Birmingham

Since he became head coach at Birmingham in 2007, Matt Mowry is 0 for 18 when it comes to winning a West Valley League baseball title. He’s won five City titles but the Patriots haven’t been able to figure out how to win a league title.

A showdown against defending City champion El Camino Real on Tuesday didn’t start or end well for the Patriots. The Royals (10-3, 4-0) scored five runs in the first inning on six hits and coasted to an 8-3 win over Birmingham (10-2, 3-1).

The big hits in the first inning were an RBI double by JJ Saffie, a two-run double by Blake Dubin and an RBI single by Ryan Hauptman. For the second consecutive game, Birmingham pitcher Nathan Soto couldn’t make it out of the first inning. ECR starter Jackson Sellz, celebrating his 17th birthday, threw six innings before Hauptman came in to get the save. Ryan Glassman, Macai Friedman and Shane Bogacz each had two hits.

Birmingham is getting help starting Friday when transfers Masen Ruiz (Chatsworth), Toni Mendoza (Chatsworth) and Larkin Fleming (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame) become eligible. All could become starters. The two teams play again twice next month.

Fullerton 7, Ocean View 5: Luke Gonzalez had two doubles to help Fullerton come back from a 5-3 deficit.

Los Alamitos 4, Marina 0: Ryan Deck struck out seven, walked none and gave up two hits in the shutout. Cruz Derrico finished with three hits.

St. Bernard 5, Bishop Amat 4: Juan Sandoval struck out five in a complete game for St. Bernard.

Newport Beach 9, Edison 0: Gavin Guy struck out six in 5 1/3 innings and also hit a three-run home run.

Santa Margarita 2, Servite 0: Sophomore Tyler George struck out four, walked none and threw a two-hit shutout. He also hit a home run.

Santa Monica 10, Leuzinger 1: Ryan Breslo had three hits for Santa Monica.

Oaks Christian 5, Newbury Park 2: Luke Puls, Ryan Sheffer and Oliver Dauskurdas each had two hits for Oaks Christian (9-2).

Calabasas 10, Thousand Oaks 9: The Coyotes handed Thousand Oaks its first defeat after 10 consecutive victories in a wild Marmonte League opener. The Lancers wiped out an 8-1 deficit with seven runs in the fifth inning to tie the score. Conner Kingston ended the game with a scoreless seventh for the save. Landon Carson had four RBIs for the Lancers. Michael Morales had three hits for the Coyotes.

Westlake 2, Agoura 1: Jaxson Neckien had two hits for the Warriors.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 10, Crespi 0: Malakye Matsumoto hit a grand slam and threw two scoreless innings of relief for 11-0 Notre Dame. Beckett Berg threw five scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Sierra Canyon 8, Chaminade 2: Isaias Tirado and Aiden Jahng each hit home runs and Armando Solorio threw four shutout innings.

St. Francis 6, Bishop Alemany 4: Daniel Izaguirre had three hits for St. Francis in the Mission League win. Brody Thompson, Chase Stevenson and Alex Noble hit home runs for Alemany.

La Mirada 5, Gahr 1: Jacob Oropeza threw 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

El Modena 3, Villa Park 0: Three pitchers combined on a no-hitter.

Softball

Huntington Beach 17, Fountain Valley 0: Bree Carlson hit three home runs for the Oilers.

Murrieta Mesa 7, Great Oak 0: Lilly Hauser struck out 13 and also had a two-run double to lead unbeaten Murrieta Mesa.

Oaks Christian 9, Newbury Park 3: Giabella Otani had two hits and three RBIs.

Sophomore pitcher Carlos Acuna, building upon his outstanding freshman season, threw a one-hit shutout on Friday in Birmingham’s 5-0 West Valley League win over Taft.

He lost his no-hit bid when the first hitter of the seventh inning singled. He finished with seven strikeouts. In 24 innings this season, Acuna is 3-0 with 29 strikeouts, eight walks and a 1.16 earned-run average.

Cypress 14, JSerra 2: Tyler Vladic had five hits and Noah Johnson contributed five RBIs to lead Cypress.

Foothill 7, Cajon 0: Evrett Rycroft struck out two and walked none in six scoreless innings.

Huntington Beach 4, Edison 1: Tanner Brown struck out seven with no walks in six innings and Jared Grindlinger had two hits for the Oilers.

El Camino Real 6, Cleveland 1: Hudson December threw a complete game for the Royals.

Granada Hills 8, Chatsworth 5: Nicholas Penaranda finished with three hits for Granada Hills.

Villa Park 6, La Habra 1: Jack McGuire struck out 10 and threw 6 2/3 innings for Villa Park.

Garfield 3, Venice 2: The Bulldogs scored a run in the ninth on an error to break a 2-2 deadlock. Michael Santillan had three hits for Garfield.

Bell 11, Palisades 3: Jayden Gonzalez had a home run and three RBIs for 10-1 Bell.

Palos Verdes 3, Mira Costa 1: Kai Van Scoyoc struck out nine in 4⅓ innings to lead Palos Verdes.

Fountain Valley 6, Los Alamitos 2: Ethan Cortez had a two-run single for Fountain Valley.

Marina 5, Newport Harbor 4: Three hits from Elijah Herald helped Marina hand Newport Harbor its first loss.

Santa Margarita 19, Los Osos 9: Brody Schumacher drove in seven runs on four hits, including a home run and double.

CIF STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Golden 1 Center, Sacramento

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Boys

DIVISION I

Damien 58, Folsom 55

DIVISION III

Antioch Cornerstone Christian 74, Birmingham 64

DIVISION V

San Marin 89, Sylmar 64

Girls

DIVISION I

Corona Centennial 73, Clovis 66

DIVISION III

Placentia El Dorado 42, San Jose Valley Christian 40

DIVISION V

Woodland Christian 63, Laguna Hills 30

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

Boys

OPEN DIVISION

Sierra Canyon (29-1) vs. Richmond Salesian (29-3), 8 p.m.

DIVISION II

Bakersfield Christian (24-11) vs. San Joaquin Memorial (27-7), 4 p.m.

DIVISION IV

San Juan Hills (21-14) vs. Atherton Sacred Heart Prep (20-11), 12 p.m.

Girls

OPEN DIVISION

Ontario Christian (33-2) vs. Archbishop Mitty (28-2), 6 p.m.

DIVISION II

Santa Maria St. Joseph (17-15) vs. Sierra Pacific (24-11), 2 p.m.

DIVISION IV

Palisades (16-13) vs. Yuba City Faith Christian (33-1), 10 a.m.

Whether you’re Irish by blood or Irish just for the day — you want to head to the best spots in the UK to ring in the festivities — and that’s where we come in.

St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and it’s the one day of the year people really like to let loose and celebrate.

Every year on March 17, people all over the world outside of Ireland — but especially the UK — come out in hordes to celebrate St Paddy’s Day. We’re talking lively parades, a sea of endless green, and booze. Lots and lots of booze.

Whether you’re Irish by blood or Irish just for the day — you want to head to the best spots in the UK to ring in the festivities. And that’s where we come in.

It goes without saying that the capital cities of Belfast in Northern Ireland and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland are must-visits if you’re looking for the ultimate St Paddy’s celebrations, but for those of you who can’t make it all the way to Ireland — don’t worry, we got you.

We’ve compiled a list of the best cities in Britain where you can celebrate St Patrick’s Day this year, so whether you’re planning to head out with a group of mates or go on a solo adventure, make sure to give these spots a whirl.

Let the Guinness and the good times roll.

London

It’s no surprise London is on this list. The UK’s capital city hosts a massive St Paddy’s Parade every year, and this year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever.

March 15 will see the official parade weave its way from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, with Irish music, pageantry, dance troupes, floats, and marching bands on display, along with a free-for-all party in Trafalgar Square for the public to enjoy featuring live music, comedy, food and drink.

It’s not just the parade that’s a draw — the weekend closest to March 17 always sees a flurry of activity as London’s thriving Irish community comes out in full force — along with just about every other person looking for a fun time. The Guinness Open Gate Brewery has also recently arrived in the city, hosting a line-up of craic, comedy, and electric music.

Look no further than London for a truly epic time.

Birmingham

The UK’s second largest city is undoubtedly one of the best to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in. In fact, it was one of the first cities in the country to begin hosting St Patrick’s Day celebrations, with a dedicated parade for the day since 1952.

With endless welcoming pubs, restaurants and clubs, there’s no dearth of exciting ways to celebrate the Irish holiday in Birmingham.

While the city’s annual St Patrick’s Day Parade has unfortunately been cancelled once again this year, there’s still more than enough to do in Brummy to get the celebrations going.

Revellers can instead head to St Patrick’s Family Fun Day at the Irish Centre on March 15 which will see a host of activities and entertainment including live bands, music and plenty of food and drink.

Or you can just head down to one of the local pubs — because parade or no parade, St Paddy’s Day is always a rip-roaringly fun time in Birmingham.

Manchester

There’s no way Manchester wasn’t going to be on this list. The city is all set to host its Irish parade for Paddy’s Day on March 15 and revellers can enjoy foot-tapping live Irish music, mouthwatering food, drinks and much more.

Expect to see “plenty of bright costumes, lively parades, and fun events happening across the city”.

In fact, the 10-day Manchester Irish Festival has been running since March 7 and will go on till March 17, with the parade on Sunday being the event’s highlight.

Liverpool

Liverpool is another UK city that’s always a good time on St Patrick’s Day. Irish pubs, karaoke bars and top-class entertainment means if you’re in Liverpool, it’s going to be a hell of a time.

Those hoping for a more peaceful and religious St Paddy’s Day can make their way to Liverpool Cathedral which is Britain’s biggest.

The 10th Annual Liverpool St Patrick’s Day Parade will take place at the Old Irish Centre on March 17, Tuesday. The anniversary parade promises to be “the biggest and best yet — with music, dance, colour, and Irish pride filling the streets. Bands, floats, and community groups are all welcome, and the whole city is invited to join in the festivities”, as per the official website.

When Birmingham High’s Tekeio Phillips and X’Zavion McKay were asked if they are surprised that the Patriots are playing for a Division III state boys’ basketball championship on Friday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento after losing in the first round of the City Section Open Division playoffs, the answer was unanimous: Yes.

The Patriots (22-7) have won four consecutive state playoff games to earn a spot against Antioch Cornerstone Christian (28-8) in a 4 p.m. final. Fellow City Section member Sylmar (24-12) is playing San Marin (21-13) for the Division V title at noon. On Saturday, Palisades’ girls’ team plays Faith Christian at 10 a.m.

Birmingham lost to Fairfax 66-58 on Feb. 11 in the City playoffs and didn’t play another game until March 3. How do you get your team motivated for state playoffs after three weeks off?

“We didn’t do anything the rest of the week and took the next week off,” Halic said. “We rested our bodies and emotionally refreshed.”

Most importantly, Patriot players decided they wanted to win in the state playoffs.

“It definitely helped us offensively connect better,” Halic said. “We’re playing a better game these last four games. When you lose you’re disappointed and sometimes going into state, people don’t care. It’s such a great opportunity for us.”

Phillips is averaging 22.8 points. McKay is averaging 12.6 points and 10.5 rebounds. Phillips has twice played at Golden 1 Center when he was a member of the Alijah Arenas-led Chatsworth team.

“It’s just a bigger gym,” Phillips said. “I feel comfortable.”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

When Jeff Bryant was playing high school basketball at Sylmar, the top teams in the City Section were annually among the best in California.

“The City dominated back in the day,” Bryant, now the head coach at Palisades, said Tuesday before Southern California Regional Division II boys’ basketball final. His Dolphins lost a heartbreaker, 59-57 at Bakersfield Christian, falling a win short of a trip to Sacramento for the state finals.

Eleven days earlier Palisades captured the City Open Division crown, going undefeated against section opponents, and with 10 players — including all five starters — returning next season, Bryant not only has his sights set on a repeat, he wants to reverse a 15-year trend during which City teams have struggled to compete at the highest level.

City boys teams won the state’s top division five times in six years from 1993-98 and seven times in nine years from 2002-10. However, since the Open Division debuted in 2013 only two City teams have advanced to the regional finals in that division — Westchester in 2014 and Fairfax in 2015 — and the last time a City team made the Open bracket was five years ago when Birmingham lost in the first round.

Bryant, who graduated in 2006, will be rooting for his former coach on Friday when his alma mater plays for the Division V state championship under the guidance of Bort Escoto, who piloted the Spartans to the City Division II title on the same night Palisades won the Open Division. Sylmar was dropped down to Division V for regionals and ran the table.

Birmingham was upset by Fairfax in the opening round of the City Open Division playoffs Feb. 11 and dropped to Division III for the regional tournament. The Patriots have since reeled off four convincing victories and will also play for a state title Friday afternoon.

Birmingham and Sylmar are the latest City teams to benefit from regional playoff expansion in which teams are placed several divisions lower from where they played in their section. Chatsworth advanced to the Division II state final last winter after losing in the City Open Division final and reached the Division IV state final after its City Open semifinal loss two years ago. Like Sylmar this season, Verdugo Hills was the City Division II champion in 2024 and went on to play for the Division V state title.

On the girls’ side, no City squad has won an Open Division state playoff game. Five teams from the section have received berths in the highest division over the last 14 years, but none since Fairfax in 2018. Narbonne is the last City team to conquer the state’s top division, claiming back-to-back Division I titles in 2000 and 2001, long before the Open debuted.

Like the boys, City girls’ teams fare well when dropped to lower divisions.

Palisades, which fell in the first round in the City Open Division, plays for the state Division IV crown Saturday while City Open Division champion Westchester was seeded 14th in Division I for regionals and lost in the first round. Granada Hills went to the Division III state finals two years ago after losing in the first round of the City’s Open Division.

Before taking the helm at Palisades, Bryant guided West Ranch of the Southern Section into the Open Division regional playoffs in 2023. Now he aims to do the same at a school in the section he once played in.

Culture – Shelby murals and Sabbath shrines

The runaway success of the TV crime drama Peaky Blinders has been credited with boosting tourism to Birmingham and the West Midlands since it first aired in 2013, even though much of the series was actually shot farther north, in Merseyside, Yorkshire and Manchester. The release this week of the Peaky Blinders movie The Immortal Man (much of which was filmed in and around Birmingham this time) will undoubtedly generate a new wave of interest, particularly in the Black Country Living Museum in nearby Dudley, whose authentic recreations of streets, houses and industrial workshops appear in key scenes in the TV show and the film – most notably as the location for Charlie Strong’s yard (pictured below).

At the Digbeth Loc. Studios, where much of the new movie was shot, fans can also see Peaky Blinders murals created by artist Mr Murals. A walking tour of the city with a guide dressed as “Edward Shelby” (from £20pp, viator.com) is well worth a couple of hours, while historic mugshots, artefacts and the original cells in which members of the real-life Peaky Blinders gang were once held are now on show at West Midlands Police Museum.

The city has also become something of a pilgrimage site for heavy metal fans, especially since the final Black Sabbath concert at Villa Park last summer and Ozzy Osbourne’s passing just over two weeks later. There are Ozzy and Sabbath landmarks all around the city, including another of Mr Murals’ artworks on Navigation Street, near New Street station, which all four members of the band visited and signed ahead of the concert. A couple of minutes’ walk away is The Crown pub (now sadly closed) where Sabbath played their first gig and heavy metal was born out of Brum’s industrial clank. Sabbath also feature on murals outside Scruffy Murphy’s rock pub and beside Birmingham coach station in Digbeth – and no pilgrimage would be complete without a visit to Black Sabbath Bridge on Broad Street, where Ozzy’s widow, Sharon, and children Aimee, Kelly and Jack laid flowers during his funeral procession.

Birmingham’s metal connection doesn’t end there – the Jewellery Quarter is a pilgrimage site of a different type, mainly for couples looking for wedding bands. It’s said to house Europe’s largest concentration of jewellers and produce 40% of the UK’s jewellery; the FA Cup was even produced there. The quarter also boasts quirky attractions such as the Pen Museum (Birmingham once produced 75% of the world’s pen nibs) and the UK’s last coffin furniture factory, The Coffin Works, now a museum, whose long history includes decorative coffin fittings for the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the queen mother, among many others.

Where to eat – from fried chicken to fine dining

In the city centre, John Bright Street is a great place to start – brunch at kitsch indie cafe-bar Cherry Reds is a good shout, while cider and speciality sourdough pizza spot The Stable remains underrated. Save some room for grungy, rock-themed fried chicken joint Bonehead, on the adjacent Lower Severn Street – a hangout for the Osbournes, Slipknot, Jason Momoa and Mogwai in recent times. In the Jewellery Quarter, the Saint Paul’s Market food hall has seven indie kitchens, including Persian, Indian, Thai and more.

Birmingham is also a city of fine dining – in 2019, Opheem became the first Indian restaurant outside London to be awarded a Michelin star; it now has two. Meanwhile, the Jewellery Quarter’s inherently alternative, goth-black restaurant (housed within a former factory, of course) The Wilderness has just won its first Michelin star, taking the city’s total to five. Chef-owner Alex Claridge cooks modern British fare using seasonal ingredients, such as rhubarb and rocket, that probably shouldn’t sit on the same plate, but pair surprisingly well. His menus are designed to surprise and provoke the senses – as is the heavy rock playlist.

Where to drink – from a pint of mild to craft beers

It feels like every family in Birmingham once had someone working at one of its famous breweries, Mitchells & Butlers or Ansells. It’s therefore no surprise that pub culture remains very much alive in a city that birthed one of the region’s classic pints: M&B mild. Traditional pubs serving similar ales from around Birmingham and the West Midlands pepper the city – try Black Country Ales’ pubs The Craven Arms, The Jewellers Arms and The Wellington for starters. And don’t forget to order a cheese and onion cob to go with your pint for the full West Midlands experience.

The modern craft beer revolution is also very much alive in the city, with Attic Brew Co.’s Intuition most definitely the most poured craft pint in Brum (cans are also stocked on CrossCountry trains). Sample their wares at their central taproom, The Barrel Store.

Nightlife – from Irish boozers to experimental music

Much of Birmingham’s best nightlife can be found in Digbeth, the city’s original Irish quarter (where the Peaky Blinders also once roamed). Pubs such as Nortons, The Old Crown, Cleary’s and The Anchor offer some of the best Guinness, trad music sessions and craic this side of the Irish Sea. Digbeth is also the city’s creative quarter, and home to experimental concert promoter Capsule, which brings equal parts peculiar and brilliant musicians to Brum, who might otherwise skip the region completely. Keep an eye out for Capsule’s Supersonic festival, an award-winning event running since 2003 and scheduled for 25-26 April this year, that takes over venues in Digbeth. One such is Centrala, an experimental arts centre and exhibition space that supports central and eastern European migrant communities.

After hours, dance to northern soul at The Night Owl, or head to venues such as Dead Wax, Suki10c, Lab11 and Mama Roux’s for parties ranging in genre from house to jungle.

Stirchley – the hispter hotspot for cocktails and breweries

A 10-minute train ride south of New Street station is Stirchley, a neighbourhood of award-winning indies that continues to thrive. Take Couch, for example, just named the UK’s number one at the 2026 Top 50 Cocktail Bars awards, and South African-British fusion restaurant Riverine Rabbit, which was recently awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin.

Stirchley is also known locally as the beer hub of the city, with three major brewers (Attic, Birmingham Brewing Company and GlassHouse) within a half-mile radius; all three have taprooms. In keeping with Birmingham’s liking for a pint or few, the Stirchley Beer Mile takes in those three plus two award-winning bottle shops and at least 10 pubs and bars on an easy walk between Stirchley and Cotteridge. Don’t miss Bonehead’s dive bar Deadbeat, a similarly grungy rock bar that sells Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap and often hosts NYC-style pizza slice pop-ups.

Where to stay – Georgian hotels and modern townhouses

Boutique hotel Saint Pauls House in the Jewellery Quarter (doubles from £99) sits on the city’s last remaining Georgian square and offers comfortable rooms, waterfall showers and plush beds. Or stay around the corner at the modern Frederick Street Townhouse (doubles from £99), which is connected to the popular Button Factory pub.