Northview or Amat could run into Mr. Bigtime, Cezar Guerrero, who is thriving after leaving Workman and returning to St. John Bosco

There’s no player in Southern California who means more to his team than Bellflower St. John Bosco guard Cezar Guerrero. Guerrero is averaging 27.9 points and has helped the Braves (21-8) reach the Southern Section Division 4AA quarterfinals. If Northview somehow upsets Orange Lutheran, they would likely meet St. John Bosco in the semifinals. If Bishop Amat somehow gets to the championship, they might meet Guerrero and Co. in the finals. Yes, the former Workman guard who so many of you thought was nothing more than a show, also knows how to help his team win too. He scored 46 in a game against Mater Dei earlier this season.

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The week ahead to CIF championship games ..

CIF championships are the best, but the week before championships are the most exciting to me. I absolutely love the quarterfinals and semifinals, the crowds are more intimate and you see the passion up close and personal. So, here is what we got going this week…


Above: This is what we usually do this time of year, follow the Amat girls basketball team and Wiard deep in CIF and in the state playoffs. But it’s been tough following them lately, it seems like the Amat boys and girls hoops teams are living on the road, and will be on the road again in the quarters….

Boys Hoops note: Bonita at Damien might be the biggest area playoff since what? It has all the intrigue, two teams with great records in the same city meeting for the first time this year. Not only that, this could be the best teams both schools have ever had, plus it’s at Damien, the perfect venue where the “Pit” will likely be shouting from start to finish. Walnut, love what they’re doing, and Bishop Amat, they have a real shot at reaching the finals. Northview is a feel-good favorite because anyone who follows hoops in this area would love to see coach Rice go as far as he can. And uh, Lutheran, we’ll have more when they place Price on Friday night.
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)

Girls Soccer note: You gotta love Glendora still fighting in D-2, who beat Upland late in the year. In D-3, Amat, Los Altos and Bonita all should be fearful, they’re all on the road and I guarantee not all will survive it. You want surprises? How far will Northview, San Dimas or Sierra Vista go in D-6? It’s one of those divisions where you won’t be surprised if any of them go all the way.
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

Girls hoops note: No home love, everyone on the road except for Chino Hills. Obviously, would love to watch Amat and Bonita go at it again in semifinals. Or how about a Diamond Ranch-Muir semifinal, which could happen too. But I gotta tell you, my feel-good team is Duarte, which is where I will be on Wednesday night.
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

Boys Soccer: I have had it wrong all year, Glendora is the area’s best team, they win the Baseline and are still around in D-1, by far the toughest of the divisions. If they win again, and they’re at home, that would be something special. Best game of the day is Bonita at Ganesha, and I’m picking the Giants. Baldwin Park is still alive too. Hey, wouldn’t that be something in the year you don’t expect the Braves to go far, they go all the way.
CIF-SS Boys Soccer Playoffs
Wednesday’s second-round schedule
All games at 3 p.m.
Division 1

Edison at Glendora
Division 2
Valle View at Claremont
La Habra at Chino Hills
Division 4
Santa Monica at La Puente
Artesia at Diamond Ranch
Bonita at Ganesha
Division 5
Pomona at Cajon
Lakeside at Baldwin Park

Girls water polo note: How silly is it that two San Gabriel Valley based teams have to go to Irvine to play a semifinal at 5 p.m.? They should call CIF-SS and say thanks, but no thanks, we’ll do it right here at PCC where we can play in front of big home crowds, right? Well, I tried anyway. FYI, sorry South Pas, this St. Lucy’s team is gonna roll…Let’s also not forget Bonita, which won a CIF-SS title in 2008. The Bearcats face Division 5 top seed Redlands East Valley at 7:30 p.m. at Mt. SAC. The Bearcats are the No. 4 seed.
Girls Water Polo
Wednesday’s semifinals
Division 3

No. 1 St. Lucy’s vs. No. 4 South Pasadena at William Woollett Aquatic Center, Irvine, 5 p.m.
Division 5
No. 4 Bonita vs.No. 1 Redlands East Valley, at Mt. SAC, 7:30 p.m.
Wrestling Note: The Valley brings one of its bigger contingents to the CIF-SS Masters Meet at Temecula Valley. It will include 43 competitors, 10 of which won divisional individual championships last week.
CIF-SS Masters Meet
Friday and Saturday at Temecula High School

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Baseball: The family of Nick Wagner files lawsuit and will picket at CIF-SS office over section’s decision to deny Wagner a hardship claim

On Tuesday, the family of Glendora High School baseball senior Nicholas Wagner is planning to picket in front of the CIF-SS offices in protest of the section’s decision not to waive the eight-semester rule, denying Wagner’s hardship request to CIF-SS officials for what Wagner’s attorney claims was a decision based on an “athletically motivated,” transfer. I will have a story in Tuesday’s newspaper, but for now I will share the letter the Wagner family attorney sent to the media, along with a written response from CIF-SS spokesperson Thom Simmons.

To continue reading, click thread

Tuesday’s story: The family of Glendora High School baseball player Nicholas Wagner is planning to picket in front of the CIF-Southern Section office in Los Alamitos today (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) after he was ruled ineligible to participate in his senior year because of the eight-semester rule. After exhausting appeals with the section and state appeals panel board to waive the eight-semester rule under the category of a hardship, the Wagner family’s last hope is to win its battle against CIF through the Orange County Superior Court.

Continue reading “Baseball: The family of Nick Wagner files lawsuit and will picket at CIF-SS office over section’s decision to deny Wagner a hardship claim” »

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Sunday Tribbin: Bonita dominating SGV as top sports school, and should continue dominating

Not only did the Bearcats reach the CIF-Southeast Division title game in football, but girls cross country and volleyball were solid too. And they’ve only grown stronger in the winter, with the boys and girls soccer teams, boys and girls basketball and girls water polo still alive as we enter the second week of the playoffs . That’s five for five. Plus, we know how great their baseball, softball, track and swimming teams will be in the spring. One thing is absolutely certain, while Charter Oak, South Hills and Glendora are suffering the most from releaguing, Bonita is thriving in all sports across the board. When releaguing was voted on, voters were supposed to consider all sports, not just football. Well, you’re seeing the results of voters who voted with their blinders on, considering just football in making their decisions while ignoring how dominant a school might be in other sports. But this is Just Tribbin, you can talk about anything you want …

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Girls Hoops, tonight’s second round: Bonita absolutely dominant; Duarte winning streak swells to 23 games, Bishop Amat beats Irvine 40-38, Wilson’s dream season ends; Northview loses, coach Jeff Butler retires

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

Continue reading “Girls Hoops, tonight’s second round: Bonita absolutely dominant; Duarte winning streak swells to 23 games, Bishop Amat beats Irvine 40-38, Wilson’s dream season ends; Northview loses, coach Jeff Butler retires” »

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Wreslting: Northview wins again; area athletes win 10 titles, with 43 advancing to Masters

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).”

Continue reading “Wreslting: Northview wins again; area athletes win 10 titles, with 43 advancing to Masters” »

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Boys Hoops Quarterfinal schedule: Damien home against Bonita; Lutheran, Northview also home, Walnut, Bishop Amat on the road

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)

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