In a matter of weeks, Ventura High football coach Tim Garcia will help move his son, quarterback Derek Garcia, into the dorms at Nevada Las Vegas. They’re having one last hurrah, and the memories are going to be priceless.
On Saturday night, Ventura won the Southern Section Division 6 football championship with a 63-28 win over St. Pius X-St. Matthias. It means Ventura’s season keeps going with next week’s state regional playoffs to be announced on Sunday.
Derek passed for 288 yards and one touchdown. Dad was also happy that running back James Watson had 247 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Earlier this week at the championship luncheon, the Garcias were smiling even though the coach/son role will soon be ending at Ventura. It’s a rite of passage leaving the nest for the son to explore the world.
Derek is thankful he’s had his father at his side for four years of fun and excitement, and what a way to celebrate with a Southern Section championship and maybe even more.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
Somehow, someway, Los Alamitos is your Southern Section Division 2 football champion. A team of overachievers filled with a roster of best friends combined chemistry, determination and toughness to overcome all odds.
Saturday night before an overflow crowd at San Clemente High, the Griffins recorded seven sacks and took advantage of one of the strangest touchdowns scored by a lineman to beat the Tritons 33-20. This same Los Alamitos team lost to San Clemente 28-9 in a league game on Oct. 24.
“I’m not smart enough to articulate how I feel and how proud I am of these guys,” said Los Alamitos coach Ray Fenton, who was hugging one player after another.
Los Alamitos (12-2) received a sensational performance from quarterback Colin Creason, who completed his final 13 passes and combined with the Griffins’ strong running back tandem of Kamden Tillis and Lenny Ibarra to generate enough offensive firepower to end San Clemente’s five-game winning streak and deliver the Griffins their first championship since 2002.
The game changed on consecutive plays late in the third quarter after San Clemente took a 20-17 lead on a 35-yard field goal by Ethan Miller. Creason completed a shovel pass to tight end Beckham Hofland inside the five-yard line, but he fumble the ball. It went off the leg of a San Clemente defender and was picked up by offensive guard Luke Wehner, a rugby player who knew exactly what to do to score his first high school touchdown — run toward the goal line. He went seven yards for a 24-20 lead.
“I was so scared,” Hofland said.
Said Wehner: “I was not expecting that at all.”
Then Los Alamitos forced a San Clemente fumble on the next offensive play that was recovered by Hunter Eligon. Tillis scored a 22-yard touchdown for a 30-20 lead. The momentum and the game had switched to Los Alamitos.
Individuals kept stepping forward to deliver big moments for the Griffins. Jackson Renger had two of his team’s seven sacks. Hofland had a 24-yard touchdown catch and two field goals. Tillis rushed for 141 yards. The versatile Ibarra had an interception, a 65-yard punt and rushed for 99 yards. And Los Alamitos’ offensive line kept creating opportunities for Creason and the running backs.
The first half ended in a 17-17 deadlock when Hofland made a touchdown catch for Los Alamitos with 39 seconds left. San Clemente had opened a 17-3 lead behind Jaxson Rex, who had a 25-yard catch, forced a fumble and made an interception. Colin Granite scored two touchdowns on short runs.
Los Alamitos’ no-huddle, up-tempo offense started to cause problems for San Clemente’s defense. Tillis had 100 yards rushing at halftime while Creason had 156 yards passing.
Los Alamitos won the Southern Section Division 2 championship with a 33-20 win over San Clemente.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Los Alamitos started the season 8-0, then lost to San Clemente and Mission Viejo in consecutive Alpha League games. The Griffins regrouped and never stopped believing in themselves. They are expected to face San Diego Section champion Cathedral Catholic in a state playoff game next weekend.
Carson proved that on Saturday night in the City Section Open Division championship game, scoring five touchdowns in a 7:05 span of the second quarter to produce a 36-0 shutout of Crenshaw at Southwest College.
After a scoreless first quarter, Zach Brock broke several tackles on a 12-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, opening the floodgates for the No. 1-seeded Colts (10-3).
Chris Fields III connected with Royal Moore on a 46-yard touchdown and the two-point conversion made it 15-0 at the 7:32 mark. Darren Panton returned a punt 28 yards for another touchdown with 6:20 left in the stanza and recovered a fumble at the Crenshaw 22 two plays later, setting up Craig Walker’s reverse that made it 29-0. Panton ended the scoring barrage with a 23-yard interception return 4:46 before halftime.
“We saw in the first quarter that they were overly aggressive and if we gave them a fake, they’d bite on it,” said Fields, who completed eight of 15 passes for 147 yards with an interception and ran seven times for 38 yards. “I just took advantage of what the defense gave me. Darren’s punt return sealed the deal.”
Carson sacked Cougars quarterback Danniel Flowers four times in the first half — two of those by end Kingston Sula and one each by Derric Myers and Xavier Allen — and forced him into several other hurried throws. Flowers, who made several clutch throws in the semifinals at Birmingham, was held to four-of-10 passing for 37 yards in the first half Saturday while running back Joshua Jones had 11 yards in five carries by intermission.
Carson High receiver Royal Moore sprints down the sideline on his way to a 46-yard touchdown against Crenshaw in the City Section Open Division final Saturday night.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Eric Myers finished with 88 yards in 18 carries to keep the chains moving for the Colts, who claimed their 12th City crown and first since winning Division I in 2003 under coach John Aguirre, who later became City Section commissioner.
Carson moved to within one of second-place Banning on the all-time titles list. Manual Arts holds the record with 17.
“This is a testament to these kids and how hard they work,” first-year coach William Lowe said. “They have good practice habits on the field and in the weight room and are mentally tough. Any play can win or lose a game and when good things happen we try to build on that.”
The sixth-seeded Cougars (10-2) were vying for their seventh City title since 1991. Terrence Whitehead has served as interim head coach all season in the absence of longtime coach Robert Garrett (the winningest football coach in section history with 300 wins to his credit), who is on administrative leave.
“Chris has grown in leaps and bounds,” Lowe said of Fields. “I credit all of my coaches. Our defensive alignment allows the kids to play fast and physical and we were battle-tested despite some tough losses early in the year.”
Nicholas Fonseca snared a tipped ball in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown on an untimed down as South Gate pulled out a miraculous 63-58 victory over Marquez in the City Section Division I final Saturday at Southwest College.
Marquez had taken a 58-57 lead on a one-yard sneak by Angelo Gutierrez and his subsequent two-point conversion pass to Elyjah Staples with six seconds left. After a fair catch, South Gate took over at its 46 and when Anthony Ford intercepted a pass the Gladiators began celebrating, thinking they had won. However, a pass interference penalty advanced the ball to the Marquez 39 and gave the Rams one last gasp with zeros on the clock.
Quarterback Michael Gonzalez rolled to his right to buy time and launched a pass into a maze of players in the end zone. The jump ball was tipped by two defenders into the waiting arms of Fonseca, who calmly grabbed it out of midair — shocking even his own teammates.
The winning touchdown pass from QB Michael Gonzalez to WR Nicholas Quintanilla that gave South Gate a City Division I championship. Courtesy Intescholastic Films. pic.twitter.com/suuBvjKxEF
“I said to myself I’m not going to go up for the ball, I’m not that tall. … I’m gonna wait for it to come down and that’s what happened,” said Fonseca, who had 10 catches for 152 and two touchdowns and also scored on a six-yard run.
“I seen it coming, I saw them hit it down but it went right into my hands and I caught it. This is one of the most special moments of my life!”
Gonzalez completed 26 of 34 passes for 450 yards and six touchdowns. Ephaunie Lewis had 10 receptions for 193 yards and three scores — the last a three-yard lob from Gonzalez with 52 seconds left, immediately followed by Fonseca’s two-point run to put South Gate up 57-50.
Marquez tailback Gilberto Cisneros drags Rams defender Jordan Olivares to the goal line in the second quarter Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Nicholas Quintanilla returned the second-half kickoff 85 yards for a score that pulled the second-seeded Rams (11-3) even and his 39-yard touchdown catch gave South Gate its first lead, 35-28, late in the third quarter. He finished with five catches for 90 yards and rushed five times for 54 yards.
The teams combined for six touchdowns in a wild fourth quarter.
Angelo Gutierrez-Molina threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns, Marcus Juan ran for 113 yards and one touchdown in 15 carries and caught four passes for 50 yards. He raced 68 yards on a hook and lateral to give the fifth-seeded Gladiators (11-3) a 50-49 lead with 1:57 left.
Gilberto Cisneros added 84 yards and three touchdowns in 22 carries and Staples had four catches for 129 yards and one touchdown.
“Never give up!” coach Francisco Saldana shouted before raising the trophy
South Gate lost to Chatsworth 38-36 on a field goal with no time left in the Division II final last year — one of the most bizarre endings in City playoff history.
“On the last play my coach told me to run a corner route to the pylon,” Fonseca said. “Last year we were up late and it bit us. This time we came through and it feels great.”
South Gate captured its third City title and first since winning the 3A Division in 1988 under Gary Cordray.
“He trusted the process. He was all smiles,” coach Craig Dunn said.
Evan Noonan won three titles and Jai Dawson won the other. Hunter was a little concerned early in the season about being pushed and being fit, but Dunn told him again and again, “Trust the process,” and he was ready for his best effort after winning last week’s Southern Section Division 3 championship.
The state meet record for the most sub-15:00 boys in a single meet across all divisions was 12 boys at the 2024 state meet. In just the first two races today, 13 boys have achieved the feat to break the record! Wow! Fast times! 🔥💪🙌
In Division 1 boys, Redondo Union won the team title and Conor Lott of Clovis North held off Maximo Zavaleta of King to win the individual title. Lott ran 14:43.2 and Zavaleta finished in 14:49.7. In Division 1 girls, Jaelyn Williams of San Diego Eastlake won in 16:28.1.
Summer Wilson of Irvine won the Division 2 girls’ title with a course-record time of 16:20. Aelo Curtis of Ventura was second in 16:35.6. Sacramento Jesuit won its 11th boys’ title.
El Toro won the Division 3 girls’ title. Carol Dye of Santa Margarita placed third in 17:22.2.
JSerra won the Division 4 boys’ and girls’ titles. Vin Krueger of Oaks Christian was third in 15:10.5 in the boys’ race.
In Division 5 boys, Olly O’Connor of Viewpoint won the title in 14:52.7.
Rio Hondo Prep in Arcadia is like “The Little Engine That Could.” The Kares are 13-0 and set to play for a 17th Southern Section football title on Saturday night despite having a student body of only 150, of which 82 are boys. Their opponent in the Division 5 final is host Redondo Union, which has a student body of nearly 3,000.
Coach Mark Carson said he embraces the challenge of his team moving up, from winning Division 9 two years ago to winning Division 7 last season after years of competing in Division XIII under old playoff systems based on size, geography and past performance. Now a computer algorithm decides divisional placement. The school has grades seven through 12, so Carson starts training players in middle school with the same offense through high school.
“The key is we have a great middle school tackle football program,” he said.
Every boy in the school knows they’re going to play football or work in the program as a manager. Many are multiple-sport athletes. The chemistry and knowledge they build together is apparent on the football field.
“We don’t really pay attention to numbers on the other team,” Carson said.
Quarterback Yanick Diaz said he has been with some of his teammates since kindergarten. They trust each other.
“I’ve known some of these guys for 15, 16 years,” Diaz said. “It’s still 11 versus 11. I’ll take my 11 over yours.”
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
The official head coach for Crenshaw High’s football team remains Robert Garrett even though he’s been barred from attending games on Los Angeles Unified School District property since Aug. 21, when he was placed on administrative leave.
His long-time assistant and Crenshaw grad, Terrence Whitehead, took over as interim coach the week before the opening game. He and assistants trained by Garrett since they were adolescents have the Cougars at 10-1 and playing for the City Section Open Division title against top-seeded Carson at 6 p.m. Saturday at L.A. Southwest College.
“I think he’s doing an outstanding job from where he’s been put,” Garrett said.
Garrett said it’s no surprise what Crenshaw has accomplished with 14 of 18 players returning from a team last season that lost by a single point in the opening round of the Division I playoffs to No. 1-seeded Eagle Rock. Add standout linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick to that group along with others and you have Crenshaw seeking its seventh City title.
“My thoughts are you win ballgames from January through July when you meet daily and go over fundamentals, skills and get bigger, stronger and faster. You win it in the weight room,” Garrett said.
Garrett said he has spoken to Whitehead weekly and seen games that were streamed. But he has no intention of attending Saturday’s game.
Crenshaw coach Robert Garrett has been on administrative leave since August.
(Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
“I’ll be sitting in front of a TV watching USC versus UCLA,” he said.
Garrett praised Kirkpatrick, a transfer from eight-man power Animo Robinson who he met last spring and summer.
“He’s by far a Division I player,” he said of the 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior. “You can’t coach size. He has good attitude. Doesn’t cuss, doesn’t fuss and doesn’t hang out. It doesn’t come from me or anyone coaching him. All we can do is motivate him and encourage him to do better.”
To say Garrett is fed up with LAUSD is an understatement. There has been no celebration of the greatest achievement by a football coach in City Section history. Crenshaw’s 10 wins give him 300 career victories since 1988, which puts him in Hall of Fame territory.
“I’m going to coach somewhere, somehow,” he said. “I was born to coach. I’m a helluva coach. Nobody gave me that and nobody can take it away.”
Garrett said he has never been told what is being investigated the last four months.
“I’m going to coach again. I’m going to get out of the house real soon because I’m an American citizen,” he said.
He continues to receive full pay while staying home and waiting to be cleared. Once LAUSD starts an investigation, it can last more than a year. Former Huntington Park basketball coach Joe Reed returned this year after 14 months on administrative leave after a parental complaint.
“I haven’t been told anything,” Garrett said. “All I’ve been told is we’re investigating. It doesn’t matter what happens because whatever they tell me what they are investigating, they will find no wrongdoing whatsoever.”
Garrett is writing a book. He said he was the first from his Jefferson High graduating class of 1977 to earn a college degree. His mother was one of 18 siblings and each one had six or more kids. He graduated from Nebraska’s Concordia University in 1981 with a focus on teaching and has a Lutheran teaching certificate. He could be a pastor if he wanted to.
“I’m not a coach, I’m an educator,” he said. “I’m the first in my family to get a college degree. You don’t know what I’ve been through and what I’ve seen.”
He offered words of wisdom for Thanksgiving: “Always do thy duty, which is best, leave unto the Lord the rest.”
You’ve heard the line, “Win one for the Gipper.” Now it’s, “Win one for The G Man.”
In the video game world, conquering the “cheat code” means a player has figured out the secret password to stay alive.
In the high school football world, Matt Logan, the coach at Corona Centennial, is the only public school coach in California to have figured out how to beat private schools in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
His teams won back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015, then couldn’t crack the playoff code of beating St. John Bosco or Mater Dei for the next eight seasons.
Then came Friday night, when before some 4,000 fans, Centennial defeated Mater Dei 28-27 in the Division 1 semifinals to advance to a championship game Friday against Santa Margarita at the Rose Bowl. Going through the private-school gaunlet of the Trinity League is not easy but the Huskies fear no one.
How was the “cheat code” solved?
The truth is St. John Bosco and Mater Dei gathered so much talent on the offensive and defensive lines and so much depth that beating them in the postseason in recent years became unlikely.
This season, finally there were cracks in the armor.
“They’re not what they were,” assistant coach Anthony Catalano said. “They have weaknesses.”
Mater Dei had no elite running back like Jordon Davison; the offensive line couldn’t overcome its lack of experience and too many 15-yard penalties proved costly. St. John Bosco’s inexperience at quarterback and the absence of an elite running back also were exposed. Both teams had as good as a receiving corp as there is in the nation, but this season showed you have to be able to run the ball successfully in the fourth quarter.
This is the first time Mater Dei became a three-loss team since 2015. This is the first time Mater Dei or St. John Bosco have not played in a final since 2012 when Long Beach Poly won the title.
There’s still one more private school for Centennial to conquer, Santa Margarita, in Friday’s championship game. The two teams met Aug. 28 with Santa Margarita winning in overtime 33-27 when Logan missed the game because of a health scare.
Santa Margarita’s defense must be pierced for Centennial to win. The Eagles’ defensive line, linebackers and secondary are loaded with talent. Carson Palmer’s coaching staff, filled with former NFL players like himself, have shown they can teach, lead and handle X’s and O’s. They’ve also figured out the code to make it through the toughest schedule in Southern California.
It will be a great championship weekend for the Southern Section and City Section.
What a story for the return of Crenshaw (10-1) to the City Open Division final on Saturday against 11-time champion Carson at L.A. Southwest College. Interim coach Terrence Whitehead and his players are motivated to win for coach Robert Garrett, who has been on administrative leave all season. And what a season it has been for Carson junior quarterback Chris Fields III.
In Southern Section Division 2, surging San Clemente will host Los Alamitos in a rematch of their Alpha League game won by the Tritons. Sophomore quarterback Preston Beck has made tremendous progress in the last five weeks for San Clemente. It’s a rare game of home-grown players representing their communities absent of transfer students.
In Division 3, it’s the battle of top junior quarterbacks featuring Taylor Lee of unbeaten Oxnard Pacifica and Palos Verdes with Ryan Rakowski, who delivered a stitle title last season.
In Division 5, Rio Hondo Prep is 13-0 and going for a third consecutive title against Redondo Union, which is making its first championship appearance sine 1944. In Division 13, Montebello has reached its first final since 1935 and will play for its first championship against Woodbridge.
The competitive equity playoff system is creating championship opportunities for teams with little championship history. That’s a positive for fans bored of seeing the same teams every season in the finals.
DIVISION I #1 Newport Harbor 18, #8 Mater Dei 9 #4 Corona del Mar 10, #5 Oaks Christian 6 #3 San Diego Cathedral 15, #6 Mira Costa 10 #2 La Jolla 15, #7 Loyola 12
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. It’s semifinals week in the high school football playoffs. This is the week players cry if they come up short and scream if they make it to the final. And it comes as the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs are on the verge of making history.
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The versatile Trent Mosley makes a run during Santa Margarita’s playoff win against Sierra Canyon.
(Craig Weston)
Carson Palmer held up well whenever he experienced rain in his 15 years as an NFL quarterback because of his big hands to help grasp the football. In his first experience last week as a high school head coach in the rain, he got one of his most memorable victories when Santa Margarita knocked off previously unbeaten Sierra Canyon on the road, 21-9, to advance to the Southern Section Division 1 semifinals. His quarterback, Trace Johnson, threw for two touchdowns. He played in Florida’s rain last season. Here’s the report.
Highlights from Santa Margarita’s win over unbeaten Sierra Canyon in the rain. Interception by Siua Holani. Trace Johnson TD pass to Ryan Clark. Trent Mosley punt return. pic.twitter.com/HY8oIVlMJb
It sets up one of the most unlikely semifinals, Santa Margarita playing Trinity League rival Orange Lutheran on Friday night at Orange Coast College. Orange Lutheran pulled off the biggest upset in California, if not the nation, with a 20-19 victory over top-seeded St. John Bosco. Orange Lutheran lost to St. John Bosco in the regular season 48-0.
The Lancers have Santa Margarita right where they want them. They lost to the Eagles 28-7 during the regular season. Coach Rod Sherman has his team believing. Quarterback Reagan Toki and defensive back King Rich Johnson came through with big plays against the Braves, who lost back-to-back games for the first time under coach Jason Negro. Santa Margarita remains the favorite with its outstanding defense and the versatile Trent Mosley.
The other semifinal is another rematch with Corona Centennial hosting Mater Dei. Centennial won a wild game in September 43-36 in which the Monarchs fell behind 28-0 and 33-7 at halftime, only to rally and take the lead before losing. Mater Dei had seven turnovers. The last time either Mater Dei or St. John Bosco did not win the Division 1 championship was 2015. Centennial won it, so history could be made if the Huskies eliminate Mater Dei.
The Division 2 semifinals are also outstanding. Los Alamitos is at Murrieta Valley in a game in which both teams love to run the football. Red-hot San Clemente plays at Leuzinger, which is riding high with the return of quarterback Russell Sekona and a tough defense.
Garfield running back Zastice Jauregui cuts off a block to pick up some of his 440 yards rushing against Palisades on Friday night.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Garfield ended Palisades’ magical unbeaten football season with 42-21 victory. The Dolphins have had issues all season on defense, and the Bulldogs made them pay. Zastice Jauregui rushed for 440 yards and five touchdowns. Here’s the report.
It sets up an Open Division semifinal between top-seeded Carson and a Garfield team that’s surging and used to playing in big games.
The other semifinal will have Birmingham, unbeaten in 55 games against City Section opponents, taking on the surprise team of the year, 9-1 Crenshaw, which upset San Pedro on the road 30-0. The Cougars’ long-time head coach, Robert Garrett, has not coached all season while being on administrative leave. Terrence Whitehead has been running things. The Cougars are a dangerous team motivated to win a title for Whitehead and Garrett.
Aaron Minter of Venice enjoys the mud in a 35-8 win over Franklin in a City Division I playoff game.
(Nick Koza)
In Division I, Venice is top-seeded but Marquez will be a formidable semifinal opponent. South Gate has advanced to the other semifinal but its opponent won’t be decided until Eagle Rock hosts Dorsey on Monday at 4 p.m. after a power failure on Friday forced the postponement.
In Division II, Fairfax is at Cleveland ant Marshall at San Fernando. Marshall overcame a 12-11 deficit to Chatsworth by returning an onside kick for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
In Division III, Contreras entered this season having never won a playoff game since the school opened in 2007. Contreras plays at top-seeded Santee and Wilson is at Hawkins.
Top junior guard Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian visited USC last week. UCLA is next. Don’t expect a commitment any time soon.
The state’s winningest coach, Kevin Kiernan, is back coaching at Troy. Here’s the report.
Westchester and Palisades look to be the top teams in City Section girls basketball.
Boys basketball
This week’s opening schedule includes the Mission League vs. Trinity League challenge on Saturday at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. The featured games include Harvard-Westlake vs. St. John Bosco at 8:30 p.m. and Santa Margarita vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Here’s the link for tickets.
Newport Harbor goalie Conner Clougherty helped lead his team to Southern Section championship.
(Don Leach/Staff Photographer)
Close to a perfection. That’s how to describe the season enjoyed by the Newport Harbor boys’ water polo team, which repeated as Southern Section Open Division champions with a 10-3 win over rival Corona del Mar. Newport Harbor is 30-1, has won four titles in the last five years and 16th championship overall.
Newport Harbor is seeded No. 1 for the Division I state regional water polo playoffs that begin Tuesday. Here are the pairings.
Loyola won the Division 1 championship over Mater Dei. Capistrano Valley, Bonita, Charter Oak and Fontana also won titles.
Cleveland won its third straight City Section championship. Here’s the report.
Cross country
It’s championship time in cross country. The City Section will hold its finals Thursday in Elysian Park. The Southern Section finals are Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.
The Southern Section created a rain course for last weekend’s prelims at Mt. SAC. Here’s the link to results.
Maximo Zavaleta of King had the fastest Division 1 boys time at 14:21.3. Charlotte Hopkins led Division 1 girls in 16:56.5.
Interception machine
Jaden Walk-Green of Corona Centennial makes interception and returns it for touchdown against Mater Dei.
(Craig Weston)
There’s one defensive player who has thrust himself into the conversation for player of the year. Jaden Walk-Green, a junior at Corona Centennial, has made 10 interceptions, returning five for touchdowns.
The City Section flag football championships were postponed Saturday because of rain and have been rescheduled for Saturday. Eagle Rock plays Marshall in the Open Division final at 6 p.m. at Garfield. . . .
The Southern California girls volleyball regional finals are set for Tuesday. Here’s the schedule. Winners advances to the state championships Friday and Saturday at Santiago Canyon College. . . .
Price has dropped its boys basketball progam. It was a long-time small schools power, winning numerous championships during the era of Michael Lynch . . .
Standout forward Maximo Adams of Sierra Canyon has committed to North Carolina. . . .
Vince Gomez has resigned as girls basketball coach at Anaheim. . . .
Sierra Canyon standout girls basketball player Jerzy Robinson hasn’t practiced in more than a month because of an injury. She’s waiting for doctor’s clearance to resume practices. . . .
Mater Dei senior basketball standout Kaeli Wynn has committed to South Carolina. . . .
Alyson Fullbright is the new girls beach volleyball coach at St. Margaret’s. . . .
Softball standout Shea Gonzalez of Villa Park has committed to Washington. . . .
Santa Margarita won the Southern California regional girls’ golf title for the fourth straight season to advance to the state championships on Wednesday at Poppy Hills. . . .
Junior infielder Parker Leoff of Huntington Beach has committed to UCLA. . . .
Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame basketball player Tyran Stokes has enrolled at Rainer Beach in Seattle. . . .
TJ Yonkers has resigned as football coach at West Ranch.
From the archives: Sam Darnold
In 2017, USC quarterback Sam Darnold visits his former teammates at San Clemente.
(Los Angeles Times)
Sam Darnold is a hero in his home town of San Clemente. He starred at San Clemente High, USC and now is having success in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks. He struggled Sunday in his homecoming to SoFi Stadium, with the Rams intercepting him four times.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on former Thousand Oaks linebacker Alex Singleton revealing he has cancer.
From the Washington Post, a story on a high school athlete who grew up on basketball but her ticket to college might be flag football.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on UCLA’s 16-year-old women’s soccer player.
Tweets you might have missed
A reminder from 2021. Nothing has changed yet. Trinity League has a hiring problem when it comes to high school football coaches https://t.co/de18zPph5e
Stats-wise, Troy is the No. 2 receiver all-time in the county. A pleasure to watch him play and follow the journey. Also… a tough kid! Returned quickly from a stress fracture in his foot last year. Best of luck in the future. https://t.co/5zV4yROV9X
Santa Margarita had done nothing on offense. Then Trace Johnson gets time and connects with Ryan Clark for a 33-yard TD with 18 seconds left in second quarter. Santa Margarita 7, Sierra Canyon 3. Halftime. pic.twitter.com/2yUnn5ZI4b
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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It’s more than two hours before Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s football team plays in a Southern Section playoff game, and there’s one big teenager lying on his back at the 50-yard line with headphones on. Samson Fatu, 6 feet 5 and 305 pounds, is using the all-weather turf as his “Sleep Number bed.”
“Here I Am,” a song by J Boog, is playing on his headphones. This is the way Fatu focuses before a game.
He’s a starting offensive tackle for Notre Dame, which hosts Chino Hills in a Division 3 playoff game on Friday. His father, Rikishi, is in the WWE Hall of Fame. Three brothers are pro wrestlers and don’t be surprised if Samson one day becomes the latest Samoan family member to start throwing people down. He’s that big and strong and anyone named Samson has star power.
He’s finally healthy after getting injured last season. Get your photos of the big kid with lots of hair. One day you might be watching him on TV in football or wrestling.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
CIF SOCAL REGIONALS WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS First Round
OPEN DIVISION #1 Sierra Canyon d. #8 Mira Costa, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19 #5 Marymount d. #4 San Diego Cathedral, 26-24, 25-20, 25-9 #3 Torrey Pines d. #6 San Juan Hills, 25-15, 25-22, 25-6 #2 Mater Dei d. #7 Redondo Union, 29-27, 25-19, 25-21
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (Matches at 6 p.m. unless noted) Quarterfinals
DIVISION I #9 Long Beach Poly at #1 Harvard-Westlake #12 Bishop Montgomery at #4 West Ranch #6 Coronado at #3 Santa Margarita #10 Bakersfield Centennial at #2 Temecula Valley, 5 p.m.
DIVISION II #9 Arroyo Valley at # 1 Liberty, 5 p.m. #13 Ventura at #12 La Canada #6 Scripps Ranch at #3 Cypress #15 Dana Hills at #7 Carlsbad
DIVISION III #8 Royal at #1 Academy of Our Lady of Peace #5 Patrick Henry at #4 Santa Fe Christian #6 Ontario Christian at #3 Mission Vista #7 Chadwick at #2 Frontier, 5:30 p.m.
DIVISION IV #8 Grant at #1 Nipomo #13 West Valley vs. #12 Capistrano Valley Christian at Capistrano Valley #5 LA University at #3 Granada Hills #10 Rock Academy at #2 Mammoth
DIVISION V #8 Panorama at #1 East Valley #5 Artesia at #4 Elsinore #11 Nogales at #3 O’Farrell Charter #10 South El Monte at #2 Morro Bay, 5 p.m.
Note: Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 18 at higher seeds.
DIVISION I #1 Harvard-Westlake d. #16 Santa Barbara San Marcos, 25-16, 25-13, 25-16 #9 Long Beach Poly d. #8 San Luis Obispo, 25-22, 25-19, 25-13 #12 Bishop Montgomery d. #5 La Jolla Country Day, 25-23, 25-19, 25-16 #4 West Ranch d. #13 Redlands, 25-19, 21-25, 25-14, 25-13 #3 Santa Margarita d. #14 San Diego San Marcos, 23-25, 25-15, 28-26, 25-15 #6 Coronado d. #11 JSerra, 25-12, 25-20, 25-18 #10 Bakersfield Centennial d. #7 Bishop’s, 19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22, 15-12 32 Temecula Valley d. #15 Orange Lutheran, 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 27-25
DIVISION II #1 Liberty d. #16 Oak Park, 24-26, 25-12, 25-23, 25-12 #9 Arroyo Grande d. #8 Flintridge Prep, 25-15, 14-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-10 #12 La Canada d. #5 Christian, 12-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-19 #13 Ventura d. #4 Santa Ana Foothill, 26-28, 25-15, 20-25, 25-0, 15-11 #3 Cypress d. #14 Venice, 25-15, 25-15, 25-22 #6 Scripps Ranch d. #11 St. Margaret’s, 25-27, 25-22, 25-20, 25-20 #7 Carlsbad d. #10 Palisades, 25-11, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23 #15 Dana Hills d. #2 Westview, 25-14, 25-19, 25-10
DIVISION III #1 Academy of Our Lady of Peace d. #16 Arrowhead Christian, 25-11, 25-11, 25-16 #8 Royal d. #9 Garces Memorial, 23-25, 25-9, 25-22, 25-18 #5 Patrick Henry d. #12 Cleveland, 25-17, 25-17, 25-13 #4 Santa Fe Christian d. #13 El Camino Real, 25-17, 25-21, 25-19 #3 Mission Vista d. #14 Taft, 25-21, 25-22, 25-18 #6 Ontario Christian d. #11 Santa Barbara, 25-12, 25-19, 25-22 #7 Chadwick d. #10 Eagle Rock, 16-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-17, 15-6 32 Frontier d. #15 Wiseburn Da Vinci, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
DIVISION IV #1 Nipomo, bye #8 Grant d. #9 Oceanside El Camino, 25-7, 25-10, 25-16 #12 Capistrano Valley Christian d. #5 Chatsworth, 16-25, 25-16, 26-24, 20-25, 15-13 #13 West Valley d. #4 Olympian, 18-25, 25-14, 25-20, 20-25, 15-10 #3 Granada Hills d. #14 Cate, 25-17, 25-18, 25-20 #5 LA University d. #11 Garden Grove Pacifica, 25-22, 19-25, 25-22, 25-18 #10 Rock Academy d. #7 Granada Hills Kennedy, 14-25, 25-10, 20-25, 25-13, 15-12 #2 Mammoth d. #15 CAMS, 25-21, 25-18, 25-13
DIVISION V #1 East Valley, bye #8 Panorama d. #9 Loma Linda Academy, 25-20, 21-25, 25-13, 30-28 #5 Artesia d. #12 South East, 25-8, 25-6, 25-9 #4 Elsinore d. #13 Legacy, 25-9, 25-20, 25-18 #3 O’Farrell Charter d. #14 Moreno Valley, 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 #11 Nogales at #6 Schurr, 19-25, 29-27, 25-12, 14-25, 15-9 #10 South El Monte d. #7 Foothill Tech, 25-20, 15-25, 25-22, 16-25, 15-12 #2 Morro Bay d. #15 Anaheim, 25-6, 25-10, 25-11
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE First Round
OPEN DIVISION #8 Mira Costa at #1 Sierra Canyon #5 Marymount at #4 San Diego Cathedral #6 San Juan Hills at #3 Torrey Pines #7 Redondo Union at #2 Mater Dei
Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions I-V) Nov. 13 at higher seeds; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 18 at higher seeds.
