PT Prep Sports

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Pac-5 Division
Los Alamitos 7, Poly 7 (1Q)
Lakewood 7, Newport Harbor 10 (1Q)
Edison, Millikan
Mission Viejo, Wilson

Southern Division
Garden Grove, Bellflower
Norwalk, Rancho Alamitos
Mayfair, Segerstrom
La Mirada, Santa Ana

Western Division
Warren, West Torrance
Gahr, St. Francis
Dominguez, Culver City

Mid-Valley Division
Valley Christian, La Canada

Northwest Division
Centennial, Harvard-Westlake

Pac-5 Division
First Round Games

Newport Harbor (6-4) at Lakewood (9-1)
The Lancers have realized two major accomplishments this season - snapping Poly's 80-game Moore League winning streak and winning their first outright league title since 1974. But Lakewood coach Thadd MacNeal suggests this is not the time to get goofy about all that. "I think by the end of the year, when it's all said and done, we'll be able to look back and celebrate some of those things," said MacNeal, whose team is seeded No. 4 in the CIF-Southern Section Pac 5 Division playoffs. "Right now we have to think about Newport Harbor. I have a 12 o'clock rule. We celebrate until 12 o'clock and then we look on to the next game." The Sailors may be an at-large entry out of the Sunset League, but they will bring plenty of talent into this first-round game. Running back Cedric Whitaker leads the ground attack with 967 yards and eight touchdowns on 138 carries (7.0 avg.). Quarterback Austin Rios has completed 113 of 187 passes (60.4 percent) for 1,232 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. His top two receivers are Cecil Whiteside (27 catches, 341 yards, 4 TDs) and Parker Norton (35 catches, 285 yards, 3 TDs). "Newport Harbor is good," MacNeal said. "They have a couple of quality wins and they are well-coached. Cecil Whiteside, he's going to Cal. (Whitaker) has busted some big runs against everybody. They are real disciplined and I think they have the best punter (Dillan Freiberg) we have seen this year. He had a 60-yarder in the air." MacNeal said he expects the Sailors, who have a win over Los Alamitos, to be "hard-nosed." But the Lancers have been all that, and more. They are averaging 41.1 points per game while allowing only 7.7. The offense is led by quarterback Jesse Scroggins, who has completed 119 of 192 (62 percent) for 1,805 yards, 28 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He has five receivers with 10 or more receptions. Leading the way is Kevin Anderson, with 33 catches for 618 yards and 10 touchdowns. Chris Davis (245 yards, 4 TDs) and Ron Lewis (354 yards, 3 TDs) have 23 receptions apiece and Darius Powe has 16 catches for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Three Lancers carry the ball well. Alley Long has 531 yards and four touchdowns, Rashad Wadood has 497 yards and four touchdowns and Terrance Woods has gone for 436 yards and 10 touchdowns. Defensively, Todd Barr (65 tackles, 9 sacks), Justin Utupo (52 tackes, 8 1/2 sacks), Keanu Kalolo (77 tackles), Rahim Cassell (57 tackles, 6 sacks), Brennan Kelley (42 tackles, five interceptions) and Dion Bailey (43 tackles, 3 interceptions) figure to make things difficult for the Sailors.

Wilson (6-4) at Mission Viejo (10-0)
The Diablos are the No. 2 seed in the Pac 5 Division, so the Bruins have a tough assignment, to say the least. Although Mission Viejo has a solid quarterback in Dallin McEwen, the Diablos figure to pound away on the ground and make Wilson stop the run. Mission Viejo has rushed for 2,290 yards as a team while averaging 7.41 yards per carry. And the Diablos do it by committee. Exavier Edwards leads the way with 709 yards and nine touchdowns on 98 carries (7.24 avg.), Dallas Kessman has gone for 528 yards and eight touchdowns on just 67 carries (7.88 avg.). Three others have rushed for at least 231 yards. As for McEwen, all he has done is pass for 1,572 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions while completing 78 of 125 (62.4 percent). His leading receiver is Joey Branker, with 41 receptions for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns. Asked what his game plan was, Bruins coach Mario Morales said, "Punt on first down." He was kidding, of course, then he got serious. "Our biggest task is to stop the run," Morales said. "That's what we're going to try to do. They have done really, really well." The Bruins' defense, led by linebacker Cheyne Garcia, figures to be hard-pressed to slow down the South Coast League champion Diablos, who have averaged 46.4 points per game. As for Wilson, it is averaging 26 points, but will have to put points on the board against a Mission Viejo defense allowing only nine points a game. Quarterback Brett Harper, running back Ezell Ruffin and receiver Josh Bell will be counted on to get the offense in gear for the Bruins.

Millikan (6-4) vs. Edison (10-0) at Orange Coast College
The Rams are in a position similar to Wilson's as the Sunset League champion Chargers are the No. 1 seed in the Pac 5. Edison defeated Wilson, 35-6, this season and Wilson beat Millikan, 33-7, which also does not bode well for the Rams. The Chargers have a two-pronged running attack featuring Wade Houston (815 yards, 6 TDs) and Davion Orphey (418 yards, 6 TDs); Orphey averages 12.6 yards per carry. Edison quarterback Matt Viles has been terrific, throwing for 2,190 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions on 153 of 252 (60.7 percent). He has six receivers with 10 or more catches, led by Jeff Trojan (41 catches, 603 yards, 4 TDs) and Michael Rivera (35 catches, 467 yards, 7 TDs). Defensively, the Chargers have two players with over 100 tackles in linebackers Steven Malone (107) and Jordan Zumwalt (106). Lineman Charles Burks has 14 sacks. They will be charged with the task of stopping the all-purpose talents of Rams quarterback Alden Darby, who has passed for seven touchdowns and run for 11. Silver Vaifanua (30 receptions, 420 yards, 4 TDs) and Derek Mireles (22 receptions, 246 yards, 1 TD) are his leading receivers. When the Rams are on defense, backs Darby and Jerrell Bradford - with four interceptions apiece - will face quite a challenge in trying to stop the Edison passing game. They'll need help from Trevon Trejo (5 1/2 sacks) and Kilisi Suai (119 tackles, 5 sacks).
- Robert Morales

Southern Division
First Round Games

Santa Ana (7-3) at La Mirada (9-1)
The Saints enter the Southern Division playoffs as a strong third-place team from the Golden West League. RB Frankie Nerida has run for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns and paces a rushing attack that averages 214.3 yards per game. QB Chris Avila (582 yards, 6 TD, 6 interceptions) throws enough to keep the competition honest and is likely to look for WR Mario Martinez (187 yards, 2 TD). Santa Ana's defense had held opponents to 22.5 points per game. The Matadores have won 8 in a row and are the No. 2 seed in the division. Senior QB Daniel Poncedeleon runs La Mirada's potent offense with efficiency and ability (1,945 yards, 17 TD, 3 interceptions). The Matadores throw a lot of screens and passes to the flat with Julian Matta (573 yards, 10 TD) and Ralph Gramajo (348 yards, TD) as the favorite targets. Max Gama (479 yards, 5 TD) and J.T. Torres (369 yards, 7 TD) are the top rushers. La Mirada's defense has held its last 2 opponents to 10 total points. LB Cooper Weatherly leads the team with 63 tackles and Torres has added 62. Gramajo has 3 interceptions to go with 59 tackles and DE R.J. Lujan has 11.5 sacks. The winner of this game will face either Garden Grove Santiago or Costa Mesa in the second round.

Rancho Alamitos (6-4) vs. Norwalk (9-1) at Excelsior Stadium
The Vaqueros, the 3rd-place team from the Garden Grove League, enter the playoffs on a 3-game winning streak. They will put the ball in the air early and often tonight. Senior QB Matt Frank has thrown for 2,730 yards and an impressive 32 touchdowns. Senior WR Juan Cruz (871 yards, 13 TD) has been his main target and senior RB Miguel Carrion (764 yards, 6 TD) is Rancho Alamitos' top rusher. The Vaqueros average 33.2 points per game. The 4th-seeded Lancers are coming off an impressive 28-7 victory over Mayfair that clinched second place in the Suburban League. Norwalk's Double Wing offense averages a whopping 423.2 rushing yards per game and has reached the end zone 59 times. Adrian Gonzales (1,151 yards, 16 TD), Billy Moore (973 yards, 13 TD) and Elijhaa Penny (844 yards, 12 TD) do the majority of the damage on the ground. QB Dominique Diaz will throw only occasionally - the Lancers average just 32.4 passing yards per game. Norwalk's defense has allowed just 16.3 points per game and has held opponents to a TD or less 6 times. DT Justin Burrowes has 8.5 sacks while Penny and Victor Vargas each have 4 interceptions. Penny also leads the team with 49 tackles. The Lancers got all the way to the Southern Division semifinals a year ago in Jesse Ceniceros' first season as head coach. Tonight's winner will face either Irvine or Westminster in the next round.

Mayfair (4-6) at Segerstrom (6-4)
The Monsoons, who got all the way to the Southern Division title game a year ago, enter the postseason as the No. 3 seed from the Suburban League. Junior RB Dominique Small has been Mayfair's most consistent offensive threat with 989 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Senior RB Keith Harvey has added 427 yards and 6 scores. Junior QB Evan Hunko has 1,067 passing yards and 6 touchdowns but has been intercepted 10 times. WR Tyler Nicks leads the team with 29 receptions, 468 yards and 4 touchdowns. Senior SS Joshua Gavert, who has committed to San Diego State, has 138 tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 sacks, all of which lead the team or are tied for the lead. Sophomore MLB Bryan Kvapil has 114 tackles. The Jaguars, champions of the Golden West League, will run the ball as much as possible. Four different players have at least 500 rushing yards, led by Matt Navarro (719 yards, 11 TD) and Aaron Amrine (582 yards, 14 TD). QB Brian Murrietta has thrown for just 479 yards with 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Senior DE Hector Diaz has 10 sacks. Segerstrom has won 5 games in a row and has averaged 43.0 points per game.

Bellflower (3-7) at Garden Grove (10-0)
The Buccaneers, who finished fourth in the Suburban League, have won 3 of their last 5 games and return to the playoffs after a 1-year hiatus. Junior RB Larreon White (559 yards, 2 TD) and senior FB Benny Perez (494 yards, 5 TD) lead a rushing attack that averages almost 200 yards per game. Senior QB Jeremy Allen (715 yards, 4 TD) will look for sophomore WR Dijon Barnes (326 yards, 2 TD) when he drops back to pass. Bellflower's defense has improved as the season progressed and allowed just 18.0 points in its 3 victories. Top-seeded Garden Grove is the only unbeaten team in the Southern Division and features a stingy defense. The Argonauts have recorded 2 shutouts and held opponents to a TD or less 8 times. Senior DE Stephen Meredith and senior OLB Christian Trejo each have 2 sacks to lead the team. QB Sean Young leads Garden Grove in both rushing (1,065 yards, 14 TD) and passing (1,190 yards, 10 TD). The Argonauts average nearly 240 rushing yards per game.
-- David Felton

Mid-Valley Division
First Round Games

La Canada (5-4) at Valley Christian (7-3)
The Crusaders are primed and ready to make a run at the championship. Rightly so, coach Erick Streelman was a little miffed that his team was awarded only the seventh seed despite winning the Olympic League, knocking off defending division champ Paraclete in the process, and losing two games to Cypress and St. Margaret's, both of which have solid chances at winning their divisions. But as Streelman put it, "You got to beat everybody anyhow." Valley Christian, with a spread offense led by QB Kevin Running (2,016 yards, 18 TDs) and WRs Tanner Miller (525 yards, 5 TDs) and Tyler Boer (408, 3 TDs) and sprinkle of wildcat formations mixed in, start with the Spartans, the third-place team out of the Rio Hondo League. This game is likely just a precursor to a second-round game between V.C. and second-seeded San Dimas.

Northwest Division
First Round Games

Harvard-Westlake (7-3) at Centennial (7-3)
The Pioneer League-winning Apaches, who won just one game a year ago, were awarded the eighth seed and will host ninth-seeded Harvard-Westlake, the third-place team out of the very tough Del Rey League, in a tough first-round game. If Centennial is to win, it will have to rely on the likes of offensive and special team playmakers such as Kevin Smith, Theron West, Kurt Davis and Nelson Gammage to continue to put up points. It wouldn't be surprising if the game was a high-scoring affair. "It's the playoffs," Apaches coach Eric Scott said. "It's not about how many points you put up, it's about winning and losing." Defense appears to be Centennial's weakest link, something that Wolverines QB Max Heltzer (1,560 yards, 17 TDs), RB Jamias Jones (605 yards, 12 TDs) and WR Jackson Liguori (700 yards, 10 TDs) can exploit. "It's been an up-and-down deal," Scott said of the defense. However, Scott hopes the gravity of the situation will sink in to his team. "I've preached all week that we have to win or we go home." If the Apaches can win, they will likely get defending champ and one of the state's best teams, Oaks Christian, in the second round. Centennial is looking forward to that challenge. "You can't keep from thinking about that," Scott said. "But you can't get to the second game if you don't win the first one."

Western Division
First-Round Games

Gahr (6-4) at St. Francis (8-2)
The pairings weren't kind to the Gladiators, who get Mission League runner-up St. Francis in the first round. The Golden Knights, the fifth seed, are a very solid team, their only losses coming to league champ Alemany, 13-7, and Pac-5 contender Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 28-24. Offensively, they are very balanced. QB Justin Posthuma is a dual threat. He has thrown for 1,784 yards and 14 TDs and rushed for 563 yards and eight more scores. The running game, led by Dietrich Riley (680 yards, 9 TDs), has totaled 1,756 yards. It's no secret that defense is Gahr's weak spot, and the Gladiators had big-time trouble early in the year when facing another dual-threat QB, Kennedy's Andy Peterson. Although they prefer it, the Gladiators, the No. 2 team out of the San Gabriel Valley League, will simply need to make the game a shootout to win it. And why not? Gahr has the best passing attack in the state behind QB Casey Nielsen (3,954 yards, 38 TDs, 11 INTs), WR Shaan Johnson (68 catches, 1,379 yards, 14 TDs) and RB Brenton Allen (653 yards from scrimmage over five games since coming back from an injury).

West Torrance (7-3) at Warren (9-1)
When asked about West Torrance, Warren coach Chris Benadom said, "They are very similar to us." Maybe in terms of what the Warriors like to do on the field, but certainly not their personnel. West, the No. 3 team out of the Bay League, has nothing like Bears standout RB Jesse Callier, who has run for an area-leading 2,632 yards and scored 236 of Warren's 411 points. Callier will have another big game in this first-round matchup, as no team has been able to hold the University of Washington-bound senior to less than 149 yards. "Like I've said before, we'll ride that horse until we can't ride him anymore," Benadom said. Defense will be the key to how far the San Gabriel Valley League champs can go in the playoffs. The Bears were awarded the No. 6 seed despite only losing once, a 42-28 setback at undefeated Vista Murrieta, which is ranked fifth in the state.

Dominguez (4-5) at Culver City (9-1)
The Dons won three straight games to claim third place in the SGVL and a playoff berth, and their reward was a first-round game with the high-scoring Ocean League champion Centaurs. Culver City, seeded second, averages 42 points per game behind QB Marquel Carter (2,732 yards, 28 TDs, 9 INTs). "It'll be difficult because they spread it out all over the field," Dominguez coach Willie Donerson said. Kind of like what SGVL rival Gahr does. "Similar," Donerson said, "but they like to run the ball more." The Dons did a pretty fair job against Gahr, but the Centaurs' ground game - led by Edwin Tillman (814 yards, 8TDs) and Carter (491 yards, 16 TDs) - will leave Dominguez decide to hold the safeties back in coverage or bring them up to help against the run. "Pick your poison," Donerson said. The one thing the Dominguez defense, which needs big games from LBs Will Gregory and Stanley Taylor and DBs Aaron Williams and John Bell, will do is come hard at Carter. "We'll rush the passer. Other teams have sat back and him do what he wants," Donerson said. "We are going to send more guys than they can block." And the plan on the other side of the ball for the Dons, who run more a spread offense now? "We will try to outscore them, if that's possible," said Donerson, whose team averages just 20 points per game. "Or we'll try to control the ball, but we haven't been able to do that very well."

By Dave Werstine
Staff Writer

CERRITOS - The Cerritos High girls volleyball team is very giddy about being in the CIF Southern Section championship match, just the second time the school has reached the finals.

And the Dons, mostly because of their inexperience in big matches, will be definite underdogs when they take the Cypress College court at 7 p.m. today against two-time defending Division IIIA champion Mayfield.

But Cerritos (27-2) isn't just happy to be there nor will it be intimidated. The Dons feel they have a legitimate chance of winning the title.

"We are peaking at the right time and we are healthy," coach Khanh Vo said. "I like our chances."

The Dons' game and mindset has been building since Vo came aboard three years ago.

They've went step by step to this point. Three years back, Cerritos placed third in the Suburban League and was ousted of the playoffs in the first round in straight sets by Brentwood. Last year, the Dons took second in league and lost a tough five-set decision to Gabrielino in the second round.

"We showed signs of being able to play at a high level," Vo said, "but we weren't consistent."

The Dons have grown similarly this season en route to a clean sweep of the Suburban League championship. They won the consolation bracket of the Molten Gahr Tournament at the start of the season, played very well at midseason at the Mayfair Tournament and later in the season won the Chadwick Tournament.

"The girls gained lots of confidence," Vo said. "From (the Gahr Tournament), there were high expectations."

Cerritos continued its success in the playoffs, winning three matches while dropping just one set, to reach the CIF title match for the first time since 1995, when the Dons lost to Paso Robles in four sets in the Division IV finals.

After beating No. 2-ranked Pasadena Poly in the semifinals, the Dons were dizzy with excitement. One might have thought they won the title that night.

While still excited, they are focused in on their opponent - top-ranked Mayfield.

Cerritos has been stuck at No. 3 in the rankings all season, behind Mayfield and Pasadena Poly. They've knocked off one and are now looking to KO the other.

"We definitely have something to prove," said junior standout Jessica Wu. "We don't want to stay at No. 3."

But beating Mayfield (22-5), the Prep League champion, will be a very tall order.

The Cubs have two quality hitters in Rachel Aragon (208 kills, 106 digs) and Madisyn Spence (182 kills) and a middle blocker, Hannah Schraer (208 kills, 58 blocks, 26 aces), who's orally committed to USC.

"(Cerritos) is very athletic and plays excellent defense," said Pasadena Poly coach Steve Beerman, whose team fell twice to Mayfield during league play by the same 3-1 score it lost by against Cerritos. "Mayfield has a couple of big-time outside hitters and a middle blocker who's going to USC ... it'll be interesting to see if (the Dons) can stop them."

Cerritos will counter with some pretty good players of its own -- Jenny Ho (445 kills, 72 blocks), Cherise Kam (329 digs, 246 kills, 53 aces), Jackie Trimble (299 digs, 128 kills, 65 aces), Samantha Adams (980 assists, 9 aces) and Wu (319 digs, 316 kills, 52 aces). However, experience in big-time matches won't be on the Dons' side.

Despite that fact, the Dons, who, in the back of their minds at the least, believe they are good enough to be No. 1, are pleased with the opportunity to prove themselves against the top-ranked team.

"Until someone knocks off Mayfield, they deserve to be No. 1," Vo said. "They play a similar style to us. We will take the same approach (as we did against Poly) and make them work for every point they get. It'll be a great game. We'll see who shows up and plays under the pressure."

Girls Volleyball
Finals at Cypress College

Friday
Division III-A
Cerritos vs. Mayfield, 7 p.m.

Saturday
Division I-AA
Los Alamitos vs. Newport Harbor, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Tennis
Semifinals
Thursday at 1:15 p.m.

Division III
San Marino at Lakewood