city section

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

CITY SECTION

Friday’s Results

BOYS

At Southwest College

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Palisades 75, #2 Cleveland 56

DIVISION II

#3 Sylmar 70, #4 King/Drew 64

At Birmingham High

DIVISION V

#2 Canoga Park 43, #1 Van Nuys 38

GIRLS

At Birmingham High

DIVISION II

#2 North Hollywood 59, #1 Harbor Teacher 55

At Southwest College

DIVISION III

#1 Washington Prep 45, #2 Gardena 30

At Garfield High

DIVISION IV

#12 Wilmington Banning 39, #11 Bravo 33

DIVISION V

#2 Legacy 33, #9 Los Angeles 32

Saturday’s Results

BOYS

At Pasadena City College

DIVISION I

#1 Granada Hills 59, #2 Chatsworth 51

DIVISION III

#10 Verdugo Hills 62, #1 RFK Community 42

DIVISION IV

#2 Franklin 69, #5 San Fernando 55

GIRLS

At Pasadena City College

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Westchester 60, #2 Birmingham 37

DIVISION I

#2 Granada Hills Kennedy 54, #1 El Camino Real 31

SOUTHERN SECTION

Friday’s Results

BOYS

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 4

Colony 51, Trabuco Hills 44

DIVISION 5

Gardena Serra 57, Pilibos 51

GIRLS

At Toyota Arena

DIVISION 1

La Salle 51, Valencia 35

DIVISION 2

Crescenta Valley 51, Saugus 43

DIVISION 3

St. Margaret’s 57, Murrieta Valley 41

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 4

El Dorado 41, La Canada 27

DIVISION 6

Savanna 46, Warren 25

Saturday’s Results

BOYS

At Toyota Arena

OPEN DIVISION

Sierra Canyon 59, Harvard-Westlake 53

DIVISION 1

Crean Lutheran 59, JSerra 52

DIVISION 2

Bishop Amat 71, Hesperia 48

DIVISION 3

Murrieta Mesa 65, Aliso Niguel 58

DIVISION 9

Colton 55, Pacific 42

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 6

Laguna Hills 78, Ramona 51

DIVISION 7

Rialto 57, Salesian 31

DIVISION 8

Victor Valley 78, South El Monte 45

GIRLS

At Toyota Arena

OPEN DIVISION

Sierra Canyon 69, Ontario Christian 62

DIVISION 8

Schurr 44, Orange 32

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 5

Bishop Diego 42, Burbank Burroughs 41

DIVISION 7

La Palma Kennedy 55, Laguna Hills 28

DIVISION 9

Sierra Vista 52, Desert Hot Springs 42

Forfeits by high school boys’ soccer teams in the City Section and Southern Section playoffs continued Friday as both sections try to deal with violations of CIF Bylaw 600, which prohibits players from participating in outside leagues during their sports season.

Calabasas pulled out of the Southern Section Division 3 championship because of an ineligible player. Chavez became the sixth City Section school eliminated from the playoffs for using an ineligible player and was replaced by Chatsworth for the City Division I final.

There’s also an allegation about another Southern Section team that could result in another forfeit in the final.

Some high schools thought they had found a solution by not allowing players to play until after their club seasons ended in early December. Cathedral had several players miss its first three games because of several big club tournaments in November and early December.

“You communicate to students and parents,” Cathedral coach Arturo Lopez said. “Unfortunately, there’s more and more academies now.”

Ron Nocetti, the executive director of the CIF, said, “I think we have to have conversations with our sections.”

CIF membership repeatedly has rejected the proposal of getting rid of Bylaw 600. Schools don’t want to have their coaches battling it out weekly with club coaches, which also would place additional pressure on athletes dealing with school work and then having to do double workouts.

The balancing act for students already is tough enough, with the amount of club teams growing in a lot of sports because it’s a lucrative business. The CIF briefly suspended the rule during the pandemic in 2020 but quickly reinstated it.

The problem is club soccer programs are holding competitions in the middle of the high school season, and players, knowing the rule that you can’t play high school and club at the same time, apparently have decided to try to do both with the hope of not getting caught.

This year, they are getting caught. Emails alleging violations started arriving to City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos before the semifinals. If a player is found to have played club, the high school team has to forfeit, and if it happens during the playoffs, the team is eliminated.

Usually the pressure is on schools to make sure rules are not violated, but for Bylaw 600, schools can do everything right and still be punished for a player violating the rule on their own.

Several leagues are expected to present proposals to get rid of Bylaw 600. Nocetti said membership might be open to adopting changes.

“Maybe this is a tipping point for schools saying maybe it’s time to make a big change with the rule,” he said.

In one of the strangest weeks in City Section soccer history, six-time champion Birmingham High, which was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs two weeks ago, defeated Venice 6-0 on Thursday to earn a spot against rival El Camino Real in Saturday’s 6 p.m. Open Division boys’ final.

The Patriots got a second chance to avenge their earlier loss to Marquez via penalty kicks when semifinalists Marquez and South East were removed from the playoffs for using an ineligible player. The City Section decided to have first-round losers Birmingham and Venice play for the right to face El Camino Real.

Five City Section teams in the playoffs have had to forfeit games because players participated in outside leagues during their high school season in violation of CIF bylaw 600.

“It’s been a crazy week,” Birmingham goalie Alexis Villagran said. “We’re blessed for the opportunity.”

Birmingham coach Gus Villalobos was preparing to take back his players’ uniforms this week to end the season. Now they are one win away from a City title. Players look tired at times because they hadn’t practiced since their loss on Feb. 6. Villagran was allowed to play even though he took part in a club match after he thought the season ended. The state CIF approved the waiver.

Robert Mejia, who scored two goals on penalty kicks and has 26 goals this season, is in his first year playing for Birmingham after being a member of the L.A. Galaxy youth academy program. He said both his club coach and high school coach made it clear you can’t play club during the high school season.

“We all know the rules,” he said.

The continual violation of CIF bylaw 600 has left City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos scrambling to replace teams. The latest team to discover a violation was Gardena in Division III, allowing Sun Valley Magnet to advance to the final. Lagos also received information about City Division II finalist Garfield, but as of Thursday night, she said the Bulldogs have been cleared to play Santee in the final.

After a scoreless first half, Birmingham sophomore Hayden Quiambao started a six-goal surge with a header to open the second half.

Who are the top teams to watch in City Section high school baseball and likely contenders to reach Dodger Stadium?

1. BIRMINGHAM: The Patriots have two quality starting pitchers, led by sophomore Carlos Acuna, plus an experienced closer, so if they play defense and get a little hitting, reaching Dodger Stadium will be no surprise.

2. EL CAMINO REAL: The defending City champions lost key players from the pitching staff to graduation but members from an outstanding junior varsity team are already showing signs they can handle the pressure of varsity ball.

3. NARBONNE: The Gauchos have an early-season win over Bell that will help them come playoff time.

4. BELL: Two years ago, Bell won it all, and several players from that team are off to good starts, led by Jayden Rojas. A 1-0 win over Palos Verdes was impressive behind pitcher Rigoberto Baltazar.

5. SYLMAR: Pitcher Alex Martinez and power-hitting outfielder Rickee Luevano are capable of having big seasons.

6. CARSON: The Colts have plenty of experience back to contend in Marine League.

7. SUN VALLEY POLY: Wins over Agoura and Quartz Hill show the Parrots are favorites to win East Valley League.

8. CLEVELAND: Just trust All-City player Joshua Pearlstein to make the Cavaliers strong in West Valley League.

9. VENICE: The Gondoliers went 29-4 last season and will need strong play from returnee Xander Lippman.

10. SAN FERNANDO: Tigers can be Sylmar’s strongest opponent in the Valley Mission League.

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

During the early1980s, under coach Craig Raub and with the help of the DeCree sisters, Toya, Fonda and Diane, Granada Hills Kennedy was the best basketball program in the City Section and one of the best in Southern California. Toya, Fonda and Diane ended up playing for Arizona State, Oregon State and Texas A&M, respectively. Toya became a coach and the mother of the NBA Holiday boys, Justin, Jrue and Aaron.

Kennedy won a City Division II title in 2023, but the Golden Cougars are trying to return to relevancy this season having advanced to the City Section Division I final on Saturday against El Camino Real at 4 p.m. at Pasadena City College.

One of the standouts is Abbigail Gomez, a transfer from Highland who’s averaging 15 points. Her parents played football and soccer at San Fernando High. She also plays for Kennedy’s flag football team.

She made a game-clinching three in the fourth quarter on Saturday to help beat San Pedro. Afterward, she turned to the crowd and blew a kiss.

“That’s for my close friends and family,” she said.

She might be even more excited if the Golden Cougars can win a City title on Friday.

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