Div. I playoff draws Monday.

Campbell Hall is looking to become the area's first girls' tennis team to win back-to-back Div. I titles.

Led by defending singles champion Alexandra Tallas, Granada Hills (10-1) begans its bid for a third consecutive City Section girls' tennis title as the top seed in the 12-team championship division.

Play begins Thursday with four first-round matches. Granada Hills, No. 2 Palisades, No. 3 El Camino Real and No. 4 Marshall all received first-round byes and will play host to quarterfinal matches Monday.

In first-round matches Thursday: No. 9 Van Nuys plays at No. 8 Venice, No. 12 Chatsworth plays at No. 5 LACES, No. 11 Verdugo Hills plays at No. 6 Cleveland, and No. 10 Taft is at No. 7 Eagle Rock.

In the 16-team Invitational division, Carson received the top seed, followed by No. 2 Hamilton, No. 3 Bell and No. 4 Narbonne, with Sylmar receiving the highest seed among locals at No. 5.

The championship division final is Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Balboa Sports Complex in Encino, with the Invitational final scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 18.

Presale tickets are available now for the Westlake-St. Bonaventure game on Friday at Westlake, and it's a good idea to buy them soon because the event might sell out.

You can purchase tickets at the Westlake student store daily until 3:30 p.m. through Thursday, $7 for adults and $4 for children under 12.

Jason Branham, Westlake's assistant principal in charge of athletics, sent word that ticket might not be available at the gate. Information: (805) 497-6711 ext 1013.

Three divisions will have No. 1 ranked teams playing against No. 2 ranked teams this week.

The Northern Divison has St. Bonaveture (7-1) at Westlake (8-0).

The Western Division has Serra (8-0) at Chaminade (8-0).

The East Valley Division has Sierra Canyon (8-0) at Paraclete (7-1).

Not only are league championships at stake but the top-ranked spot in the division as well.

What an outstanding week.

And Crespi has to beat Loyola to keep its hopes alive for a playoff berth.

The Campbell Hall boys basketball tournament is set for Nov. 29-Dec. 4

Pool A has Campbell Hall, Hoover, Poly and West Adams Prep

Pool B has Calabasas, Canoga Park, Blair and University

Monday November 29th
5:00 pm West Adams vs. Poly
6:30 pm Calabasas vs. Canoga Park
8:00 pm Campbell Hall vs. Hoover

Tuesday November 30th
5:00 pm University vs. Canoga Park
6:30 pm Calabasas vs. Blair
8:00 pm Campbell Hall vs. Poly

Wednesday December 1st
6:00 pm University vs. Blair

Thursday December 2nd
5:00 pm Hoover vs. Poly
6:30 pm Campbell Hall Girls Game
8:00 pm Campbell Hall vs. West Adams

Friday December 3rd
5:00 pm Hoover vs. West Adams
6:30 pm Blair vs. Canoga Park
8:00 pm Calabasas vs. University

Saturday December 4th
2:30 pm 7th Place Game
4:00 pm 5th Place Game
5:30 pm 3rd Place Game
7:00 pm Championship Game

Bell-Jeff's Layana White has switched her college choice.

After originally committing to Idaho, White received an offer from Arizona and quickly chnaged her mind.

White is a senior guard, who transferred from Canyon last year.

"I wanted to stay closer to home and it has always been a dream to play in the Pac-10," White said. "Now all my friends and family can have a chance to see me play."

White would like win a championship before she leaves high school.

Bell-Jeff lost to Windward last season in the semifinals.

The Guards should do well this season behind White, Rishonda Napier, Leslie Lopez-Wood and Jasmine Smith.

2010 Hosea Hall Christmas Basketball Invitational Press Release

The Second Annual Hosea Hall Christmas Basketball Invitational will be held Saturday December 18 thru Wednesday December 22 at Lincoln High School, 4777 Imperial Avenue, San Diego CA 92113.

The tourney will be managed using a sixteen team traditional tournament bracket operating over four days. The event will promote competitive high school basketball play for teams from Southern California, Colorado, and British Columbia Canada. Showcasing hoop talent to college coaches, media/scouts and the general public.

Eight games will be played each day beginning at 10:00am on Monday and concluding play with the championship game on Wednesday at 8:15pm. Teams scheduled to compete include perennial powers Lincoln San Diego, Eisenhower, Fairfax, Inglewood, Palisades, Morningside, Francis Parker, Horizon Christian, King Drew, Poway, and Fremont Los Angeles. Featuring competitive programs from The Bishops School and Gompers Prep Academy. Welcoming back from last year's event a traditionally talented team from Golden Colorado. A special welcome to newcomer White Rock Christian Academy, a consistently successful program from British Columbia Canada.

A minimum of thirty-eight Division I prospects will be competing and displaying their basketball talents over the four days of the the tourney. Three of these student-athletes have verbally committed to Division I schools; 6'8" Power Forward Eric Norman of Francis Parker (Southern Methodist), 6'3" Guard Norman Powell of Lincoln San Diego (UCLA), and 6'4" Point Guard Gerry Blakes of Morningside (Hawaii).

Premier Seniors include: 6'0" Forward Devin Garner of Eisenhower, 6'5" Forward Bernard Ireland of Eisenhower, 6'1" Guard Keyon Sales of Eisenhower, 6'6" Center Blake Carter of Fairfax, 6'5" Guard Tyler Croft of Horizon, 6'2" Guard Julian Elegado of Horizon, 6'1" Guard Julius Bilbrew of Inglewood, 6'5" Forward Rhon Mitchell of Inglewood, 6'5" Power Forward Joseph Singleton of Inglewood, 6'7" Forward Rasean Simpson of Lincoln San Diego, 6'3" Guard D.J. Harris of Morningside, and 6'1" Guard Adam Griffin of Palisades.

Elite Juniors competing at the tourney are 6'5" Center Antonio George of Eisenhower, 6'2" Guard/Forward Marvel Harris of Eisenhower, 5'11" Guard Dalante Dunklin of Francis Parker, 6'1" Guard Marcus McLaughlin of Horizon, 6'2" Guard Nate McLaughlin of Horizon, 6'2" Point Guard Jerry Cobb of Lincoln San Diego, 6'0" Point Guard D.J. Harris of Morningside, 6'6" Forward Miles Jefferson of Morningside, 6'2" Guard Donovan Johnson of Palisades, 6'6" Forward Kahlil Johnson of Palisades, 6'5" Forward Brendan Otero of Palisades, and 6'10" Center Sam Beeler of Poway.

Select Sophomores at the event include: 6'6" Forward Chauncey Hill of Fairfax, 6'6" Guard/Forward Reggie Theus Jr. of Fairfax, 6'4" Forward Coleman Baker of Francis Parker, 6'7" Forward Bryce Fitzner of Francis Parker, 6'2" Guard Markel Byrd of Horizon, 6'3" Guard Tyree Robinson of Lincoln San Diego, 6'3" Forward Tyrell Robinson of Lincoln San Diego.

Freshman to watch 6'0" Point Guard Terry Clarendon of Eisenhower, 6'7" Forward Evan Fitzner of Francis Parker, 6'1" Guard Javon Gentle of Fremont LA, and 6'2" Guard Izaiah Sweeney of King Drew.

For further information/media credentials and or a copy of tournament bracket contact Tournament Director Dennis Magro at (818) 585-6755 or email: dennismagro@att.net.