Birmingham - Occasional Digest

SPORT

Prep talk: Don’t say City Section football has no talent

At the City Section breakfast on Wednesday morning for teams competing this weekend in championship football games, two linebackers from the class of 2027 were asked to take a photo together, because one day, it could be historic.

Elyjah Staples, a 6-foot-3 junior from Marquez, and De’Andre Kirkpatrick, a 6-3 junior from Crenshaw, can match their skills against anyone in the state. College recruiters are paying attention and one day NFL scouts will too. They are helping destroy the stereotype that City Section football is lacking in talent.

Add versatile junior quarterback Chris Fields III from Carson and senior running back Darnell Miller from Santee, who has surpassed the 3,000-yard mark rushing this season, and you have a group of players you’ll be watching on television in the coming years.

Here’s the schedule for games at Birmingham on Friday and L.A. Southwest College on Saturday.

Marquez coach Rudy Fortiz has been hearing from friends through text messages. He’s in a bit of a bind. His team is facing his alma mater, South Gate, for the Division I title on Saturday. Fortiz says he always roots for South Gate — except for this week. South Gate was 0-10 two seasons ago.

Hawkins coach Ronald Coltress is the one who had the put the program back together after it went 0-13 in 2016 because of forfeits and firings of coaches. In 2017, he was JV coach when the varsity went 0-11 following an exodus of players. He took over in 2018 and the team went 1-9. The administration told him to stay the course and make sure players were going to class, behaving and graduating. Now Hawkins is 10-2 and playing for the Division III championship on Friday against Santee at Birmingham.

“There was nobody left,” Coltress said. “I had to find kids who wanted to play.”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

Source link

SPORT

High school football: City and Southern Section semifinal scores

Nov 22, 2025 Sports Desk

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Semifinals

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Carson 40, #5 Garfield 7

#6 Crenshaw 12, #2 Birmingham 7

DIVISION I

#5 Marquez 16, #1 Venice 7

DIVISION II

#1 Cleveland 14, #4 Fairfax 7 (Thursday)

#2 San Fernando 53, #6 L.A. Marshall 8

DIVISION III

#1 Santee 24, #5 Contreras 8

#2 Hawkins 18, #3 L.A. Wilson 13

SOUTHERN SECTION

Semifinals

DIVISION I

Santa Margarita 31, Orange Lutheran 6

Corona Centennial 28, Mater Dei 27

DIVISION 2

Los Alamitos 23, Murrieta Valley 10

San Clemente 35, Leuzinger 7

DIVISION 3

Oxnard Pacifica 42, Chino Hills 24

Palos Verdes 23, Edison 10

DIVISION 4

San Jacinto 18, Villa Park 15

La Habra 20, Oaks Christian 7

DIVISION 5

Redondo Union 21, Loyola 7

Rio Hondo Prep 35, La Serna 6

DIVISION 6

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 39, Eastvale Roosevelt 6

Ventura 28, Agoura 14

DIVISION 7

Barstow 28, Palm Springs 7

Apple Valley 21, Saugus 7

DIVISION 8

Beckman 28, Palm Desert 14

Brea Olinda 28, Irvine 12

DIVISION 9

Ramona 40, Hesperia 13

Cerritos Valley Christian 28, San Dimas 12

DIVISION 10

Tahquitz 41, Santa Monica 35

Hillcrest 39, Garden Grove Pacifica 20

DIVISION 11

Baldwin Park 27, Western Christian 14

Valley View 28, South Pasadena 21

DIVISION 12

Grace 49, Coachella Valley 42

Santa Paula 17, Bellflower 14

DIVISION 13

Woodbridge 24, Saddleback 21

Montebello 43, La Puente 36

DIVISION 14

South El Monte 13, Miller 7

Pioneer 14, Anaheim 6

8-MAN

Semifinals

DIVISION 1

Flintridge Prep 28, Chadwick 8

Wildomar Cornerstone Christian 29, Faith Baptist 20

DIVISION 2

Cate 46, Calvary Baptist 14

Lancaster Baptist 45, Hesperia Christian 22

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Semifinals

DIVISION I

#11 Dorsey at #2 South Gate

Finals

8-MAN

At Birmingham High

#2 Animo Robinson vs. #1 Sherman Oaks CES, 5 p.m.

Source link

SPORT

Prep talk: City Section football teams thrive in the mud

Nov 15, 2025 Sports Desk

People discovered who were true mudders on a rainy Friday night in the City Section football playoffs.

Crenshaw routed No. 3-seeded San Pedro 30-0 to advance to the Open Division semifinals next week at Birmingham. The Cougars received a punt return for a touchdown and an interception return for a touchdown from Kyron Rattler. Deance’ Lewis had a long touchdown on the opening possession and De’Andre Kirkpatrick contributed double digits in tackles.

Crenshaw is 9-1 under interim coach Terrence Whitehead. That means Robert Garrett, on administrative leave, has 299 career victories. Birmingham defeated Granada Hills Kennedy 49-20.

Garfield received 440 yards rushing from Zastice Jauregui to end Palisades’ unbeaten season, 42-21. Garfield will play at No. 1 Carson, which defeated King/Drew 27-2.

Venice was unstoppable on its grass field, beating Franklin 35-8 in the Division I playoffs.

The Dorsey at Eagle Rock game was postponed until Monday because of a power failure at Eagle Rock.

Source link

SPORT

Birmingham sees Maccabi-Villa demos amid ‘unprecedented’ policing

Nov 6, 2025 Sports Desk

Phil Mackie,Midlands correspondent and

Tanya Gupta,West Midlands

Reuters Pro Israel supporters are led to Villa Park, home of Aston Villa by police officers, before the UEFA Europa League match at Villa Park, Birmingham — Pro-Israel supporters gathered outside Villa Park

Hundreds of protesters have descended on Birmingham ahead of the controversial Aston Villa match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

A huge police operation with more than 700 officers, dogs, horses and drones is under way for the Uefa Europa League match, which kicks off at 20:00 GMT.

Ch Supt Tom Joyce said several groups had been expected to protest, including pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli campaigners, in the wake of the controversial decision to ban away fans from the game.

“We police football matches a lot. We police protests a lot. We deal with all sorts of public order scenarios, but certainly the level of interest, the level of concern around this match is pretty unprecedented,” he said.

Reuters Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside the stadium before the match. A man with a hi-vis jacket has a loudspeaker. The group are carrying flags. — Pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered outside the stadium, ahead of the match

Police arrested six people before the match started, three on suspicion of racially-aggravated public order offences.

A man, 21, was arrested for failing to comply with an order to remove a face mask, and a boy, 17 was held for failing to comply with a dispersal order. Another person was arrested for a breach of the peace.

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving flags and banners calling for an end to violence in Gaza.

A counter protest of pro-Israeli campaigners marched down a road outside Villa Park. Five flatbed vehicles were also driven past the ground prior to kick-off of the Europa League match, carrying electronic billboards showing messages opposing antisemitism.

One message, beside a Star of David, read “Ban hatred not fans” while another carried a quote from Thierry Henry saying football is not about goals but bringing people together.

PA Media The Aston Villa team bus arrives before the UEFA Europa League match at Villa Park, Birmingham. It is dark outside and the bus has its lights on in front of the lit-up stadium. The sign says Aston Villa Team Coach. — The team bus arrived a couple of hours before kick-off

PA Media Pro-Palestinian campaigners stage a demo outside Villa Park. Many are carrying flags and waving them. There is a banner that says "stop arming Israel". The stadium building is behind them with the lights on inside. — At least half a dozen groups were expected to protest

On Thursday, numbers of officers from the West Midlands force were boosted by police from 10 forces across the country.

Ch Supt Joyce, Birmingham’s police commander, said police had prepared for the possibility of people turning up looking for a fight.

“We recognise that those groups who won’t engage with this are probably turning up with different motives to those who want to protest lawfully,” he said.

“The policing operation you can see is partly a reflection of the need to deal with that.”

He told Sky News that “significant levels of hooliganism” among the Maccabi fan base was the reason for the ban.

Police are using Section 60 powers – which allow officers to stop and search anyone – in an area stretching from Aston and Perry Barr to Birmingham New Street and the city centre, which started at midday and run until 03:00 on Friday.

PA Media A women named Emily carrying an Israel flag is moved away by police officers from pro Palestine campaigners, who are protesting on Trinty Road outside Villa Park. — Police are working to keep about half a dozen groups apart

Villa supporter Adam Selway turned up for the match wearing a half-and-half scarf in the colours of the home side and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The 48-year-old said he felt sympathy with fans unable to attend and simply wanted to watch a football match, but that he was not making any political statement.

“It’s not about politics, it’s about football,” he said. “It’s not the Villa fans that don’t want anyone here – the Villa fans want the away fans here.”

Earlier, those living and working in the city near Villa Park saw shops and schools close early.

Meanwhile, Jewish Villa fan Elliot Ludvig described his apprehension about attending the match.

Mr Ludvig, who was going to the game with his son, told the BBC: “I’m apprehensive about what’s going to happen. I’m apprehensive about the potential for violence for one thing.

“I’m apprehensive about various unpleasantries that we might encounter along the way, both outside the stadium and inside the stadium.”

EPA Police officers have gathered from forces across the country, and are here assembling outside the Aston Villa ground. — More than 700 police are out on in the city for the match, which has caused controversy for weeks

‘Football unites us’

He said his other major emotion was “disappointment”.

“Is it worth going to a football game to potentially put myself at some sort of risk and or expose my son to to all sorts of unpleasantries which you might not want to?,” he asked.

Those who called for calm included one fan group, the Punjabi Villans, which urged people to respect each other and for everyone to get home safely, posting on social media: “We’re in this together. Football unites us.”

Elliot Ludvig sits at home with a bookcase and pictures behind him. He is wearing a light blue shirt and his Villa fan shirt is next to him on a chair. He is looking at the camera with a concerned expression. — Elliot Ludvig said he was apprehensive and disappointed

On Wednesday night, the chief executive of Maccabi Tel Aviv Jack Angelides said it was “incredibly sad” his side’s fans could not be there, adding: “Politics should never be drawn into football.”

As plans for protests were drawn up earlier in the week, Naeem Malik, chair of West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said there had been national outrage over the hosting of the Israeli team.

“The calls to cancel this match have been ignored despite the risks that it carries, therefore we must urge activists to unite in protest against this match,” he said.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Kashmir solidarity campaign and Palestinian Forum in Britain had called for the match to be cancelled and jointly organised one of the protests.

Reuters Protesters hold signs outside the stadium before the match. They have Palestinian flags. Two signs say "boycotts not bullets" and "take the foot off their necks and get off our pitch". — Protesters have turned up with placards and flags

Source link

Prep talk: Don’t say City Section football has no talent

High school football: City and Southern Section semifinal scores

Prep talk: City Section football teams thrive in the mud

Birmingham sees Maccabi-Villa demos amid ‘unprecedented’ policing

‘Football unites us’

You missed

Monday 1 December Army Abolition Day in Costa Rica

Ducks can’t hang on to three-goal lead, lose to Blackhawks

Swiss reject inheritance tax on ultra-wealthy; female military service

Top global arms producers’ revenues surge as major wars rage: SIPRI report | Weapons News

Occasional Digest