High

The Times’ top 10 high school football rankings from the City Section:

1. CARSON (7-1). It’s Marine League title decision night on Friday vs. San Pedro.

2. CLEVELAND (8-0). Cavaliers produced two 100-yard rushers last week in win over Taft.

3. SAN PEDRO (6-1). QB Seth Solorio needs time to throw in showdown with Carson.

4. KING/DREW (5-3). Golden Eagles on verge of first Coliseum League title.

5. BIRMINGHAM (3-5). Patriots’ offense is starting to improve.

6. CRENSHAW (5-3). Cougars struggled in second half of loss to King/Drew.

7. KENNEDY (8-0). Matthew Quintanilla having big season rushing.

8. GARFIELD (7-1). Ceasar Reyes has passed the 2,000 yards rushing mark.

9. MARSHALL (8-0). Barristers are headed to showdown with Eagle Rock next week.

10. PALISADES (4-3). Dolphins in position to win Western League title.

Eyo-Dae Kim and Susan Kim attended the University of Southern California decades ago, two international students with little money and no family in the U.S. On Friday, their son, Beong-Soo Kim, stood before an Alumni Park crowd and was formally installed as the 13th president of their alma mater.

“It is wonderful to have you here, Dad, facing the same library where you and Mom studied together at USC,” Kim, 53, said to his father, who took doctoral courses in economics. Kim’s late mother fled during the Korean War and earned a USC master’s degree.

“They certainly would never have imagined, as international students, that this day could possibly come,” Kim had said earlier.

In a wide-ranging interview before the event, Kim — who was appointed in February after holding an interim presidential role — said he leads USC at a time of promise and deep challenges:

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, leased and operated by USC, will be a showcase site for the 2028 Olympics. A recent $200-million gift is fueling a university-wide push into artificial intelligence. USC admitted 12.6% of first-year applicants this fall for sought-after slots.

Beong-Soo Kim was formally installed as USC’s 13th president during an investiture ceremony Friday.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Yet he faces steep hurdles. The former federal prosecutor who spent five years as USC’s general counsel inherited a deficit of more than $200 million. Among his first actions, Kim approved the layoffs of more than 900 workers and ordered deep cost-saving measures. USC is still recovering from years of scandal and controversy that scarred its national reputation, including a $1.1-billion payout to settle sexual abuse allegations against a campus gynecologist, its involvement in the “Varsity Blues” admissions bribery scheme and its handling of pro-Palestinian protests.

Then there is Trojan football.

Fans chanted this month for the firing of football coach Lincoln Riley — after years of underachieving — though the Trojans have defeated Washington and Penn State after an Oregon loss.

Although fans and analysts have soured at times on Riley — whose pay exceeds $11 million and whose reported buyout is about $70 million — Kim declined to say whether USC could afford a coaching change, saying, “We’re not thinking about that.”

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Amid fan chants to fire Trojan football coach Lincoln Riley, USC President Beong-Soo Kim declined to say whether USC could afford a coaching change, saying “we are laser-focused on the next game.”

“We are laser-focused on the next game, and then the game after that, and really having the best possible season that we can have in football,” he said.

After the stinging rounds of layoffs, Kim said, the university expects to “significantly exceed” the roughly $30-million surplus he forecast for USC earlier this year during his state-of-the-university speech, though final numbers are pending.

In his speech, Kim said that public trust in universities has declined and “we must regain trust by earning it.” USC is among the elite universities targeted last year by the Trump administration over alleged campus antisemitism, though it has not faced major federal funding freezes or lawsuits as the UC system has.

On Friday, deans and faculty in academic regalia processed into Alumni Park, where the Trojan Marching Band accompanied the national anthem as temperatures climbed toward the 90s during the nearly two-hour ceremony.

USC religious life dean Varun Soni opened an invocation by describing the cello’s sound post — a small wooden piece called its “soul” in Italian and French — and comparing it to the soul of a university. Kim, a cellist, later joined USC Thornton School of Music students to play “Prelude,” the first movement of Grieg’s “Holberg Suite,” Op. 40, as Kaufman School of Dance students performed.

Morton Schapiro, Northwestern’s president emeritus and a former USC dean, represented visiting academic delegates and praised Kim’s “creativity, character and commitment to community” before Suzanne Nora Johnson, chair of the Board of Trustees, formally installed Kim. Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and humanist blessings closed the ceremony. In the afternoon, a “Trojan Family celebration” in McCarthy Quad was scheduled to feature food stalls and performances by singer-songwriters Aloe Blacc, a USC alumnus, and Allen Stone.

Money, medicine and priorities

When he took over as interim president in 2025, upon the departure of Carol Folt, Kim immediately confronted the university’s financial crisis. The campus had long spent more than it brought in, an imbalance driven by rising athletics costs, pandemic expenses and major legal settlements. A weak year for USC’s health system deepened the shortfall. Kim maintained a hiring pause, stopped merit raises and took “a hard look at a lot of our administrative expenses and our operations,” he told The Times.

Keck Medicine of USC took a significant hit in the layoffs after running a deficit in the tens of millions in recent years. Last month, dozens of layoffs took place at the Viterbi School of Engineering.

Kim said Keck’s performance “has been good, but it can get better.” The health system is “making very positive progress” to cut expenses while focusing on “patient care, patient quality.”

Across campus, he credited staff and faculty with “stepping up, asking how can we do more with less.”

USC is also challenging a faculty union before the National Labor Relations Board. Non-tenure-track faculty voted in June to join United Faculty-UAW, with about 70% in favor. USC has asked the labor board to review the decision that allowed the vote, arguing the union is too broad. Faculty leafleted Friday during Kim’s event.

Kim said he wants USC to build strong partnerships with Los Angeles industries, including entertainment, biotechnology, sports and “the new space economy.”

He cautioned in his speech that “great universities do not become greater by trying to do everything.”

During the interview, he did not say which university programs need to shrink but said such decisions will come through a strategic plan that will “engage the whole community.”

“One of the things that I frankly pride myself on as a university president is that I readily admit that I don’t have all the answers, and certainly not the best answers,” he said.

Beong-Soo Kim speaks at USC’s commencement in May.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Admissions

A pressing debate — particularly within the University of California system — is whether standardized tests should be required for admissions. Many of the nation’s most elite institutions have recently turned away from test-blind or test-optional admission policies. UC, which does not consider SAT scores in admissions, is reviewing whether to resume SAT and ACT requirements.

Kim said USC, which is test-optional, is studying the issue too. USC considers SAT and ACT scores if applicants submit them but does not require them.

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As the University of California evaluates whether to reintroduce SAT and standardized testing requirements for admission, USC President Beong-Soo Kim said USC is also looking at the question. He said USC, which is test-optional, has not made a final decision.

“It’s absolutely something that has been under discussion, particularly with respect to STEM students,” he said, referring to science, technology, engineering and math majors. He cautioned that no final decision has been made and that the new provost, David Madigan, will be looking at the issue.

Kim said UC’s test-blind policy is “one of the contextual factors that we have to consider.” Many California students who plan to apply to UC skip the tests, and many of them also apply to USC, he said.

USC said last year it would keep weighing applicants’ family ties to the university despite a state ban on legacy and donor preferences. In 2024, while the ban was pending, USC said it would “comply with state law” if it were signed. Schools that keep the preferences are listed publicly as out of compliance and must report more admissions data to the state.

Kim said USC chose to keep “considering whether someone is a member of the Trojan family” as one of many factors. He said he is “actually quite proud” that USC maintained its “holistic admissions practices” in a way that “provides more transparency about our admissions.”

Image and trust

Legacy preferences have fed a stereotype of USC as a college for the wealthy and well connected. Kim disputed that image.

He pointed to USC’s transfer students, Pell Grant recipients and first-generation students. USC opens its doors to “so many people in California, throughout the country, and throughout the world,” he said.

Still, Kim acknowledged that trust in education has fallen, though he said that trust in American institutions “across the board has been declining.”

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USC violates state law by considering legacy and donor ties in admissions, a practice President Beong-Soo Kim defended as part of a holistic review while touting the university’s transparency in reporting admissions data to the state.

“Some might have to do with events from several years ago,” he said.

He did not say which events, though USC has had its share. As general counsel, Kim helped steer it through the aftermath of the national Varsity Blues admissions bribery scandal and the sex abuse payout to former patients of campus gynecologist George Tyndall, the largest in higher education history.

His answer to falling trust has been the Open Dialogue Project, which he launched in October 2025 to bring clashing views to campus. Guests have included National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, former ACLU President Nadine Strossen and legal scholar Jonathan Turley.

In September, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression gave USC its top “green light” rating for several speech policies. After the group recalculated its college free speech rankings, USC rose from 198th to 37th out of 261 schools.

White House pressure

Last fall, the Trump administration invited USC and eight other universities to sign a higher education compact offering favorable access to federal research grants. Signers would cap international undergraduates at 15%, require the SAT or ACT and freeze tuition for five years.

USC rejected the compact last October — about two weeks after the administration offered it.

Some faculty viewed USC’s initial reluctance to reject the overture as a sign it was unwilling to openly challenge Trump’s education demands. They also point to USC’s closure of its university-wide Office of Inclusion and Diversity last year amid a federal anti-DEI push and its removal of pages for cultural heritage months from its “Culture Journey” website earlier this year.

Kim disagreed that USC bends quickly to the White House.

“It would have been highly presumptuous for me just to make a rash decision about what we were going to do without listening,” he said of the compact.

International students have also faced pressures, as the government restricts some visa programs and significantly increases costs for others.

About 26% of USC students are international, with 15% of the undergraduate population coming from other nations. Kim said international students “have been part of USC for decades” and called their presence “a win-win.”

AI risks

USC is also leaning into artificial intelligence, with a $200-million gift from Nvidia board member Mark Stevens and his wife, Mary Stevens, meant to infuse AI across the campus and recruit AI researchers.

But leaders of OpenAI and Anthropic have warned that the technology’s fast development poses serious risks to jobs and human existence.

“We have to take those warnings very seriously,” Kim said. Universities, he said, can help clarify what it means for AI to be “aligned” and “safe.”

Kim said USC wants to make sure its students “are leading in terms of how to use it ethically, how to use it morally.”

The future

On July 14, 2028, the Coliseum — USC’s campus-adjacent home stadium — will share the Olympics’ opening ceremony with SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Kim said he hopes Olympic visitors will see “a university that has an incredible Olympic tradition,” but also one whose reach goes well beyond sports.

The Games will also bring alumni and students “from across the globe,” he said. “I think that’s going to make for a very magical moment.”

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 8:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking

1. SANTA MARGARITA (8-0) def. St. John Bosco, 21-7; vs. JSerra, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (8-0) def. Chaminade, 41-0; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 3

3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 21-7; at Servite, Friday; 2

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-3) def. Norco, 46-14; at Chaparral, Friday; 4

5. MATER DEI (6-2) def. Servite, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) vs. San Clemente, canceled; at Los Alamitos, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-3) def. JSerra, 48-13; at Servite, Friday; 7

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) vs. Mission Viejo, canceled; at San Juan Hills, Friday; 8

9. JSERRA (4-4) lost to Orange Lutheran, 48-13; at Santa Margarita, Friday; 10

10. BISHOP AMAT (7-1) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 48-28; vs. Loyola, Friday; 12

11. SERVITE (3-5) lost to Mater Dei, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; 11

12. LA SERNA (7-1) def. Cerritos, 57-7; vs. Mayfair, Friday; 13

13. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) def. La Habra, 35-28; at Corona del Mar, Friday; 14

14. INGLEWOOD (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 33-7; at Leuzinger, Friday; 15

15. PALOS VERDES (7-1) def. Mira Costa, 34-14; at Redondo Union, Friday; 16

16. CORONA DEL MAR (7-1) lost to Capistrano Valley, 21-17; vs. Crean Lutheran, Friday; 9

17. CARSON (7-1) def. Narbonne, 60-0; vs. San Pedro, Friday; 18

18. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-1) lost to Bishop Amat, 48-28; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday; 17

19. CHAMINADE (5-3) lost to Sierra Canyon, 41-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 19

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-0) def. Western, 34-14; vs. Troy, Thursday; 20

21. SAN JACINTO (8-0) def. Elsinore, 49-16; vs. Granite Hills, Friday; 21

22. GARDENA SERRA (4-4) def. Loyola, 26-0; at Chaminade, Friday; 22

23. ORANGE (8-0) def. Beckman, 51-14; vs. Irvine, Thursday; 23

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (7-1) def. Yorba Linda, 14-10; vs. San Clemente, Friday; 24

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (7-1) def. Corona del Mar, 21-17; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 25

WEEK 9 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Ironwood league

Village Christian at Capistrano Valley Christian

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Arroyo League

La Canada at Monrovia

Muir at Burbank

Big West League

Corona Santiago at Eastvale Roosevelt

Vista Murrieta at Norco

Bravo League

Tustin at La Habra

Citrus Belt League

Beaumont at Yucaipa

Redlands at Citrus Valley

Del Rey League

Harvard-Westlake at La Salle

Delta League

Troy at Huntington Beach

Desert Empire League

La Quinta at Xavier Prep

Desert Sky League

Victor Valley at Silverado

Epsilon League

Brea Olinda at Newport Harbor

Foxtrot League

Irvine at Orange

Gano League

Don Lugo at Nogales

Montclair at Chaffey

Walnut at Rowland

Golden League

Palmdale at Quartz Hill

Inland Valley League

Canyon Springs at Hemet

Kappa League

St. Margaret’s at Esperanza

Manzanita League

Temecula Prep at Nuview Bridge

Marmonte League

Simi Valley at Bishop Diego

Mid-Cities League

Gahr at Santa Fe

Mojave River League

Apple Valley at Serrano

Mountain Pass League

Elsinore at West Valley

Temescal Canyon at Tahquitz

Omicron League

Los Amigos at Santa Ana

Rio Vista League

Artesia at Whittier

River Valley League

Big Bear at Miller

Ramona at Patriot

San Andreas League

Rialto at Kaiser

Sigma League

Anaheim at Rancho Alamitos

Ocean View at Katella

Sunbelt League

Paloma Valley at Valley View

Tango League

Garden Grove Santiago at Magnolia

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Agape League

PAL Academy at Lucerne Valley

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Central League

Bernstein at Maywood CES

Contreras at Roybal

Hollywood at Mendez

Coliseum League

Crenshaw at Dorsey

Marquez at King/Drew

Eastern League

Huntington Park at Legacy

L.A. Roosevelt at Bell

South East at South Gate

East Valley League

Arroyo at North Hollywood

Fulton at Arleta

Grant at Monroe

Sun Valley Poly at Verdugo Hills

Exposition League

Manual Arts at Jefferson

Marine League

San Pedro at Carson

Wilmington Banning at Narbonne

Metro League

Hawkins at Locke

L.A. Jordan at Dymally, 4 p.m.

Northern League

Lincoln at Franklin

L.A. Wilson at L.A. Marshall

Southern League

Torres at Belmont

West Adams at Los Angeles, 3 p.m.

Valley Mission League

San Fernando at Granada Hills Kennedy

Sylmar at Reseda

Van Nuys at Panorama

Western League

L.A. Hamilton at Venice

L.A. University at Westchester

Palisades at Fairfax

West Valley League

Chatsworth at Birmingham

Cleveland at Granada Hills

Taft at Wells Camino Real

Nonleague

Eagle Rock at Garfield

Fremont at Angelou

Stella at Sotomayor

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alliance League

South El Monte at Montebello

Almont League

Alhambra at San Gabriel

Alpha League

Edison at Yorba Linda

Mission Viejo at Los Alamitos

San Clemente at San Juan Hills

Angelus League

Paraclete at Cathedral

St. Francis at Bishop Montgomery

St. Paul at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy

Baseline League

Eitwanda at Chino Hills

Upland at Rancho Cucamonga

Bay League

Inglewood at Leuzinger

Palos Verdes at Redondo Union

Big West League

Corona Centennial at Chaparral

Temecula Valley at Corona

Murrieta Valley at Murrieta Mesa

Riverside King at Great Oak

Boulder League

Burbank Burroughs at Crescenta Valley

San Marino at Gabrielino

South Pasadena at Pasadena

Bravo League

Crean Lutheran at Corona Del Mar

Villa Park at Capistrano Valley

Camino Real League

St. Bernard at Mary Star of the Sea

St. Genevieve at St. Monica

Channel League

Thousand Oaks at Rio Mesa

Ventura at Moorpark

Westlake at Santa Barbara

Citrus Belt League

Redlands at Citrus Valley

Redlands East Valley at Cajon

Citrus Coast League

Channel Islands at Santa Clara

Del Sol at Carpinteria

Grace at Nordhoff

Coastal 101 League

Calabasas at Buena

Camarillo at Oak Park

Oxnard at Agoura

Conference 12 League

Keppel at Arroyo

Mountain View at Rosemead

Cottonwood League

Vasquez at Riverside Notre Dame

Whittier Christian at Riverside Prep

Crest League

Arcadia at Glendale

Temple City at Hoover

Del Rey League

Crespi at Alemany

Salesian at St. Anthony

Delta League

El Modena at Dana Hills

Western at Laguna Beach

Desert Empire League

Palm Desert at Palm Springs

Rancho Mirage at Shadow Hills

Desert Sky League

Barstow at Granite Hills

Desert Valley League

Coachella Valley at Yucca Valley

Epsilon League

Santa Ana Foothill at Tesoro

Trabuco Hills at Aliso Niguel

Foothill League

Castaic vs. West Ranch at College the Canyons

Golden Valley at Valencia

Hart at Canyon Country Canyon

Foxtrot League

El Dorado at Beckman

Segerstrom at El Toro

Gateway League

Downey at Cerritos

Mayfair at La Serna

Warren at La Mirada

Gold Coast League

Brentwood at Rio Hondo Prep

Golden League

Eastside at Knight

Highland at Lancaster

Littlerock at Antelope Valley

Hacienda League

Covina at Diamond Bar

Los Altos at Baldwin Park

West Covina at South Hills

Hub City League

Compton at Compton Centennial

Dominguez at Long Beach Cabrillo

Inland Valley League

Heritage at Citrus Hill

Lakeside at Arlington

Perris at Moreno Valley

Iota League

Garden Grove Pacifica at Marina

Laguna Hills at Cypress

La Palma Kennedy at Northwood

Ironwood League

Aquinas at Village Christian

Capistrano Valley Christian at Heritage Christian

Western Christian at Cerritos Valley Christian

Ivy League

Rancho Christian at Orange Vista

Rancho Verde at Liberty

Riverside Poly at Vista del Lago

Kappa League

Portola at Anaheim Canyon

Sunny Hills at Fullerton

Lambda League

Placentia Valencia at Fountain Valley

Westminster at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel

Woodbridge at Sonora

Manzanita League

Anza Hamilton at Silver Valley

Desert Chapel at San Jacinto Valley Academy

Marmonte League

Newbury Park at Oaks Christian

St. Bonaventure at Oxnard Pacifica

Mesquite League

Desert Christian Academy at Santa Rosa Academy

Ontario Christian at Linfield Christian

Metro League

Bell Gardens at El Rancho

El Monte at Schurr

Mid-Cities League

California at Paramount

Norwalk at Bellflower

Miramonte League

Ganesha at Workman

Pomona at Garey

Mission League

Gardena Serra at Chaminade

Loyola at Bishop Amat

Sherman Oaks Notre Damę at Sierra Canyon

Mission Valley League

Mountain View at Rosemead

Mojave River League

Oak Hills at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Sultana at Hesperia

Montview League

Azusa at Ontario

Duarte at Hacienda Heights Wilson

La Puente at Sierra Vista

Moore League

Long Beach Jordan at Lakewood

Long Beach Poly at Millikan

Mountain Valley League

Jurupa Valley at La Sierra

San Bernardino at Rubidoux

Ocean League

Hawthorne at South Torrance

Peninsula at Beverly Hills

Omicron League

Estancia at Garden Grove

Irvine University at Buena Park

Los Amigos at Santa Ana

Pioneer League

Culver City at Torrance

North Torrance at El Segundo

West Torrance at Santa Monica

Rio Vista League

Firebaugh at Pioneer

Lynwood at Glenn

River Valley League

Jurupa Valley at La Sierra

Norte Vista at Pacific

San Andreas League

Rim of the World at Colton

Sierra League

Bonita at Charter Oak

Colony at Glendora

Northview at Ayala

Sigma League

Saddleback at Costa Mesa

Skyline League

Arroyo Valley at Carter

Fontana at Indian Springs

San Gorgonio at Bloomington

Sunbelt League

Hillcrest at Riverside North

Sunkist League

Eisenhower at Summit

Grand Terrace at Jurupa Hills

Sun Valley League

Banning at Desert Hot Springs

Cathedral City at Indio

Desert Mirage at Twentynine Palms

Tango League

Bolsa Grande at Godinez

Savanna at Loara, 6:30 p.m.

Tri-County League

Fillmore at Dos Pueblos

Hueneme at Santa Paula

San Marcos at Royal

Trinity League

JSerra vs. Santa Margarita at Saddleback College

Orange Lutheran vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

St. John Bosco vs. Servite at Orange Coast College

Valle Vista League

Alta Loma at Chino

Claremont at San Dimas

Diamond Ranch at Los Osos

Nonleague

Maranatha at Viewpoint

INTERSECTIONAL

El Cajon Granite Hills at San Jacinto

St. Jeanne de Lestonnac at Diego Rivera

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

City League

New Designs University Park at Animo Robinson

USC Hybrid at New Designs Watts

Valley League

TEACH Tech at Valley Oaks CES

South LA College Prep at Sherman Oaks CES

SOUTHERN SECTION

Express League

Downey Calvary Chapel at Vista Meridian, 6 p.m.

Southlands Christian at Magnolia Science Academy, 3 p.m.

Freelance League

Malibu at Laguna Blanca, 3 p.m.

Majestic League

Public Safety Academy at Cornerstone Christian, 5 p.m.

Tri-Valley League

Pasadena Poly at Flintridge Prep, 6:30 p.m.

Nonleague

California School for the Deaf Riverside at Faith Baptist, 6:30 p.m.

Thacher at Sage Hill, 6 p.m.

Villanova Prep at Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian, 6 p.m.

INTERSECTIONAL

Bakersfield Legacy Christian Academy at Cuyama Valley

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Cottonwood League

Arrowhead Christian at Webb, 1 p.m.

INTERSECTIONAL

Trinity Classical Academy at Orcutt Academy, 6 p.m.

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Agape League

Hesperia Christian at Academy of Careers & Exploration

Coast Valley League

Valley Christian Academy at San Luis Obispo Classical Academy, 11 a.m.

Express League

Downey Calvary Chapel at Vista Meridian, 6 p.m.

Heritage League

Lancaster Baptist at Desert Christian, 3 p.m.

Tri-Valley League

Cate at Chadwick, 2 p.m.

Heritage League

Lancaster Baptist at Desert Christian, 6 p.m.

Freelance League

Highland Entrepreneur at California Lutheran, 6 p.m.

Tri-Valley League

Cate at Chadwick, 2 p.m.

This charming seaside village is just as beautiful in autumn as it is in summer

Summer may be behind us, but that’s no reason to abandon a trip to the seaside. While taking a dip in the sea might not be on the cards, the British coast still has a great deal to offer.

There’s one spot in particular that locals affectionately call ‘God’s pocket’, owing to its mild microclimate that brings warmer, sunnier weather than the surrounding towns. And even if it’s simply too chilly for a swim, this gorgeous location boasts a bustling high street brimming with independent shops, cafés and pubs.

That magical place is East Wittering, tucked away along the shores of the Manhood Peninsula in West Sussex.

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While it draws the crowds during summer, it’s equally as charming during the cooler months. Take a stroll along the pebbled beach and, at low tide, wander out across the exposed stretches of soft golden sand.

After soaking up the ocean views and breathing in the fresh sea air, head into town for a spot of exploring. Kick off your morning with a coffee from Ground, just a stone’s throw from the beach on Shore Street, before making your way to The Boulevard for a proper sit-down breakfast.

With a full stomach, you can throw yourself into some serious retail therapy. One of East Wittering’s greatest draws is its remarkable array of independent shops.

From vintage clothing and fashion at Let’s Go Back, to locally handcrafted art and jewellery at The Artisan Shoppe, there truly is something to suit every taste.

For those who love the great outdoors, there’s Wittering Surf Shop, while art enthusiasts can head to V. A Design Studios.

The latter is operated by local artist Victoria and stocks everything from large-scale paintings to hand-drawn cards.

Naturally, no weekend browse would be complete without a swift pint before heading home – and East Wittering has plenty of those too.

The Shore Inn is a firm favourite, tucked right beside the main beach entrance. It’s bustling, dog friendly and boasts outdoor seating if you fancy soaking up some of the early autumn sunshine.

There’s also regularly live music to enjoy while you sip on your drink.

Slightly further afield in West Wittering (roughly a 10 minute drive away) sits The Lamb Inn – an 18th century country pub brimming with character and featuring a gorgeous beer garden.

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

RUSHING

• Vaughn Reinert, Torrance: Rushed for 223 yards and five touchdowns in defeat of West Torrance.

• Maleek Nolley, Cajon: Rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns in win over Beaumont.

• Coy Collins, Villa Park: Rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns in win over Tustin.

• Jacob Gallegos, San Dimas: Rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns in defeat of Chino.

• Jason Brown, Muir: Rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns in win over Monrovia.

• Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Rushed for 324 yards and seven touchdowns in win over South Gate.

• Cyrus Aviles, Fullerton: Rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns in win over Portola.

• Edward Rivera, Compton: Rushed for 246 yards and five touchdowns in defeat of Long Beach Cabrillo.

• Matix Frithsmith, Hart: Rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns in win over Castaic.

• Luke Zapko, Oak Park: Had four rushing touchdowns in win over Buena.

• Nico Funez, Valencia: Rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns in win over Canyon Country Canyon.

• William Biddle, L.A. University: Rushed for 264 yards and scored five touchdowns in defeat of Fairfax.

PASSING

• Lincoln Jahn, Inglewood: Passed for four touchdowns in win over Redondo Union.

• Reagan Toki, Orange Lutheran: Completed 14 of 16 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown in win over JSerra

• Demarco Hernandez, Sierra Canyon: Passed for 201 yards and two touchdowns in defeat of Chaminade.

• Evan McCalister, Valencia: Passed for four touchdowns in win over Canyon Country Canyon.

RECEIVING

• Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes: Caught three touchdown passes for 184 yards and had interception in win over Mira Costa.

• Ben Hanna, Villa Park: Caught six passes for 130 yards and passed for a touchdown in defeat of Tustin.

• Luke Frith, San Juan Hills: Caught eight passes for 128 yards and one touchdown in win over Yorba Linda.

DEFENSE

• Rayshawn Brandon, Santa Margarita: Returned and interception 51 yards for touchdown in win over St. John Bosco.

• Jayden Harris, Charter Oak: Returned and interception 80 yards for touchdown in win over Glendora.

• Eric Wright, South East: Had eight solo tackles in loss to Roosevelt.

• King Berry, Lawndale: Had interception and ran for a game-winning touchdown in win vs. South Torrance.

• Derrick Coleman Jr., Gardena Serra: Made two interceptions, including a pick six, in shutout of Loyola.

• King Rich Johnson, Orange Lutheran: Returned interception 20 yards for touchdown in win over JSerra.

• Noah Carter, Dana Hills: Had two sacks in defeat of Laguna Beach.

• Simote Tupou, St. John Bosco: Had consecutive sacks in loss to Santa Margarita.

• Bailey Hill, Hart: Had two sacks in defeat of Castaic.

• Zayne Reed, Agoura: Had three sacks in his first game of the season in win over Camarillo.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Jaden Walk-Green, Corona Centennial: Made a 43-yard field goal and took a high snap on a field goal for a 16-yard touchdown in win over Norco.

• Noah Guillen, Bishop Amat: Made a school-record 52-yard field goal in defeat of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

• Galileo Chen, Portola: Had a 97-yard kickoff return for touchdown in loss to Fullerton.

• Alejandro Carranza, King/Drew: Made two field goals in the first half during King/Drew’s win vs. Crenshaw.

Oct. 17, 2026 9:14 AM PT

HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Eagle Rock 19, L.A. Wilson 0

Lincoln 21, L.A. Marshall 7

L.A. University 14, WISH Academy 8

MSAR 7, Valley Oaks CES 0

Monroe 7, Sun Valley Poly 0

Monroe 13, Sun Valley Poly 6

North Hollywood 52, Grant 0

North Hollywood 31, Grant 0

Panorama 7, GALA 0

San Fernando 16, Sylmar 0

Van Nuys 32, Reseda 0

Oct. 16, 2026 10:06 PM PT

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. SANTA MARGARITA (8-0) def. St. John Bosco, 21-7; vs. JSerra, Friday

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 21-7; at Servite, Friday

3. SIERRA CANYON (8-0) def. Chaminade, 41-0; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-3) def. Norco, 46-14; at Chaparrel, Friday

5. MATER DEI (6-2) def. Servite, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) at San Clemente, postponed; at Los Alamitos, Friday

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-3) def. JSerra, 48-13; at Servite, Friday

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) vs. Mission Viejo, postponed; at San Juan Hills, Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (7-0) at Capistrano Valley, Saturday; vs. Crean Lutheran, Friday

10. JSERRA (4-4) lost to Orange Lutheran, 48-13; at Santa Margarita, Friday

11. SERVITE (3-5) lost to Mater Dei, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday

12. BISHOP AMAT (7-1) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 48-28; vs. Loyola, Friday

13. LA SERNA (7-1) def. Cerritos, 57-7; vs. Mayfair, Friday

14. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) vs. La Habra, late; at Corona del Mar, Friday

15. INGLEWOOD (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 33-7; at Leuzinger, Friday

16. PALOS VERDES (7-1) def. Mira Costa, 34-14; at Redondo Union, Friday

17. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-1) lost to Bishop Amat, 48-28; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday

18. CARSON (7-1) def. Narbonne, 48-14; vs. San Pedro, Friday

19. CHAMINADE (5-3) lost to Sierra Canyon, 41-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-0) def. Western, 34-14; vs. Troy, Thursday

21. SAN JACINTO (8-0) def. Elsinore, 49-16; vs. Granite Hills, Friday

22. GARDENA SERRA (4-4) def. Loyola, 26-0; at Chaminade, Friday

23. ORANGE (8-0) def. Beckman, 51-14; vs. Irvine, Thursday

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (7-1) def. Yorba Linda, 14-10; vs. San Clemente, Friday

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (6-1) vs. Corona del Mar, Saturday; vs. Villa Park, Friday

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

(Games at 6 p.m. unless noted)

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 2

Los Osos at Newport Harbor

Redondo Union at Crean Lutheran

San Juan Hills at Mayfield

Corona Centennial at Bishop Montgomery

Eastvale Roosevelt at Orange Lutheran

Palos Verdes at Murrieta Valley

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at West Ranch

Campbell Hall at Long Beach Poly

DIVISION 4

Trabuco Hills at Portola

Summit at Burbank Burroughs

North Torrance at El Dorado

Whitney at Yorba Linda

Santa Monica at Arcadia

San Marino at Notre Dame Academy

Ventura at Oak Hills

Tesoro at Vista Murrieta

Village Christian at Ayala

Ontario Christian at Santa Barbara

Laguna Beach at Rancho Cucamonga

San Dimas at Hemet

La Palma Kennedy at Glendora

Xavier Prep at Royal

Chadwick at Bonita

Linfield Christian at Chino Hills

DIVISION 6

Laguna Hills at Alta Loma

Granite Hills at Villa Park

Torrance at Dos Pueblos

Bishop Diego at Temescal Canyon

Le Lycee at Temecula Prep

Woodbridge at St. Bonaventure

Rowland at Capistrano Valley Christian

Loma Linda Academy at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Oxford Academy at Castaic

Santa Fe at Rancho Christian

Palm Springs at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel

Norte Vista at Rim of the World

Schurr at Holy Martyrs

Mayfair at Norwalk

Oxnard at Yucaipa

Covina at Lakewood

DIVISION 8

Montclair at Samueli Academy

Bellflower at Bolsa Grande

San Gorgonio at Oxnard Pacifica

El Rancho at San Gabriel Academy

Western at San Jacinto Valley

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy at Fairmont Prep

Colony at Burbank

University Prep at Riverside Prep

Lancaster Desert Christian at Garden Grove Pacifica

Westminster La Quinta at Lighthouse Christian

Jurupa Valley at Kaiser

Orange Vista at Rio Mesa

Ramona at Big Bear

Geffen Academy at Pomona Catholic

Artesia at Century

West Valley at Bell Gardens

DIVISION 10

Perris at Leuzinger

Glendale at California School for the Deaf Riverside

Orange at Beacon Hill

Avalon at Canyon Springs

Orange County Classical Academy at Indian Springs

Compton at Adelanto

Anza Hamilton at Chaffey

Bassett at New Roads

Westmark at La Quinta

Miller at Glendale Adventist

Loara at Montebello

Rosemead at Redlands Adventist

Cathedral City at Lancaster

Dominguez at Ganesha

River Springs at Cornerstone Christian

Santa Ana Valley at St. Mary’s Academy

Note: Second Round (Divisions 4, 6, 8, 10) Thurs., Oct. 22; Quarterfinals (Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8 10) Tues., Oct. 27 at higher seeds; Semifinals (all divisions) Sat., Oct. 31 at higher seeds; Finals Nov. 6 or 7 at TBA.

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 6 p.m. unless noted)

First Round

DIVISION 1

Pool A

#8 Harvard-Westlake at #1 Mater Dei

#5 Santa Margarita at #4 Oaks Christian

Pool B

#7 Marymount at #2 Sierra Canyon

#6 Los Alamitos at #3 Mira Costa

Note: Open Division second round pool play Tues., Oct. 27; Third round pool play Sat., Oct. 31. Finals Sat., Nov. 7 at Cerritos College.

DIVISION 3

Cerritos at Sunny Hills

Oak Park at Santa Ana Foothill

Chaminade at Cerritos Valley Christian

Alemany at Beckman

Corona Santiago at Newbury Park

Redlands at Rosary

Murrieta Mesa at Etiwanda

Saugus at Thousand Oaks

Claremont at Corona del Mar

Flintridge Prep at Millikan

Bishop Amat at St. Margaret’s

La Salle at Huntington Beach

Chaparral at Crescenta Valley

Crossroads at La Canada

Lakewood St. Joseph at Marina

Aliso Niguel at Windward

DIVISION 5

West Torrance at Marlborough

Liberty at Academy of Academic Excellence

Hesperia Christian at Peninsula

Moorpark at Canyon Country Canyon

Troy at El Toro

Western Christian at Valencia

Culver City at San Jacinto

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at St. Anthony

Southlands Christian at Viewpoint

Westridge at Arrowhead Christian

Irvine at Beaumont

Gahr at Paraclete

Maranatha at Sultana

Burbank Providence at La Serna

Quartz Hill at Temple City

Palm Desert at Capistrano Valley

DIVISION 7

CAMS at Pasadena

Immaculate Heart at Tustin

Brea Olinda at Laguna Blanca

Chino at Sacred Heart Los Angeles

South Hills at Placentia Valencia

Trinity Classical Academy at Nordhoff

Highland at Barstow

Webb at Mary Star of the Sea

Eisenhower at Pasadena Marshall

Whittier at Beverly Hills

Rialto at Vistamar

Northview at Calvary Baptist

Indio at Fullerton

Tahquitz at Buckley

Rio Hondo Prep at Arlington

St. Genevieve at Foothill Tech

DIVISION 9

Santa Paula at Rancho Mirage

Canoga Park AGBU at Saddleback

Cobalt at San Jacinto Valley Academy

Anaheim at St. Monica Academy

Carter at Nogales

Carpinteria at Santa Rosa Academy

Vasquez at Westminster

Azusa at Moreno Valley

St. Jeane de Lestonnac at Santa Clarita Christian

Jurupa Hills at Sierra Vista

Victor Valley at Desert Christian Academy

Wildwood at Hillcrest

Excelsior Charter at Buena Park

Milken Community at Eastside

California at Garden Grove

Twentynine Palms at Shadow Hills

DIVISION 11

Grove at Compton Early College

Ambassador Christian at El Monte Arroyo

Rubidoux at Mesrobian

Animo Leadership at Ramona

Long Beach First Baptist at La Sierra Academy

Thacher at Pacific Lutheran

Grace at Shalhevet

New Covenant at Newport Christian

Oak Grove at Tarbut V’ Torah

Cal Lutheran at Workman

EF Academy at Santa Clara

Desert Chapel at Lynwood

Norton Science Academy at Newbury Park Adventist

Liberty Christian at Joshua Springs

River Springs at Downey Calvary Chapel

Riverside Bethel Christian at Silver Valley

Note: Second round (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) Sat., Oct. 24; Quarterfinals (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9) Wed., Oct. 28; Semifinals (all divisions) Oct. 31; Finals (all divisions) Sat., Nov. 7 at TBA.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Birmingham 32, Taft 0

Eagle Rock 26, Lincoln 0

El Camino Real 34, Chatsworth 0

Franklin 27, Los Angeles Marshall 6

Fremont 8, Crenshaw 0

Fremont 34, Dymally 0

GALA 30, Port of Los Angeles 0

GALA 12, Washington Prep 0

Jefferson 36, Foshay 0

Manual Arts 13, Los Angeles 0

Monroe 26, Smidt Tech 13

San Pedro 27, King/Drew 0

Sun Valley Magnet 27, AMIT 0

Verdugo Hills 32, Arleta 7

View Park 24, Stella 12

Washington Prep 28, Port of Los Angeles 0

Southern Section

Antelope Valley 27, Highland 18

Aquinas 32, Woodcrest Christian 0

Arroyo 25, El Monte 6

Ayala 7, Glendora 6

Azusa 25, Garey 9

Bishop Diego 7, Cate 6

Brentwood 13, Windward 6

Burbank Burroughs 20, Monrovia 18

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 34, Whitney 12

Capistrano Valley Christian 51, Legacy College Prep 0

Castaic 13, West Ranch 0

Chino 14, Montclair 6

Compton 19, Long Beach Cabrillo 16

Compton Early College 44, Compton Centennial 0

Crean Lutheran 19, Cypress 2

Edison 19, Western Christian 7

El Modena 13, Sonora 6

El Rancho 13, Santa Fe 0

Gabrielino 39, Temple City 20

Gardena Serra 33, St. Mary’s Academy 0

Hawthorne 13, Beverly Hills 0

JSerra 19, Orange Lutheran 12

Keppel d. San Gabriel, forfeit

La Canada 14, San Marino 13

Laguna Beach 28, San Juan Hills 7

La Habra 32, Troy 0

Lakewood St. Joseph 40, Anaheim Canyon 12

Lancaster 13, Knight 6

La Sierra 21, Norte Vista 0

Linfield Christian 40, Riverside Notre Dame 12

Loma Linda Academy d. United Christian Academy, forfeit

Long Beach Poly 48, Long Beach Jordan 0

Long Beach Wilson 26, Bishop Montgomery 0

Marina 24, Corona Santiago 12

Montebello 13, Rosemead 0

Mountain View 26, Alhambra 7

Ontario Christian 42, Arrowhead Christian 28

Palmdale d. Littlerock, forfeit

Quartz Hill 13, Eastside 0

Rancho Verde 13, Orange Vista 6

Redlands Adventist Academy 30, Public Safety 0

Redlands East Valley 31, Temecula Valley 7

San Jacinto Valley Academy 6, Hemet 0

San Marcos 13, Ventura 12

Santa Ana Foothill 30, Fullerton 13

Santa Ana Valley 14, Magnolia 6

Schurr 36, South El Monte 0

Shalhevet 12, Animo Leadership 6

Shalhevet 48, Environmental Charter 12

St. Bonaventure 36, Fillmore 6

St. Lucy’s 42, Sierra Vista 6

St. Margaret’s 40, Rosary 6

St. Monica 71, Mary Star of the Sea 0

Village Christian 40, Chadwick 7

Workman 31, Edgewood 6

Xavier Prep 13, Banning 7

Yucaipa 21, Arlington 7

Intersectional

Granada Hills Kennedy 19, Golden Valley 18

Vasquez 7, Panorama 6

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Angelou 25, Diego Rivera 6

Bernstein 35, Mendez 0

Carson 62, Gardena 0

Contreras 19, Roybal 0

Contreras 7, Hollywood 0

Garfield 42, South Gate 0

Los Angeles Hamilton 12, Palisades 7

Manual Arts 6, Foshay 0

Maywood CES 12, Elizabeth 0

Narbonne 20, King/Drew 6

Orthopaedic 30, Belmont 20

RFK Community 33, Mendez 0

RFK Community 14, Bernstein 0

San Pedro 20, Wilmington Banning 19

Santee 37, West Adams 0

Torres 7, Sotomayor 6

Venice 35, WISH Academy 0

Westchester 7, Fairfax 6

The head of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was initially skeptical about the utility of high-altitude balloons, but now sees them as a “game-changing” capability. Lt. Gen. John Rafferty’s comments follow a separate disclosure that the Army axed plans for a balloon swarm test in the Pacific last year and instead sent those systems to support real operations in the Middle East. TWZ has been closely tracking the expanding use of high-altitude balloons and other lighter-than-air systems globally for intelligence gathering, as platforms for launching drones, and in support of other missions, for years now.

Lt. Gen. Rafferty was asked about high-altitude balloons during a media roundtable today, at which TWZ was in attendance, on the sidelines of the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) main annual convention. Army Col. Joseph Mroszczyk, head of SMDC’s Transformation Integration Directorate for Space Superiority (TID-Space Superiority), also discussed the service’s use of balloons during the roundtable. Breaking Defense first reported on the shift of balloon-based capabilities from the Pacific to the Middle East on Monday.

“I’ll just give a little personal history on high-altitude balloons. I started in the Army Futures Command in the Long Range Fires-Cross Functional Team. There was this talk of high-altitude balloons. I think it was the ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] task force was talking about it,” Rafferty said. “It just sounded crazy to me that we were considering this.”

“Then, a few years later, when the Sergeant Major [SDMC Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson] and I were together in the multi-domain community in Europe, I went with the 2nd MDTF [Multi-Domain Task Force] to Morocco for training and experimentation,” he continued. “[I] saw the high-altitude balloons in action, and I was immediately convinced after I understood better how they worked and how their ability to station-keep, and their ability to sense and even deliver effects from high altitude. It was game-changing for me.”

Broadly speaking, the main benefit that modern high-altitude balloons offer is their ability to be deployed persistently for days, weeks, or even months at a time. Designs available on the market today can hold their position, in spite of prevailing winds, and moderate their altitudes to keep on station, after precisely navigating to an assigned operating area.

On top of their persistence, the altitudes at which these balloons operate provide excellent fields of view for radars, cameras, and other sensors in all directions and across very broad areas. From a perch of 60,000 feet or more, they also offer a way to peer into certain denied areas while still soaring in international airspace and keeping further away from potential threats.

The video below from high-altitude balloon maker Aerostar offers a good general overview of the kind of capabilities on the market today.

Aerostar Thunderhead Balloon System Full Video Updated 1 5 23

As Lt. Gen. Rafferty noted today, ISR is not the only use case for high-altitude balloons, either. They can serve as communications relay nodes, as well as launch platforms for swarms of drones and other expendable payloads. These are all capabilities the Army has explicitly talked about as part of broader plans for balloons in the past. Other countries, especially China, are already actively employing high-altitude balloons for ISR and other missions, as we will come back to later on.

“In my former role as an MDTF commander, we experimented a lot in the Pacific with those [balloon-based] capabilities. We have leveraged different size platforms,” Col. Mroszczyk added today. “In this [TID-Space Superiority] role, as a proponent, what I’m pushing for is a family of stratospheric systems that really covers smaller size all the way up to larger size types of platforms in terms of balloons.”

“What that enables us to provide is space-like capabilities, really exploiting a transition point between what is normally considered the aerial layer and the space domain,” he continued. “Really, where you go from about 60,000 feet to 100,000 feet is what we focus on in the stratosphere. That operational space allows some persistence and broad coverage in an area where you can deliver space-like capabilities in terms of payloads, but then also take advantage of the deep access that you get from a stratospheric balloon.”

“So, being able to go, take advantage of winds that are pushing you where you want to go already to be able to get either launched effects or other types of payloads for sensing and communications and extension of your launched effects portfolio,” he added. “That is a way that we can help exploit the stratosphere, and we’re looking to do that throughout multiple experiments over the course of the coming year.”

“Launched effects,” is a catch-all term the U.S. military now routinely uses to talk collectively about uncrewed aerial systems designed to be launched from other platforms in the air, on the ground, and/or at sea. This encompasses drones configured for a wide variety of missions, including surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, signal relay, and even kinetic attack.

Col. Mroszczyk talked about plans to further demonstrate how high-altitude balloons will be commanded and controlled, as well as networked together with other Army capabilities, when asked to elaborate on what the forthcoming experimentation would entail.

As mentioned, the Army had also planned to demonstrate the ability of balloons to operate in swarms with a high degree of autonomy in the Pacific region last year before those assets were redirected to the Middle East. When exactly that deployment occurred and how long it lasted are unclear.

“We were asked to pivot and do some experimentation in combination with operations, and we pivoted and supported operations in CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command],” Andrew Evans, Director of Strategy and Transformation with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, or G-2, told Breaking Defense, per the story that outlet published on Monday.

“They were effective for the mission that they were assigned,” he also said, but declined to elaborate further, according to Breaking Defense. “Balloons can be a little finicky in terms of temperature, and you have to contend with environmental characteristics.”

“We had a lot of help from vendors in this space, but as you think about employing your systems and going from something like a Pacific [theater] to something like a CENTCOM [theater], you learn where those friction points might exist between what the military might need to inherently own, and … what a vendor could help provide in terms of the service,” Evans added. Furthermore, “balloons can be a little finicky in terms of temperature, and you have to contend with environmental characteristics.”

The remarks today from Lt. Gen. Rafferty and Col. Mroszczyk underscore the Army’s commitment to fielding new high-altitude balloon-based capabilities and the immense benefits the service sees in them. However, the continued emphasis on testing and experimentation highlights a discrepancy with the state of the service’s current efforts, and even more so in light of global trends.

The Army has been openly talking about balloons as part of its vision for a new multi-layered persistent sensor architecture, and how they could also be used to launch drones and other ‘effects,’ for at least six years now. In that same time, China has very actively shown off its ability to gather intelligence and conduct other missions using balloons and other lighter-than-air craft on a broad operational level across the Pacific. TWZ had been reporting on this reality for years before it was thrust fully into the public consciousness after a Chinese spy balloon passed over parts of the United States and Canada back in 2023.

Other countries, including U.S. allies and partners, are increasingly fielding balloon-based and other lighter-than-air systems, too. Forces in Ukraine have notably been using balloons to conduct kinetic attacks and launch drones in the course of the ongoing conflict with Russia. On the other side of that conflict, Russian forces have used balloons as decoys to confuse and misdirect air defenses.

The Middle East deployment does show new efforts on the Army’s part to operationalize high-altitude balloons on a more widespread basis, but also that it is still relying on largely experimental capabilities to do so. Earlier this year, the service called attention to the establishment of a new schoolhouse for high-altitude balloon training to help further lay this groundwork, further underscoring how all of this is still very much in its infancy.

The remarks today from Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, especially, show there is substantial support within the Army for pushing ahead with high-altitude balloon programs. At the same time, there is clearly much work to be done if they are to have a truly game-changing impact, while the gap with China and others only continues to grow.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Reporting from Sacramento — Are rich people fleeing California to escape astronomical state income taxes? That’s the word. But it’s fake news.

In fact, more wealthy people are moving to California than leaving, research indicates. It’s the poor and middle class who are departing.

It makes sense. If you’re getting rich in California and can afford to live comfortably here in this balmy climate, there’s little incentive to leave — except to stick it to the tax collector in Sacramento.

“If you’ve got your business here and you’re making money, it’s hard to leave,” says Allan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce.

“And if you’re making money in California, you’re still going to get taxed here even if you live in Texas,” he said. “You get taxed where you make the money, regardless of where you live.”

Loren Kaye, president of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, a chamber affiliate, cautions: “You can’t shelter your income simply by moving out of state. If your business or work is in California, that’s where you’re taxed. California very aggressively collects taxes.”

But, he adds: “If you’re retired or living off of investments, that’s different.”

You can move to Nevada, where there’s no state income tax, and live off a California public pension without paying either Sacramento or Carson City.

The long-speculated California tax escape was mentioned in lots of emails last week after I wrote about superstar baseball slugger Bryce Harper. He rejected competitive offers from the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants and signed a 13-year, $330-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in low-tax Pennsylvania.

Avoiding California’s highest-in-the-nation 13.3% income tax rate was just one of several reasons Harper signed with the Phillies. He also liked their hitter-friendly ballpark. And he felt comfortable playing in the National League East, where he has spent his entire major league career.

But Harper will save many millions in taxes by not playing for a California team, a strong inducement despite his hometown being nearby Las Vegas.

More from George Skelton »

California’s income tax has become even more burdensome for the wealthy and many middle-class residents because of new federal so-called reforms. President Trump and the previous Republican Congress stripped our ability to deduct all state income and local property taxes on federal returns. There’s now a $10,000 limit.

Harper’s avoidance of this state seemed symbolic of the California tax-flight tale that has circulated for years. But apparently it’s mostly made up.

Sure, there are anecdotes galore. Everyone seems to know someone who has fled California to dodge its high taxes. But there’s no wholesale bolting of the rich.

“Substantially more rich people are moving into California than moving out,” says Cristobal Young, a Cornell University sociology professor. He teamed with others at Stanford University’s Center on Poverty and Inequality to write a research paper on “Millionaire Migration in California.”

“They want to be where the action is,” Young says. “There’s more opportunity in California. There are a lot of ways to make a lot of money in California, more than other places. A lot of that is tech, but it’s a diverse economy….

“People who want to make money tend to live where other high-income people are. It’s one thing to say, ‘I’m going to leave California to save money on taxes.’ But that means leaving clients, collaborators, investors, friends….

“It’s not that rich people are moving to Reno and Nevada,” Young adds. “They’re moving to San Francisco and making living costs miserable for a lot of people.

Coverage of California politics »

“California has a net out-migration of low-income folks who can’t afford to live in their state and are being pushed out by high-income homeowners. And there’s a whole other story of middle-class people struggling to pay their bills and the housing shortage hitting them hard.”

The Stanford report concludes that California has “consistently become a more attractive place for millionaires,” adding that perhaps this is because California has become “a winner-take-all economy.”

Similar findings have been reported by other organizations.

“Although California has had net out-migration among most demographic groups, it has gained among those with higher incomes ($110,000 per year or more) and higher levels of education (graduate degrees),” the state Legislative Analyst’s Office determined last year.

Next 10, a public policy think tank, found that “the main driver for net out-migration appears to be high housing costs since migration rates are highest for those at lower-wage levels…. The vast majority of people who moved out of California were concentrated in lower-skilled, lower-paying fields.”

State demographers, digging into federal census data, found that significantly more people earning above $125,000 were moving into California than were leaving. And more earning less than $75,000 were taking off.

In the January state budget document, there also was this observation: “Over time the state…has become more educated on average due to outward migration of less educated residents…and inward migration of more educated people.”

So the wealthy are not fleeing California in droves even though they’re being hammered by state income taxes. The top 5% of earners pays two-thirds of the tax. The bottom 80% pays less than 11%. That’s just bad tax policy because it leans too heavily on rich people’s capital gains that plummet during a recession.

Fortunately the rich are staying with us, fueling the economy and funding state government. And they keep arriving.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter

This town has gorgeous coastal walks as well as plenty to explore

Summer has drawn to a close and autumn has arrived. While summer is a wonderful season for getting away, there’s no reason the enjoyment has to end when temperatures drop.

Indeed, autumn ranks among the most spectacular times of year across the UK.

The foliage transforms into golden hues, tourist numbers dwindle and settling into a welcoming pub following a lengthy ramble epitomises the perfect autumn pursuit.

If you’re seeking a UK destination that truly comes alive during autumn, there’s a delightful seaside town in Cornwall that might tick all the boxes.

According to research conducted by credit card firm Zable, Fowey in Cornwall emerges as the best value location for an autumn staycation. It’s not merely affordable though – it’s also a charming harbour town brimming with things to discover.

The town sits proudly on the banks of the river Fowey and traces its roots back to medieval times.

Its naturally deep water harbour established it as a significant historical port and commercial hub throughout the centuries, while the streets showcase magnificent Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

The region surrounding Fowey also holds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status.

If you fancy exploring the town’s surrounding landscape, then the creeks and coves walk is absolutely essential. This four-mile circular route incorporates two ferry crossings and highlights the magnificent woodlands and coastal pathways that cradle the town.

The walk requires two to three hours including ferry journeys and looks absolutely stunning at this time of year. However, if you’d prefer to remain in the town itself then you certainly won’t be short of things to do.

Fowey boasts a thriving high street brimming with independent shops and boutiques that are ideal for an afternoon of browsing.

Fore Street serves as the town’s main high street and its twisting alleyways offer a wonderful way to while away an afternoon.

Make sure to pop into Jo Downes Handmade Glass for locally blown glass artworks, or Heather Jane and Co., which features art from 180 local makers.

Round off your day at a quintessential Cornish pub, the Ship Inn on Trafalgar Square. This historic establishment was built in 1570 and features a huge open fire ideal for a relaxing autumn pint.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It’s looking like the game of the year this week in high school football: No. 1 Santa Margarita at No. 2 St. John Bosco.

Assistants in spotlight

Kuika Moaalii, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, makes tough catch for St. John Bosco. He had four catches for 119 yards and one touchdown in 28-14 win over Orange Lutheran.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

Santa Margarita (7-0) at St. John Bosco (6-1) on Friday night has all the makings of your typical Trinity League title decider. Great coaching, great players, great atmosphere.

While many will focus on the head coaching matchup of Santa Margarita’s Carson Palmer vs. St. John Bosco’s Jason Negro, the real spotlight should fall on the highly respected coordinators who will need to be smart, creative and be ready to improvise and adjust.

For Santa Margarita, that will be offensive coordinator Lenny Vandermade and defensive coordinator Steve Fififa. For St. John Bosco, offensive coordinator Steve Lo and defensive coordinator Chris King have lots of respect for their counterparts. Don’t expect any to be dismissed in the middle of the game.

All need to figure ways to get the ball to their star athletes on offense and prevent big plays on defense.

It’s the defensive chess match that will be most interesting. Santa Margarita has been getting excellent production from a group of freshmen and recorded three shutouts. This will be their biggest game yet. St. John Bosco has fixed some secondary issues with the addition of Kingston Fatu, who has two interceptions in two games. This will come down to which defensive line can apply enough quarterback pressure without having to blitz.

The winner should be in good position to be the Trinity League champion.

Cleveland’s offensive line has been a strength, including right tackle Carlos Gomez (left), right guard Carter Fitzgerald, center Pedro Castaneda, center Adam Garbisch, left guard Jovanni Orellana and left tackle Josue Fonseca.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times )

In case you haven’t noticed, history is being made at Cleveland High, which is 7-0 and has the inside track to win the West Valley League title under 34-year-old third-year head coach Mario Guzman. It has been decades since a young coach at not one of the City Section power schools has guided his team to contention at the highest level in City football.

Here’s a look at what’s been happening at the Reseda campus to accumulate seven consecutive wins to start the season, including victories over Crenshaw and Birmingham.

Franklin and Eagle Rock had their Northern League game postponed Friday because of continuing fallout dealing with the death of a Franklin student. The game will be played Monday night at L.A. Wilson.

There’s a season-long competition to be the best running back in the City Section among Brandon Hernandez of Panorama, Ceasar Reyes of Garfield and Tru Warrior Casas of Fairfax. All are well past 1,000 yards rushing and closing in on 2,000.

Elisha Mueller of St. John Bosco shows off his blocking skills against Orange Lutheran.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

St. John Bosco set up its showdown with Santa Margarita with a hard-fought 28-14 win over Orange Lutheran. Here’s the report.

Inglewood rallied to defeat Palos Verdes and move to win the Bay League title. Here’s the report.

El Modena knocked off Laguna Beach in the Delta League. Here’s the report.

Crespi junior quarterback Chase Curren became the school’s all-time leader in touchdown passes with 54 by passing for three touchdowns in a 49-0 win over Harvard-Westlake. The old record was 53 held by his offensive coordinator, Bryan Bennett. His standout receiver Bru McFarland, called the record-breaking TD.

There are still 23 unbeaten teams left in the Southern Section and City Section. Here’s the report.

Here’s a look at this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

Here’s top individual performances.

Here’s week eight schedule.

The week ahead

Week eight in high school football has the chance to be one of the dramatic in the regular season with many big games.

Besides Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco, there’s Mission Viejo at San Clemente, Bishop Amat at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, King/Drew at Crenshaw, Hamilton at Palisades, Bellflower at Paramount and Mater Dei vs. Servite at Cerritos College,

Pualani Olotoa-Le’au, a sophomore, has been contributing to Carson in flag football and softball.

(Courtesy Olotoa-Le’au family)

Last week’s heat wave caused lots of postponed flag football games in the City Section. The powerful Northern League needs to catch up. Wilson is 2-0 and Eagle Rock 1-0.

Carson and Narbonne are 4-1 in the Marine League with San Pedro at 3-1. Here’s a look at a two-sport contributor for Carson.

JSerra is 23-0 and few teams are giving the Lions much competition. Here’s this week’s top 10 flag football rankings by The Times.

A big Monday showdown has Huntington Beach facing Newport Harbor.

Roommates at UCLA

Linebacker Scott Taylor (left) and receiver Shane Rosenthal, graduates of Loyola and Newbury Park, have become roommates and contributors for UCLA’s football team.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Loyola High star Scott Taylor and former Newbury Park star Shane Rosenthal are roommates and teammates on UCLA’s football team.

They explain how important it is going off to college to explore and find someone with similar ideas and principles.

Here’s a look at why things are working out.

Water polo

Harvard-Westlake made a big move in the water polo rankings this week with consecutive wins over JSerra and Santa Margarita.

Harry Siafaris was a key player with his scoring skills.

Newport Harbor had a big league win over rival Corona del Mar. Here’s the report.

Notes

Junior pitcher Carlos Acuna of Birmingham, the City Section player of the year, has committed to UC San Diego….

Dezi Delgado from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has committed to CSUN baseball….

King Rachal of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has committed to Utah State for basketball….

Standout guard Gene Roebuck of La Mirada has committed to Cal….

Former Monroe High and Cal State Northridge pitcher Lew Lerner has died. He was 74. He was a first-round draft pick of the Twins and led CSUN to a national championship in 1970….

JSerra cross-country star Reese Holley has committed to North Carolina….

Bob Hitchcock, who built the Temple City High football program into a powerhouse, has died. He was 97. He won seven Southern Section championships in the 1970s….

Guard Omar Cuffie from Loyola has committed to play basketball at Navy….

Michael Scarince of South Pasadena won the cross-country invitational race at the Clovis Invitational in 15:01….

Track and field athlete Aidan Antonio of Woodbridge has committed to Georgetown….

Guard Pierce Thompson of Harvard-Westlake has committed to Utah….

The JSerra girls volleyball team claimed the Division 1&2 Diamond Bracket at the Southern California Volleyball Invitational at Alliant University in San Diego….

Here are the latest Southern Section girls volleyball rankings.

From the archives: Cooper Barkate

Cooper Barkate playing for Mater Dei in 2021. He’s now at Miami.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

In Cooper Barkate’s senior season in 2022 at Mater Dei, the team went 12-1 and he was a vey good receiver who chose academics and the Ivy League, attending Harvard for three years and graduating with a degree in economics. Then he transferred to Duke for one season and is now at Miami, where entered the national discussion after catching five passes for 98 yards and one touchdown against Clemson.

His father, Harold, was a punter for UCLA who grew up in the high desert.

Here’s a story from 2023 from Harvard’s school newspaper.

Here’s a story from 2021 from the New York Times explaining Barkate’s decision to go to Harvard.

Recommendations

From Indianapreps, a story on the changing landscape in covering high school sports.

From KGET in Bakersfield, a story on a private eye uncovering ineligible players.

From Oregonlive, a story on former Crenshaw running back De’Anthony Thomas turning to disc golf.

From Axios, a story on how youth sports is affecting Sunday worship.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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Going into Week 8 of the high school football season, there are still 23 teams unbeaten in the Southern Section and City Section.

The three City teams are Cleveland, Granada Hills Kennedy and Marshall.

There are 20 in the Southern Section: Santa Margarita, Sierra Canyon, San Clemente, Corona del Mar, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, San Jacinto, Huntington Beach, Orange, Charter Oak, Mary Star, Bonita, Desert Christian, Los Altos, Nordhoff, San Marino, Nogales, Viewpoint, Royal, St. Bernard and Rancho Alamitos.

There are tough league games ahead, starting on Friday with Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco and Bishop Amat at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

Sierra Canyon (7-0) remains the most likely to go 10-0, with Mission League games still remaining against Chaminade, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Bishop Amat.

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

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 6:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking

1. SANTA MARGARITA (7-0) def. Servite, 27-3; at St. John Bosco, Friday; 1

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-1) def. Orange Lutheran, 28-14; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday; 2

3. SIERRA CANYON (7-0) def. Gardena Serra, 58-0; at Chaminade, Friday; 3

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (4-3) def. Murrieta Valley, 42-20; vs. Norco, Thursday; 4

5. MATER DEI (5-2) def. JSerra, 41-7; at Servite, Thursday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) def. Yorba Linda, 27-26; at San Clemente, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (4-3) lost to St. John Bosco, 28-14; vs. JSerra, Friday; 7

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) def. Los Alamitos, 40-0; vs. Mission Viejo, Friday; 8

9. CORONA DEL MAR (7-0) def. Tustin, 28-14; at Capistrano Valley, Friday; 12

10. JSERRA (4-3) lost to Mater Dei, 41-7; at Orange Lutheran, Friday; 10

11. SERVITE (3-4) lost to Santa Margarita, 27-3; vs. Mater Dei, Thursday; 11

12. BISHOP AMAT (6-1) def. Chaminade, 28-7; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 13

13. LA SERNA (6-1) def. La Mirada, 56-19; vs. Cerritos, Friday; 14

14. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) def. Capistrano Valley, 30-22; vs. La Habra, Friday; 15

15. INGLEWOOD (7-1) def. Palos Verdes, 26-23; vs. Redondo Union, Friday; NR

16. PALOS VERDES (6-1) lost to Inglewood, 26-23; at Mira Costa, Thursday; 9

17. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-0) def Loyola, 49-21; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; 23

18. CARSON (6-1) def. Banning, 41-3; at Narbonne, Friday; 16

19. CHAMINADE (5-2) lost to Bishop Amat, 28-7; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday; 18

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (7-0) def Dana Hills, 21-16; at Western, Thursday; 20

21. SAN JACINTO (7-0) def. Tahquitz, 48-7; at Elsinore, Thursday; 21

22. GARDENA SERRA (3-4) lost to Sierra Canyon, 58-0; at Loyola, Friday; 19

23. ORANGE (7-0) def. Segerstrom, 53-7; at Beckman, Friday; 22

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (6-1) def. Huntington Beach Edison, 28-20; vs. Yorba Linda, Thursday; NR

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (6-1) lost to Crean Lutheran, 30-22; vs. Corona del Mar, Friday; 24

Finance officials from around the world will gather in Bangkok this week under the shadow of a widening war in the Middle East, the biggest-ever energy supply shock and rising interest rates that together pose daunting risks to already-sluggish global economic growth.

The US-Israel war on Iran, now in its eighth month, and its inflationary impact are slated to dominate the agenda and sideline conversations during the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, held outside Washington for the first time in three years.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told Reuters News Agency that 18,000 people were registered to attend the meetings, 4,000 more than the last off-site meetings held in Morocco in October 2023.

Notably absent will be United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who dispatched two senior officials in his stead while he handles some “domestic engagements”, a US official said. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh will attend and is slated to participate in a public event with Georgieva on October 16.

Several other finance ministers were also staying home due to domestic budget and election duties, but most central bankers would attend, Georgieva said.

Bessent’s decision to skip the high-profile gathering and a meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies, which the US leads this year, may frustrate counterparts amid rising tensions over the Iran war, Ukraine’s battle against Russia’s invasion, and the US move to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

Fossil energy reserve release

The Group of Seven (G7) countries have agreed to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves under pressure from US President Donald Trump, who is keen to see lower petrol prices before November elections that could see his Republican Party lose control of Congress.

Trump on Friday announced a deal with Russia that would provide even more diesel to global markets and a temporary waiver of US sanctions designed to deprive Moscow of revenues for its ‌‌war on Ukraine. The move drew swift criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

More than one billion barrels of oil have been released, mainly from onshore commercial inventories, since the start of the war on February 28. But industry executives say the amount of oil in storage that is accessible to the global market is running low, making the market more fragile and fuelling pressure on prices.

The IMF has signalled little change in its forecast for three percent global growth in 2026, and may edge its forecast for next year slightly higher. But some countries will see downgrades, including Ukraine, now in its fifth year of war against Russia’s invasion, and Gulf countries hit by Iranian strikes and sharply reduced energy exports.

IMF research released on Tuesday showed that sharp spikes in food and energy prices are an increasingly common source of crises that drive inflation expectations higher for longer, worsen poverty and threaten economic stability.

One headache for policymakers is the growing public debt burden that is sapping growth and adding inflationary pressures. The IMF says public debt is at the highest level since World War II and will exceed 100 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) before 2030.

Advanced economies, led by the US, have the highest debt-to-GDP ratios, but emerging markets and low-income countries are particularly vulnerable, given a perfect storm of challenges: capital outflows in search of higher US rates, weather extremes triggered by the El Nino climate phenomenon, and a lack of investment in artificial intelligence (AI), which has mitigated negative supply shocks in the US and other rich countries.

Developing countries are particularly vulnerable given high public debt levels that will have to be renegotiated at higher interest rates. Together, they face $400bn in debt payments to external creditors in 2026, and interest payments already exceed 10 percent of revenue on average.

Many lower-income countries are worried about new IMF recommendations for loan programmes that call for fewer but deeper reforms as a condition for approving lending, a change that many fear will lead to painful austerity measures.

High school sports programs are filled with dozens of volunteers — manning the snack bar, taking tickets, helping provide security, cleaning floors, carrying equipment and taking statistics.

On and on it goes.

One of the most entrusted volunteers in football is the cameraman. That person must film the entire game, whether from the press box or the sideline.

Bennett Rogers is in his first year as Palos Verdes High’s cameraman. He sits in the end zone and has a camera that goes up so high on a tripod that it could be waving a flag. His son coaches for Palos Verdes, so he volunteered to shoot the games.

His most important equipment is a portable, comfortable chair that lasts through four quarters.

“That’s the key for my age,” he said.

To all the moms and dads volunteering, you’re the unsung heroes. Just make sure you have a sturdy chair when taking video.

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

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Northern League

Franklin at Eagle Rock

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alliance League

South El Monte vs. Alhambra at SoFi Stadium, 8:30 p.m.

Alpha League

San Juan Hills at Yorba Linda

Bay League

Palos Verdes at Mira Costa

Big West League

Corona Santiago at Corona

Eastvale Roosevelt at Riverside King

Norco at Corona Centennial

Bravo League

Tustin vs. Villa Park at SoFi Stadium, 5 p.m.

Delta League

Huntington Beach at Western

Desert Empire League

Shadow Hills at Palm Desert

Desert Sky League

Adelanto at Victor Valley

Barstow at Silverado

Epsilon League

Brea Olinda at Santa Ana Foothill

Golden League

Knight at Antelope Valley

Inland Valley League

Arlington at Hemet

Ivy League

Liberty at Rancho Christian

Orange Vista at Vista del Lago

Lambda League

Sonora at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel

Manzanita League

Nuview Bridge at Hamilton

Metro League

Bell Gardens at El Monte

Mojave River League

Oak Hills at Sultana

Montview League

Azusa at Hacienda Heights Wilson

Ontario at La Puente

Sierra Vista at Duarte

Mountain Pass League

San Jacinto at Elsinore

Omicron League

Garden Grove at Irvine University

Pioneer League

West Torrance at Torrance

River Valley League

Jurupa Valley at Rubidoux

Miller at Norte Vista

San Andreas League

Kaiser at Rim of the World

Sigma League

Costa Mesa at Rancho Alamitos

Sunbelt League

Valley View at Perris

Valle Vista League

Alta Loma at Diamond Ranch

Chino at San Dimas

Los Osos at Claremont

8-MAN

INTERSECTIONAL

Bakersfield Valley Oaks Charter vs. Milken at Birmingham, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Central League

Hollywood at Contreras

Mendez at Bernstein

Roybal at Maywood CES

Coliseum League

King/Drew at Crenshaw

Washington Prep at Marquez

Eastern League

Bell at Legacy

Los Angeles Roosevelt at South East

South Gate at Garfield

East Valley League

Fulton at Arroyo

Monroe at San Valley Poly

North Hollywood at Grant

Verdugo Hills at Arleta

Exposition League

Manual Arts at Fremont

Marine League

Carson at Narbonne

Gardena at San Pedro

Metro League

Los Angeles Jordan at Hawkins

Rancho Dominguez at Locke

Northern League

Los Angeles Marshall at Lincoln

Los Angeles Wilson at Eagle Rock

Southern League

Belmont at West Adams

Diego Rivera at Torres

Valley Mission League

Granada Hills Kennedy at Canoga Park

Reseda at Van Nuys

San Fernando at Sylmar

Western League

Fairfax at Los Angeles University

Los Angeles Hamilton at Palisades

Westchester at Venice

West Valley League

El Camino Real at Chatsworth

Granada Hills at Birmingham

Taft at Cleveland

Nonleague

Santee at Angelou

SOUTHERN SECTION

Almont League

Montebello at San Gabriel

Alpha League

Los Alamitos at Edison

Mission Viejo at San Clemente

Angelus League

Cathedral at Bishop Montgomery

St. Paul at St. Francis

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy at Paraclete

Arroyo League

La Canada at Burbank

Monrovia at Muir

Baseline League

Damien at Upland

Rancho Cucamonga ar Etiwanda

Bay League

Redondo Union at Inglewood

Big West League

Chaparral at Murrieta Mesa

Great Oak at Temecula Valley

Vista Murrieta at Murrieta Valley

Boulder League

Gabrielino at South Pasadena

Bravo League

Corona del Mar at Capistrano Valley

La Habra vs. Crean Lutheran at SoFi Stadium, 8:30 p.m.

Boulder League

Burbank Burroughs at San Marino

Pasadena at Crescenta Valley

Camino Real League

Mary Star of the Sea at Cantwell-Sacred Heart

St. Genevieve at St. Bernard

St. Monica at Verbum Dei

Channel League

Moorpark at Thousand Oaks

Oak Park at Buena

Westlake at Ventura

Citrus Belt League

Cajon at Beaumont

Citrus Valley at Yucaipa

Redlands at Redlands East Valley

Citrus Coast League

Channel Islands at Del Sol

Grace at Carpinteria

Santa Clara at Nordhoff

Coast 101 League

Agoura at Camarillo

Calabasas at Oxnard

Conference 12 League

Mountain View at Keppel

Conejo Coast League

Rio Mesa at Santa Barbara

Cottonwood League

Vasquez at Riverside Prep

Webb at Riverside Notre Dame

Whittier Christian at Arrowhead Christian

Crest League

Glendale at Temple City

Hoover at Arcadia

Del Rey League

Alemany at Harvard-Westlake

La Salle at Salesian

St. Anthony at Crespi

Delta League

Dana Hills at Laguna Beach

Troy at El Modena

Desert Empire League

La Quinta at Palm Springs

Xavier Prep at Rancho Mirage

Desert Valley League

Coachella Valley at Desert Hot Springs

Yucca Valley at Banning

Epsilon League

Newport Harbor at Aliso Niguel

Tesoro at Trabuco Hills

Foothill League

Hart at Castaic

Saugus vs. West Ranch at Valencia

Valencia at Canyon Country Canyon

Foxtrot League

El Toro at Irvine

Orange at Beckman

Segerstrom at El Dorado

Gano League

Don Lugo at Montclair

Nogales at Walnut

Rowland at Chaffey

Gateway League

Cerritos at La Serna

Downey at La Mirada

Mayfair at Warren

Gold Coast League

Viewpoint at Rio Hondo Prep

Golden League

Eastside at Littlerock

Golden Valley League

Highland at Quartz Hill

Lancaster at Palmdale

Hacienda League

Los Altos at Covina

South Hills at Diamond Bar

West Covina at Baldwin Park

Hub City League

Compton Early College at Dominguez

Inland Valley League

Citrus Hills at Canyon Springs

Lakeside at Heritage

Iota League

La Palma Kennedy at Garden Grove Pacifica

Marina at Cypress

Northwood at Laguna Hills

Ironwood League

Cerritos Valley Christian at Aquinas

Village Christian at Capistrano Valley Christian

Western Christian at Heritage Christian

Kappa League

Anaheim Canyon at Esperanza

Fullerton at Portola

St. Margaret’s at Sunny Hills

Lambda League

Fountain Valley at Westminster

Placentia Valencia at Woodbridge

Manzanita League

Desert Chapel at St. Joseph Academy

Silver Valley at San Jacinto Valley Academy

Marmonte League

Newbury Park at Simi Valley

Oaks Christian at St. Bonaventure

Oxnard Pacifica at Bishop Diego

Mesquite League

Desert Christian Academy at Maranatha

Linfield Christian at Santa Rosa Academy

Metro League

El Rancho at Schurr

Mid-Cities League

Bellflower at Paramount

California at Gahr

Santa Fe at Norwalk

Miramonte League

Garey at Ganesha

Pomona at Bassett

Mission League

Bishop Amat at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Gardena Serra vs. Loyola a SoFi Stadium, 5 p.m.

Sierra Canyon at Chaminade

Mission Valley League

Rosemead at Arroyo

Mojave River League

Ridgecrest Burroughs at Apple Valley

Serrano at Hesperia

Moore League

Lakewood at Long Beach Wilson

Long Beach Cabrillo at Compton

Long Beach Jordan at Millikan

Mountain Valley League

La Sierra at San Bernardino

Mountain View League

Temescal Canyon at West Valley

Ocean League

Hawthorne at Beverly Hills

South Torrance at Lawndale

Omicron League

Buena Park at Santa Ana

Estancia at Los Amigos

Pioneer League

North Torrance at Culver City

Santa Monica at El Segundo

Rio Vista League

Firebaugh at Lynwood

Pioneer at Whittier

River Valley League

Pacific at Patriot

Ramona at Big Bear

San Andreas League

Colton at Rialto

Sierra League

Ayala at Bonita

Glendora at Charter Oak

Northview at Colony

Sigma League

Katella at Saddleback

Ocean View at Anaheim

605 League

Artesia at Glenn

Skyline League

Bloomington at Fontana

Carter at San Gorgonio

Indian Springs at Arroyo Valley

Sunbelt League

Hillcrest at Paloma Valley

Riverside North at Moreno Valley

Sunkist League

Jurupa Hills at Eisenhower

Summit at Grand Terrace

Sun Valley League

Indio at Desert Mirage

Twentynine Palms at Cathedral City

Tango League

Godinez at Garden Grove Santiago

La Quinta at Savanna

Loara at Santa Ana Valley

Tri-County League

Hueneme at San Marcos

Royal at Fillmore

Santa Paula at Dos Pueblos

Trinity League

JSerra vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College

Mater Dei vs. Servite at Cerritos College

Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco

INTERSECTIONAL

Brentwood at Jefferson

Carson City Sierra Lutheran (Nevada) at Trinity Classical Academy

California Lutheran at Francis Parker

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

City League

Animo Robinson at Stella

New Designs University Park at USC Hybrid, 3 p.m.

Valley League

East Valley at Valley Oaks CES

SOUTHERN SECTION

Agape League

Academy of Careers & Exploration at PAL Academy

Express League

Downey Calvary Chapel at Avalon

Vista Meridian at Southlands Christian

Freelance League

Malibu at Villanova Prep

Heritage League

Faith Baptist at Lancaster Baptist

Majestic League

Cornerstone Christian at United Christian Academy

Tri-Valley League

Flintridge Prep at Chadwick, 3 p.m.

INTERSECTIONAL

Bakersfield Legacy Christian Academy at Maricopa

Entrepreneur at Borego Springs

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Ivy League

Rancho Verde at Riverside Poly

Manzanita League

California Military Institute at Temecula Prep

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Agape League

Lucerne Valley at Hesperia Christian, 6 p.m.

Coast Valley League

Coast Union at San Luis Obispo Classical Academy, 6 p.m.

Express League

Downey Calvary Chapel at Avalon, 1 p.m.

Heritage League

Desert Christian at Santa Clarita Christian

Summit League

Calvary Baptist at River Springs

Tri-Valley League

Pasadena Poly at Thacher, 3:30 p.m.

Sage Hill at Cate, 2 p.m.