Update: Bonita’s Nico Calderaro pitched a complete game six-hitter, leading the Cats to an easy 8-0 win over Pacific.
Update: South Hills jumped on top of Quartz Hill 4-0, then hold on to win 4-3 behind a solid outing from pitcher Derek Klena, who went the distance and got a game-ending grounding with the tying runner aboard in the 7th.
Update Nogales: Just got the word, Palmdale upset the Nobles, 4-3
Update: Chater Oak: Chargers pounded Cajon, won 13-3.
Update: Sierra Vista: Dons are the lone area survivor in Div. V, beating Arrowhead Christian 6-5.

South Hills’ Derek Klena goes the distance to help the Hills score a 4-3 win in round one.

Friday’s results
Division III
Charter Oak 13, Cajon 3
Palmdale 4, Nogales 3
South Hills 4, Quartz Hill 3
Bonita 8, Pacific 0
Los Altos 4, Orange 2

Division V
Sierra Vista 6, Arrowhead Christian 5
Downey Calvary Chapel 4, South El Monte 2
Mary Star 8, La Puente 5
Paraclete 2, Western Christian 1
Santa Ynez 4, Gladstone 0

Quick Look ahead to Tuesday’s semifinals
Baseball
Division II
Dos Pueblos (16-11) at Damien (20-8)
Notre Dame (23-5) at Chino Hills (17-10)
Division III
Charter Oak (16-9) at Palmdale (14-13)
Los Altos (13-11) at Santa Monica (17-14)
South Hills (18-8) at Hemet (17-9-1)
Bonita (20-5) at Alhambra (17-10)
Division IV
Bishop Amat (24-5) at La Habra (17-8)
San Dimas (20-5) at Sonora (18-10)
Northview (21-4) at St. Paul (17-12)
Division V
Sierra Vista (19-6) at Sultana (15-8)

Softball
Division III
Los Altos (21-6) at Oak Park (17-10)
Ayala (21-10) at Aliso Niguel (19-10-1)
Alemany (21-7) at Chino HIlls (21-10-1)
Knight (21-5-1) at Glendora (19-4)
Division IV
Lakeside (14-8) at Bishop Amat (17-12)
Division V
San Dimas (22-4) at La Canada (19-7)
San Jacinto (17-5) at Azusa (16-8)
South Hills (16-9-1) at Village Christian (24-5)
Northview (16-8) at Woodcrest Christian (17-9)
Whittier Christian (20-6) at Rowland (14-13)
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (19-6-1) at West Covina (15-10)
Division VI
Big Bear (14-11) at Arroyo (14-9)
South El Monte (19-6) at Desert Mirage (13-10)

The Tribune ball goes to Damien after its 4-1 win over No. 4 seed Palos Verdes

Because I know how important my picks are to you, I’m keeping tabs on the results, with a 15-7 mark in the first-round, going 10-4 in softball and 5-3 in baseball on Thursday.

In Softball, I picked Bishop Amat, South Hills, Rowland and Arroyo to all lose, and they won, probably the most surprising was Bishop Amat’s 7-1 win over 20-4 Morro Bay, and Arroyo’s 6-0 win over 17-1 Baptist Christian. I hate to toot my own horn, but I have been saying all along my reason for Glendora being No. 1 was the Sierra League, which not only went 4-0, but Chino knocked off No. 1 Cajon, 6-0. That’s a big ups to the Sierra. The Miramonte was lucky to not get swept thanks to Los Altos’ late rally to win in ten innings. Remember, it’s not the stats and the records that matter, it’s who you play. Also, give it up to Rowland as well, beating a very good Sierra Vista team, but more importantly, the San Antonio league softball, which I thought was average at best, went 3-0 in the first round with South Hills and West Covina both winning. Congrats, but don’t get use to it …

In Baseball, Division II crushed me, I went 1-3, picking Chino Hills and Damien to lose, and Chino to win, and missed all three. The big one was Damien, beating a 25-4 Palos Verdes team on the road 4-1 after playing a wild-card game. Can you give me a “Just like Basketball” chant? For the simple fact that three Sierra league teams played wild cards, it’s a credit to their league that they went 2-2 in the first round with Glendora also winning. Division IV was easy, Bishop Amat, Northview and San Dimas cruised as expected, and Baldwin Park fell. That was probably the easiest 4-0 prediction I ever had.

Northview update: No problem, the Vikings win 5-0 after Eric Ruvalcaba throws six shutout innings, allowing three hits. He also scored twice and hit a two-run homer. Bishop Amat also took care ob business, winning 4-1 over Calvary Chapel at home. BTW, St. Paul beat Oaks Christian 2-1 in eight innings, they will play Northview next on Tuesday.

RESULTS: All head coaches should call in results to 626-962-8811, Ext. 2233, 2242 or email to scores@sgvn.com, and since you’re reading this, at least POST your score on this game thread so we can get scores updates ASAP, thanks.

Today’s CIF-Playoff results

Division II
Redlands East Valley 4, Glendora 0
Damien 4, Palos Verdes 1
Chino Hills 4, La Mirada 3
Huntington Beach 5, Chino 3

Division IV
Bishop Amat 4, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 1
Northview 5, Granite Hills 0
St. Paul 2, Oaks Christian 1, 8 innings
San Dimas 5, Laguna Beach 1
Fullerton 13, Baldwin Park 2

Los Altos High School, with its season on the brink, showed Thursday, it’s rich in heart as it is in talent.
Sophomore Courtney Gano hit a key double to spark a two-run rally in the seventh and freshman Lexi Garcia singled home Erica Cota in the 10th and the Conquerors rallied to score a 4-3 victory over visiting Sonora in a CIF-Southern Section Division III first-round game.
Los Altos, getting two RBIs from Garcia and a solid effort in the circle from senior Diana-lynn Patterson, improved to 21-6 and will face Oak Park, 2-0 winners over Burbank Burroughs Thursday, in the second round on Tuesday.
The Conquerors, getting sacrifice flies from Garcia and Patterson, scored two runs in the seventh to tie it at 3 before Garcia singled with two outs and the based loaded in the 10th to win it, 4-3.
Los Altos coach Lydell McCullough: “I was a little worried there. But we’ve been doing this all season. This is a veteran group and they never give up, and they believe they can get back in any game, any time.”
Courtney Gano: “We just never gave up. I know (early in the game) we were a little nervous because we didn’t know how (Sonora) was, but we came through. We never gave up. We showed heart.”
Lexi Garcia: “I knew I had to come through. I had a feeling I was going to get (the hit).”

With senior Diana-Lynn Patterson in the circle, can Los Altos finally make a deep playoff run? The Conquerors are off to a good start with a 4-3 victory over Sonora on Thursday.

RESULTS: All head coaches should call in results to 626-962-8811, Ext. 2233, 2242 or email to scores@sgvn.com, and since you’re reading this, at least POST your score on this game thread so we can get scores updates ASAP, thanks.

CIF-Southern Section playoff schedule
Thursday’s first-round results
Division III
Los Altos 4, Sonora 3, 10 innings
Chino Hills 4, Bonita 1
Glendora 3, Dana Hills 1
Knight 5, Charter Oak 3
Division IV
Bishop Amat 7, Morro Bay 1
Division V
South Hills 14, Keppel 4
San Dimas 16, Schurr 2
Azusa 2, Victor Valley 0
Northview 10, Savanna 1
Rowland 6, Sierra Vista 1
West Covina 6, Cerritos Valley Christian 1
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 6, Covina 5
Division VI
Arroyo 6, Baptist Christian 0
South El Monte 24, Sacred Heart of Jesus 0

We love it when a coach speaks out. Star-Newbie reporter Miguel Melendez talked to Temple City coach Barry Bacon about the CIF playoff format, where just about anybody makes the playoffs. The Rams are in the Rio Hondo League and in Div. IV with San Dimas, Bishop Amat and Northview. Much like the Sierra, the Rio was a close race between several teams with Temple City finishing third and La Canada fourth, but did it really matter? Read on, Bacon tells you why it doesn’t?

Continue reading “Temple City baseball coach Barry Bacon wants to know why CIF rewards so many teams” »

The best brother-sister tandem in the nation? Steve Ramirez talks to the Lancers standouts and tells their story

CIF-SS Divisional Finals Info
Saturday, May 23rd @ Cerritos College
Field events @ 11 a.m.
Running events @ 1 p.m.

Southern Section’s top performers

Saturday’s CIF-Southern Section prelims results
Division I, Division II, Division III, Division IV

Who you should look for?
Saturday could be a banner day for locals at the CIF-Southern Section divisional track and field finals. Several area competitors put themselves in solid positions toward possible individual titles following strong efforts at their respective CIF-SS prelims. To continue, click thread

Continue reading “The Price Is Right, Bishop Amat siblings lead a strong pack from SGV into CIF track finals” »

The Skinny on the Releaguing:
After a vote by 42 principals and two appeals hearings, The Mt. SAC-area league realignment for 2010-14 will go to a final vote on October 22 in Long Beach by the seven-league representatives that form the Mt. SAC area.
Three proposals are on the table for the Mt. SAC area league representatives to consider after Wednesday’s CIF-Southern Section Executive Council meeting passed Rowland’s appeal to move from the proposed San Antonio/Miramonte League to the Valle Vista by a near unanimous margin.
However, a lot would have to happen for Rowland’s appeal to actually become reality.
What happens next is the seven league representatives that form the Mt. SAC area, which include the Valle Vista, Montview, Sierra, San Antonio, Mt. Baldy, Baseline and Miramonte League’s, will each have one vote at the October meeting. To continue reading and peak at all the proposals, click thread

Continue reading “Rowland vote to Valle Vista nearly unanimous; South Hills, Glendora move forward to final meeting set for Oct. 22 in Long Beach” »