Football: July 2008 Archives
The Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks football team concluded its summer passing schedule in impressive fashion Friday, winning the seventh annual St. Francis 7-on-7 tournament with a 28-26 victory over Royal of Simi Valley in the championship game at Friedman Field.
Notre Dame, which knocked off former Mission League rival and tournament host St. Francis 27-12 in the semifinals after a 35-7 quarterfinal triumph over Pasadena Poly, won its second tournament of the summer -- including a victory at an event in Pasadena -- and captured the championship at St. Francis for the second time in three years.
Royal turned in a strong performance, going undefeated in pool play, then defeating La Canada 25-9 in the quarterfinals before cruising to a 41-24 semifinal win over Valencia -- which won had a pair of tournaments earlier in the summer -- in which the Highlanders led by 32 at one point.
St. Francis, which went 1-2 in pool play, advanced to the semifinals with a 19-18 quarterfinal victory over Moorpark. The Golden Knights reached the final of last year's event, losing to Alemany, which didn't compete in this summer's tournament.
Just got a scoop: Giovannie Dixon, a top running back at Reseda, is headed to Arizona State as a recruited walk-on.
"He just needs to finish one course, and he is all set," Reseda coach Alonzo Arreola said.
Dixon, also one of the City Section's top sprinters, is among the Valley area's fastest football players. He rushed for 1,828 yards and scored 18 touchdowns in nine games as a senior this past season.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Christopher Coyle, a top returning tight end for Oaks Christian, has committed to Arizona State, according to rivals.com. He had several offers.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Langston Jackson, a Simi Valley running back who is among the area's top graduating seniors not to receive a football scholarship, has decided to walk on at Cal. His twin brother Lorne is headed to Pepperdine on a basketball scholarship.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Brian Owusu is following in the footsteps of his brother, Chris, both top receivers/defensive backs at Oaks Christian.
Now that Chris has graduated and is playing at Stanford beginning this season, the younger Owusu, a returning starter for the Lions, has been offered a Duke scholarship -- with more offers to come, i would figure, if all goes well this coming season.
"Duke offered about two weeks ago," Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell said.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Nicholas Montana, son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, impressed in his first day of practice Tuesday at quarterback at Oaks Christian after transferring from Concord De La Salle.
"He's very talented ... and he's taller than his dad," Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell said. "I told him he would have to compete for the position."
Another transfer, Tony Macarena from St. Bonaventure, had been named Oaks Christian's starter "but that was before Montana got here," Redell said.
Montana, a junior, has been tutored privately by Steve Clarkson, considered one of the nation's top quarterback coaches.
Meantime, another Oaks Christian quarterback, senior Anthony Vitto, transferred out prior to Montana's arrival.
"How many quarterbacks do I have? I don't know. What time is it?" Redell joked.
Yet another quarterback transfer, Jelani Williams from Sierra Canyon, could fit at cornerback, Redell said, though Williams, a sophomore, wants to remain a quarterback and could do so on the JV level.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
A couple of intriguing transfers have arrived at Crespi -- junior receiver Brandon Graves, who totaled 28 receptions last season at Los Alamitos, and 6-foot-8, 400-pound Sergio Sevester from St. Bernard.
Both are expected to begin practicing Thursday, said Crespi coach Jeremiah Ross, though nothing is official.
Meantime, Crespi receiver Kevin Williams, a top prospect, is recovering from a broken leg. He has been fitted with a boot and should return later this summer.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
With tempreatures approaching 110 degrees and no stadium lights, the heat is on at Paraclete in Lancaster, as the Spirits have been coping with practices in extreme conditions.
"We get a breeze that starts at about 3:30 p.m., and today I'm pushing the practice forward an extra hour. I figure we have until about 8:45 p.m.," coach Norm Dahlia said. "We've put air conditioning in the weight room, and we make sure the kids are hydrated because that's the biggest thing. We have drink 80 ounzes of water."
After finishing 12-1 last season, Paraclete should have another strong team, led by linebacker Kyle Swanson, running back Brandon Buteyn and offensive lineman A.J. Culver.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Dana Potter has resigned as Oaks Christian's quarterback coach, replaced by Casey Clausen.
Potter, 55, is a former record-setting quarterback at Granada Hills and the father of Chris Potter, who graduated from Oaks Christian this past June and is competing for playing time as a freshman wide receiver at Boise State.
On a side note, Potter said he has heard good things about Nicholas Montana, an incoming quarterback transfer from Concord De La Salle and the son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana.
"I think he's the kind of player who will be a Division I scholarship type guy," Potter said.
Clausen coached on the frosh-soph level last season.
Nicholas Montana, son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana and a backup at national power Concord De La Salle last season, is planning to transfer to Oaks Christian, according to the L.A. Times.
gerry,gittelson@dailynews.com
San Diego State has always been hot on Valley area prospects, and the latest is Walter Woods, a returning linebacker from Palmdale who has been offered by the Aztecs, according to Palmdale coach Jeff Williams.
Woods is one of several top returning players for Palmdale, which advanced to the Western Division finals this past season. Others include running back Marquell Jefferson, quarterback Brandon Mims, tight end Anthony Crane and receiver/linebacker Tony Castillo.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Just returned from the Hart passing tournament at College of the Canyons, and Valencia looked very sharp in a 36-12 championship victory over Crescenta Valley.
The Vikings feature a promising quarterback in Domenic Solley, a coterie of fast receivers led by returning standout Zack Tartabull, and a proven running back in returning starter Jordan Thompson.
Solley, also a varsity baseball player, played just two football games last year because of an injury.
In the final, Valencia spotted upset-minded Crescenta Valley 12 points before scoring 36 unanswered points to win going away.
Valencia defeated Alemany in the semifinals.
Just getting back in the swing of things. I'll have more in Sunday's Gittelson Bits column.
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
Recent Comments
Terr Tate on HS FOOT: Montana named starting QB at Oaks Christian: What a surprise! And Montana Sr. was out just last week South on the ...
Terr Tate on HS FOOT: At San Fernando, it doesn't get much bigger than this: The next Anthony Munoz? ...
Kelly Weinberg on HS FOOT: Ex-Crespi standout Radley now at Taft: why is it necessary to keep bashing a kid who didn't do well in a geom ...
DROQ55 on HS FOOT: Ex-Crespi standout Radley now at Taft: It really is irrelevant & frankly no ones business why Radley was expe ...
Terr Tate on HS FOOT: Coveted Taft junior offered by Stanford: Great reporting! He was verballed about 3 months ago. ...
Terr Tate on HS FOOT: Ex-Crespi standout Radley now at Taft: It wasn't disciplinary. Strictly because he didn't pass a Summer scho ...
Terr Tate on HS FOOT: Crespi football standout Lucky Radley kicked out of school: True : 50% of the class did fail - largely because the administration ...
Terr Tate on HS FOOT: Oaks Christian named No. 5 program all-time in nation: This is funny considering they play maybe two tough opponents a year. ...
KellyWeinberg on HS FOOT: Crespi football standout Lucky Radley kicked out of school: My heart goes out to this kid and his family who has put his time and ...