July 2011 Archives

It looks like Buckley will finally have some competition in the Liberty League next year.

Providence, under the direction of new coach Ernest Baskerville, won the championship game of the St. Monica tournament.

The Pioneers beat L.A. University, 48-28.

In pool play, the Pioneers beat St. Monica, South Pasadena and View Park Prep, before a semifinal victory against Moorpark.

Baskerville noted strong contributions from high-scoring 3-pointer shooter Patrick Gonzalez and incoming freshman Marcus Lovette, Jr.

Buckley has many talented sophomore guards and the two games with Providence should be terrific next year.

Viewpoint and Yeshiva are also improving making the Liberty League intriguing amogst small-schools.

Encino's 14-under baseball all-star team is one victory away after splitting the first two games with San Clemente in the best-of-three championship series in the Souther California state tournament at Arlington Heights Sports Park in Riverside.

But Encino (11-1) will need to receive a strong effort from Anthony Mayorga or any other available pitchers in the deciding game at 7 p.m. Sunday after Mitchell Kerner, Zach Lewis and Tristan Matters threw a combined 12 innings Saturday.

San Clemente (11-2) also had to go deep in its pitching staff, meaning whichever team survives the deciding game, it will be at a distinct disadvantage entering Tuesday's opening game of the Junior Baseball Western Regionals in Laguna Niguel.

Encino, which rallied from a five-run deficit Wednesday to defeat Golden Hill 7-5 in the North sub-divisional in Tehachapi, nearly pulled off a similar comeback in the second game Saturday.

After winning the opening game 9-3, Encino fell behind 6-1 after committing four errors in the fourth inning of the second game. But Encino rallied with three runs in the sixth and another run in the seventh to pull within 6-5, before stranding the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on first in its final at-bat.

Encino's 14-under and 12-under all-stars combined to win 22 of their first 23 games this summer to advance to their respective championship series. But after Encino's split at the 14-under level and a 12-1 loss to Ocean View in the 12-under division, both teams will play in elimination games Sunday.

No Encino Little League baseball team has reached the Western Regionals at any level.

For the third time in an eight-day stretch, the Notre Dame girls' volleyball team defeated Valencia, completing the hat trick Saturday with a 25-18 victory in the final of the third annual Saugus summer tournament.

Notre Dame, which defeated Valencia at the inaugural Pierce College high school tournament July 23 and again Tuesday at the Chaminade summer league, relied on clutch efforts from Emily Moss, Elizabeth Inch and Callan Kinnan to get past Granada Hills in the quarterfinals and host Saugus in the semifinals, before defeating Valencia.

Led by Serena LeDuff, Sydney Striff and Carly Carapella, Valencia outlasted Oxnard in the quarterfinals and La Canada in three tough games in the semifinals.

Burroughs defeated West Ranch 25-15 in the consolation final.

Coaches raved about him during the summer and he has finally made a decision on school.

Freshman Michael Krkeyan has enrolled at Crespi and will play for coach Russell White.

Krkeyan could split time between varsity and JV but is expected to become a top player.

Krkeyan also considered Alemany.

West Hills' 12-under baseball all-stars continued their impressive summer run with a 10-0 victory Friday over Orem, Utah, in the opening round of the PONY Bronco West Zone tournament in Whittier.

West Hills (13-1) will face Temecula at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the winner's-bracket semifinals.

In the Mustang West Zone tournament in Los Alamitos, Hart's 10-under all-stars defeated Orem, Utah 10-0 to advance to the winner's-bracket final.

Hart (17-2) will face Aiea, Hawaii, at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, with a loss forcing it to play again at 6 p.m. Saturday. A victory would place Hart in the final at 1 p.m. Sunday.

In the Mustang 9-under West Zone tournament in Walnut, Mid-Valley Thoroughbred (14-4) defeated Corona 10-5 to reach the winner's-bracket semifinals and will face Morgan Hill or Corona at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Camarillo (10-1) knocked off Torrance American 18-10 to reach the winner's-bracket semifinals and will play Torrance American or Walnut at 6 p.m. Saturday.

In the PONY Shetland Southern California World Series in West Covina, North Valley (16-4) defeated West Covina Red 9-4 to reach the winner's-bracket semifinals and will play at 3 p.m. Saturday against Simi Valley (13-1) or Orangecrest, which will complete their suspended game at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Chatsworth, competing as Valley North, defeated West Valley League rival El Camino Real, playing as Woodland Hills West, by a 5-2 margin in the Valley Invitational Baseball League final Friday night at Birmingham High.

Raul Camas pitched 5 1/3 innings in his first high school start, allowing five hits and two runs, along with five strikeouts and two walks to help Chatsworth win its first VIBL title since 2008. He also gave Chatsworth a 1-0 lead in the first when he doubled and scored on an RBI single by Kiefer Kofman.

Ernesto Prado doubled and scored, Chris Devito had a bases-loaded walk and Scott Voets was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded during a four-run third for Chatsworth, during which El Camino Real starter Justin Russell was victimized by two walks, two hit batters and two errors.

Russell hit four batters and walked three in 4 1/3 innings. He and Chris Scalisi both had two hits for El Camino Real, which last won a VIBL title in 2005.

Camarillo first baseman Kristie Dederick, who helped the Scorpions capture their first Southern Section softball title since 1991 with a 5-1 victory over La Mirada in the Div. II final, has signed to play at Providence and will attend the Rhode Island school this fall.

Dederick hit .372 with 31 runs, four home runs and 34 RBIs, in addition to playing outstanding defense, making one error in 152 total chances.

"I had some other offers, but I knew Providence was the right fit for me after I visited it and learned everything it had to offer academically and athletically," Dederick said.

Saugus and La Canada swept through pool play without dropping a game Friday at the third annual Saugus summer girls' volleyball tournament, securing the top two seeds for today's 10-team championship bracket playoffs at Saugus High.

Valencia, Granada Hills and Notre Dame also won their pools to round out the top five playoff seeds.

The championship playoffs begin at 8 a.m. today at Saugus High and should conclude around 1 p.m., followed by the consolation playoffs, which run from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Here's a look at the championship bracket (best-of-three, first two games to 21, third to 15):

First round
No. 10 St. Paul vs. No. 7 Village Christian
No. 9 Hart vs. No. 8 Culver City

Quarterfinals
St. Paul/Village Christian vs. No. 1 Saugus
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Granada Hills
No. 6 Oxnard vs. No. 3 Valencia
Hart/Culver City vs. No. 2 La Canada

Here's a look at the consolation bracket (best-of-three, first two games to 21, third to 15):

First round
No. 20 Palmdale vs. No. 17 Sylmar
No. 19 Quartz Hill vs. No. 18 Van Nuys

Quarterfinals
Palmdale/Sylmar vs. No. 11 West Ranch
No. 15 Taft vs. No. 14 Saugus "B"
No. 16 Canyon vs. No. 13 Chatsworth
Quartz Hill/Van Nuys vs. No. 12 Burroughs

Encino 12-under baseball all-star Seth Stone wasn't a big fan of Conejo Valley's Kyle Cornell in the second inning Thursday.

But Cornell developed plenty of admirers at Cortez Park in West Covina with his catch in center field in the North sub-divisional final of the Southern California state tournament.

Stone, who hit his eighth home run in all-star competition in the sixth inning of Encino's 16-10 victory, had another potential homer robbed in the second by Cornell, who reached over the 210-foot fence in center and pulled the ball back with a spectacular catch.

One parent representing tournament host West Covina American said it was, "the best Little League catch I have ever seen."

Cornell also singled, walked, scored a run and drove in another in Conejo Valley's summer-ending setback, but it was his highlight-reel play that served as one of the most memorable moments of the team's 11-game postseason run.

Jamie Robertson didn't expect to still be pitching in the fifth inning Thursday night, but his performance in a 16-10 victory against Conejo Valley served as a microcosm for the success of the Encino 12-under baseball all-star team in the North sub-divisional of the Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

In most situations, Robertson would have been pulled after allowing eight first-inning runs, if he even lasted that long.

But with Encino's pitching staff limited because of Little League-imposed rules about mandated rest days in between appearances, his ability to rebound from the shaky start proved crucial in the team's come-from-behind victory, the third time Encino rallied for a win during a six-day span in the tournament.

"I was a little scared (in the first) because our defense wasn't making plays like they usually do, but I knew they would because we're a defensive team and we always have been and always will be," Robertson said. "I just kept throwing strikes and kept my cool to give my teammates a chance (on offense)."

After facing 13 batters and allowing six hits in the first, Robertson faced 13 batters and surrendered only one hit over the next three-plus innings before he reached his Little League-imposed 85-pitch maximum.

Justin Greenwald came on in relief of Robertson, retiring the final five batters he faced after allowing a run-scoring single to Kyle Cornell.

"I always knew we were going to come back and do it," said Justin Greenwald, who struck out Jake Ryan to end the game. "Even when we were down early, we just set our minds on winning and we never stopped believing."

Jack Scher reached base all five times for Encino, matching Greenwald with three hits. Robertson homered twice, with Greenwald and Seth Stone both adding home runs for Encino (12-1), which plays Ocean View at 3 p.m. Saturday at Cortez Park in the first game of the best-of-three championship series to determine who advances to the Little League Western Regionals in San Bernardino.

Already with its first berth in the championship series of the Southern California state baseball tournament at the 14-under level secured, Encino Little League made history again Thursday by capturing the North sub-divisional title in the 12-under division for the first time with a 16-10 victory over Conejo Valley at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Encino's 14-under all-star team (10-0) rallied for a 7-5 victory Wednesday over Golden Hill to advance to Saturday's opening game at 5:30 p.m. against San Clemente (10-1) at Arlington Heights Sports Park in Riverside.

Encino's 12-under all-star team (12-1) will face Ocean View (10-1), last year's Southern California state tournament champion, in the first game of its series at 3 p.m. Saturday at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Tustin Eastern and Encino have dominated the Little League landscape in Southern California this summer, with Tustin Eastern winning North sub-divisional titles at the 11-under and 10-under levels.

Tustin Eastern (11-1) will face South sub-divisional winner Chula Vista's Park View (10-1) in the 11-under best-of-three championship series, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at Chollas Lake Little League in San Diego.

Tustin Eastern (11-1) will take on South sub-divisional winner Rancho San Diego (14-1) in the 10-under best-of-three championship series, beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday at El Cerrito Sports Park in Corona.

In the 16-under Southern California state tournament championship series, North Anaheim (8-0) will face Manhattan Beach (6-0) at 10 a.m. Saturday at Reid Park Little League in Riverside.

A valiant effort by the Sherman Oaks 10-under baseball all-star team forced an if-necessary final in the North sub-divisional of the Southern California state tournament Thursday in Goleta.

But Sherman Oaks' bid to reach the best-of-three championship series Saturday at El Cerrito Sports Park in Corona came up short with a 9-3 setback to Tustin Eastern.

Sherman Oaks (10-2) rebounded from a 4-3 defeat Monday against Tustin Eastern (11-1) to win back-to-back games, including a 4-3 triumph Wednesday over the Section 5 champions, but ran out of steam playing its fifth game in as many days.

Tustin Eastern will face South sub-divisional champ Rancho San Diego (14-1) -- a 10-0 winner Thursday over Carmel Mountain Ranch (11-2) -- at 3 p.m. Saturday in the first game of the championship series.

All was not lost for the Antelope Valley 18-under softball all-star team Thursday night in its bid to reach an eighth consecutive Big League World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich.

But the District 51 all-stars did have their Western Regionals winning streak snapped at 23 following a 3-2 setback to Westchester Del Rey (6-0) at Monte Vista Little League Field in Lancaster.

Antelope Valley (2-1) hadn't suffered a regional loss since a 10-5 defeat against Mesa, Ariz., in the opening game of the 2007 best-of-three championship series.

Quartz Hill's Jessica Perez hit the first home run of the series, but Westchester Del Rey delivered a double in the bottom of the seventh to drive in the winning run.

Bishop's Kellie Tiner suffered the hard-luck loss for Antelope Valley, which received clutch defensive plays from Lancaster graduate Julie Nixon (now at College of the Canyons), Rosamond's Amanda Conroy and Quartz Hill's Erica Serfoss.

Prior to the game, Antelope Valley and Westchester Del Rey had already qualified for the championship series Saturday, with games scheduled for 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Jurupa American is the last 18-under team to win a Big League Western Regional title before Antelope Valley's impressive run, defeating the host team 2-1 in the 2003 if-necessary final.

Saugus girls' volleyball coach Zach Ambrose has assembled an impressive field for the Centurions' third annual summer tournament, which begins today at both Saugus and Valencia.

Saugus will play host to three pools, with Valencia featuring two.

La Canada, Granada Hills, Saugus and West Ranch should be among the top teams competing at Saugus High.

Notre Dame, Oxnard, Taft and Valencia are all established programs playing at Valencia High.

The top 10 teams will play Saturday at Saugus in a single-elimination tournament that begins at 8 a.m. and concludes around 1 p.m.

The next 10 teams will compete Saturday at Saugus for the consolation championship, beginning at 11 a.m. and concluding around 4:30 p.m.

For more information, go to www.saugusvolleyball.org

The Taft girls' volleyball team continued its strong summer, taking the Gladstone tournament championship.

Taft entered the playoff round as the No. 1 seed and defeated Upland Christian, Charter Oak and Northview, in the championship.

Seniors Tamar Fowler, Zulfar Ghulam-Jelani, Katty Revolorio and Clare Idehan led the way.

Sophomore Amanda Park added a huge boost for the Toreadors.

Taft concludes summer competition by participating in the third annual Saugus tournament, which begins today with pool play at both Saugus and Valencia.

Carlos Mendoza, a three-year starting linebacker for Oaks Christian, has committed to Arizona State.

The offers keep coming in for Alemany's Marqueze Coleman.

Coleman now has an offer on the table from Cal State Northridge.

Coleman has been previously offered by Portland, Pepperdine and Nevada.

Camarillo will be one site for the PONY 14-under baseball all-star Super Regional beginning Saturday.

Camarillo, High Desert, Quartz Hill, Simi Valley and Valley Wide are among the eight teams scheduled to play at Camarillo.

Competition at the Whittier site begins Thursday. The tournament concludes Aug. 2, with two teams advancing to the West Zone tournament Aug. 4 in Whittier.

West Hills' 12-under baseball all-star team advanced to the PONY Bronco West Zone tournament following a 3-2 victory Tuesday over Ventura Coast Thoroughbred in the Super Regional final in Whittier.

West Hills (12-1) opens the eight-team, double-elimination tournament at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Orem, Utah, in Whittier.

The winner advances to the 10-team Bronco World Series, scheduled to begin Aug. 4 in Monterey.

West Hills won all four games at the sectional level, then rebounded from a 4-3 loss to Newbury Park in the regional tournament to win four in a row to advance to the Super Regional, where it won all four contests.

Hart's 10-under baseball all-star team advanced to the PONY Mustang West Zone tournament following an 11-1 victory Monday over Charter Oak in the Super Regional final in San Marcos.

Hart (15-2) opens the eight-team, double-elimination tournament at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Seattle, Wash., in Los Alamitos.

The winner advances to the eight-team Mustang World Series, scheduled to begin Aug. 3 in Burleson, Texas.

Despite losing twice to Simi Valley, once in section and again in regional competition, Hart avoided a third meeting in the Super Regional and cruised to four victories. Simi Valley suffered losses to Chino Hills and Irvine and was eliminated from the 16-team tournament.

La Canada, Camarillo and Mid-Valley Thoroughbred are competing in the PONY Mustang 9-under West Zone tournament, beginning Thursday in Walnut.

Camarillo takes on West Seattle at 5 p.m., with La Canada facing Mid-Valley Thoroughbred at 7:30 p.m.

Hart, North Valley and Simi Valley are still alive in the Shetland Southern California World Series in West Covina.

El Camino Real defeated Simi Valley 1-0 and Chatsworth recorded a 4-0 victory Wednesday over Royal to set up an all-West Valley League final in the Valley Invitational Baseball League playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday at Birmingham High.

El Camino Real, which competes as Woodland Hills West, last won the VIBL title in 2005. Chatsworth, which is recognized as Valley North, captured the championship in 2008.

El Camino Real has allowed a combined five runs in four playoff games. Chatsworth has given up 15 runs in four games, but has recorded two shutouts.

Chatsworth defeated ECR 3-2 on June 6 in the VIBL opener for both teams.

Camarillo defeated Chatsworth 6-5 in the junior varsity VIBL final Wednesday at Birmingham.

Antelope Valley's 18-under softball all-star team defeated Oregon 12-2 in Wednesday's round-robin game of the Big League Western Regionals at Monte Vista Little League Field in Lancaster.

Antelope Valley (2-0) extended its regional winning streak to 23 in a row since 2007 entering today's game against Westchester Del Rey (5-0) -- which recorded a 16-0 victory Wednesday over Seattle, Wash. -- at 8 p.m. at Monte Vista Little League Field.

Antelope Valley and Westchester Del Rey have already qualified for the best-of-three championship series Saturday, with the first game scheduled for 10 a.m.

Crescenta Valley's run in the 14-under Southern California state softball tournament came to an end Wednesday with a 3-1 setback to Westchester Del Rey.

Despite a combined one-hitter from Adela Alatraca and Olivia Thayer, C.V. (8-2) couldn't protect a one-run lead, committing crucial errors to suffer its second setback to Westchester Del Rey (8-1) in a four-day span, following a 4-2 setback Sunday.

Paige Trestrail drove in Thayer for C.V.'s lone run in the second inning. It marked the second year in a row C.V. was eliminated in the Southern California state tournament.

Sherman Oaks' 10-under baseball all-star team defeated Tustin Eastern 4-3 on Wednesday to force an if-necessary final in the North sub-divisional of the Southern California state tournament in Goleta.

Sherman Oaks (10-1) plays Tustin Eastern (10-1) at 5 p.m. Thursday, with a berth at stake in the best-of-three championship series, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at El Cerrito Sports Park in Corona against Rancho San Diego (13-1) or Carmel Mountain Ranch (11-1).

Moorpark's 11-under baseball all-star team suffered a 17-10 setback Wednesday to Tustin Eastern in the North sub-divisional final of the Southern California state tournament in Long Beach.

Moorpark finished all-star competition 8-2, with both losses coming against Tustin Eastern (11-1), including a 14-4 defeat Sunday.

Tustin Eastern plays Encinitas (11-1) or Chula Vista's Park View (9-1) in the best-of-three championship series, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday in San Diego.

Although Encino's 12-under baseball all-star team avoided elimination Wednesday, it wasn't the biggest victory for the local Little League.

Encino's 14-under baseball all-star team rallied from a five-run deficit to defeat Golden Hill 7-5 in the North sub-divisional final of the Southern California state tournament in Tehachapi.

Encino (10-0) also defeated Golden Hill 5-2 on Monday. The District 40 and Section 2 champions advance to the best-of-three championship series beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Riverside against San Clemente (9-1) or San Diego's University City (10-1).

Justin Greenwald began the fifth inning Wednesday night with a solo home run and ended it with a grand slam, the latter capping a 16-5 mercy-rule victory for Encino's 12-under baseball all-star team over Conejo Valley in the North sub-divisional championship game in the Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Encino (11-1), which regrouped from a 4-3 loss Monday to Conejo Valley (8-2), forced an if-necessary final at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cortez Park.

Greenwald, who has five home runs in all-star competition, and Seth Stone both homered twice for Encino, which also received a two-run shot during a nine-run fifth by Jack Scher.

Stone, who hit a two-run homer in the first and added a solo blast in the fifth, has seven home runs in all-star play.

Conejo Valley fell behind 6-1 after two innings, but closed the deficit to 7-5 when Kyle Cornell scored on a wild pitch in the fourth.

But three Conejo Valley pitchers managed to retire only one of 10 Encino batters in the fifth, with Greenwald's grand slam the team's fourth home run in the inning.

Elijah West had two RBIs and Jamie Robertson doubled and drove in two runs for Encino, which is trying to equal the success of its 14-under baseball all-star team, which captured the North sub-divisional title Wednesday by defeating Golden Hill in Tehachapi.

Conejo Valley, which received two runs from Scotty Sheehan and RBIs by Adam Sookikian, Andrew Berard and Roy Wilson, is looking to advance to its first Southern California state championship since 2004, when it captured the U.S. title and took runner-up to Curacao at the Little League World Series.

Paraclete was going to be hard-pressed to keep up with Sierra Canyon this season after graduating so many seniors from last year's East Valley Division championship team.

Things got harder two weeks ago.

Junior running backs Travion Boykins and Uriah Trailer transferred to Damien.

Both players carried the ball in limited action last year but were ready to make an impact this season.

Antelope Valley's 18-under softball all-star team opened the Big League Western Regionals with a 12-0 mercy-rule victory Tuesday over Seattle, Wash., at Monte Vista Little League Field in Lancaster.

Rosamond's McKenzie Draper and Bishop's Kellie Tiner led the way for Antelope Valley, which won its 22nd consecutive regional game since 2007.

Antelope Valley, seeking its eighth consecutive berth in the 18-under World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich., will play at 5 p.m. today against Oregon, which suffered a 15-0 setback Tuesday to Westchester Del Rey.

Crescenta Valley's 14-under softball all-star team avoided elimination with a 14-6 victory over South El Monte in the Southern California state tournament in Victorville.

Cailen Rodriguez had a two-run homer and Marissa Cornelius had two hits and four RBIs for Crescenta Valley (8-1), which plays Victorville American or Westchester Del Rey at 6 p.m. today in another elimination game.

Two of the shortest athletes in Encino's 12-under baseball all-star lineup delivered the biggest swings Tuesday and left-hander Elijah West made all the right pitches to contribute to a 2-1 victory over El Segundo in the North sub-divisional of the Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Jack Scher led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run and Mike Cohen extended the lead to 2-0 in the fourth with his third homer in all-star competition, including his second against El Segundo (10-3).

West, who allowed four hits and struck out four, reached his Little League-imposed 85-pitch limit after surrendering a leadoff single to Spencer Palmer in the sixth, resulting in Encino manager Geoff Cohen replacing him with right-hander Justin Greenwald.

Although Alec Zeman's ground out scored Palmer, Greenwald struck out Spencer Long with Jason Kehl on third to secure the save, setting up a rematch for Encino with Conejo Valley (8-1), which recorded a 4-3 victory Monday in their first meeting.

Encino (10-1) needs to win tonight to force an if-necessary final Thursday to advance to the championship series Saturday against either Ocean View or Chula Vista's Park View.

Encino has never won a divisional crown at the 12-under level. Conejo Valley last won the Southern California crown in 2004 on its way to a U.S. title and runner-up finish at the World Series.

San Gabriel Valley's Babe Ruth 18-under all-star baseball team erased the memories of a pair of losses to Watsonville -- including a 10-2 setback in the final -- in last year's Pacific Southwest Regionals by defeating the defending champion 5-4 in Tuesday's championship game at Modesto Christian.

Nick Wagner, the tournament MVP, drove in Glendora teammate Martin Gallegos with a two-out single in the sixth for the deciding run for San Gabriel Valley (4-0), which reached the World Series for the second time in three years under Crescenta Valley coach Phil Torres.

The 10-team tournament is scheduled to begin Aug. 6 in Ephrata, Wash.

Troy Mulcahey, one of four C.V. players who were on San Gabriel Valley's 2009 World Series team that played in Moses Lake, Wash., secured the save by pitching the seventh after Arcadia's K.J. Edson allowed no earned runs in six innings, recording five strikeouts.

C.V.'s Eliot Surrey had three hits and a first-inning RBI single and Glendora's Brennan Salgado hit a tying three-run homer in the fifth for San Gabriel Valley, which produced its third consecutive one-run victory in the tournament.

The Taft girls' volleyball team won its first summer league tournament championship, taking home the title at the annual Burbank High School event Monday.

Taft began the playoff round ranked No. 6 and defeated Milken Community 25-13, 25-20 host Burbank 25-17, 25-23 in the quarterfinals, Pasadena 25-22, 27-26 in the semifinals, and Village Christian, in the championship game, 25-23, 25-21

Taft was led by seniors Tamar Fowler, Katty Revolorio, Zulfar Ghulam-Jelani and Clare Idehan.

Taft competed in the Gladstone tournament championship Tuesday night. Taft won the Gladstone tournament last year.

Trey Dickerson got the bad news about Montclair Prep dropping all sports while he was back home in New York.

He was shocked to say the least.

He was hoping for another run to the championship game.

The Mounties lost to Alpha League rival Sierra Canyon in the Div. V-A championship.

However, Dickerson said he will be coming back to California for his senior year and indicated he could end up at Sierra Canyon, Price or Cleveland.

Stay tuned.

Paraclete will play Valencia of Placentia in week two to replace the hole created when Montclair Prep dropped all sports.

The Spirits graduated many key players from last year's team that won a section championship against Sierra Canyon but should find itself right in the thick of the Alpha League race with Sierra Canyon and Campbell Hall.

Sierra Canyon has filled its void created in its football schedule with Montclair Prep's decision to drop athletics.

The Trailblazers will play Bishop Union in Week One on Friday Sept. 9 at Pierce College.

Sierra Canyon will take its bye week in Week Four.

Bishop Union beat Boron to win the Northeast Division championship last year.

Coach Jon Ellinghouse also confirmed Patrick McGowan has transferred in from Montclair Prep.

McGowan is a 6-foot-5, 250-pound senior lineman.

"I am very excited to have him," Ellinghouse said.

The Trailblazers state bowl hopes could come down to their game in Week Zero against Horizon of San Diego.

Sierra Canyon will host the game Sat. Sept. 3 at Granada Hills.

"Not a lot of people know about them but they are very good," Ellinghouse said.

It should be a terrific small-schools matchup.

There's a big microscope on Notre Dame High's football team, as the Knights, for decades among California's top programs, is coming off a 2-8 season -- the worst performance in a very, very, very long time at the Sherman Oaks school.

How long? Everyone I've asked is not sure, including longtime coach Kevin Rooney.

What made the 2010 season even worse was a devastating 34-28 loss to Crespi in the Serra League finale with a playoff berth at stake, as the host Knights blew a 21-point lead -- about as bad as a football defeat can be.

The good news, of course, is last year is history, and Notre Dame has a clean slate like everyone else. The Knights also have the area's fastest player in running back Khalfani Muhammad (also a top track sprinter), a top offensive lineman in Austin Crist (brother former star quarterback Dayne Crist, now at University of Notre Dame) and a bunch of other hungry and eager returnees ready to help forge a turnaround.

So, was last year an aberration?

"It's definitely not going to happen again this year," Crist said. "We definitely are going to be one of the top contenders for the Serra League championship, no doubt.
As a team, we have put last year behind us, and everyone is excited for the upcoming year."

The key could be junior quarterback Kelly Hiliniski, who's 6-foot-6 with lots of potential but has yet to prove himself.

"Kelly is a competitor, no doubt about it," Crist said. "He's getting much better as an overall player. He is a great leader as a junior."

Muhammad's fun-to-watch factor is off the charts. He's 5-7, 160 pounds, and as a sophomore he rushed for 851 yards, caught 21 passes and scored 14 touchdowns -- numbers that would have been bigger had the Knights made the playoffs and played 12 or 13 games as usual instead of 10.

"He's probably the fastest kid I've seen in my 17 years of life," Crist said. "He blows by defenders easily and is in a league of own."

For the first time since anyone can remember, Notre Dame is an underdog, expected to finish no better than third in the league behind heavy favorite Alemany, Crespi and perhaps Bishop Amat and Loyola.

"We're looking to surprise a lot of people this year," Crist said.

Josh Waite pitched five strong innings with seven strikeouts for Conejo Valley's 12-under all-star baseball team Monday night against Encino, but had to wait through two anxious at-bats in the sixth against teammate Scotty Sheehan in a North sub-divisional game of the Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

After Encino opened the sixth with four consecutive hits, Waite reached the Little League-imposed maximum pitch count, resulting in Scotty Sheehan being called on as a relief pitcher and Waite moving to shortstop.

Although Elijah West cut the deficit to one with a run-scoring single for Encino, Sheehan got Cameron Bolger to pop out to end the game, preserving a 4-3 victory.

Adam Sookikian's two-out, two-run double in the fifth scored Andrew Berard and Waite to give Conejo Valley (8-1) a 4-0 lead. Waite scored on a wild pitch and Jake Ryan's run-scoring single drove in Berard to give the Section 1 champions a 2-0 advantage in the first.

West had the only hit through the first five innings for Encino (9-1), a leadoff double in the fifth. But Shawn Goosenberg, Jack Scher, Jamie Roberston and Seth Stone all collected hits to cut the deficit to 4-2 with no outs.

After Blake Hanson flied out to center for the first out, Waite reached his 85-pitch limit, forcing Sheehan to take over on the mound. Robertson was cut down at home trying to score on a wild pitch for the second out, then following West's single to center that scored Stone, Sheehan induced the pop out by Bolger, who was also charged with the loss in relief of Robertson.

After scoring 112 postseason runs entering Monday, Encino was held in check in its first divisional meeting against Conejo Valley since a 7-0 victory in 1986 in Long Beach.

It was Conejo Valley's fifth straight win since a 3-0 loss July 13 to District 13 rival Moorpark. Conejo Valley plays the winner of Tuesday's elimination game between Encino and El Segundo (10-2) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the sub-divisional final.

Antelope Valley's 18-under all-star softball team plays host to Washington at 5 p.m. today in the opening round-robin game of the Big League Western Regionals in Lancaster.

The District 51 representative is seeking its eighth consecutive trip to the Big League World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich., in the four-team tournament that also includes Westchester Del Rey and Oregon.

Antelope Valley has won 21 consecutive regional games since a 10-5 loss in 2007 to Mesa, Ariz.

The best-of-three championship series is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Watsonville defeated Modesto 13-3 in an elimination game Monday at the Babe Ruth 18-under Pacific Southwest Regional tournament at Modesto Christian, setting up a rematch with San Gabriel Valley at 5:30 p.m. today in the regional championship.

San Gabriel Valley, coached by Crescenta Valley's Phil Torres, held off defending regional champion Watsonville 2-1 on Sunday, atoning for 5-3 and 10-2 losses in last year's tournament.

If Watsonville is victorious in the first game, an if-necessary final would follow later Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to the Babe Ruth 18-under World Series, scheduled for Aug. 6 in Ephrata, Wash.

San Gabriel Valley won three 18-under World Series titles from 2004-07, but has won the regional tournament only once in the past three years.

Oaks Christian grad Chris Potter, a wide receiver and punt returner for Boise State, football, has been nominated for the 2011 Allstate / American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

The award recognizes the selfless contributions to volunteerism and community service made by college football student-athletes across the nation. A national panel will select two 11-player Good Works Teams, one comprising of players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the another representing players from the Football Championship Subdivision. The two teams will be announced in late September.

Over the past two seasons, Potter has caught 16 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown, while also serving as Boise State's primary punt returner in 2010 with 22 returns for 293 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 13.3 yards per return to rank 13th nationally.

Twice he was named the Western Athletic Conference's Special Teams Player of the Week following his performances at San Jose State and Idaho.

Away from the field, Potter performs volunteer work in the Boise community, and this past March he stepped up his volunteer efforts when he traveled to the Dominican Republic to work with children at an orphanage/school. Potter joined teammate Jonathan Brown, Bronco assistant football coach Bob Gregory and Boise State soccer player Lindsay Roberts during spring break as part of a 14-member group building a sand volleyball court and playing sports with children in the poverty-stricken village of Monte Plata.

He also excels in the classroom and twice has received academic All-WAC honors.

Junior pitcher Lucas Giolito and freshman pitcher Jack Flaherty of Havard-Westlake, sophomore outfielder A.J. Balta of Valencia and freshmen shortstop Luke Dykstra of Westlake have been named to Maxpreps' All-American Underclass team.

Glendora's Martin Gallegos scored the deciding run on the back end of a delayed double steal in the top of the seventh inning Sunday night to give the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 18-under all-star baseball team a 2-1 victory over Watsonville in the Pacific Southwest Regional tournament at Modesto Christian High.

Bishop Amat's Daniel Zamora pitched six innings of two-hit ball, striking out six and allowing one unearned run, and Alhambra's Gary Acuna retired the side in order in the seventh -- striking out two -- for San Gabriel Valley (3-0), which advanced to the regional final at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Gallegos and Crescenta Valley's Elliott Surrey reached base in the seventh, before Bishop Amat's Andrew Medina forced Surrey at second with a ground ball to first to put runners at the corners with two outs, allowing coaches Phil Torres and Dave Mendoza to orchestrate the double steal.

Glendora's Nick Wagner scored in the top of the first for San Gabriel Valley before defending regional champion Watsonville benefited from a lazy fly ball to right that got past diving St. Francis graduate Mark Saatzer to tie the score at 1-1.

Encino's 12-under all-star baseball team relied on three five-run innings and some timely relief from Mike Cohen in the sixth inning to defeat previously unbeaten La Verne 16-9 in the North sub-divisional of the Little League Southern California state tournament Sunday at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Seth Stone hit his fifth home run in all-star competition and 17th this season, along with adding a two-run double and pitching three strong innings for Encino (9-0), which plays Conejo Valley (7-1) at 7:30 p.m. Monday for a spot in the sub-divisional final Wednesday.

Elijah West added three hits, including a three-run homer that gave Encino a 16-3 lead entering the bottom of the sixth, but the District 40 and Section 2 champions had to endure 10 batters coming to the plate in the bottom of the inning, resulting in six runs for La Verne (7-1).

Cohen was Encino's third pitcher used in the inning and fifth on the day, but he recorded all three outs in his first appearance in all-star competition.

Bonita graduate Adam McCreery, an Arizona State signee, and Arcadia's K.J. Edson combined to pitch eight shutout innings for the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 18-under all-star baseball team Saturday in a 1-0 victory over Modesto in the Pacific Southwest Regional tournament at Modesto Christian High.

McCreery, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins, struck out 13 and walked one in 6 2/3 innings while scattering two hits. Edson, who pitched a scoreless seventh Friday in a 6-0 victory over San Benito of Hollister, struck out two more in 1 1/3 relief innings to pick up the victory.

Bishop Amat's Adam Medina reached base on error to lead off the eight and was moved to third on a pair of successful bunt hits by Edson and St. Francis graduate Mark Saatzer before Glendora's Nick Wagner hit a walk-off single to secure the dramatic win.

San Gabriel Valley (2-0), coached by Crescenta Valley's Phil Torres, plays defending regional champion Watsonville at 8 p.m. Sunday in the winner's-bracket final, looking to advance to the regional championship at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Despite three home runs from La Mirada's R.J. Lan, the Conejo Valley 12-under baseball all-star team posted a 9-6 victory Saturday in its North sub-divisional opener in the Little League Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Conejo Valley (7-1) received 4 2/3 strong innings from starter Adam Sookikian, who also collected two hits, a run and an RBI. Blake Campbell homered and Josh Waite added two hits and two runs for Conejo Valley, which plays Monday against the winner of Sunday's game between Encino (8-0) and La Verne (7-0).

La Mirada (8-2), which cut the deficit to 6-5 following the fifth before Conejo Valley scored three insurance runs in the sixth, plays El Segundo (8-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday in an elimination game.

Mission League rivals Chaminade and Notre Dame both went 10-1 during round-robin competition Saturday at the inaugural high school girls' volleyball tournament at Pierce College.

Chaminade defeated Notre Dame, but had its undefeated run halted in the final round by Valencia, which finished 9-2.

Louisville also played well in the 12-team tournament, defeating Valencia and losing only two games.

Pierce will host its next high school girls' volleyball tournament Aug. 20.

Crescenta Valley's 14-under all-star softball team received a combined no-hitter from Olivia Thayer, Kellyn O'Leary and Adela Alatraca in a 5-1 victory Saturday over Riverside's Reid Park in the opening game of the Southern California state tournament in Victorville.

Reid Park (2-1) managed its only run in the fourth inning on an error, tying the score at 1-1.

Crescenta Valley (6-0) responded with a four-run fifth to put the game away.

Claire O'Connor, Cameron Rodriguez, Tiffany Briscoe and Thayer all had RBIs for C.V., which plays Westchester Del Rey at 9 a.m. Sunday.

C.V., which reached the 14-under Southern California state championship game last year, defeated Westchester Del Rey twice on its way to reaching the tournament final.

Encino's 12-under all-star baseball team rallied from a three-run deficit to score six runs in the fourth inning and seven more in the fifth in a 13-5 victory Saturday over El Segundo in the opening game of the Little League Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Mike Cohen hit a home run, Seth Stone hit a two-run double and Elijah West added a two-run single in the fourth for Encino (7-0), which plays La Verne at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Jack Scher had a two-run double and Justin Greenwald collected two hits and scored during the seven-run fifth for Encino, making its first appearance at the Southern California level since 1986.

Jason Hart, a former Inglewood High and Syracuse standout, has been named the new boys' basketball coach at Taft.

Hart fills the vacancy left by Derrick Taylor, who recently accepted the boys' basketball position at St. John Bosco.

Alemany senior Marqueze Coleman has received a basketball scholarship offer from Pepperdine, following his offer earlier this week from Nevada.

Coleman, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds last season for the Warriors, who reached the Southern Section Div. IV-AA semifinals.

Crescenta Valley pitcher Kyle Murray threw five innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts, helping the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 18-under all-star baseball team post a 6-0 victory over San Benito in its Pacific Southwest Regional tournament opener Friday at Modesto Christian High.

Alhambra's Gary Acuna pitched a hitless sixth and Arcadia's K.J. Edson threw a hitless seventh -- both striking out two -- for San Gabriel Valley, which plays at 8 p.m. Saturday in the winner's-bracket semifinals of the seven-team, double-elimination tournament.

John Alexander, a Glendora High graduate who has signed with UC Irvine but was also drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays, hit a first-inning home run and added a run-scoring single in the fifth for San Gabriel Valley, which is coached by Crescenta Valley's Phil Torres.

Crescenta Valley's Troy Mulcahey, Troy Prasertsit and Elliott Surrey are also members of the San Gabriel Valley roster, along with St. Francis graduate Mark Saatzer, who plays at Chapman.

Pepperdine senior guard Lorne Jackson, a Simi Valley graduate, had successful surgery to repair a torn right ACL suffered during a pick-up basketball game in June and is expected to redshirt the upcoming season.

Jackson, who averaged 13.2 points last season including 16.6 points per game in the West Coast Conference, would still have one year of eligibility remaining if he returns for the 2012-13 season. Jackson has scored 889 career points and is looking to become Pepperdine's 37th player to reach the 1,000-point milestone.

Jackson, a WCC honorable mention selection last year, had successful surgery on his left knee following his freshman season, but recovered in time to play his sophomore year, averaging 8.1 points.

Crespi junior guard London Perrantes received a scholarship offer from University of San Francisco.

Perrantes averaged 8.2 points, 5.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals last season for the Celts, who reached the Southern Section Div. III-A semifinals and advanced to the Southern California Div. III regional quarterfinals.

Littlerock High is renaming its stadium Bauer Stadium in honor of the late Jim Bauer, the school's founding coach. A pregame ceremony is scheduled for the home opener Sept. 2.

Sean Gilmartin, a former Crespi pitcher who played at Florida State and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round, has signed for a bonus of $1,134,000.

He was 12-1 with a 1.83 ERA as senior, and was selected 28th overall by Atlanta last month. He had 122 strikeouts and was ranked by Baseball America as the 16th-best college pitcher in the draft.

Encino Little League ended a 25-year dry spell tonight, winning the Section 2 baseball championship for the first time since 1986 with a 19-4 victory over Crescenta Valley before a crowd of about 500 at Encino Little League.

Seth Stone (4-0) pitched four innings and hit a home run - his 16th of the season and fourth in all-star competition - and Justin Greenwald, Elijah West and Jack Scher added home runs, as Encino improved to 6-0 heading into the first round of the divisional tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday in Cortez Park in West Covina against an opponent to be determined.

"I think we played better than usual today," Stone said. "We put the ball in play, and we got the outs when we needed them."

Had Encino lost, the teams would have been forced to play an if-necessary finale Wednesday in the four-team double-elimination tournament. Instead, Encino has an extra day to prepare for what figures to be a much more difficult tournament featuring 10 teams vying for a spot in the Western Regionals in San Bernardino - the last stop before the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

"I'm happy we got it over-with the first time," Stone said.

Greenwald, who went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and made several nice plays at shortstop, believes Encino is up to the task after winning its second elimination tournament.

"The next one is going to be a lot more competitive, and I'm sure we'll face better pitching," Greenwald said. "But we know how to adapt. That's what makes us a good team."

West was 2 for 3 with five RBIs, and Stone was 3 for 5 with three RBIs.

"The team really came out to play today," Encino manager Jeff Cohen said. "The kids hit the ball over the fence, and that makes me look like a good coach."

Encino's Jamie Robertson and Greenwald each pitched one inning of relief.

"All three pitchers were great on the mound for us," Cohen said.

Adrian Damla provided the biggest highlight for Crescenta Valley, hitting a 300-foot home run that sailed deep beyond the right-field fence. Frank Alsamman and Robert Giese added home runs.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

There are 10 schools looking for football games in the wake of Montclair Prep eliminating athletics.

Week 1 Bishop Union
Week 2 Riverside Christian
Week 3 Santa Maria
Week 4 Sierra Canyon
Week 5 Brentwood
Week 6 Paraclete
Week 7 Calvary Chapel
Week 8 Kilpatrick
Week 9 Marshall (Pasadena)
Week 10 Campbell Hall

Campbell Hall coach Russ Gordon said he is already talking with coaches from Canyon (Cyn. Cty.) and Merced about filling its vacancy.

Trey Dickerson and Amonte Dees are currently without a team for next year but the two guards could end up at Cleveland of Reseda.

Cleveland is located only miles down the road from Montclair Prep on Roscoe Blvd.

"We would welcome them with open arms," Cleveland coach Damon Charlot said.

The Cavaliers would have a loaded backcourt with J.R. Williams and Jason Moore already penciled in as starters along with junior Kody Riewthong.

Sierra Canyon, Alemany, Providence and several other schools have been talked about as possible destinations for athletes from Montclair Prep.

In the wake of Montclair Prep cancelling its sports programs on Monday, I just got off the phone with assistant A.D./assistant basketball coach Howard Abrams, a dear friend for 35 years -- he coached my brother, Rob, on Montclair Prep's 1977 Southern Section championship basketball team -- as Abrams is among the coaches and administrators who've been laid off.

Abrams is -- or was -- the school's longest-tenured employee, and the WAY Abrams was dismissed was uncool -- a form letter with no signature that informed him of the specific date to return to the campus to return his keys. Especially after 35 years of service (25 as head coach) and a legacy that included numerous league, section and even a state title.

"I worked there for 35 years, and they spent 43 cents on a postage stamp," Abrams said. "You'd think someone would have called and brought me in."

Someone from another school should reach out to Abrams -- a great coach, a true master of the game, and an absolute helluva guy -- and grant him a job, perhaps even a better one than he had before. For instance, I know Abrams is great friends with P.C. Shaw, a baseball assistant at Harvard-Westlake, and it would be great to see Abrams make the switch to the Wolverines.

The news that Montclair Prep has eliminated its sports program was a big talking point Monday at the Taft summer basketball league.

Rumors were flying rampant where certain athletes would end up.

The two most prominent players on the basketball team are seniors trey Dickerson and Amonte Dees.

Sierra Canyon, St. John Bosco and Providence were the schools repeatedly brought up by coaches and parents in the gym.

St. John Bosco just hired coach Derrick Taylor and Providence just hired Ernest Baskerville.

Well, that did not take long. The news broke today that Montclair Prep has dropped its sports programs, and now the Mounties' top football player, receiver/linebacker Christian Bradley, is headed to Campbell Hall.

He's a 6-2, 210-pound senior who is a major-college prospect and should bring instant credibility to Campbell Hall, hoping to make up ground with league favorites Paraclete and Sierra Canyon.

Bradley will automatically be granted a hardship waiver, per section rules.

"This is humongous," Campbell Hall coach Russell Gordon said. "It's big for our team. He complements the guys we have. He's going to be an impact player right away. He is a college receiver without a doubt."

Montclair Prep High, a Panorama City private school with a rich sports history, has shut down its football program along with all sports, firing new football coach Tim Stallworth on Monday just as he was getting started.

It was a stunning move, and school director Mark Simpson said budget cuts were the reason.

"It's hard for me to even comment right now because I'm kind of disappointed," Stallworth said. "It's unfortunate the whole program has to go, but that's how it is. No hard feelings. I think Montclair Prep has done a lot of good things for a lot of people in the past, and they're going in a different direction. Mark is a businessman, and that's the bottom line."

Simpson, 54, was a one-year old when his uncle, the late Dr. Vernon Simpson, founded Montclair Prep, and through the years the school has won multiple section championships in football, boys' basketball, baseball and other sports.

All student-athletes are free to transfer to other schools without restrictions, per Southern Section rules, and among the All-Southern Section returnees are basketball standout Trey Dickerson and baseball standout Max Fried, who has committed to UCLA.

"It's pretty tough. I'm really upset. I'm very devastated," Fried said. "It's a tough time. I'm just really sad because I've been going to school with a lot of my classmates for six years, and it's going to be tough to say goodbye because I didn't think it would be this soon."

Simpson said there were about 17 players on the football team. Christian Bradley, a linebacker, is a college prospect.

"This was a very difficult decision," Simpson said. "I know our school is known for sports, and I love sports, too, so that's what makes me sad, but it was based on financial reasons. With this economy the way it is, there were too many families asking for financial aid. Right and left, there were mothers calling, saying their families had lost everything - relatively affluent families, too - in real estate, the business world. It's just really a result of the economic conditions."

Simpson said he hopes to bring sports back, but he has no timetable.

Basketball coach and athletic director Greg Patterson was let go on Monday, too.

"Patterson is gone, but maybe not for good because he is also a teacher, but certainly there is no longer an A.D. position," Simpson said. "I'm still trying to figure everything out and keep the best teachers."

The school has eliminated seventh and eighth grade, as well, Simpson said.

In 1976-77, Montclair Prep won its first section titles in both football and basketball, and both programs continued to be successful through the years, along with the baseball program, which has won six section titles.

The boys' basketball advanced to a section final this past winter.

Because of dwindling participation, the football program has fallen on hard times over the past decade, at one point switching to eight-man football for a few years, and Stallworth would have been the third football coach of the past three seasons. Last year, Montclair Prep went 5-5 under John Greaves, a longtime assistant under former coach George Giannini, who was forced out after the 2009 season, leading to an embargo of transfers that included star running back Terrell Newby, top lineman Jerry Rodriguez and top receiver Elijah Dunston to Chaminade, and starting quarterback Fabian Alomar to Canoga Park.

For all its sports success - alums include Toi Cook and Kevin Bentley in the NFL and Brad Fullmer, Russell Ortiz and Torey Lovullo in the Major Leagues - Montclair Prep also was notorious for its run-ins with the Southern Section rules committee. In 1990, the school was banned from the playoffs in all sports amid charges of recruiting violations, grade tampering and non-payment of tuition by athletes.

Montclair Prep eventually cleaned up its act, and as word spread Monday about sports being cut, there was a lot of sadness among past athletes.

"I'm still shocked," said Eliel Swinton, a former running back/defensive who was the 1992 Daily News Player of the Year before moving on to Stanford. "I've been kind of letting everyone know what's going on, and I'm just disappointed. I'm just really emotional."

Bell-Jeff has received transfer Mariah Bankhead from Blair.

Bankhead will be a junior and is the daughter of former Cleveland standout Shawn Bankhead.

Bankhead is a 6'0 forward and joins Jasmine Smith, Rishonda Napier and Johnece Miller to give the Guards one of the best teams in the area.

Pacific Hills sophomores Devin Burleson and Namon Wright have been offered scholarships by New Mexico St.

Burleson is a 6'8 forward and Wright is a 6'1 guard.

The pair will be heavily counted on to help the Bruins in the rugged Alpha League, which includes Windward, Sierra Canyon, Campbell Hall and Montclair Prep.

Encino Little League won again Sunday, defeating Crescenta Valley 14-3 in the second round of the Section 2 baseball tournament in Encino, as Seth Stone went 3 for 4 and with a home run and four RBIs and pitched three innings with three strikeouts to improve to 3-0.

After falling behind by a run in the first, Encino (6-0) answered with an eight-run rally in the bottom of the inning.

"It was a hit parade," Encino manager Jeff Cohen said.

Stone has a total of 15 home runs, including 12 in the regular season, with three in all-star competition.

The victory marked the third time in a row Encino has come from behind.

"We've learned that if things aren't going our way, we just keep trying our best and supporting our teammates," shortstop Justin Greenwald said.

Blake Hanson added a two-run home run, and Encino also received strong contributions from Jamie Robertson (two hits, two relief innings), Grant Berman and Mike Cohen.

Encino can win the tournament at 5 p.m. Tuesday against an opponent to be determined. It's a double-elimination tournament, so if Encino loses Tuesday, there's a rematch at 5 p.m. Wednesday for the championship.

Stone might pitch again Tuesday, manager Cohen said.

The others participating in the tournament are Quartz Hill and Pasadena American.

The Section 2 winner advances to the 10-team Southern California Divisionals in West Covina and Fountain Valley, followed by the Western Regionals in San Bernardino, then the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

The nearby 405 freeway was closed Saturday, but it was full speed ahead for Crescenta Valley Little League in the first round of the four-team Section 2 baseball tournament in Encino, as the 11- and 12-year defeated Quartz Hill 14-2 in the morning game.

With dreams of eventually making it to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series, Crescenta Valley won its fifth all-star game without a loss, and the team has outscored opponents 49-4 over the past three wins.

"Everyone on the team deserves credit. If we keep thinking positive, I'm pretty sure we can keep winning," said Adrian Damla, who hit a home run and drove in three runs.
Crescenta Valley plays at 9 a.m. today against Encino, a 10-9 winner over Pasadena American.

"This team comes ready to play every game," Crescenta Valley manager Drew Arredondo said. "As the manager, they make me look good. I just try to stay out of their way."

Jake Whisenant was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, Frank Alsamman hit a home run and drove in three runs, and Robert Giese had three hits and three RBIs.

"This was the best hitting we've done so far. We just keep improving," Whisenant said.

In the afternoon game, Encino nearly blew a four-run lead in the sixth and final inning before right-hander Gordon Magruder came on for the save, striking out both batters he faced - especially impressive considering Magruder had not pitched in more than a month.

"I was a little nervous in the beginning, but by the time it came down to the last pitch, I had confidence," Magruder said. "We didn't do our best today. I don't want to get cocky, but we're a good team."

Encino's Justin Greenwald earned the win, and he added a two-run home run. Seth Stone added two walks and two runs.

"We tried a lot of different things today, but I was saving Gordon for the end," manager Jeff Cohen said. "I had all the confidence in the world in him."

Pasadena hit five home runs, two in first inning and two in the sixth. Zach Brown and Sean Kelly hit two, and Jeff Patrick also homered.

Stone (2-0) is scheduled to start this morning against Crescenta Valley.

"He's one of our best pitchers," Cohen said.

Will Latu, a 6-5, 310-pound offensive lineman for College of the Canyons, has committed to West Virginia.

Conejo Valley defeated host Moorpark 12-2 on Wednesday to win the District 13 Little League championship and qualify for the Section I tournament beginning today at Moorpark Little League.

Here are results of how 11 local teams fared Thursday in the Elite Division opening round at the San Diego Classic, the nation's largest girls' basketball tournament held at UC San Diego.

Alemany 34, Long Beach Millikan 24
Bell-Jeff 43, Foothill 41
Camarillo 33, Yorba Linda 25
Chaminade 41, The Bishop's School 32
Thousand Oaks 40, Corona Centennial 37
Agoura 51, Santa Monica 31
Long Beach Poly 31, Saugus 18
Rancho Verde 40, Oaks Christian 37
Brea-Olinda 32, Notre Dame 25
St. Mary's/Stockton 36, Newbury Park 12
La Jolla Country Day 57, Moorpark 18

Friday's schedule
Moorpark vs. El Toro, 9 a.m.
Notre Dame vs. Pacifica/Oxnard, 10 a.m.
Newbury Park vs. Mt. Carmel, 10 a.m.
Thousand Oaks vs. Vegas Bulldogs, 11 a.m.
Oaks Christian vs. Western Ozstars, 11 a.m.
Chaminade vs. Anaheim Canyon, noon
Saugus vs. Poway, noon
Alemany vs. Oak Ridge, 1 p.m.
Bell-Jeff vs. Corona Santiago, 1 p.m.
Camarillo vs. Windward, 1 p.m.
Agoura vs. Arroyo Grande, 2 p.m.

The Nick Young youth basketball camp at Oaks Christian had two very special visitors this week.

Young, who averaged 17.4 points this past season for the Washington Wizards, brought in two of his friends.

Danny Granger and Paul George from the Indiana Pacers made appearances, and the kids, age 6-14 loved it.

George went head to head with Young in a dunk contest and Granger hosted his own version of "20 questions".

Encino Little League is the District 40 Little League baseball champion after defeating annual power Northridge 13-8 on Wednesday in the championship game in Sherman Oaks.

Encino advances to the Section 2 tournament beginning Saturday at Encino Little League. The 11- and 12-year-olds play Pasadena American in the first round.

The section winners advance to the Southern California Divisonals, followed by the Western Regionals, then the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Matt Leinart is hosting the fifth annual iRenew Matt Leinart Foundation "Celebrity Bowl" on tonight at Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood.

The event will include a bowling competition in which 10 teams of six people, comprised of two celebrities and four team members, will compete for the championship.

The event will also include a silent auction featuring celebrity memorabilia.

The Matt Leinart Foundation is committed to providing resources and opportunities to support disadvantaged youth through learning centers, sporting activities and granted wishes. The Foundation is set up to build character development and help each child maximize academic and personal achievement.

There is a long and impressive list of scheduled celebs:Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints), A.J. Michalka (Hellcats), Aly Michalka (Easy A & Hellcats), Ali Fedotowsky (The Bachelorette), Bridget Marquardt (The Girls Next Door), Jayde Nicole (2008 Playmate of the Year & Holly's World), Gretchen Rossi (The Real Housewives of Orange County), David Banner (musician), Mark Ingram (2009 Heisman Trophy Winner), Tara Lipinski (Olympic figure skater), Kelly Monaco (Dancing with the Stars & General Hospital), Anthony Anderson (Law & Order), Kelvin Brown (Grey's Anatomy & Takers), DeAnna Pappas (The Bachelorette), Shaun Robinson (Access Hollywood), Slade Smiley (The Real Housewives of Orange County), Tamra Barney (The Real Housewives of Orange County), Derek Hough (Dancing with the Stars), Keith Mitchell (New Orleans Saints), Chauncey Washington (St. Louis Rams), Antonio Cromartie (NY Jets), Chilo Rachal (San Francisco 49ers), Braylon Edwards (NY Jets), Vince Young (Tennessee Titans), Shawne Merriman (Buffalo Bills), Willie McGinest (retired NFL linebacker), Josh Cribbs (Cleveland Browns), Calais Campbell (Arizona Cardinals);

Owen Daniels (Houston Texans), Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons), George Wilson (Buffalo Bills), Benjamin Watson (Cleveland Browns), Bernard Berrian (Minnesota Vikings), Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks), Kendrick Perkins (Oklahoma City Thunder), Dominique Byrd (Seattle Seahawks), Thomas Williams (Carolina Panthers), Malcolm Smith (Seattle Seahawks), Marc Tyler (USC Trojans), Jonathan Novack (The Bachelorette & Bachelor Pad), Natalie Getz (The Bachelor & Bachelor Pad), Jake Busey (Starship Troopers), Chris McDonald (Happy Gilmore), Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club), Benito Martinez (The Shield), Kenny Johnson (The Shield & Saving Grace), Jonathan Keltz (Entourage & Prom), Tanya Chisholm (Big Time Rush), Valery Ortiz (Host of American Latino TV & Two and a Half Men), Juan Barbieri (The Bachelorette & Bachelor Pad), Elizabeth Kitt (The Bachelor & Bachelor Pad), Krisily Kennedy (The Bachelor & Bachelor Pad), Taylor Spreitler (Melissa and Joey & Days of Our Lives), Sadie Murray (The Bachelor), and more...

The Conjeo Quakes club basketball team is a pretty impressive collection of local junior high players.

Here is the roster followed below by some other notes and information

Roxanne Barahman - 2016 - A.C. Stelle Middle School (Calabasas)
Sydney Boyer - 2017 - Chaparral Middle School (Moorpark)
Avery Brunk - 2016 - Sequoia Middle School (Newbury Park)
Kate Foultz - 2016 - Los Cerritos Middle School (Thousand Oaks)
Madison Hutchinson - 2016 - Sequoia Middle School (Newbury Park)
Milana Kazmer - 2016 - Colina Middle School (Westlake Village)
Isabelle Newman - 2017 - Grace Brethren (Simi Valley)
Kayla Overbeck - 2016 - Sequoia Middle School (Newbury Park)
Lindsey Tse - 2016 - A.C. Stelle Middle School (Calabasas)

Newman is the younger sister of Chaminade graduate Travis Newman. Tse is the younger sister of Calabasas' Lauren Tse. Brunk is the younger sister of Newbury Park's Alex Brunk. Hutchinson is the younger sister of Newbury Park's Jesslyn Hutchinson.

So far in July, the Quakes played in the Cal Sparks NCAA viewing-tournament and placed fourth out of 12 teams in the 17u Open Division-West Bracket. Also, played in the Ventura Seaside High School Tournament, going 1-3 with a win over Birmingham and close losses to Santa Barbara and Saugus.

In June, the Quakes played in Salesian Force's 17u Open Division and went 2-2 to take fifth out of eight. Also, played in Swoosh's Santa Barbara tournament and went 2-1 in the varsity Gold Division.

In May, played in West Coast Premier's tournament in the 15u Division and took second out of 16.

Needless to say, this team is high school ready right now.

Westlake defensive lineman Justin Solis has committed to Colorado.

The Taft boys' basketball program lost its chief last week when Derrick Taylor left to take the coaching position at St. John Bosco but asst. principal Robert Clarke says the program will remain strong.

"it is now my job to find a great coach and I will," Clarke said. "We lost a great coach and I know Derrick struggled with the decision to leave but i want to keep Taft a strong program in the City Section."

Clarke would like to hire a new coach by the end of the month and is taking applicant materials through Friday.

Colin Jamerson and former Taft asst. Temesghan Starr are two names that have been talked about.

Jamerson coached at Sierra Canyon two season ago before guiding Shalhevet last year.

Starr was an asst. at Montana St. last year.

Taft is still the West Valley League favorite with Brandon Perry, Steven Jones, Kris Yanku and Sandro Alberto back in the fold.

Michael Thomas is a rising junior prospect.

An American won the country's first 800-meter gold medal Sunday at the World Youth Track and Field Championships in Lille, France, only it was Ajee Wilson of New Jersey's Neptune High instead of Harvard-Westlake's Amy Weissenbach.

Weissenbach concluded the year still boasting the fastest 17-under time in the world, but Wilson captured the two-lap title by clocking a personal-best 2 minutes, 2.64 seconds, followed by China's Chunyu Wang (2:03.23) taking silver and Great Britain's Jessica Judd (2:03.43) -- the leader after one lap in 59.62 seconds -- securing bronze.

Weissenbach, the Gatorade national girls' track and field athlete of the year, placed fourth in 2:03.59, the second-fastest mark of her career.

Weissenbach set the National Federation High School record of 2:02.04 to repeat as state champion June 4 in Clovis.

It was Wilson's second head-to-head victory over Weissenbach, along with prevailing by a 2:09.39 to 2:09.52 margin June 29 at the World Youth trials in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Wilson, Wang, Judd and Weissenbach are responsible for the top 10 times on the world's 17-under performance list this year. Wilson and Weissenbach are responsible for the three fastest marks by American runners in World Youth Championships history.

Pitcher Lucas Giolito from Harvard Westlake and infielder William Vazquez from San Fernando have been named Cal-Hi Sports first-team all-state. Here is the complete list:

ALL-CALIFORNIA BASEBALL: FIRST TEAM OVERALL

Catchers:

Jeff Brown, Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) Sr.
The Fresno Bee Player of the Year caught all but two innings for a team that
was No. 1 in the state and No. 1 in the POWERADE FAB 50. Brown also was
Buchanan's leading hitter at .430 with 40 RBIs, including nine doubles and
six home runs. He's not an ideal prospect due to size, but watch out for him
at Fresno City College.

Austin Hedges, JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) Sr.
The Co-MVP of the Trinity League may have been known more for his defensive
abilities, but he showed he could more than hold his own at the plate as he
hit .366 with four home runs. Just like fellow all-state selection Joe Ross,
Hedges has a commitment to UCLA if he doesn't sign with the San Diego
Padres, who selected him in the second round of the MLB draft.

Pitchers:

Photo by: Area Code Baseball
Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox was a first team all-state player when
he played in high school at Eastlake of Chula Vista.

Daniel Camarena, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) Sr.
An Aflac All-American after last season, Camarena wrapped up his high school
career helping the Dons win the CIF San Diego Section Division III
championship. Appearing in 12 games on the mound, he went 9-1 with a 0.53 ERA
and struck out 90 batters in 66 1/3 innings. At the plate, he added five
homers and 21 RBIs. Camarena will head to the University of San Diego if he
doesn't sign with the New York Yankees after being selected in the 20th
round of the MLB Draft.

Tyler Davis, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) Sr.
With high draft picks Joe Ross and Robert Stephenson, some other top Northern
California pitchers were overshadowed. One who still did enough to be a
first-team all-stater is Davis. He capped an outstanding career for the
Monarchs with a 9-2 record, a 1.06 ERA and 106 strikeouts. He was the West
Catholic Athletic League Pitcher of the Year and first team All-Mercury News.

Justin Garza, Bonita (La Verne, Calif.) Jr.
Garza's 13-0 record and high honors from the L.A. Times and San Gabriel
Valley Tribune made him almost an automatic first team all-state pick for us.
Two of Garza's wins came in the CIFSS playoffs, but a loss in a game he
didn't pitch ended his season. Garza also had a 0.51 ERA and struck out 75
batters.

Lucas Giolito, Harvard-Westlake (N. Hollywood, Calif.) Jr.
At 6-foot-6, this right-handed pitcher with a 94 mph fastball was hard to hit
as he went 9-1 with a 1.00 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 70 innings. Named the L.A.
Daily News Player of the Year, he was dominant in the Southern Section
Division II playoffs as he tossed a no-hitter and two shutouts as the
Woverines advanced to the quarterfinals.

Henry Owens, Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) Sr.
Our Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year also was the L.A. Times' Player of
the Year. The stat that really stood out for us about Owens was his 31-4
record over the last three seasons against elite competition. This season,
Owens was 12-1 with three saves and had 140 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings.

Joe Ross, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) Sr.
Despite just a 6-4 record on the mound, Ross was a finalist for state player
of the year as allowed just eight earned runs to finish with a 0.79 ERA. The
brother of MLB pitcher Tyson Ross also happened to have been the first prep
player from the state taken in the MLB draft, going at No. 25 in the first
round by the San Diego Padres. Ross also batted .408 on the year.

Robert Stephenson, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.) Sr.
The East Bay Player of the Year and the Gatorade State Player of the Year
whiffed 142 batters with just 23 walks. Stephenson, who also was the 27th pick
in the first round of the MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds, also went 8-2 with
a 1.19 ERA.

Infielders:

Jacob Anderson, Chino (Chino, Calif.)
This Pepperdine-committed standout was taken with the No. 35 pick in the MLB
Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays after a solid senior season. With his pitching
and hitting leading the way, the Cowboys reached the quarterfinals of the
CIFSS Division IV playoffs before losing to Torrance.

Brandon Berry, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego, Calif.) Sr.
The rugged Palomar League's Player of the Year led the CIF San Diego Section
Division I champions with a .432 batting average. Berry also drove in 46 runs,
hit 10 homers and stole 16 bases. Next season, he will take the diamond at the
University of Washington.

Alex Blandino, St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.) Sr.
A rare four-year starter for St. Francis, Blandino was the San Jose Mercury
News Player of the Year. The Stanford signer and Oakland Athletics' 38th
round draft pick led the Lancers with 39 RBIs and had a .410 average. He also
hit nine homers to give him a new school record of 18 for his career.

Gabriel Clark, J.W. North (Riverside, Calif.) Jr.
Clark was the leading offensive threat for the Huskies in their march to the
CIFSS Division I championship. He smacked five homers with 32 RBIs with a .708
slugging mark and a .523 on-base percentage. Clark has been selected as the
Riverside Press-Enterprise Player of the Year.

Phillip Evans, La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.) Sr.
The Mavericks had their season end without a section championship, but Evans
did all he could as he hit .392 with seven home runs and 20 walks. He also
scored 34 times and drove in 33. The first team All-San Diego Section pick was
chosen in the 15th round of the MLB draft by the New York Mets and also has
signed with San Diego State.

Trent Gilbert, Torrance (Torrance, Calif.) Sr.
One of the highest regarded hitting prospects in Southern California, Gilbert
had more than 50 hits for two straight seasons, including 51 this year. The
University of Arizona signer and L.A. Times' all-star also batted .447 and
was an outstanding fielder.

Travis Harrison, Tustin (Tustin, Calif.) Sr.
Showing why he signed with USC, Harrison hit .486 with 13 home runs and 30
RBIs before being selected by the Minnesota Twins with the 50th pick in the
MLB Draft. The Tillers stuggled to win, but Harrison also led the team in runs
scored with 33 and doubles with 11.

Rio Ruiz, Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.) Jr.
California's Junior of the Year and one of the elite juniors in the nation,
Ruiz was the top player for the CIFSS Division IV champs and the top-ranked
team in Southern California. Ruiz smacked a home run at Dodger Stadium in the
title game and hit .455 overall. He also had 35 RBIs, 14 doubles and reached
93 mph as a part-time closer.

William Vazquez, San Fernando (San Fernando, Calif.) Jr.
The CIF L.A. City Section Player of the Year led the Tigers to the CIF L.A.
City Section title. Vazquez, who started mostly at third base, hit .513
overall. He also doubled 13 times and had 29 RBIs.

Tyrone Wiggins, El Capitan (Lakeside, Calif.) Sr.
Part of perhaps the state's top 1-2 punch with teammate Troy Conyers,
Wiggins capped a strong career by leading the team with a .456 average. He
also had eight homers, 36 RBIs, 40 runs scored and stole 25 bases. Just like
fellow all-state honoree Phillip Evans, he will be headed to play for San
Diego State next season.

Outfielders:

Billy Flamion, Central Catholic (Modesto, Calif.) Sr.
Finishing off an impressive high school career, the Modesto Bee Player of the
Year batted .388 with 39 runs scored. Flamion walked 22 times as few pitched
to him yet he still had 22 RBIs. For his career, Flamion has 19 homers and 25
pitching wins. He has signed with Oregon and was chosen in the MLB draft by
the Houston Astros.

Ryan Garvey, Palm Desert (Palm Desert, Calif.) Sr.
It has been an honors-filled postseason for Garvey, the son of former L.A.
Dodger great Steve Garvey. After he helped Palm Desert to the CIFSS Div. IV
final (where the team lost to Bishop Amat), Garvey has been first team All-CIF
and made the L.A. Times' top squad. For the season, Garvey hit .372 with
nine homers and 44 RBIs. He'll play next at USC.

James Harris, Oakland Tech (Oakland, Calif.) Sr.
Still fairly new to the game of baseball, Harris led Oakland Tech to the
Transbay Series title against the top team from San Francisco. He batted .439
with 13 RBIs, 19 runs scored and 11 steals. Harris walked 17 times otherwise
his totals probably would have been better. He has a long way to go to be like
fellow Oakland Tech standout Rickey Henderson but he has already signed with
the Tampa Bay Rays after being the No. 60 pick overall in the MLB draft.

Austin Saenz, Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.) Sr.
Earning CIF Southern Section Division II player of the year honors, Seanz hit
.495 with three home runs and 25 RBIs as the Diablos captured the CIFSS
Division II championship. Saenz, who was an L.A. Times' and Orange County
Register top team pick, was a batboy for the Cal State Fullerton baseball team
from the age of eight through 13. He will now head there next season to swing
the bat instead of picking them up.

Multi-Purpose:

Jordan Brink, Central (Fresno, Calif.) Sr.
A four-year starter with a .417 career batting average, Brink was a candidate
for top honors in the CIF Central Section. As a hitter, Brink batted .434 as a
senior with 36 runs scores, 13 doubles, six homers and 31 RBIs. On the mound,
Brink was 6-2 with a 2.85 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings. He'll
play next at Fresno State.

Troy Conyers, El Capitan (Lakeside, Calif.) Jr.
The San Diego Union-Tribune Player of the Year was a linchpin of the U.S.
Junior National Team last summer. He paced the Vaqueros by going 8-2 on the
mound with a school record 17 doubles and a .408 average. Conyers also had a
1.04 ERA and hit seven homers with 41 RBIs.

J.D. Davis, Elk Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.) Sr.
Our Cal-Hi Sports Junior of the Year last season had a good senior season as
he hit .484 with nine home runs and 45 runs batted in for the Thundering Herd.
When handed the ball to pitch, he went 6-2. Davis also had a 1.56 ERA and 70
strikeouts in just 49 1/3 innings pitched. He is headed to Cal State Fullerton
to play next season unless he signs with the Tampa Bay Rays, who selected him
in the fifth round of the MLB Draft.

Ty Moore, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) Jr.
Helping the Monarchs capture the Trinity League championship, Moore went 10-2
on the mound with a 3.16 ERA while striking out 55 batters in 75.1 innings.
The UCLA committed junior, who is the Orange County Register Player of the
Year and a Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year finalist, also was impressive
at the plate. Moore hit .510 with 39 runs scored and 37 RBIs.

Seth Moranda, Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) Sr.
Buchanan's other first team all-stater along with catcher Jeff Brown is
Moranda, the team's top pitcher and leading home run hitter. Moranda, who
was a Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year finalist and 11th round draft pick
by the Atlanta Braves, ended with 32 career pitching wins, one of the highest
totals in Central Section history. Moranda also has signed with Fresno State.

Blayne Ontiveros, Frontier (Bakersfield, Calif.) Sr.
Leading Frontier to its second straight CIF Central Section Division II
championship, Ontiveros has been picked as the Bakersfield Californian's
All-Area Player of the Year after an impressive season. For pitching,
Ontiveros went 11-1 with a 1.77 ERA while striking out 84 batters in 71
innings. As a hitter, he led the section with 13 homers and had 37 RBIs with a
.444 average.

Mitch Walding, St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.) Sr.
Despite suffering a stress fracture in his foot, Walding was able to bounce
back and help lead the Rams to a second straight CIF Sac-Joaquin Section
Division I championship. He also was named the Stockton Record Player of the
Year. On the season, he went 6-1 with a 0.63 ERA and 37 strikeouts while
hitting .442 with 24 RBIs. The University of Oregon signer also was recently
picked in the fifth round of the MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Harvard-Westlake's Cami Chapus produced the fastest 1,500-meter time by an American high school runner this year, clocking a personal-best 4 minutes, 17.12 seconds Saturday to place fifth at the World Youth Track and Field Championships in Lille, France.

Kenya's Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon, who posted the fastest qualifying time in Wednesday's prelims, won the title in a World Youth Championships record 4:09.48, giving her country its fourth consecutive 1,500 gold medal.

Hannah Meier of Michigan's Grosse Pointe South High, who edged Chapus 4:24.92 to 4:25.61 at the World Youth trials June 29 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., placed ninth in 4:20.65.

Chapus, already the national high school outdoor leader this year in the mile (4:42.71) and second in the 1,600 (4:40.88), produced the best 1,500 time by an American female runner in World Youth Championships history by posting a significant improvement from Wednesday's prelim time of 4:22.69.

Mission Prep graduate Jordan Hasay, now running at Oregon, ran 4:17.24 to capture the silver medal at the 2007 meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Chapus' 1,500 mark is the fourth-fastest in state history and ranks No. 6 all-time by an American prep runner. Hasay set the national high school record of 4:14.50 in 2008.

Harvard-Westlake's Amy Weissenbach competes Sunday in the 800-meter final.

Brent Williams, a defensive tackle from Taft who signed with Washington a year ago but ended up at L.A. Valley College, has signed with Colorado State.

It looks as though Therese Berner is out as coach at Calabasas after one season.

There is a posting on the cifss.org website listing the position as open and athletic director Larry Edwards is the contact for applying.

Harvard-Westlake's Amy Weissenbach finished second in her 800-meter semifinal heat Friday in 2 minutes, 5.84 seconds to advance to Sunday's final at the World Youth Track and Field Championships in Lille, France.

Great Britain's Katie Snowden won the heat in 2:05.67. She and Weissenbach have the fifth- and sixth-fastest qualifying times for the championship race.

Weissenbach, who set the National Federation High School record of 2:02.04 when she repeated as state champion June 4 in Clovis, still boasts the fastest 17-under time in the world this year.

But she'll face strong challenges in the final from Ajee Wilson of New Jersey's Neptune High, who won the third semifinal heat in 2:03.17, followed by Great Britain's Jessica Judd in 2:03.80. Great Britain and the U.S. are the only two countries with a pair of athletes in the eight-runner final.

Harvard-Westlake's Cami Chapus competes in the 12-runner 1,500-meter final Saturday.

There are plenty of new faces at local programs.

Bryan Camacho is in at Alemany. Camacho replaces Bethel Trice.

Gary Walin is in at Thousand Oaks. Walin replaces Rick Cromwell.

Keith Case is in at Moorpark. Case replaces Gene Hatton.

Katelyn Harrison is in at Agoura. Harrison replaces Steve Scifres, who now coaches the boys' team.

Sherry Higgins is in at L.A. Baptist. Higgins replaces Jerry DeLaurie.

Note: watch out for Higgins' daughter, Valerie. She is a top 8th-grader this September.

Cara Blumfield is in at El Camino Real. Blumfied replaces Raquel Alotis.

Alotis is in at Sierra Canyon. Alotis replaces T.J. Knox.

Oaks Christian is searching for a coach after the resignation of Mario Trutanic.

Trutanic is now an asst. at Cal St. Northridge.

Chaminade was going to have a great team next year with Annie Tarakchian, Mi'Chael Wright and Robyn Brown back in the starting lineup.

The Eagles should only be bolstered by the additions of sophomore transfers Kaylie and Christa Fandino from West Ranch.

Kaylie averaged 8.5 points last year for the Wildcats, who finished 17-10.

Sierra Canyon coach Raquel Alotis is in her first summer coaching the Trailblazers after very successful stints at Chatsworth and El Camino Real.

Alotis will have a very good player for the next four years.

Freshman Kennedy Burke has enrolled at the Chatsworth campus.

Burke is a 5'10 guard with great athleticism and speed.

Burke's older sister, Kody, played at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and is currently at N.C. St.

Harvard-Westlake's Amy Weissenbach easily advanced to the 800-meter semifinals by finishing third in her heat Thursday, clocking 2 minutes, 8.09 seconds at the World Youth Track and Field Championships in Lille, France.

Weissenbach, who set the National Federation High School record of 2:02.04 to repeat as state champion June 4, trailed China's Chunyu Wang (2:06.19) and Japan's Miho Nakata (2:07.72).

Weissenbach, who still boasts the fastest 17-under time in the world, posted the seventh-fastest qualifying time of the 24 semifinalists and will race in the second of three heats in Friday's semifinals.

Ajee Wilson of New Jersey's Neptune High won the slowest heat in 2:14.07 and will race in the third semifinal heat.

Oaks Christian is Cal-Hi Sports state Div. IV school of the year. Here is the complete release:

Long Beach Poly starts off another decade with State School of Year selection

The fabled school was best in the state for all-sports the first time in the
1910s. The Jackrabbits won their 31st and 32nd all-time CIF state titles this
school year.

Until the final weekend of the 2010-11 school year, it really wasn't that
great of a year for the athletic department at Long Beach Poly (Long Beach,
Calif.).

Sure, the Jackrabbits had more teams in the top 20 of the various POWERADE
FAB 50 national rankings than any other school in the nation, but before the
boys and girls track teams swept to state titles at the CIF championships on
June 3 at Buchanan High's Veterans Stadium in Clovis, there was a sense that
Long Beach Poly teams had disappointed in the clutch.

Once the track sweep was complete, the full measure of success of the Long
Beach Poly school year became easy to see. So despite strong all-sport
challenges from schools such as De La Salle of Concord (even though the
Spartans are boys' only), Torrey Pines of San Diego and Buchanan of Clovis,
it is the Jackrabbits who once again have been chosen as the Cal-Hi Sports
State School of the Year.

This is the 17th time that Long Beach Poly has been judged the top all-sports
school in California. The first was for 1913-14. That was followed by two
picks for the 1920s, three for the 1930s, two for the 1940s, one in the 1950s,
three in the 1960s, one in the 1980s and then three in the 2000s. Note: All of
those choices prior to the 1980s were based on retroactive research by Cal-Hi
Sports founder Nelson Tennis.

The girls track team, coached by Crystal Irving, not only won the CIF state
title but were No. 1 in the final POWERADE FAB 50 national rankings. The
Jackrabbits featured hurdler-triple jumper Melia Cox and 400-meter runner
Akawkaw Ndipagbor, who are both headed to USC.

The boys track team, coached by the legendary Don Norford, just missed being
No. 1 in the nation, falling in just behind St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.). It was a more dramatic win for the boys in the state meet,
too, as they needed to win the final event - the 4x400 relay - in order to
pull in front of Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.). Poly's boys were led by
400-meter champion Shaquille Howard and third-place 800-meter runner Myles
Andrews.

Poly's two CIF titles in track pushed the school's all-time total of CIF
state titles in all sports to 32, which is twice as many as any other school
in the state on the all-time list.

Earlier in the school year, Poly teams in girls volleyball, boys basketball
and girls basketball were all ranked in the top 10 in the nation but none
could get a CIF state crown.

The girls volleyball team was favored to win the CIF Division I title after
winning the Southern California championship, but was upset in the finals by
Palo Alto (Palo Alto, Calif.). The Jackrabbits still wound up 39-3 and were
No. 11 in the final POWERADE FAB 50.

In boys hoops, the Jackrabbits were No. 1 in the state for much of the season
and sat in that position heading into the CIF Division I Southern Regional
playoffs after they won the loaded CIF Southern Section Div. I title. In the
regional final, though, Poly was defeated by eventual D1 state champ Mater Dei
(Santa Ana, Calif.). Led by Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year Ryan
Anderson, the Jackrabbits still finished 31-2 and were No. 17 in the final
POWERADE FAB 50.

While the girls basketball team at Poly was never top-ranked in the state, the
Jackrabbits made their mark in December by posting a win over Mater Dei, which
was No. 1 in the nation at the time and eventually finished in that position
with its only loss of the season coming in that game. Poly's own playoff
drive for a possible fifth Div. I state title in six years was cut short in a
stunning upset against Santa Monica (Santa Monica, Calif.). Still, due to
having the win against Mater Dei, the Jackrabbits ended 25-3 and were No. 12
in the final POWERADE FAB 50.

A sixth team at Poly that also contributed to the State School of the Year
honor was in boys cross country. The Jackrabbits placed seventh in the
Division I state finals and just missed getting a top 50 national ranking.

With five teams placing from No. 1, No. 2, No. 11, No. 12 and No. 17 in those
final FAB 50s, Poly also is in the running to be this year's POWERADE FAB 50
All-Sports national champion. That honor is based on a point system so it can
be a different school that is chosen as the Cal-Hi Sports' State School of
the Year.

Whether it's a point system or a judgement call, it's just more proof that
there is no school in America that comes close to Long Beach Poly for all-time
all-sports success.

Cal-Hi Sports State Schools of the Year
Updated All-Time List

2010-11 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
2009-10 - Junipero Serra (Gardena)
2008-09 - Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
2007-08 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
2006-07 - Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
2005-06 - Buchanan (Clovis)
2004-05 - Clovis West (Fresno)
2003-04 - De La Salle (Concord)
2002-03 - Torrey Pines (San Diego)
2001-02 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
2000-01 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
1999-00 - De La Salle (Concord)
1998-99 - Clovis West (Fresno)
1997-98 - Santa Margarita (Rancho SM)
1996-97 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
1995-96 - De La Salle (Concord)
1994-95 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
1993-94 - Clovis West (Fresno)
1992-93 - Esperanza (Anaheim)
1991-92 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
1990-91 - Poway
1989-90 - Bakersfield
1988-89 - Corona del Mar (Newport Beach)
1987-88 - Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo)
1986-87 - Mission Viejo
1985-86 - Bellarmine (San Jose)
1984-85 - Bellarmine (San Jose)
1983-84 - Cordova (Rancho Cordova)
1982-83 - St. Francis (Mountain View)
1981-82 - Mission Viejo
1980-81 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
1979-80 - Berkeley
1978-79 - Mt. Whitney (Visalia)
1977-78 - Andrew Hill (San Jose)
1976-77 - Pasadena
1975-76 - San Fernando
1974-75 - Clovis
1973-74 - Kearny (San Diego)
1972-73 - Monte Vista (Spring Valley)
1971-72 - Ygnacio Valley (Concord)
1970-71 - Lompoc
1969-70 - Blair (Pasadena)
1968-69 - Compton
1967-68 - Homestead (Cupertino)
1966-67 - El Rancho (Pico Rivera)
1965-66 - El Segundo
1964-65 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
1963-64 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
1962-63 - Santa Clara
1961-62 - McClymonds (Oakland)
1960-61 - Compton
1959-60 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
1958-59 - Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
1957-58 - Berkeley
1956-57 - Fresno
1955-56 - Jefferson (Los Angeles)
1954-55 - Centennial (Compton)
1953-54 - St. Ignatius (San Francisco)
1952-53 - Santa Monica
1951-52 - Compton
1950-51 - Compton
1949-50 - Jefferson (Los Angeles)

Note: All-time list extends back to 1890-91 in the Cal-Hi Sports State Record
Book and Almanac. All selections prior to 1980 made retroactively through
research by the late Nelson Tennis, founder of Cal-Hi Sports.

MORE CAL-HI SPORTS STATE SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR

For single gender sports, California's best for 2010-11 were De La Salle,
Torrey Pines

Girls Sports Only:
Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.)
It was close between the girls from State School of the Year Long Beach Poly
and Torrey Pines, but the Falcons' girls had ultra-strong showings in five
sports to Poly's three to snag the honors in this category. The Falcons'
golf team, led by Hee-Wook Choi, was the CIF state champion while the cross
country team, led by Alli Billmeyer, was sixth in the state. The track team
had a solid meet in Clovis to finish eighth while the soccer team finished
23-2-4 and was the Southern Regional Div. I champion while landing at No. 6 in
the ESPN RISE POWERADE FAB 50 final rankings. The Falcons also were 22-3 in
lacrosse to win a second-straight CIF San Diego Section championship. Also, in
addition to those five sports, the softball team had a 23-win season and made
it to the second round of the CIFSDS D1 playoffs. The volleyball team also had
a 20-win season after making it to the SDS D1 semifinals. Note: Torrey
Pines' boys also won a CIF state title in golf, finished ninth in the cross
country state meet and ranked 23rd in the FAB 50 in boys track.

Boys Sports Only:
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Although they've won it three times (1995-96, 1999-00, 2003-04), the
Spartans are at a disadvantage in the overall State School of the Year judging
because they're boys only. After beating out Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.)
this year, the boys only award is something De La Salle has now won for the
sixth time since its inception in 1984-85. Earlier boys sports honors are for
1990-91, 1995-96, 1999-00, 2003-04 and 2005-06. Although it wasn't a very
good year in track and field, Sparta excelled in virtually every other sport.
The highlight was a CIF Division I State Bowl Game title in football, the
school's third bowl game title in the five years of the modern era. The golf
team also added a fourth-place tie showing at the state championship to its
CIF North Coast Section title. In other state championship sports, DLS was the
Div. I state runner-up in boys basketball and was fourth in the state in
wrestling. In non-state championship sports, the 42-2 Spartans were the NCS
champions and No. 15 in the nation in volleyball. They also were NCS Div. I
champions in cross country and winter soccer with second-place showings in
baseball and lacrosse.

Division I:
Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.)
The Jackrabbits also have been chosen as the overall State School of the Year
for the 17th time.

Division II:
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
For the seventh straight year, the Monarchs have taken the prize for CIF Div.
II enrollment level schools. The Aaron Gordon-led basketball team was the CIF
Div. II state champion, a first boys state title in school history. The team
also finished No. 5 in the state and No. 39 in the nation. The girls'
softball team won its 10th CCS Div. II championship and sixth in seven years.
The Monarchs' girls were No. 4 in the state and No. 16 in the nation. In
girls soccer, Mitty was the West Catholic Athletic League and CCS Div. II
champions. The baseball team was a CCS Div. I semifinalist and finished No. 15
in the final state rankings. The football team was only 6-4-1, but lost by
just 13-10 in the CCS Open Division playoffs to eventual state champion Palo
Alto. The girls basketball team also lost in the NorCal playoffs to an
eventual state champ. In that case, it was 67-64 in the D2 NorCal playoffs to
St. Mary's of Stockton.

Division III:
Campolindo (Moraga, Calif.)
The Cougars are the Div. III School of the Year for the second time since the
award's inception in 1996-97, winning previously for the 2004-05 school
year. This past year, the girls cross country team led the way. With junior
Carrie Verdon blowing away the field with a 21-second victory, Campolindo was
the Div. III state champion by an almost two-minute margin. The Cougars then
became the only school in the state to snag two girls state titles when they
followed up the cross country championship with a four-game victory over
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) in the CIF Div. III state volleyball
championships. The baseball team did its part after winning a second straight
CIF North Coast Section baseball championship, as did the volleyball team with
a 30-win season and the NCS Div. II championship. The boys soccer team went
20-1-6 and was the NCS Div. II winter soccer champions. In basketball, the
girls team won 25 games before bowing out 58-54 to Sacramento in the Northern
Regional D3 semifinals.

Division IV:
Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
The Lions collect their first state school of the year honor, which is
surprising considering how strong they've been in multiple sports since
opening a little more than 10 years ago. The trick for this honor wasn't
that Oaks Christian was deserving, but which division should the school be
placed. By enrollment and by basketball, Division IV works so Division IV it
is and no other school did better. The football team's dramatic win over
Westlake of Westlake Village in the CIFSS Northern Division championship got
things going. This was followed by high placings in both boys and girls hoops,
a CIF SoCal D3 title in girls soccer and then top 10 state rankings in both
baseball and softball. The softball team's 30-5 record also included a CIFSS
divisional crown.

Division V:
Poly (Pasadena, Calif.)
Led by the state's top scorer, Michelle Miller (33.0 ppg), the Panthers'
girls basketball team went 27-3 before a loss in the Southern Regional
quarterfinals. The boys team, meanwhile, finished 24-3 and made it to the
CIFSS Div. 5A semifinals. The baseball team, led by 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior
Hunter Merryman (.512 average, nine home runs, 42 RBIs), went 25-2-1 to win
the CIFSS Div. VI championship and was No. 2 in the state. In football, Poly
finished 9-4 before bowing out in the CIFSS Northeast Division semifinals. The
boys water polo team also went 22-4 and finished as the runner up in the CIFSS
Div. V playoffs. This is Pasadena Poly's first-ever State School of the Year
selection.

Special Mention School
Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.)
The Bears also should finish high in the POWERADE FAB 50 All-Sports Rankings.
Buchanan's huge spring, which was culminated with a No. 1 national finish in
baseball and a No. 2 finish in boys volleyball, accounted for a bulk of its
FAB 50 points. But the Bears also were nationally ranked in three other
sports. They were third in the CIF D1 finals in girls cross country, placed
fifth in the boys race and also made the finals in the CIF Southern California
Div. I boys soccer playoffs. Buchanan's boys track team also was No. 43 in
the final FAB 50 in that sport.

Special Mention School
Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.)
A controversial disqualification helped prevent the Cubs from winning the team
title at the CIF state track meet, but they came through two weeks later and
won a team title at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Loyola earlier won a CIF state
crown in D2 boys cross country, went 25-6 and won a CIFSS title in basketball
and was No. 9 in the nation in volleyball. Just like De La Salle, Loyola is
boys sports only and two years ago did win the boys sports only statewide
honor.

Special Mention School
Palo Alto (Palo Alto, Calif.)
Like State School of the Year Long Beach Poly, the Vikings snagged a boys and
girls state championship, albeit in different sports. The boys pulled off a
shocker after a 15-13 win in the quagmire at Carson over Corona Centennial in
the CIF Division I State Bowl Game gave the football team a perfect 14-0
season. Two weeks before the football victory, the girls volleyball team won a
thrilling five-game victory over Long Beach Poly to capture the CIF Division I
state championship while finishing with a 41-1 record. Besides the two state
titles, the baseball team won its first ever CIF Central Coast Section
baseball title with a rain-delayed 5-4 victory over San Benito (Hollister) in
the D1 title game. With the victory, Paly ended up No. 1 in its Cal-Hi Sports
divisional ranking (D2) for the first time ever in the over 100-year history
of the school. In basketball, the girls were CCS D1 champions before losing in
the NorCal D1 quarterfinals. The boys were CIF CCS D2 semifinalists before
losing to eventual state champion Archbishop Mitty of San Jose.

Special Mention School
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
A sweep of CIF Division I state championships in boys and girls basketball was
the highlight of the school year for the Monarchs. Head coach Kevin Kiernan
and Ms. Basketball USA winner Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis also helped the girls end
No. 1 in the nation. Mater Dei won a CIFSS title as well in boys water polo
and boys volleyball and picked up a fourth section crown in girls track. The
school was No. 3 in the final FAB 50 in volleyball and also went 24-5 with a
high state ranking in baseball.

Special Mention School
Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.)
While district rival Buchanan was much higher in the POWERADE FAB 50
All-Sports rankings, the Golden Eagles edged the Bears for the supremacy award
in the highly-regarded Tri-River Athletic Conference. Clovis West was
especially strong in the fall with CIF Central Section titles in football and
girls volleyball. The Golden Eagles also were seventh in team scoring at the
state wrestling meet and were No. 9 in the final FAB 50 national rankings for
girls track. The final count of section titles, in fact, showed Clovis West
with seven and Buchanan with six.

Special Mention School
Junipero Serra (Gardena, Calif.)
The State School of the Year for the 2009-10 campaign was followed up by
another more than solid showing for 2010-11. Although the Cavaliers didn't
win any CIF state titles this time, they were in a CIF state bowl game in
football and they were 27-6 in girls basketball. On the track, Serra was one
of just a handful of school nationally to be top 15 in both boys and girls
events. The boys were No. 11 in the final FAB 50 while the girls were No. 7.

Special Mention School
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.}
The Dons were basically second behind Campolindo for Div. III schools, which
means had they won and not lost to the Cougars in the D3 state final in girls
volleyball that the school of the year pick probably would have gone to them.
Cathedral Catholic also was No. 4 in the state in girls cross country, placed
fifth on the boys side and went 30-4 in baseball. The baseball team not only
won the section title, but was No. 2 in the state in final overall rankings.

Special Mention School
St. Margaret's (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
After gaining top honors for Division V last year, the Tartans were moved up
to Division IV for this year and were close to D4 winner Oaks Christian. The
highlight was the boys cross country team claiming the CIF Division IV state
title. The girls' harriers checked in with a seventh-place finish while the
girls' volleyball team made it to the regional semis. A 9-4 record in
football, a CIFSS title in girls tennis and a semifinal appearance in the CIF
SoCal D3 girls soccer playoffs were additional highlights.

State football power Westlake High scores so many points that it's easy to forget about the defense, but this year's defense could be the strength of the team, as the Warriors return most of their top hitters - including all four starting defensive linemen - from last year's Southern Section Northern Division finalist team.

The top defensive linemen are national recruits Justin Solis and Johnny Stuart, and Westlake has also welcomed back linebacker David Ortiz and defensive back Dashon Hunt.

"David Ortiz is a big-time run-stopper, a 6-1, 220-pounder who's really aggressive with a big-time motor that's always running," Westlake coach Jim Benkert said.

Hunt is emerging into perhaps Westlake's top defensive back in school history. He's a junior who already has offers from UCLA and Washington, and Benkert says the best is yet to come.

"We're really haven't had a shut-down corner like Dashon in a really long time," Benkert said. "He's really established himself, the way he locks people up. Plus, he is a dynamic run-stopper. He brings the hat."

Another key returnee is kicker is Alex Ball, whose 204 points is the most ever for a Ventura County kicker. He recorded touchbacks on 83 percent of his kickoffs last year.

Alemany has won three passing tournaments, and the Warriors are among the top teams competing in the annual L.A. Valley College tournament on Saturday.

"I don't know if it's a big deal or not, winning three tournaments, but our quarterback, Devon Dunn, is doing a good job - he's got a really good arm," Alemany coach Dean Herrington said.

Making Dunn's job easier is a large group of fast receivers including Jerico Richardson, Steven Mitchell, Corey Sims, Jeff Farrar and Devin Ross.

"I'm really excited about the receiving corps," Herrington said.

Alemany, which advanced to the Pac-5 semifinals last year, is the defending Serra League champion, but it won't be easy to repeat, Herrington said.

"Our league is going to be a lot better," he said. "Bishop Amat probably has the most guys back, including their quarterback, Rio Ruiz. Notre Dame and Crespi should be better, too. Loyola has a lot of good receivers and DBs, so they should be good, too."
\\

Tyler Watt has the potential to be the best Saugus running back since Ryan Zirbel, but he keeps getting injured. Two years ago, it was his knee. Last year, it was his ankle. This year, it's his hamstring.

"Bad luck, I guess. I wish I had the answer," Saugus coach Jason Bornn said. "We have not been able to count on any one guy except him, so we're kind of doing it by committee because Tyler has been hurt all summer."

The good news is Watt is scheduled to return this week

"I'm hoping to see him at practice," Bornn said. "I hope so."

Saugus' other top players are quarterback Jared Carbajal and linebacker Cody Taylor.

It's official that Oaks Christian receiver Jordan Payton has decommitted from USC, but Payton said it a mutual decision and not all USC's choice.

"They wanted me to make it solid and announce to the media that I was not looking at any other schools, and I couldn't do that," Payton said. "It was not spur-of-the-moment decision, I thought it over for about two weeks. It's not over, either. I still might be a Trojan."

Payton said he wants to make his senior season count.

"I want to prove I'm the best receiver in the nation," he said. "I just want to do as well as I can for my team and everything like that."

Antonio Bray, who switched high schools four times in his prep career - from Canyon to Alemany back to Canyon to Arleta - is on the move again. After a solid freshman year as a running back for Glendale College last season, he has transferred to L.A. Valley College.

Derrick Taylor has accepted an offer to become the new boys' basketball coach at St. John Bosco in Bellflower.

Taylor won three City championships at Taft.

His new job will be a challenge as St. John Bosco is in the Trinity League with Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran and Santa Margarita.

Interested applicants at Taft should contact athletic director Mark Drucker.

mdrucker@lausd.net

Bethany Kemp from Valencia and Dani Gilmore of El Camino Real have earned all-state recognition by Cal-Hi Sports.

Christian Wood, a 6-7 wing/forward from Knight High in Palmdale, has committed to UNLV.

Wood will be a junior this upcoming year for coach Tom Hegre.

Knight is the favorite to win the Golden League.

Mater Dei held off a Loyola comeback for a 94-86 victory in the championship game of the Nike Fairfax tournament.

Xavier Johnson scored 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win.

Mater Dei was without sophomores Stanley Johnson and Shaqquan Aaron.

Katin Reinhardt also left the game early with an ankle injury.

Elijah Brown scored 18 points for Mater Dei.

Mario Soto scored 17 points for Mater Dei.

Parker Cartwright scored 21 points and had six assists and four steals to lead Loyola.

Jacob Hazzard and Justin Childress each had 17 points for Loyola.

Hazzard was 6 of 22 from the field, includng one for 9 in the first half.

New coach Ernest Baskerville at Providence has received ultra-talented freshman guard Marcus Lovett.

Lovett has the potential to dominate in the lightly-regarded Liberty League.

Lovett has some outstanding highlights on You Tube.

Ribet Academy in Los Angeles is keeping Tyler Dorsey.

Dorsey is a 6'2 freshman, who was rumored to be going to Mater Dei or Sierra Canyon.

Dorsey gives coach William Middlebrooks an outstanding guard for the next four years if he stays all four years.

The third place game of the Fairfax tournament has been an entertaining one to say the least.

Chris Croom buried a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining to get Long Beach Poly to overtime tied at 74-74 with Fairfax.

Junior Roschon Prince has 43 points to lead Long Beach Poly, which now leads 85-82 with 1:26 remaining.

Junior Jordan Bell fouled out with seven points, 20 rebounds, eight assists and six blocks.

Fairfax has distributed its scoring between five players.

Mission League rivals Crespi and Alemany faced off in the fifth-place game of the 25th annual Nike Fairfax tournament Saturday, and while Crespi has had much success during the regular season, Alemany turned the tables in a 70-69 victory.

The Warriors let a 20-point lead in the second half dwindle away, but Max Guercy made two free throws and Alemany hung on.

Alemany led 68-57 with under one minute remaining but Crespi made two 3-pointers and revved up its defense against a tiring Alemany team.

Guercy scored 16 points and Jerico Richardson scored 13 points.

Bear Henderson grabbed 10 rebounds for Alemany.

Michael Milligan scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds for Crespi.

London Perrantes scored 14 points with seven rebounds and seven assists.

Justin Rubia scored 12 points, Carter Galle scored 12 points and Michael Avery chipped in nine points, nine rebounds and five assists for Crespi.

Alemany led 42-26 at halftime and went ahead 47-27 early in the second half before Crespi gradually chipped away.

Notre Dame picked up its first victory of the tournament in a 57-46
triumph against winless Campbell Hall.

Jonathan Bell scored 17 points and Kennedy Edwards and Deion Elzy each
scored 15 points to lead the Knights.

Freshman Aaron Holiday scored 19 points and Cole Huff scored 14
points to lead Campbell Hall.

El Camino Real took advantage of a depleted La Canada team and
cruised to a 55-17 victory.

Malcolm Wadlow scored 14 points and Julian Richardson and Evan
Wardlow each scored 10 points to lead the Conquistadores.

Points were hard to come by for La Canada, which was missing leading
scorers Jay Srinivasan and Darrell Dansby.

None of the 17 players that scored points reached double figures in Oaks Christian's 36-29 victory against Pasadena.

Freshman Ryan Hiepler led all scorers with eight points.

The Lions went 2-2 in the tournament, losing by one point to Santa Monica and in overtime against Orange Lutheran.

Coach Andre Chevalier, who won the Div. IV-A championship this past season in his first year coaching the boys' team is working in six new freshman.

Derrick Newton continued his sensational play by scoring 18 points in
Harvard-Westlake's 71-62 victory against Orange Lutheran.

Zena Edosomwan scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Josh
Hearlihy scored 16 points for the Wolverines.

Orange Lutheran had four players score in double figures, led by Gabe
York's 19 points.

York is being heavily recruited across the country and recently took
a trip to Arizona.

Notre Dame 57
Campbell Hall 46

Jonathan Bell scored 17 points in the win.

El Camino Real 55
La Canada 17

Malcolm Wadlow scored 14 points in the win.

Oaks Christian 36
Pasadena 29

No player scored in double figures for either team.

Freshman Ryan Hiepler scored eight points in the win.

Harvard-Westlake 71
Orange Lutheran 62

Sophomore Derrick Newton scored 18 points in the win.
Zena Edosomwan scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds.

Gabe York scored 19 points for the Lancers and threw down an impressive baseline dunk.

9 a.m. Notre Dame vs. Campbell Hall
10 a.m. La Canada vs. El Camino Real
11 a.m. Oaks Christian vs. Pasadena
Noon Harvard-Westlake vs. Orange Lutheran
1:30 p.m. Santa Monica vs. Dorsey
3 p.m. Crespi vs. Alemany
4:30 p.m. Fairfax vs. Long Beach Poly
6 p.m. championship Mater Dei vs. Loyola

Alemany 74
Santa Monica 65

Bear Henderson scored 17 points, Max Guercy scored 14 points and Marqueze Coleman scored 12 points to lead Alemany.

The Warriors led by as many as 16 points.

Jordan Mathews, the son of UCLA asst. coach Phil Mathews, scored 24 points to lead Santa Monica.

Loyola 82
Long Beach Poly 58

The victorious Cubs had five players score in double figures.

Loyola took control midway through the first half and kept pulling away.

Parker Cartwright, Julian Harrell, Jacob Hazzard and the rest of the Cubs are easily the Mission League favorite next year.

Michael Milligan scored 18 points and London Perrantes scored 13 points to lead Crespi in a 76-68 victory against Dorsey.

Andre Edwards scored 15 points to lead Dorsey.

Crespi bounced back nicely after a tough 61-57 setback against Fairfax in the quarterfinals

Oaks Christian fought back from a 15-point second half deficit but came up short in a 97-91 overtime setback against Orange Lutheran in a consolation game at the Fairfax tournament.

Chass Bryan scored 31 points and Michael Roletti scored 30 points to lead the Lions, who are favored to win another Tri-Valley League championship despite graduating five seniors.

Gabe York scored 43 points to lead Orange Lutheran and Darien Williams scored 26 points.

Orange Lutheran advances to the consolation championship at 12 p.m. Saturday and will play Harvard-Westlake, a 76-73 overtime winner against Pasadena.

Oaks Christian faces Pasadena at 11 a.m.

It would be an understatement to say Dennis Magro is in on the basketball scene in Southern California.

Magro is fully in the thick of it.

Magro has become quite the tournament organizer the past several years.

Magro is in charge of the Pasadena "Rose City Classic" Nov. 28-Dec. 3, "The Tournament" at Santa Monica High Dec. 5-10, The St. Hope Elite Classic in Sacramento Dec. 13-17, and both boys and girls tournament at Oaks Christian Dec. 27-30.

Magro is also helping with the Dec. 19-22 Mission Prep tournament and St. Jospeh of Santa Maria tournament.

Magro also runs other showcases and tournaments in the summer.

He is well-known and connected to most of the major coaches in Southern California.

The Pasadena High "Rose City Classic" tournament is shaping up very nicely.

Nov. 28-Dec. 3 at Pasadena High and Muir High

Teams in the President's Elite Division:
Price
Etiwanda
St. Bernard
Pasadena
La Verne Lutheran
Fremont
Washington Prep
Ribet Academy
Cleveland
Chino Hills
Arroyo Valley
Canyon Springs
Roosevelt of Corona
Leuzinger
Long Beach Jordan
Sylmar

Teams in the Governor's Division:
Bell-Jeff
Birmingham
Highland
L.A. Marshall
Monrovia
Muir
Reseda
Schurr

La Canada 56
Campbell Hall 53

Dansby scored 33 points to lead the Spartans.

Freshman Kahlil Rice-Simplis scored 18 points and Cole Huff scred 14 points to lead Campbell Hall.

El Camino Real 62
Notre Dame 61

Sophomore Julian Richardson and Maleke Haynes scored 22 and 14 points, respectively to lead the Conquistadores.

Notre Dame received 22 points from Jonathan Bell and 12 points from Kennedy Edwards.

Harvard-Westlake 76
Pasadena 73

Sophomore Derrick Newton scored 28 points, including making the game winning 3-pointer at the overtime buzzer to lead the Wolverines.

Zena Edosomwan scored 21 points in the victory.

Pasadena was led by Blake Hamilton's 28 points.

Brandon Jolley scored 17 points and John Haywood scored 16 points.