CIF-SS Girls Hoops
Wednesday’s second round schedule
All games at 7 p.m.
Division 1A
Troy at Chino Hills
Division 3AA
Diamond Ranch at Arroyo Grande
Division 3A
Bishop Amat at Temescal Canyon
Bonita at Palos Verdes
Division 4A
Duarte at Cerritos Valley Christian

By John Honell, Correspondent
The Bonita High School girls basketball team has been on a mission since losing in the semifinals of last year’s CIF-Southern Section Division 3A playoffs. The Bearcats’ mission of winning a championship remains on track after an easy second-round win, 77-38, over Jurupa Valley on Saturday. (to continue click thread)

Northview coach Jeff Butler retires following loss: The Orange Lutheran High School girls basketball team showed its fans exactly why it is the No.1-seeded team in the CIF-Southern Section Division 3A playoffs as the Lancers beat Northview 63-31 in a second-round game.

Workman goes down: The Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls basketball team scored 51 points in the first half of its CIF-Southern Section Division 5AA second-round playoff game en route to a 77-50 victory over visiting Workman on Saturday.

More on Amat, Duarte, Wilson: Bishop Amat High School’s girls basketball team once again had to count on its defense to advance to the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division 3A playoffs with a 40-38 win at Irvine on Saturday.

CIF-SS Girls Hoops Playoffs
Saturday’s Second Round results
Division 1A
Chino Hills 52, Ventura 35
Division 3AA
Diamond Ranch 55, North Torrance 43
Division 3A
Orange Lutheran 63, Northview 31
Bishop Amat 40, Irvine 38
Temescal Canyon 61, Wilson 38
Bonita 77, Jurupa Valley 38
Division 4A
Windward 78, Azusa 21
Sierra Canyon 72, Gladstone 28
Division 4A
Duarte 60, Estancia 48
Division 5AA
Flintridge Sacred Heart 77, Workman 50

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By Steve Ramirez Staff Writer
BREA – Saturday’s CIF-Southern Section Southern Division wresting championships at Brea Olinda High School felt more like the San Gabriel Valley Invitational.
Area athletes were that dominant.
Valley competitors scored eight of the 14 class titles and qualified 29 for next week’s CIF-SS Masters Meet at Temecula Valley High.
The contingent was led by Northview, which won its 12th divisional team title, with West Covina (third), Rosemead (sixth), Walnut (eighth) and Diamond Bar (10th) finishing in the top 10. Arroyo was 11th.
“If you look at the champions and the finalists, I think we did a very good job as a Valley representing our area,” Northview assistant Bobby Bellamy said. “I take my hat off to these other programs. These other programs are well-coached, their kids are disciplined and they have a lot of heart.
“To win this championship, it stands out. It stands out from the previous ones because (we) had some very stiff competition. Our young group had to perform, and they had to build on last week (when Northview, along with West Covina, won dual titles).”

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Note: Damien and Bonita will be meet for the first time since last season. Bonita won last year’s game, 57-52. In 2009, the teams split. Can’t wait to see what the “Pit” comes up with for this one.

CIF-SS Boys Basketball playoffs
Tuesday’s quarterfinals, 7 p.m.
Division 1A
Walnut (18-10) at No. 2 Aliso Niguel (25-2)
Division 3AA
No. 5 Corona del mar (19-9) at No. 4 La Verne Lutheran (20-4)
Division 3A
No. 5 Bonita (26-3) at No. 4 Damien (25-3)
Division 4A
No. 1 Orange Lutheran (23-6) at No. 8 Northview (23-6)
No. 6 Bishop Amat (21-7) at No. 3 Alemany (19-10)

All Scores Posted: Overall it was a big night for boys hoops, Northview and La Verne Lutheran also win, even Rowland gave one-loss Peninsula all it could handle before losing by ten, and La Puente lost in overtime to JSerra. Our Inland friends, Ayala and Chino Hills, both lost.

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
For a team that hadn’t led the entire night, Maranatha’s 6-foot-5 senior forward Stephen Van Spronsen calmly turned to Minutemen coach Tim Godley as the third quarter ended and told him not to worry, that he would find a way to get it done. With point guard Jeremy Major fouled out with nine points an all-everything guard Josh Chamberlain struggling to get open looks, Van Spronsen delivered on cue, hitting a running banker in the lane off glass with 25 seconds left to lead Maranatha to a 54-52 come-from-behind victory over Covina in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 4A playoffs on Friday. (To continue, click thread).

CIF-Southern Section Boys Basketball playoffs results
Friday’s second round
Division 1AA
Etiwanda 86, Chino Hills 54
Division 1A
Walnut 56, Quartz Hill 52
Division 2A
Palos Verdes Peninsula 59, Rowland 49
Gahr 77, Ayala 57
Division 3AA
Price 72, Nogales 50
La Verne Lutheran 80, Moorpark 39
Division 3A
Bonita 60, San Marcos 46
Damien 54, Woodbridge 27
Division 4AA
Northview 66, St. Francis 54
Bishop Amat 71, Palos Verdes 59
Division 4A
JSerra 64, La Puente 58, OT
Morningside 78, Wilson 72
Maranatha 54, Covina 52

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Here’s some first-day results at the four CIF-SS divisional sites involving area competitors. Some 35 area athletes have advanced to the championship semifinals and are still in the running for CIF-SS titles.One of the better days was turned in by Northview’s 215-pounder Chris Auxier, who won all three of his matches by fall, with two pins coming in less than a minute. Northview leads after one day in the Southern Divisional, with West Covina third. South Hills is fourth in the Northern Divisional. The tournaments conclude today at the selected sites. Final rounds are scheduled for 5 p.m.

SOUTHERN
103: Richie Tiara, Walnut; Devin Ng, Rosemead
112: Christian Betancourt, Arroyo
119: Danny Arceo, WCovina; Gilbert Nakatani, Northview
125: Matt Fregoso, Rosemead
130: Daniel Valles, Northview; Kyle Acevedo, Covina; Jacob Depraect, West Covina
135: Chris Caballero, West Covina; Alberto Flores, Rosemead; Bryan Salinas, Northview
140: Javier Arellano,Northview
152: Brad Ojala, West Covina
160: Joaquin Ramos, Baldwin Park; Anthony Escarcega, Rosemead; Steven Lopez, Northview
171: Kevin Kim, Diamond Bar; Daniel Amaya, West Covina
189: Denis Ruan, Diamond Bar
215: Chris Auxier, Northview
Hwt: Brian Ryu, Diamond Bar
NORTHERN
103: Christian Martin, Chino Hills
112: Andrew Delgado, Ayala
119: Clint Stark, Chino Hills; Vincent Herrera, South Hills
125:Tim Tran, South Hills
130: Thomas Morales, South Hills
145: Trevor Behr, South Hills
171: Colin Dorner, Damien; Brody Goens, Chino Hills
215: Jeff Vargas, South Hills
Hwt: Peter Nonu, South Hills
EASTERN
103: Mike Madrid, Bishop Amat
CENTRAL
145: Haydn Scharbrough, Glendora

CIF-SS Boys Soccer Playoffs
Wednesday’s second-round schedule
All games at 3 p.m.
Division 1
Glendora vs. Edison, site TBA (coin flip)
Division 2
Claremont vs. Valley View, site TBA (coin flip)
La Habra at Chino Hills
Division 4
Santa Monica at La Puente
Diamond Ranch vs. Artesia, site TBA (coin flip)
Bonita vs. Ganesha, site TBA (coin flip)
Division 5
Cajon vs. Pomona, site TBA (coin flip)
Lakeside vs. Baldwin Park, site TBA (coin flip)

CIF-Southern Section Boys Soccer Playoffs
Friday’s first round results
Division 1
Glendora 1, Aliso Niguel 0
Division 2
Chino Hills 2, Kennedy 1
Claremont 1, Indio 0
Capistrano Valley 2, Damien 1
Division 4
Oak Hills 4, Los Altos 3
La Puente 3, Burroughs Burbank 1
Bonita 3, Glendale 1
Crescenta Valley 3, Diamond Bar 2
Ganesha 2, Saddleback 1, OT
Diamond Ranch 1, La Serna 0
Division 5
Oaks Christian 1, Mountain View 0
Baldwin Park 5, Maranatha 2
Monrovia 1, South El Monte 0
La Canada 9, Nogales 3
Carpinteria 3, El Monte 0
Pomona 2, San Luis Obispo 1
Victor Valley 2, Northview 1

Everyone knows Amat has the best arsenal of hitters in the Valley, and perhaps the Southern Section, so adding a home run fence makes perfect sense. Only the pitching is suspect, though Nogales coach John “the legend” Romano told me recently that coach Beck is the best pitching coach in Southern California. In any case, I told head coach Andy Nieto the over/under on the length of Amat baseball games is 3 1/2 hours. When you consider their hitting, questionable pitching and the fact Nieto will call timeout roughly ten times a game, you know you’re in for a long afternoon. Maybe they can start games at 2:30 and give everyone a break. At least until daylight savings time.

According to the CIF-SS website, Northview catcher Stephen Zavala’s request for a hardship transfer to Northview was denied by CIF-Southern Section officials.
Zavala was the third player from Whittier to transfer to Northview in three years. The previous two were ruled eligible. Zavala, who batted .441 with 10 RBIs as a junior, transferred mid-year to Northview.

There were rumors that Glendora coach Mark Pasquarella was going to resign since the football season ended, but it finally became official today. One of the early front runners rumored to take over is La Puente coach Brandon Rohrer, an assistant at Glendora under Pasqy before he left for La Puente. For more reaction, visit Aram’s blog In the Huddle.

Tuesday’s CIF-SS Second Round Schedule
All games start at 3 p.m.
Division 2
Sunny Hills at Glendora
Division 3
Bonita at Righetti
Los Altos at Garden Grove Pacifica
St. Lucy’s at Serrano
Bishop Amat at Santa Maria St. Joseph
Division 6
Ocean View at Northview
Sierra Vista at San Marino
Alverno at San Dimas
Division 7
Bell Gardens at Arroyo

By Fred J. Robledo
If anyone is going to beat you, one would expect it to be Bishop Amat’s April Juarez, the one with 39 goals and 17 assists. But Bishop Amat coach Ruben Gonzalez noted how visiting Walnut loves to play on offside trap, so he turned speedy sophomore Natalie Rivas loose and she was off to the races. Rivas scored all three goals in Bishop Amat’s 3-1 victory over Walnut in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 girls soccer playoffs on Thursday. (To continue, click thread).

Below: Bishop Amat’s Natalie Rivas showing her stuff in a previous match.

Thursday’s CIF-SS playoff results
Division 2
Glendora 2, Great Oak 1
Division 3
Ayala 4, Knight 0
Bonita 3, Sultana 1
Quartz Hill 1, Claremont 0
Los Altos 2, Arroyo Grande 1
St. Lucy’s 1, Yorba Linda 0
Bishop Amat 3, Walnut 1
Flintridge Prep 3, Diamond Bar 1
Division 6
Cate 3, Gladstone 1
Beaumont 4, Wilson 0
Northview 3, San Jacinto 1
Sierra Vista 2, Sage Hill 1
San Dimas 8, La Puente 0
Segerstrom 3, Nogales 1
Garden Grove 1, Ganesha 0
Beverly Hills 1, Workman 0
Division 7
Sierra Canyon 2, Mountain View 0

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Over/Under 8 first-round prediction: I guess I owe the Inland Insider Tom Kiss an In N Out lunch. I bet that less than eight teams would advance past the first round with 23 games on the schedule. Ten teams advanced, so the over’s win.

CIF-SS Girls Hoops Playoffs
Saturday’s Second Round
All games start at 7 p.m.
Division 1A
Chino Hills at Ventura
Division 3AA
North Torrance at Diamond Ranch
Division 3A
Orange Lutheran at Northview
Bishop Amat at Irvine
Temescal Canyon at Wilson
Jurupa Valley at Bonita
Division 4A
Azusa at Windward
Gladstone at Sierra Canyon
Division 4A
Estancia at Duarte
Division 5AA
Workman at Flintridge Sacred Heart

By Steve Ramirez
La Canada High School’s girls basketball team finished fourth in the Rio Hondo League and was under .500 during the regular season.
St. Lucy’s Priory’s, meanwhile, enjoyed one of its better seasons in recent years, finished a strong second in the Sierra.
But the CIF-Southern Section playoffs often offer up surprises and Thursday’s opener was no exception. (To continue click thread)

Thursday’s Girls Basketball playoff results Schedule
Division 1AA
Cajon 84, Ayala 22
Division 1A
Valencia 45, Diamond Bar 28
Los Alamitos 52, Walnut 42
Chino Hills 60, Redlands East Valley 29
Division 2AA
Inglewood 97, West Covina 51
Division 2A
Beverly Hills 36, Arroyo 33
Division 3AA
Torrance 52, Rowland 43
Sonora 58, Sierra Vista 44
Agoura 68, Baldwin Park 32
Peninsula 59, Rosemead 18
Diamond Ranch 53, Beaumont 46
Division 3A
Orange Lutheran 79, Los Altos 31
Northview 53, Glenn 36
Bishop Amat 53, Buena Park 33
Wilson 44, San Jacinto 33
Bonita 71, Palm Springs 38
Division 4AA
Azusa 47, Rubidoux 19
Gladstone 59, Desert Mirage 58
L.A. Baptist 37, Covina 28
La Canada 52, St. Lucy’s 40
Division 4A
Duarte 64, El Segundo 41
29 Palms 65, San Dimas 62
Division 5AA
Workman 84, St. Monica Cathedral 67

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On Yahoo now: An Iowa high school wrestler who was one of the favorites to win his weight class defaulted on his first-round state tournament match rather than face one of the first girls to ever qualify for the event.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times,” wrote Northup. “As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa.”

Survive and advance: Damien’s Chris Reyes hit a shot at the buzzer to avoid a mammoth upset in the first round of the Division 3A playoffs. The fourth-seed Spartans squeaked out a 58-56 overtime victory over Agoura.

Nogales lines up Arroyo, 59-45

Glendora goes out the exit door early

Diamond Bar can’t stay with Cajon in 64-37 loss

Bonita wins ..
By Fred J. Robledo
Calling three timeouts in the first five minutes was Temple City High School boys basketball coach Rich Hollinger’s best way of trying to slow high powered Bonita in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 3A playoffs on Wednesday. All that did, however, was prolong the inevitable as Bonita’s inside tandem of Garrett Pendleton and Garett Horine set the pace running the floor and dominating the paint in an 81-38 first-round victory for the fifth-seed Bearcats (25-3), who will have a home game in the second round on Friday against 12th seed San Marcos. (To continue, click thread).

CIF-SS Boys Basketball Playoff results
Wednesday’s first round
Division 1AA
Chino Hills 71, Leuzinger 62
Division 1A
Cajon 64, Diamond Bar 37
Capistrano Valley 59, West Covina 35
Walnut 57, Tesoro 51
Division 2A
Rowland 64, Ontario 57
Eastside 72, Glendora 65, OT
Foothill 79, Baldwin Park 37
Ayala 67, Don Lugo 60
Division 3AA
Nogales 59, Arroyo 45
La Verne Lutheran 66, Claremont 48
Division 3A
Calabasas at Diamond Ranch
Bonita 81, Temple City 38
Damien 58, Agoura 56, OT
Division 4AA
St. Francis 62, Sierra Vista 55
Northview 77, Northwood 76 2 OT
South El Monte at Atascadero
Bishop Amat 59, San Luis Obispo 47
Servite 69, San Dimas 53
Tahquitz 48, Mountain View 42
Division 4A
Whittier Christian 57, Workman 41
La Puente 49, Rubidoux 39
Wilson 63, Desert Hot Springs 57
Ontario Christian 67, Ganesha 50
Covina 73, Morro Bay 60

Below: Hey look, Bonita’s Greg Eckler has a new look. The locks are gone

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Here’s Friday’s schedule for the CIF-SS Girls Water Polo quarterfinals:

Division 3
La Serna vs. St. Lucy’s at Damien
Ayala at Arroyo Grande
Division 5
Pasadena at Bonita
Crescenta Valley vs. Walnut at Mt. SAC, 3:15 p.m.
Los Altos at Temescal Canyon
Game times are 3 p.m., unless noted

CIF press release: Four divisions of the CIF Southern Section-Ford Baseball Championships, presented by Farmers, will be held at Dodger Stadium over two nights in June. Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be held Thursday or Friday nights (specific divisions, times and dates to be determined), June 2-3 at the historic ballpark in Chavez Ravine. CIF-SS championship baseball will conclude on Saturday, June 4 with Divisions 5, 6 and 7 title games taking place at The Riverside Sports Complex on the campus of the University of California, Riverside.

Bonita athletic director Eric Podley said the Bearcats girls basketball team will face Palm Springs in the first round of the CIF playoffs at 5 p.m., instead of the regular 7 starting time on Thursday. One of the Palm Springs coaches had a death in the family and has a flight that leaves town at 9. Classy move by the Bearcats, that’s what pursuing victory with honor is all about.

By Steve Ramirez, Staff Writer
As a heavyweight, Northview High School wrestler Chris Auxier was one of the best in the CIF-Southern Section. As a 215-pound competitor, he’s so much more. The senior now looks to prove it as he takes another step toward a CIF State title when he competes at this weekend’s CIF-Southern Section Southern Division Championships, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Brea Olinda High School. (To continue, click thread)

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Los Altos football coach Jim Arellanes has been relieved of his coaching duties, Los Altos AD Steve Garcia told our Fred Robledo a few moments ago. “Obviously, I am very disappointed and disagree 100 percent with the decision,” Arellanes said Tuesday night. For more reaction, read Aram’s In the Huddle blog.

By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
You’ll have to excuse the Duarte High School girls basketball team for feeling a little overlooked this week after the pairings for the CIF-Southern Section Division 4A playoffs were announced. The Falcons have a 23-1 record and 21-game winning streak but were not made one of the top-four seeds in the playoffs. They instead were assigned the No. 5 seed and a home game with El Segundo on Thursday night. (To continue, click thread)

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By Fred J. Robledo
Walnut High School girls soccer coach Lorraine Hansen set the table for Tuesday’s CIF-Southern Section Division 3 wild-card against visiting Highland by sporting the bling, wearing all three CIF championship rings from the Mustangs’ three-peat from 2003-05.
“She showed us and it got us going,” Walnut midfielder Nikki McKee said. “It was like an extra motivator to think we can get one of those for our finger too. Forget everything that happened before, that’s what we’re playing for now.” The Mustangs ended what felt like a season worth of missed chances and opportunities by routing visiting Highland 7-0 behind three goals from junior forward Stefanie Catone and two goals from McKee. (to continue click thread)

Thursday’s CIF-SS playoff schedule
All games start at 3 p.m.
Division 2
Glendora at Great Oak
Division 3
Knight at Ayala
Sultana at Bonita
Claremont at Quartz Hill
Arroyo Grande at Los Altos, 3:30 p.m.
Yorba Linda vs. St. Lucy’s at Damien
Walnut at Bishop Amat
Division 6
Cate at Gladstone
Wilson at Beaumont
San Jacinto at Northview
Sage Hill at Sierra Vista, 5 p.m.
La Puente at San Dimas
Nogales at Segerstrom
Ganesha at Garden Grove
Division 7
Mountain View at Sierra Canyon

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Saturday’s CIF-SS Dual Meet Wrestling Finals
Division 2
Northview 39, Servite 27
Division 4
West Covina 31. Ventura 28

By Steve Ramirez
It was a crowning achievement for two of the area’s premier high school wrestling programs. But in a way, it was more than that for Northview and West Covina, who each won CIF-Southern Section dual division titles Saturday. The Bulldogs girls team also dominated en route to winning the CIF Southern California Regional championship.
“It’s, overall for our program, the greatest day in our program, to have both our boys and girls win CIF,” West Covina coach Donnie Stephens said. “We’re one big family. It was a pretty awesome feeling to see one team running off the bus to meet the other who was running out of the gym. It was a great day.” (To continue, click thread)

Above: West Covina wrestlers Adam Caballero, Chris Caballero, Eddie Lagarda and Danny Arceo celebrating the Bulldogs’ wrestling title.

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“This is my 32nd year going to the playoffs and I’ve seen everything. Playoffs come down to being ready to play and play well, playing the teams you match up well against and getting lucky. I’m not sure if our league is going to prepare us or not. If this team (Eastside) is a lot like Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Los Osos or Alta Loma, then yeah, the league helped us because we’re ready.” – Glendora coach Mike LeDuc

By Aram Tolegian, Staff Writer
Last season marked only the second time since 1981 that Glendora High School’s boys basketball team failed to make it out of the first round of the CIF-Southern Section playoffs. But don’t expect the sting of that statistic to mean much to this year’s Tartans when they take the court on Wednesday in the first round of the Division 2A playoffs against Eastside. “Last year doesn’t matter at all,” Glendora coach Mike LeDuc said after practice on Monday. “We’ve already practiced for today, we’ve talked for today and it never came up in our talk. For a lot of years we won a lot of games because we had the best players. “Last year, I thought both the team we played (Burbank) and ourselves were fairly equal. I thought they played fairly well against us and I don’t think we played well at all, but I don’t think that carries into this year at all.”

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Since anonymous comments now require typing in captcha (tiny squiggly words) before posting a comment, several commenters have complained that it’s too sensitive, and they have to copy and paste some comments over again to post a comment. There is an easy solution, create a permanent screen name under the sign-on option, then once you sign on, you can post comments without having to type captcha. The sign-on option is still completely anonymous, we’re not asking you to post under Twitter or Facebook, just create an anonymous screen name, a password, email (like you do for anonymous posts anyway) and you’re in. Commenters like Joe Amat have been doing it forever and we still don’t know who the heck he is, so try it, it makes commenting much easier.

“We have to play well to win,” Ertle said. “We don’t have a team who can just show up and win games this year. Hopefully, the potential is there, but we’re just looking at one game at a time right now.” — Bishop Amat coach Brandon Ertle

By Aram Tolegian
Bishop Amat’s run to the semifinals of last year’s Division 4A playoffs took a lot of area fans by surprise, and the Lancers are looking to do the same thing again this season.
Amat, which finished 19-7 overall and second in the Del Rey League, gets the luxury of a home game against San Luis Obispo in Wednesday’s first round.
The good news for the Lancers is Price, which knocked out Amat last year before winning the division, has been moved out of 4A.

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Robledo: Remember what I wrote about Walnut a couple weeks back. I still feel the same way, they can beat anyone.

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
With Walnut High School, one of the traditional girls soccer powers over the last decade fading to fourth in the Hacienda League after several closes losses down the stretch, Bishop Amat coach Ruben Gonzalez feared his league champion Lancers might pay the price when the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 pairings were announced on Monday.
Turns out he was right. Walnut lost four of its final five games by a goal, but it finished 12-9-2 overall, which included a penalty shootout victory over Glendora to win its own tournament in January. (To continue story and view pairings, click thread).

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