January 2012 Archives

There are a few local players yet to decide with whom they'll sign on Wednesday, National Signing Day, but most have made verbal commitments and all that's left is to ink their name on a letter of intent. The Colony duo of athlete Bryan Harper and linebacker Robert Wagner have yet to settle on their plans. On Fox Sports West tomorrow, Harper will reveal his decision between Oregon, UCLA and Arizona. Wagner, who after losing his two Pac-12 offers due to coaching changes is weighing offers from New Mexico State and Idaho, will likely not sign tomorrow. Upland receiver Kenny Lawler, who has narrowed his list to Cal and Oregon State, will also announce on Fox Sports West.

Here is a list of those already committed:
Donta Abron, RB, Upland -- Colorado
Jacob Ardron, LB, Diamond Ranch -- Columbia
Blake Benjamin, OL, Diamond Ranch -- Navy
Donte Deayon, DB, Summit -- Boise St.
Austin DeCoud, QB, Redlands East Valley -- Idaho
Jamal Ellis, DB, Redlands East Valley -- Fresno State
Nick Enriquez, OL, Chino Hills -- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Edmonmd Faimaalo, OL, Redlands East Valley, Sacramento State
Andrew Fischer, ATH, Diamond Ranch -- Harvard
Kevin Gabigan, OL, Redlands -- UC Davis
Brandon Greene, OL, Redlands East Valley -- Air Force
Reshawn Hooker, LB, Miller -- Utah
Damontae Kazee, DB, Cajon -- San Diego St.
Gerrad Kough, OL, Pomona -- Colorado
Dylan La Frentz, OL, Los Osos -- Northern Arizona
Koa LaBonta, DB, Los Osos -- Army
Chris Miller, DB, Diamond Ranch -- Oregon State
Marques Mosley, DB, Upland -- Colorado
Christian Powell, FB, Upland -- UCLA
Jamaal Williams, LB, Summit -- BYU

Most high school prospects aren't granted the courtesy of a phone call.

A face-to-face meeting is practically unheard of, but Colony High School senior Robert Wagner found himself sitting across from Rich Rodriguez as the new University of Arizona football coach explained why the scholarship offer issued the linebacker by the previous coaching staff was being taken away.

Arizona offered the three-star middle linebacker his first scholarship in March before coach Mike Stoops was fired midway through his eighth season. The Wildcats were a mainstay at the top of the Wagner's list until two weeks ago, when they were forcibly removed.

"Arizona was my No. 1 choice and the only reason I hadn't committed was to work things out with my family," Wagner said. "When they told me they wanted to go after some other dudes it brought me down. I mean, it was big of them to come and tell me but it wasn't easy to hear."

After winning six consecutive league championships, the Colony boys basketball team seeks motivation anywhere it can find it. After a 67-61 defeat of Don Lugo Friday night, the Titans are running out of scores to settle.

Colony has lost two league games in the last seven seasons. Don Lugo's two-point victory three weeks ago was the most recent. The other was a three-point loss to Montclair last season, which Colony avenged with a 31-point thrashing last week.

The Titans (15-6, 7-1) are now tied with Montclair atop the Mt. Baldy League standings with five games remaining in the regular season, the final of which is a Feb. 9 showdown at home against Montclair.

Don Lugo High School head football coach Rick Martin resigned Thursday after four years at the helm. Martin will remain a physical education teacher at the school for which he has coached the last 13 years, but cited the desire to spend more time with his three young children.

"When I took over the program four years ago I made a commitment to see the freshman class through to their senior year," Martin said. "I did that and now it's time for me to coach my own kids at home."

Martin's final season landed Don Lugo in the playoffs for the second time in the last three years, but ended in rocky fashion. Martin was placed on administrative leave following a non-football related tussle with a student on Oct. 20, multiple sources confirmed to the Daily Bulletin. After an investigation by the Chino Valley School District was completed over a 10-day period, Martin resumed coaching and teaching following the short time of leave, according to district director of communications Julie Gobin.

1. La Verne Lutheran
2. Etiwanda
3. Damien
4. Chino Hills
5. Eisenhower

Top performers
Miles Poullard, Colony
The senior scored 29 points as the Titans routed Montclair 88-57 in a Mt. Baldy League showdown Friday.

Norman Canada, Pomona
Hit five 3-pointers, including the game-winner with five seconds remaining in Monday's 69-67 win over La Puente Nogales.

Game of the week
Etiwanda vs. Damien, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
This is the marquee game of the Southern California Shootout at Azusa Pacific University, pitting Etiwanda (No. 3 in D1AA) against the top-ranked team in D3AAA.

1. Etiwanda
2. Summit
3. Rialto
4. Bonita
5. Eisenhower

Top performers
Alandress Battle, Ganesha
Had 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the Giants' 53-45 win over Covina Gladstone on Monday.

Chelsea Waddy, Carter
Had 17 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and three blocks as the Lions defeated Colton on Tuesday.

Game of the week
Diamond Bar at Diamond Ranch, 5 p.m., Friday
They likely are fighting for second place in the Hacienda League behind Bonita, but Diamond Ranch is the No. 3 team in D3AA and Diamond Bar the No. 9 team in D1A.

1. Bonita
2. Los Osos
3. St. Lucy's
4. Upland
5. Ayala

Top performers
Rachel Stock, St. Lucy's
The goalie had a pair of assists and 11 saves as the Regents beat Ayala 16-3.

Camille Seariac, Don Lugo
Scored the game-winning goal in overtime as Don Lugo beat Colony, 9-8, on Tuesday.

Game of the week
Los Osos at Upland, 4:15 p.m., today
The Baseline League rivals meet for the final time in the regular season when second-place Upland, ranked fourth in Division 4, takes on first-place and top-ranked Los Osos.

1. Fontana
2. Claremont
3. Carter
4. Pomona
5. Ontario Christian

Top performers
Raul Martinez, Bonita
The senior scored two goals in a 3-0 win over Rowland Heights Rowland on Monday, the same day he verbally committed to Louisville.

Jordan Tinjaca, Upland
Scored twice in a 3-1 win over Glendora on Friday that helped the Highlanders remain in a tie for first place in the Baseline League.

Game of the week
Damien at Claremont, Friday, 5:30 p.m.
Claremont will attempt to hold on to first place in the Sierra League when the No. 2 team in Division 2 hosts second-place Damien.

1. Los Osos
2. St. Lucy's
3. Claremont
4. Diamond Bar
5. Chino Hills

Top performers
Amanda Ball, Chino Hills
The sophomore midfielder had a goal and an assist in the Huskies' 2-1 win over Covina Charter Oak on Wednesday.

Cinthia Ramirez, Chaffey
Scored both goals in the Tigers' 2-1 victory over Montclair on Tuesday.

Game of the week
Don Lugo at Colony, Friday, 3 p.m.
The first-place Conquistadores take their undefeated Mt. Baldy League record to Colony, which lost its first meeting to Don Lugo, 3-1.

Longtime Garey baseball coach Monse Estrada was hired to be the head coach at Western Christian on Jan. 17. Estrada spent the first 39 years of his coaching career at Garey before being asked to leave after last season. Estrada takes over a Western Christian program that won three consecutive league titles prior to last season's sixth-place finish in the Ambassador League.

"I think we're pretty well in the top of the league," Estrada said. "These kids go hard for two and a half hours of practice. They're dedicated. That's all you can ask for."

Estrada brings plenty of success and an abundance of experience to Western Christian. He had opportunities to be an assistant coach but wanted to hold out for a head coaching job.

"With his philosophy and ours, it was yes, yes, yes all the way down the checklist," Western Christian athletic director Nick Karavedas said. "He has the knowledge of how to build a program but the patience and maturity to help us through a bit of a rebuilding phase."

All that was needed was the Etiwanda High School girls basketball team to simply dig its heels in and play good old fashioned defense. As soon as the Eagles called off their full-court press after a quarter, it ran away with a 55-37 victory over Rancho Cucamonga in the Baseline League rivals' first league meeting this season. Rancho Cucamonga (8-9, 3-2) broke the press to the tune of an 18-9 lead 20 seconds into the second quarter. Etiwanda (16-3, 5-0) outscored the Cougars, 48-21, the rest of the way.

"We just played solid half-court defense as soon as we pulled out of the press," Etiwanda coach Anders Anderson said. "We went to our man-to-man defense and slowed them down."

After Rancho Cucamonga doubled its number of points, Etiwanda stormed back to tie the game less than three minutes into the second quarter. The Eagles held Rancho Cucamonga without a field goal for a seven-minute, 45-second stretch bridging the second and third quarters during which it went on a 16-2 run to take a 40-27 lead.

(Polls as of Jan. 23)
DIVISION 1AA
1. Mater Dei
2. Long Beach Poly
3. Etiwanda
4. Loyola
5. Santa Monica
6. Oxnard
7. Foothill
8. Eisenhower
9. Rancho Verde
10. King
Others: Downey, Silverado, Jordan, Upland, Ventura, Valencia.

(Polls as of Jan. 23)
DIVISION 1AA
1. Mater Dei
2. Long Beach Poly
3. Brea Olinda
4. Corona Santiago
5. Edison
6. Troy
7. Etiwanda
8. Buena
9. Millikan
10. Orange Lutheran
Others: Rialto, Canyon Springs, Woodbridge, San Clemente, Warren, Cajon.

Turns out the end of its 59-game league winning streak didn't sit well with the Colony High School basketball team.

Montclair, the team that snapped the Titans' run last season, felt the backlash Friday night when Colony handed it an 88-57 loss to ruin the Cavaliers' perfect Mt. Baldy League record this season. Colony, which won its sixth consecutive league title last year despite the three-point loss at Montclair Feb. 7, was in the unfamiliar position of chasing the league leader this season. Not anymore.

"A lot of these guys were very upset about losing that game last year," Colony coach Jerry De Fabiis said. "They wanted to come back and prove that we're still the team to beat in this league. When we play like we did tonight, we feel like we can beat anybody in the area."

Miller football coach Marcus Soward reports that linebacker Reshawn Hooker, a first-team All-Sun selection, has given a verbal commitment to play for the University of Utah.
Soward said that the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Hooker chose Utah over Colorado, Arizona State and Hawaii.
"There were some other schools like SC looking at him as a DB, but its better for him to play a position he's been playing for years," Soward said.
Hooker had 112 tackles, eight sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 10 games for Miller.

The Rialto girls basketball team after its involvement in a fight in Tuesday's game against Pacific, will have to forfeit its next game, on Thursday against Colton, coach Michael Anderson learned on Wednesday.

"The officials lost control of the game," Anderson said. "I started talking to them about it 1:40 into the game."

Rialto coach Michael Anderson revealed this on Wednesday. The fight in the second half of the win over Pacific resulted in the halting of the game and five Rialto players and some Pacific players ejected. That left 4 Rialto players and Anderson assumed he could use those 4 plus call up a couple players from the JV team to compete in Thursday's game against last-place Colton.

However, he learned Wednesday that all 9 varsity players were suspended and the team will forfeit its game against Colton. That will drop Rialto to 15-2 overall, 7-1 in the San Andreas League.

1. La Verne Lutheran
2. Etiwanda
3. Damien
4. Chino Hills
5. Eisenhower

Top performers
Marvelle Harris, Eisenhower
The senior had 27 points and 11 rebounds in a 59-48 win over Yucaipa on Jan. 11.

Miles Poullard, Colony
The senior scored 20 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists in a 62-44 win over Chino on Friday.

Game of the week
Colony at Montclair, 6:30 p.m., Friday
Montclair, which sits alone in first place in the Mt. Baldy League, hosts six-time defending league champion Colony, whose lone league loss during the six-year run came last season to Montclair.

1. Etiwanda
2. Summit
3. Rialto
4. Bonita
5. Eisenhower

Top performers
Nikki Wheatley, Bonita
The sophomore had 22 points, six rebounds and six steals in a 64-34 win over Hacienda Heights Los Altos on Friday.

Nicki Johnson, Calvary Baptist
The junior had 17 points and 21 rebounds in a 50-26 win over Norwalk New Harvest Christian on Tuesday that was an 11-point game in the fourth quarter.

Game of the week
Diamond Bar at Bonita, Friday, 5 p.m.
Bonita, the No. 2 team in CIF-SS Division 3AAA, hosts a Diamond Bar team ranked 10th in Division 1A with first place in the Hacienda League on the line.

1. Bonita
2. Los Osos
3. St. Lucy's
4. Upland
5. Ayala

Top performers
Jessica Bernal, Summit
Scored five goals in an 11-8 win over San Gorgonio a week ago.

Frankie Libutti, Upland
The senior scored six goals and had two assists in Upland's 20-6 win over Etiwanda a week ago.

Game of the week
Bonita at Walnut, Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.
Bonita, the No. 1 team in CIF-SS Division 5, takes on Hacienda League foe Walnut, the No. 6 team in Division 5.

1. Fontana
2. Claremont
3. Carter
4. Chino
5. Garey

Top performers
Raul Martinez, Bonita
Sent an eventual 3-1 victory over Hacienda Heights Los Altos into overtime with the game-tying goal in the second half a week ago.

Joseph Guadarrama, Ontario Christian
The senior scored two goals in a 5-0 win over Murrieta Calvary Chapel on Friday that kept the Knights undefeated in league.

Game of the week
Redlands East Valley at Fontana, Friday, 3:15 p.m.
Fontana, the top-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 3, tries to maintain its undefeated league record against second-place REV.

1. Los Osos
2. St. Lucy's
3. Claremont
4. Ayala
5. Diamond Bar

Top performers
Melanie Aguyao, Don Lugo
Scored 3 goals in the first-place Conquistadores' win over Garey on Friday.

Margaret Guadarrama, Ontario Christian
The junior scored a pair of goals in a 5-0 victory over Aquinas on Tuesday that kept the Knights a half-game out of first place.

Game of the week
Ayala at Claremont, Friday, 5:30 p.m.
In a key early-season Sierra League match, Claremont, ranked sixth in CIF-SS Division 3, takes on defending league champion Ayala, which is lurking at No. 8 in the D3 rankings.

Thomas Leach was approved Tuesday by the school board to become Etiwanda's new head football coach. After head coaching stints for two and five seasons, respectively at Diamond Ranch and Chaparral, Leach will take over for Steve Bryce, who resigned following last season.

"He seems like the type of guy that if we lose a game, it's not going to be because he got outcoached," Etiwanda athletic director David Masucci said. "He puts in the time and he cares a great deal about what he does. He's a players' coach, the type that gets his players to run through walls for him."

Leach posted a 47-19 record in five seasons at Chaparral, winning a CIF-SS Inland Division championship in 2009. He was most recently an assistant coach for Norco after departing Chaparral following the 2010 season.

Anthony Rice resigned Friday after two seasons as the Pomona High School head football coach, opting to focus his efforts on seeking an administrative position. After winning two CIF-SS Central Division championships in four seasons at Colony High School, Rice was hired at Pomona prior to the 2010 season. Pomona went 5-5 in Rice's first season before ending a seven-year playoff drought last season by posting a 6-5 mark good for a third-place finish in the Valle Vista League.

"I think we made good progress, but it was harder than I thought it would be," Rice said. "When I first came on here, my thing was to try and get into administration. I told my wife it would be a two-year thing from the beginning."

Just before Christmas break, Rice told Pomona principal Roger Fasting and athletic director Joe Biagioni he was considering resignation. The two convinced Rice to consider his options over the break, but he returned only to officially resign on Jan 13.

Ontario Christian boys soccer coach Len Fakkema won his 300th career game on Tuesday, an 8-0 victory over Aquinas. This is Fakkema's 11th year at Ontario Christian, where he has earned 164 of his wins. He began his soccer coaching career in 1993 by starting the program at Lynden Christian in Lynden, Wash.

Fakkema said he only informed his team captains of the approaching milestone, but the captains shared the news with the rest of the team after win No. 299 on Friday.

"I didn't think about it until the beginning of the season and figured I'd better total it up because this could be the year," Fakkema said. "It's quite an accomplishment."

Offensive Player of the Year: Su'a Cravens, Vista Murrieta
Defensive Player of the Year: Jeremy Castro, Vista Murrieta
Coach of the Year: Coley Candaele, Vista Murrieta

OFFENSE
Running back:
Romello Goodman, Corona Centennial
Donta Abron, Upland
Craig Lee, Redlands
Joseph Ajeigbe, Norco
Kurt Scoby, Charter Oak
Quarterback:
Hayden Gavett, Centennial
Travis Santiago, Charter Oak.

Offensive Player of the Year:
Jamaal Williams, Summit, 12, RB; Bernard Porter, Summit, 12, QB
Defensive Player of the Year:
Donte Deayon, Summit, 12, DB; Nolan Peralta, Elsinore, 12, LB
Coach of the Year:
Tony Barile, Summit

OFFENSE
Running back:
Davien Payne, Citrus Hill, 12
Taleeb Isom, Kaiser, 11
Adarius Hogan, Serrano, 12
Jamaal Morrow, Heritage, 11
Marshaun Coprich, Oak Hills, 12
Quarterback:
Trevor Hodge, Citrus Hill, 11

Offensive Player of the Year: Steven Rivera, Arroyo, 12
Defensive Player of the Year: Brett Walsh, Monrovia, 11
Coach of the Year: Ryan Maddox, Monrovia

OFFENSE
Running back
Amjed Aboul-hosn, Village Christian, 12
Sir Darius Yarbrough, Pomona, 12
J.R. Nelson, Hacienda Hacienda Wilson, 12
Marquise Bias, Monrovia, 12
Desmond Reed, Azusa, 12
Quarterback:
Andy Guerrero, San Gabriel, 12
Billy Livingston, Covina, 12

Offensive Players of the Year:
Carlos Hernandez, Rancho Verde, 12, QB; Dane Tiedeman, Palm Springs, 12, QB.
Defensive Players of the Year:
Blair Brown, Rancho Verde, 12, LB; Kyle Lass, Palm Springs, 12, LB.
Coach of the Year:
Pete Duffy, Rancho Verde

OFFENSE
Running back:
Jeremiah Talia, Moreno Valley,12
Gaylon Maxie, Carter, 12
Xavier Browne, Chino, 12
Tim Santa Maria, Palm Desert, 12
Jamie Snowten, San Gorgonio, 12
Quarterback:
Carlos Hernandez, Rancho Verde, 12
Dane Tiedeman, Palm Springs, 12
Monroe Offield, San Gorgonio, 12

Offensive Player of the Year: Tyler Stewart, Sierra Canyon, 12, QB.
Defensive Player of the Year: Brian Tucker, Sierra Canyon, 11 LB
Coach of the Year: Jon Ellinghouse, Sierra Canyon

OFFENSE
Running back:
Xavier Menifield, Sierra Canyon, 11
Ryan Davis, Paraclete, 12
Brandon Gonzalez, Bishop Diego, 12
Jacob Taylor, Rim of the World, 11
Mike Salas, Ontario Christian, 12.
Quarterback:
Nolan Tisdale, Bishop Diego, 12.

Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Solomon, West Covina, 12
Defensive Player of the Year: Dorrin Turner, West Covina, 12
Coach of the Year: Mike Maggiore, West Covina

OFFENSE
Running back:
Joey Davis, Santa Fe 12
OJ Medina, La Serna, 12
Zander Anding, Burbanks Burroughs, 12
Johnny Hills, La Mirada, 11
Jimmy Frazier, West Covina, 12
Justin Fa'aola, Los Altos, 12
Ryan Harris Bellflower, 12
Quarterback:
Myles Carr, Arcadia, 12
Gerry Myres, La Mirada, 11

Will Lester/Staff Photographer
Upland's Christian Powell carries in the Highlanders' 39-18 loss to Vista Murrieta in the CIF-SS Inland Division semifinals.

Upland High School fullback Christian Powell verbally committed to UCLA today, choosing his latest offer over that of Colorado, according to the Upland coaching staff. Powell said he was on the verge of committing to Colorado, to which two of his Upland teammates have verbally pledged, until the Bruins' new coaching staff offered him on Jan 4. Powell expressed the desire to remain close to home and once he felt comfortable with his role as in the new-look UCLA offense, he was ready to commit.

Powell had eight scholarship offers from which to choose: UCLA, Colorado, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Washington, Arkansas State, San Jose State and UC Davis. USC got involved this week, but Powell wasn't interested. Most of the suitors offered the 5-foot-11, 250-pound senior as a fullback, but Arkansas State and USC were interested in him as a defensive tackle. Playing defensive end for Upland last season, Powell collected 90 tackles and 15 sacks.

Upland defensive back Marques Mosley and running back Donta Abron have already committed to Colorado. Abron was especially hopeful Powell would choose Colorado after the fullback helped pave the way for his 1,754 yards and 33 touchdowns. Powell showed some running ability himself, plowing his way to 400 yards and seven touchdowns on just 40 carries.

Los Osos High hosts an annual MLK boys basketball showcase event and here is this year's schedule for the games on Monday:

9:30 a.m. Twentynine Palms vs. Walnut
11 a.m. Miller vs. Irvine Northwood
12:30 p.m. Los Osos vs. Pomona
2 p.m. Chino vs. La Puente Bishop Amat
3:30 p.m. Los Angeles Pacific Hills vs. Chino Hills
5 p.m. Claremont vs. Glendora
6:30 p.m. Ventura vs. Damien
8 p.m. Ayala vs. Eisenhower

Thomas Leach, previously the head football coach at Temecula Chaparral and Diamond Ranch, will be recommended for board approval on Tuesday as Etiwanda High School's new head football coach, according to the Chaffey Joint Union High School district board agenda. If approved, Leach will replace Steve Bryce, who resigned following last season, his seventh season at the helm for Etiwanda.

Leach coached Temecula Chaparral for five seasons before departing after the 2010 season. He was an assistant coach for Norco last year. Prior to accepting the head coaching position at Chaparral, he was the Diamond Ranch head coach in 2004 and 2005 following a stint as an assistant at Huntington Beach Edison. Etiwanda athletic director David Masucci declined to comment prior to Leach's board approval.

1. La Verne Lutheran
2. Etiwanda
3. Damien
4. Chino Hills
5. Eisenhower

Top performers in the last week
Sam Flemming, Etiwanda
Scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Eagles past L.A. Crenshaw, 63-56, on Saturday night.
Mark Eden, Don Lugo
Scored 21 points as the Conquist- adores pulled out a 62-60 victory over Montclair on Monday to claim first place in the Mt. Baldy League.

Game of the week
Eisenhower at Ayala, 8 p.m., Monday
Eisenhower, ranked No. 12 in 1AA, takes a break from Citrus Belt League play to play in Los Osos' Martin Luther King Day event against another ranked team, Ayala, which is tied for ninth in 2AA.

1. Etiwanda
2. Summit
3. RIalto
4. Bonita
5. Eisenhower

Top performers in the last week
Jaelyn Wilson, Colony
The senior had 19 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a 36-34 win over Don Lugo on Friday that kept Colony undefeated in the Mt. Baldy League.
Ashtyn Anderson, Etiwanda
The senior had 14 points and 11 rebounds as Etiwanda came back from a 1-for-26 shooting effort in the first half to beat Summit, 59-55, on Friday.

Game of the week
Upland at Etiwanda, Friday, 5 p.m.
Upland, the No. 11 team in CIF-SS Division 1A, visits defending Baseline League champion Etiwanda, the No. 9 team in Division 1AA, in a key league matchup.

1. Fontana
2. Claremont
3. Carter
4. Garey
5. Colony

Top performers in the last week
Cody Catano, Ontario Christian
The senior had four goals and a pair of assists in a 7-2 win over ACA on Tuesday that kept OCHS undefeated in the Ambassador League.
Alfaro Geo, Colony
Made seven saves as the Titans shut out Don Lugo 3-0 in a Mt. Baldy League game Friday.

Game of the week
Cajon at Carter, 3:15 p.m. Tuesday
Carter has already lost a league game to Colton, but the Lions, like Cajon, are ranked in Division 5 and have league title aspirations.

1. Los Osos
2. St. Lucy's
3. Claremont
4. Ayala
5. Diamond Bar

Top performers in the last week
Tara Struiksma, Ontario Christian
Scored two goals in a 4-0 win over Temecula Linfield Christian on Saturday in a battle for first place in the Ambassador League.
Kelsey Nicassio, Los Osos
Scored the game-tying goal and assisted on the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over a ranked St. Lucy's team on Monday.

Game of the week
St. Lucy's at West Covina South Hills, 5 p.m., Friday
St. Lucy's, the fourth-ranked team in Division 3, continues a tough stretch in the Sierra League against a South Hills team that has one loss on the season.

1. Los Osos
2. St. Lucy's
3. Bonita
4. Upland
5. Ayala

Top performers in the last week
Cambria Shockley, St. Lucy's
Had 3 goals, 5 assists and 2 steals in a Sierra League-opening 17-4 win over Claremont on Tuesday.
Kristen Jensen, Los Osos
Scored 4 goals in a 14-9 win over Baseline League rival Upland on Tuesday.

Game of the week
Ayala at Covina Charter Oak, 4:15 p.m., Thursday
Ayala, the No. 9 team in CIF-SS Division 3, takes on Charter Oak, ranked one spot ahead of it, in a key Sierra League match.

Two Upland football players have made verbal commitments to Colorado but two more, who happen to be two of the Inland Valley's highest profile recruits, are yet to make their intentions known as National Signing Day approaches.

Highlanders fullback Christian Powell was set to join running back Donta Abron and defensive back Marques Mosley at Colorado until the new coaching staff at UCLA made him a scholarship offer Jan. 4. Powell, who said he will make a decision between his eight offers this week, returned from an official visit to UCLA last weekend impressed by the Bruins.

"I was about to commit to Colorado," Powell said. "I liked (UCLA) a lot. I had a good visit. I don't know man but I think I'm leaning toward (UCLA)."

Upland receiver Kenny Lawler, who decommitted from Arizona State Nov. 28, will visit Oregon State this weekend but may not make a decision on his future until until close Signing Day on Feb. 1. The four-star recruit has narrowed his list to Oregon State, Oklahoma State, Washington State and UCLA.

After 12 years at the helm, Bonita head football coach Eric Podley will step down... but not very far. According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune's story special teams coordinator Adrian Medrano will take over as head coach and Podley will be his offensive coordinator.

Podley led the team to two league titles, nine playoff appearances and the CIF-SS Southeast Division championship game two seasons ago where the Bearcats lost a game for the ages, 37-33, to West Covina. Bonita's long time head coach struggled with a health issue last season, an infection that caused him to drop a large amount of weight, that played a large role in his decision.

Tuesday night was a rare home game for the La Verne Lutheran High School basketball team. In fact, due to the Trojans' national schedule, its 75-45 defeat of Montclair was just the third time this season they played a team from the Inland Valley.

Having compiled a 9-4 record against teams from South Carolina, Georgia, Texas and all parts of California, welcoming an undefeated Montclair team to its gym didn't faze the two-time defending state champions.

Arizona signee Grant Jerrett scored all 25 of his points in the first three quarters and the 6-foot-10 power forward added 14 rebounds and six blocks as the Trojans (10-4) built a double-digit lead in the first quarter, led by 21 at the half and 30 less than three minutes into the third quarter.

"They're as good as anyone in this area and we scheduled them for that reason," Montclair coach Bill Blades said. "I know these guys are technically in a lower division, but they play all the teams from our division. We've got to learn from a loss like this."