Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at home and Friday on the road. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
In a truly remarkable story of hard work, endurance, talent and dedication, the pair are still at the top of the sport three decades later and will go head-to-head in the last 16 on Saturday.
Thirty years on from that first memorable Crucible meeting, O’Sullivan has seven world titles, Higgins has four, both having long cemented their positions as two of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
“We deserve a great pat on the back,” added Higgins, who admitted he never thought he would still be playing so well at this age.
Higgins and O’Sullivan are both now 50, while they are joined in the last 16 by the third member of snooker’s fabled ‘Class of 92’, with 51-year-old Mark Williams still in contention for a fourth title.
O’Sullivan holds the record for being the oldest world champion after his most recent success four years ago, aged 46, but that could be beaten in the next week and a half.
After that first World Championship meeting in 1996, Higgins beat O’Sullivan 17-9 in the 1998 semi-finals on his way to his first title, before the Rocket got his revenge, winning 18-14 in the 2001 final for his first success.
Higgins then gained 13-9 and 13-10 wins in the quarter-finals of 2007 and 2011 respectively, before O’Sullivan won their most recent Crucible tie, 17-11 in the 2022 semi-finals.
They have played six times at the famous Sheffield theatre, with three wins apiece.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon announced Wednesday that the Navy’s top civilian official, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, is leaving his job.
In a statement posted to social media, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Phelan was “departing the administration, effective immediately.”
Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao will become acting secretary of the Navy, Parnell said.
The sudden departure comes just a day after Phelan addressed a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the Navy’s annual conference in Washington, and spoke with reporters about his agenda.
Phelan’s departure also comes just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Army’s top officer, Gen. Randy George, as well as two other top generals in the Army.
Phelan had not served in the military or had a civilian leadership role in the service before President Trump nominated him for secretary in late 2024.
Phelan was a major donor to Trump’s campaign and founded the private investment firm Rugger Management LLC. According to his biography, Phelan’s primary exposure to the military came from an advisory position he held on the Spirit of America, a nonprofit that supported the defense of Ukraine and the defense of Taiwan.
Toropin and Finley write for the Associated Press.
Former MasterChef judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode have been replaced in the latest series
17:16, 21 Apr 2026Updated 17:16, 21 Apr 2026
Gregg Wallace and John Torode were axed from MasterChef(Image: BBC)
Fan-favourite cooking competition MasterChef is returning for a new series on BBC One with two new judges.
Season 22 begins tonight (Tuesday, April 21), with renowned chef Anna Haugh and restaurant critic Grace Dent now at the helm, following Gregg Wallace and John Torode’s departures.
Gregg was axed from the show last year after law firm Lewis Silkin upheld 45 out of 83 complaints against the star of inappropriate behaviour. The 61-year-old said he was “deeply sorry for any distress” he caused, adding that he “never set out to harm or humiliate”.
Meanwhile, John didn’t have his contract renewed with Banijay UK – who make MasterChef – after he was alleged to have used racist language amid an investigation into his former co-star’s behaviour.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that John denied the allegation, stating: “He has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is whollyunacceptable in any environment.”
Ahead of the new series of MasterChef airing on BBC One tonight (Tuesday, April 21) at 9pm, let’s explore where former judges Gregg and John are now.
Gregg hasn’t appeared on TV since his MasterChef axing, but recently hosted a 12-hour live cooking show on TikTok, titled Gregg’s Kitchen.
Now, the presenter has confirmed his “new chapter”, telling his Instagram followers that he will be leaving the UK for a new life in Italy by the end of this month.
Speaking in his social media video, Gregg said: “I’ve always loved Italy and we plan to move around and rent in different places, which is quite an adventure. And with the help of my autism specialist mates, I am going to home school Sid [his son] as well. It is a new chapter for us. It is a life that should be full of travel and adventure and I’m very, very much looking forward to it.”
Following his axing from MasterChef, John continued to host his ITV series, John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, with his wife Lisa Faulkner.
The couple are also set to release a new cookbook in September, following the success of their first book together. John & Lisa’s Weeknight Dinners includes “delicious” recipes that can be used on repeat.
“Having cooked together for 10 series of John and Lisa’s Kitchen, they want to encourage people, more than ever, to cook from scratch with simple and fool proof recipes,” reads the official synopsis for the book.
“They use everyday supermarket ingredients, straightforward techniques and no fancy gadgets, to give people the confidence to cook and, most importantly, enjoy creating dishes for their friends and family.”
MasterChef 2026’s first heat will see six talented cooks from all walks of life competing to secure one of four gleaming white MasterChef aprons. The first two will be awarded to those who impress Anna and Grace with their Signature Dish.
The other four will have one more chance to shine as they fight it out for the last two aprons, taking on the Classic Recipe Test. The successful cooks will then have another hurdle to jump to secure their quarter-final place, as they aim to impress last year’s finalists with two courses.
MasterChef season 22 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Kenyan runner John Korir has won the Boston Marathon for the second year in a row — and this time he did it in record-setting fashion.
Korir crossed the finish line Monday morning with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute, 52 seconds, shattering the previous course record of of 2:03:02 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011. It’s the fifth fastest marathon of all time.
Mutai was actually bumped down to fourth on the all-time list as all of the top three finishers from the 2026 men’s race beat his previous record time. Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu came in second (2:02:47) and Kenya’s Benson Kipruto was third (2:02:50).
Korir pulled away from the pack as the group was approaching the Heartbreak Hill area between miles 20 and 21. After the race, he told reporters that he had no idea he had set a new course record until after he crossed the finish line.
“I knew I would defend my title, but I didn’t know I could run my fastest,” Korir said. “So for me, it was just go and defend my title, but the time came, so I’m happy.”
Korir receives $150,000 for winning the race and another $50,000 for setting a new course record.
Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi celebrates after winning the women’s division of the Boston Marathon on April 20.
(Charles Krupa / Associated Press)
Fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi also was a repeat winner in the women’s race. Her time of 2:18:51 is the second-fastest in race history, behind her 2025 time of 2:17:22. She was followed across the finish line by three countrywomen. Loice Chemnung stayed close to Lokedi before fading late to finish in second place (2:19:35). Mary Ngugi-Cooper was third (2:20:07) and Mercy Chelangat fourth (2:20:30).
“It feels great,” Lokedi said of defending her title. “I ‘m really happy with it. I feel like this course challenges you so much, and with the help of people and all the cheers of the course, it makes it special, so I’m really grateful.”
Like Korir, Lokedi receives $150,000 for winning the race.
New course records for U.S. runners also were set, as Zouhair Talbi finished the men’s race in 2:03:45 and Jess McClain finished the women’s race in 2:20:49. Both runners placed fifth in their respective races.
“I knew it was going to be tailwind, which is an advantage for us to run a fast time,” Talbi told reporters after the race,” but the pace is determined by the leaders, and at this point you just want to follow the pace. A lot of athletes were pushing the pace early on, and … I was like, ‘Yeah, today’s going to be a fast time.’”
Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair division with a time of 1:16:06. It’s his fourth straight Boston Marathon victory and ninth time overall, bringing him within one victory of tying South African great Ernst van Dyk for most wheelchair division wins in race history.
Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper won the women’s wheelchair division in 1:30:51, two years after winning the race for the first time. She and Hug each receive $50,000 for winning their races.
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has subpoenaed several witnesses to testify before a federal grand jury in Washington as part of its investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan, three people familiar with the matter said Monday.
The subpoenas were issued in recent days and represent an effort by the Justice Department to press forward with the investigation even as a Florida-based career prosecutor who’d been helping lead the inquiry left the case after expressing doubts about the legal viability of a potential prosecution.
A former Justice Department lawyer who served as a top prosecutor in the 1980s and later supported legal efforts by President Trump to overturn his 2020 election loss has since been sworn in to serve as a special counselor to the attorney general, and is expected to work on the investigation.
The months-old Brennan investigation is one of several criminal probes the Justice Department has opened over the last year against Trump’s perceived adversaries. It centers on one of the Republican president’s chief grievances — a U.S. intelligence community finding that Russia interfered on his behalf during his successful 2016 presidential campaign.
The subpoenas were described by people with knowledge of them who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation. At least three were said to have been issued, said two of the people. CBS News earlier reported the issuance of subpoenas.
Brennan served as CIA director under President Obama and was in that role when the intelligence community in January 2017 published an assessment detailing Russian interference aimed at helping Trump defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. An investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III concluded that Russia meddled on Trump’s behalf and that his campaign welcomed the assistance, but it did not find sufficient evidence to prove a criminal conspiracy.
The Justice Department last year received a criminal referral from Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, alleging that Brennan made false statements before the panel in 2023 about the preparation of the intelligence community assessment. Brennan and his lawyers have vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
The investigation has been unfolding for months in Florida, with investigators having lined up interviews and issued subpoenas for records. The latest subpoenas seek grand jury testimony in Washington, an indication that prosecutors expect they would have to bring any criminal case in Washington since that is where Brennan’s testimony took place.
On Friday, it was revealed that a key national security prosecutor in Florida who’d been handling the investigation, Maria Medetis Long, left the case. She expressed doubts about the case and was removed, another person familiar with the matter said.
The Justice Department since then has tapped Joseph diGenova, 81, a Trump loyalist who served as the U.S. attorney in Washington for part of the 1980s, to serve as a special counselor to the attorney general. He was sworn in Monday in Florida and is expected to work on the Brennan investigation.
DiGenova supported Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. He made headlines that year when he said Chris Krebs, a top Trump administration cybersecurity official who said the election was not tainted by fraud, should be killed. DiGenova later apologized and a lawsuit filed against him by Krebs was withdrawn.
Tucker writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.
Former Chelsea and England defender John Terry attended Colchester United’s League Two fixture on Tuesday amid reports that he is part of a consortium looking to take over the club.
The Sun reported on Monday, external that the group had submitted a £14m offer for the club, which was put up for sale last year by chairman Robbie Cowling.
His nephew Frankie Terry, also a defender, played 90 minutes for the U’s in what was a third straight win for the club as they moved up to 12th.
Cowling has confirmed that “detailed discussions” are ongoing but said he was “not in a position to comment on any specific individuals or companies involved”.
Speaking after the game, manager Danny Cowley told BBC Essex: “It felt like a big night for the players, first and foremost, but also the club – I thought our supporters were incredible.
“I am really proud that in front of the eyes of many we are able to show a top version of what is a wonderful football club.
“We know this is a brilliant football club because we live it every day – there are some brilliant people at this club.
“We genuinely believe it has such high potential and we do need just a springboard to push on from and that is what we hope is on its way.
“I am so excited for our supporters. It is not easy supporting lower league clubs and Colchester United have not had it easy.
“Since Nicky [Cowley, brother] and I have been here we have been able to stabilise and find a good level of consistency but we all want more and I believe there are really exciting times ahead.”
When asked if he had met John Terry, Cowley added: “I will talk about Frankie, because he was great tonight and he would have done his family proud, that is for sure.”
Manager John McGlynn says leading Falkirk out at a Scottish Cup final would represent the “pinnacle” of his career as the club prepare for a crucial last-four tie against Dunfermline Athletic this weekend.
The Scottish Premiership side face Neil Lennon’s men at Hampden on Saturday at 12:30 BST – live on the BBC – with a place in May’s showpiece at stake.
McGlynn has already led Falkirk to a top-six finish in the Premiership this term after securing back-to-back promotions from the third tier of Scottish football.
However, the 64-year-old is determined to cap a stunning season with the first major silverware of his managerial career.
“It would be a great honour to take the team out in a Scottish Cup final,” McGlynn told BBC Scotland. “For myself, [assistant coaches] Paul Smith and Steven McGinn, and all the backroom staff, it would reflect all the work that’s been put in.
“To take the team into the Premiership, be in a strong position and reach a Scottish Cup final – that would be the pinnacle of our careers.
“We know we’ll have to work extremely hard to get there and maybe need a bit of luck along the way, but walking out at Hampden for a final would be a very proud moment.
“We can’t look beyond Dunfermline. If we get through, then anything can happen.”
He later helped out behind the camera for the fifth and final season.
John featured in a variety of BBC series throughout the 1970s including Daniel Deronda and Doomwatch.
He also appeared in ITV‘s miniseries Shabby Tiger.
John’s last appearance was in a 2024 episode of American sciencefiction series Dune: Prophecy.
Before he got his break in film and TV, John spent two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company where he played roles in Julius Caesar and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
He played at the well-known Richmond Theatre and appeared on stage with the Royal Court Company.
John is survived by his wife, actress Kim Hartman, and their children Miranda and Tom.
John is survived by two children and two grandchildrenCredit: John-nolan.co.uk
John Carlson scored three goals for the first hat trick of his 17-year NHL career, and the Ducks ended their six-game losing streak with an emphatic 6-1 victory over the San José Sharks on Thursday night at Honda Center.
Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano also scored and Beckett Sennecke had two assists for the Ducks, who jumped to a 4-0 lead and dominated their Pacific Division rivals for their first win since March 26.
Carlson scored two power-play goals in the third period, connecting with 5:57 left to secure the first hat trick of his 1,156-game career. The veteran defenseman has been exactly what the Ducks needed when they acquired him at the trade deadline, scoring 12 points in 13 games while steadying the back end for one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams.
Lukas Dostal made 16 saves, but the Ducks fell 7:20 short of their first shutout in 160 games since last season’s opener on Oct. 12, 2024 — also against San José.
Shakir Mukhamadullin scored and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 27 shots for the Sharks, who had won five of seven to surge into playoff contention.
Carlsson put the Ducks ahead less than three minutes after the opening faceoff, driving the net and finishing for his 28th goal.
Carlson scored only his second goal in a Ducks uniform later in the first, blasting it home around Sennecke’s screen. San Jose didn’t get its first shot on goal until 13 minutes into the period.
Killorn tapped in a pass from Sennecke off a two-on-one rush for his 14th goal in the second.
Neither team was called for a penalty until San José’s Collin Graf was binned for hooking with 10:20 to play, and Carlson fired home his second goal on the ensuing power play.
Vatrano scored only his second goal since Dec. 7 in the waning minutes.
Up next for the Ducks: vs. Vancouver at Honda Center on Sunday.
To laugh or to cry? It’s a question that feels a little too familiar of late — one confronted often while watching “Maddie’s Secret,” the debut as writer-director from comedian and performer John Early.
Playing the title role with an unnerving sincerity and startling sense of vulnerability, Early stars as Maddie Ralph, a young woman climbing the ranks as a Los Angeles food influencer while secretly hiding her struggle with bulimia.
Early’s performance is a truly remarkable highwire act, all the more so for the wig, padding and prosthetics he wears to play the character. Made in the earnest style of a disease-of-the-week television movie without ever tipping over into winking irony, the film is both funny and tender.
“That, to me, is Maddie’s true secret,” says Early, 38, on a recent video interview from the apartment he is renting in New York City while appearing onstage in Wallace Shawn’s new off-Broadway play “What We Did Before Our Moth Days.”
“The secret of the movie — the real twist of the movie — is not any kind of trope-y reveal,” Early says. “The twist is actually a tonal twist. What I hope is then that becomes funny: the sheer commitment to the stakes of it.
“At any given moment, you can experience it as totally sincere, you can absorb it genuinely and be moved by it,” Early continues, “or you can take a little break and step out of it and find it uproariously funny that we’re even doing this to begin with.”
John Early, front, and Eric Rahill in the movie “Maddie’s Secret.”
(Magnolia Pictures)
Early’s skillfully wrought psychodrama, which had its world premiere at last fall’s Toronto International Film Festival, is now the opening-night selection for this year’s Los Angeles Festival of Movies, playing Thursday at Eagle Rock’s Vidiots with members of the cast present for a Q&A, and then again on Friday at 2220 Arts + Archives in Historic Filipinotown.
“Maddie’s Secret,” which opens in theaters June 12, makes for a fitting kickoff for this year’s event. Though the programming includes movies from all over the world, organizers ended up leaning heavily into films made in Los Angeles.
“This year it really does feel like a homegrown festival,” said Sarah Winshall, LAFM’s co-founder and festival director. “What it ended up doing is making us think about L.A. as a small town as a result.”
“I think the movie is an incredible accomplishment,” said Micah Gottlieb, LAFM co-founder and artistic director. “It’s made by somebody who’s not just a great comedian but also is a cinephile, knows the history of cinema, is trying to make something that fits within that lineage, while also just making an all-out entertaining movie.”
“Maddie’s Secret” was shot in the same workaday, creative-class neighborhoods where LAFM unspools. (Maddie’s house in the movie is Early’s own home.) The actor and filmmaker describes it as a “very Echo Park, Silver Lake, Eagle Rock, Frogtown, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Los Feliz movie.”
The story is also rooted in Early’s own complicated feelings about the L.A. food scene.
“It’s completely born out of my time in L.A. and my initial shock when I was confronted with a burgeoning restaurant scene,” says Early, who grew up in Nashville and moved to L.A. from New York in 2016.
“Not to always be talking about millennials, but it seemed very much of my generation,” he says, “specifically these kinds of restaurants where the food is really expensive but you’re sitting on a milk crate, eating lots of Middle Eastern food made by white people. There was just something very funny about all of it to me, even though I completely also sincerely loved it and still do.”
The film’s supporting cast is drawn largely from Early’s own circle of friends, including his most frequent collaborator, the comedian and writer Kate Berlant, along with Conner O’Malley, Claudia O’Doherty, Eric Rahill and Vanessa Bayer. The film’s production designer Gordon Landenberger is his ex-boyfriend and Early is excited that a number of other key collaborators, including costume designers Kimme Aaberg and Izzy Heller and cinematographer Max Lakner, are working on a feature for the first time, just as he is as writer-director.
“I think I wanted to force myself at gunpoint into a place of innocence and naivete,” says Early. “I think this movie is a strange mutation of the camp tradition.”
(Justin Jun Lee / For The Times)
Berlant plays Maddie’s best friend in the film. She and Early have worked together on shorts, live performances and their 2022 Peacock special “Would It Kill You to Laugh?” The two always share what they are developing and so Berlant first heard about “Maddie’s Secret” when it was just percolating as an idea.
“It was a very wild proposition,” she recalls with a laugh while driving down L.A.’s Beverly Boulevard. “He’s like, ‘I’m going to play a woman who’s struggling with bulimia.’ I was like, ‘Good luck.’ I was astonished that he totally pulled it off and he’s such a true filmmaker. It was kind of miraculous.”
Berlant describes their shared sensibility, the ability to simultaneously play comedy and pathos, as a kind of freedom. “Just the underlying absurdity or joke really gives you the ability to go to these really intense emotional places,” she says. “It gives you the permission to go to places that otherwise would be too unbearably saccharin.”
For Early it was also a chance to fulfill his longtime desire to play an old-school ingénue.
“I think I wanted to force myself at gunpoint into a place of innocence and naivete,” says Early. “I think this movie is a strange mutation of the camp tradition.”
“I was astonished that he totally pulled it off and he’s such a true filmmaker,” says Kate Berlant, Early’s longtime collaborator. “It was kind of miraculous.”
(Justin Jun Lee / For The Times)
He references Susan Sontag’s famous essay “Notes on Camp” to say there are two kinds of camp humor, one that is unknowing and another that is knowing. It is near impossible now to genuinely create the first kind, but the process of making “Maddie’s Secret” was in a sense about being the second and striving for the first.
“In the age of the internet and in the kind of crumbling, depressing world we live in, it’s almost impossible to be the first kind of camp,” says Early, “to feel innocent and naive and to twirl. But obviously there is a part of me, there’s a part of all of us, that is very childlike and innocent and has hope. So I think this movie, it knows itself to be camp but it’s aching to be more like the first kind of camp. It’s aching to be pure and naive.”
Though it may be easy to place what Early is doing in the tradition of drag performers such as Divine’s work with filmmaker John Waters, to Early his performance in “Maddie’s Secret” sits outside of it.
“Drag is often obviously about a certain kind of extravagance and fabulousness and Maddie is very humble,” he says. “And so I don’t really see it as drag. It didn’t feel like drag doing it, whatever that means. It honestly just felt like acting to me.”
In dealing with the serious topic of bulimia, Early was careful never to make the eating disorder the joke. He points to a trio of TV movies — 1986’s “Kate’s Secret,” starring Meredith Baxter Birney; 1997’s “Perfect Body,” starring Amy Jo Johnson; and 1981’s “The Best Little Girl in the World,” starring Jennifer Jason Leigh — along with Lauren Greenfield’s 2006 documentary “Thin” as key influences on how he approached the film’s depiction of the illness. (Other non-bulimia influences include Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie,” Paul Verhoeven’s trashy “Showgirls” and Adrian Lyne’s “Flashdance.”)
“I don’t find bulimia itself funny,” says Early. “The genre of these movies — that’s what’s funny. It’s the emotional pitch of those movies and the way that they’re made and the acting style and the kind of moralistic quality while being totally pervy. All that was funny to me. And then also putting contemporary life — young, gentrified L.A. food-content influencer culture — putting all that through a melodrama-style filter, that was funny to me.”
While writing the screenplay, Early says he often found himself weeping, overtaken by the emotions of what he was creating. “I guess I’m not above the genre at all,” he admits.
But playing the part was another matter, having sold everyone involved in the production on a very specific tone and conception of what they would do together.
“I was like, ‘I am so stupid, I can’t believe I have put myself in this position,’” Early says, laughing at the memory. “I had set myself up to do the thing that I really had no proof that I could do, which is to play an almost Juliet kind of character who’s going through these extreme things. And I was the one that promised everyone that we would take it seriously. And then suddenly I was like ‘OK, well you have to do it. You actually have to do it.’”
Even if Early was uncertain in the moment, the result is undeniable: a dizzying, disarming blend of humor and emotion — and one of the year’s boldest performances.
It was Brady Murrietta’s silence rounding the bases, then his Darth Vader-like stare directed at St. John Bosco pitcher Jack Champlin after touching third base on Thursday and slowly jogging toward home plate that sent a clear message: Don’t poke the bear.
His two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie and keyed a 5-4 win to prevent the No. 1-ranked Lancers from suffering a three-game Trinity League baseball sweep by No. 2 St. John Bosco.
One day earlier, the intensity level between the two teams reached such a crescendo that after the fiery Champlin got the final out in a 4-1 win at Hart Park, he decided to offer a taunt.
“I was hearing them all game at third base,” Champlin said. “I pointed to the ground and was saying, ‘This is my field.’ A bunch ran out of the dugout toward me and it got bigger than it needed to be.”
There was pushing and shoving as St. John Bosco went nuclear on security for Thursday’s home game, so much so that a security person refused to let a 5-foot-4 sportswriter walk into the Orange Lutheran bullpen after the game until calmer heads prevailed.
Jack Champlin of St. John Bosco is fired up after a two-run triple on Thursday against Orange Lutheran.
(Nick Koza)
The two teams declined to shake hands in a precautionary measure. It was almost comedic, since Orange Lutheran pitcher Gary Morse has played with St. John Bosco pitcher Julian Garcia since they were 8 and texted him Thursday morning to congratulate him on his Wednesday pitching performance. And Murrietta intended to text his friends on the Braves, too.
“It was more to get my boys hyped up,” Murrietta said of staring at Champlin.
Wednesday’s game was particularly important with each team’s ace on the mound. The 6-foot-8 Morse had a 95 mph fastball and gave up two hits and one run with eight strikeouts over six innings. Garcia, who missed his junior season after arm surgery, touched 97 mph while striking out 10 and giving up three hits in six innings. The Braves broke the 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh inning, keyed by a two-run single from James Clark.
On Tuesday, in St. John Bosco’s 7-4 win, Clark had another big game with two hits and three RBIs.
“Two best teams in the country,” Morse said.
Orange Lutheran (8-3, 1-2) was coming off a championship at the National High School Invitational in North Carolina. It showed off a top pitcher to join Morse in Cooper Sides, a senior transfer from Red Buff who struck out eight in five innings on Thursday in front of dozens of pro scouts.
Asked what he learned about his 11-3 defending Division 1 championship team this week, St. John Bosco coach Andy Rojo said, “I think it continues what we already know that it’s a tough team, a resilient team. We’ve had a lot of high-pressure, high-level games. A ton of one-run games.”
Said Garcia: “It pushed us to show we’re a great team.”
Orange Lutheran coach RJ Farrell saw his team fight back from adversity, and in the Texas-bound Murrietta, he has an MVP candidate capable of igniting the Lancers with his bat, glove and leadership skills.
The two teams could meet again next week during the Boras Classic in Orange County. Otherwise, it would come during a new-look Southern Section Division 1 playoff format that will have 16 teams and start with a best two-out-of-three series to advance. Both teams have shown they have the pitching to advance.
Every football program needs a Jessie Christensen on their staff. She’s the MacGyver of St. John Bosco High‘s program.
Before colleges had general managers or people in charge of operations, St. John Bosco hired Christensen in 2013 to be director of football operations. That means everything and anything is within her purview, from travel arrangements to parental and player communication to finances to dealing with college coaches.
“She was first the first of her kind. Now everybody has one,” coach Jason Negro said.
A former parent in the program, Taliuta Viliamu-Asa, said of Christensen, “She wears so many hats and ensures each year that the whole operations, academics study halls, grade checks, player feeding, banquet, games, media visitors, ball boys, volunteers, tailgate, middle school camps, and etc. are well planned out. She has a hand in it all to make sure every event, trip, fundraiser, football game and practically everything involving the football program results in being ran with careful planning for successful results.”
Always be nice to Christensen, for she has the keys to open any door.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
The much anticipated pitching duel between Gary Morse of Orange Lutheran and Julian Garcia of St. John Bosco on Wednesday under the lights at Hart Park exceeded expectations.
With both hitting 95 mph, Morse gave up two hits in six innings with eight strikeouts. Garcia struck out 10 and also gave up two hits, but one was a leadoff home run by Ricardo Hurtado.
St. John Bosco (11-2, 5-0) broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh to defeat Orange Lutheran 4-1. It was the second consecutive Braves win. Orange Lutheran, which came into the week ranked No. 1 by The Times after winning the National High School Invitational, dropped to 7-3 overall and 0-2 in the Trinity League.
Closer Jack Champlin came in after a leadoff single in the seventh to pick up the save.
The Braves loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, then scored two runs on a wild pitch and added a third on James Clark’s single. The teams close out their three-game series in a 1:30 p.m. game Thursday at St. John Bosco.
Gary Morse of Orange Lutheran struck out eight against St. John Bosco in six innings Wednesday.
(Nick Koza)
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning Sam Lakey hits a home run to give De La Salle 1-0 lead over Notre Dame. Lachlan Clark struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings. pic.twitter.com/8kEvkZ1nlR
Concord De La Salle 1, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 0: Sam Lakey hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to break up a pitching duel and send De La Salle into Thursday’s championship game of the National Classic. It was the third consecutive shutout by De La Salle pitchers. Notre Dame’s Lachlan Clark made no mistakes other than giving up the home run. He struck out 10 in 6⅔ innings. Notre Dame twice had bases-loaded situations but failed to take advantage, including hitting into a double play in the bottom of the sixth.
Corona Centennial 5, Cypress 1: Jacob Torres threw a complete game with nine strikeouts and Aiden Simpson homered to lead the Huskies in a semifinal game of the National Classic. They will face De La Salle on Thursday at 4 p.m. at El Dorado in the tourney final.
Vancouver (Wash.) Union 1, El Dorado 0: The Golden Hawks gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh. Julian Rodriguez gave up three hits in 6⅔ innings.
Fountain Valley 5, Edison 0: Four pitchers combined for the shutout. Ethan Cortez had two doubles.
Harvard-Westlake 7, Loyola 1: James Tronstein homered, Jake Kim had two RBIs and Evan Alexander struck out 10 in 5⅓ innings.
Bell 7, Chula Vista Olympian 3: The Eagles (15-1) received four RBIs from Eric Medina, including a two-run single in the seventh to break a 3-3 tie.
Sylmar 5, San Francisco Lincoln 2: Tim Sepulveda had two hits and three RBIs while Rickee Luevano went three for three to lead Sylmar.
El Camino Real 6, La Costa Canyon 4: Michael Spancer and Shane Bogacz each had three hits while Blake Dubin had a two-run single for the Royals.
Cleveland 9, Marshall 3: The Cavaliers won their eighth consecutive game. Shiloh Wickliffe had two hits and three RBIs.
Quartz Hill 13, Palmdale 0: Parker White had three hits and threw a no-hitter in the Golden League win over Palmdale.
Ayala 4, Bonita 2: Easton Sarmiento struck out seven in 5⅓ innings for Ayala (11-1).
Bishop Alemany 10, Chatsworth 0: Mikey Martinez, a transfer from Crespi, had three hits in his Alemany debut.
Carson 9, Classical 7: Nate Ruan had three hits, including a two-run home run. Skylar Vinson also had a two-run home run.
Foothill 6, Irvine 0: Jackson Phillips threw the shutout, striking out nine and giving up two hits.
Villa Park 5, Arcadia 2: Aidan Young had two hits for Villa Park. Logan Hoppie threw a complete game with six strikeouts.
Mira Costa 13, Torrance 4: Connor Collins drove in four runs for the Mustangs.
Oaks Christian 5, Westlake 1: Dane Disney and Carson Sheffer each had two hits in the Marmonte League win.
Thousand Oaks 3, Newbury Park 1: Jake Ange continued his hot hitting with a home run, single and two RBIs.
Palos Verdes 7, Redondo Union 2: Franco Correa and Jackson Alba each finished with three hits for Palos Verdes.
Huntington Beach 8, Corona del Mar 2: Jared Grindlinger had four hits and four RBIs and Owen Bone homered for the Oilers.
Newport Harbor 7, Los Alamitos 3: Henry Mann was three for three with two RBIs for Newport Harbor.
Norco 17, King 2: The Cougars (12-1) received four hits from Zion Martinez and three hits and three RBIs from Jacob Melendez to stay unbeaten in the Big VIII League. Jordan Ayala struck out seven and gave up one hit in four innings, setting him up to pitch against St. John Bosco on Tuesday in the Boras Classic.
Santa Margarita 6, Mater Dei 0: Tyler Unter struck out nine in six scoreless innings and Andre Owens had two doubles for the Eagles.
Servite 6, JSerra 4: Jaden Liu had two RBIs in Servite’s Trinity League win.
South Hills 5, McClatchy 2: Christian Santoyo threw a complete game for South Hills.
Mission Viejo 1, Tesoro 0: Jackson Krause, Caleb Tucker and Jackson Stonebarger combined for the shutout. Aiden Chapuis had three hits.
Chaminade 4, Granada Hills 3: Nicholas Penaranda had three hits for the Highlanders in the loss. Isaac Hearn had two hits and two RBIs for Chaminade.
Corona Santiago 9, Las Vegas Basic 2: Jonathan Thornton had three hits and Striker Pence struck out six in five innings.
Softball
Orange Lutheran 2, King 1: The Lancers won their first-round game of the Michelle Carew tournament. Rylee Silva struck out seven. Carlie Snyder had two hits.
Garden Grove Pacifica 13, Long Beach Poly 6: Matte Stern had a triple, single and four RBIs for Pacifica.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 7, Camarillo 2: Jackie Morales hit a two-run home run for the Knights.
Fullerton 7, Chino Hills 5: Hayley Brock had a home run, double, two singles and four RBIs for 13-1 Fullerton. Malaya Majam-Finch struck out nine. Milena Medyn led Chino Hills with three hits.
Norco 4, Long Beach Millikan 0: Coral Williams struck out nine in the shutout. Angelina Gonzales hit a home run.
Marina 8, Rio Mesa 0: Mia Valbuena threw two no-hitters, first against Rio Mesa, then in a 1-0 win over Los Altos. She had 18 strikeouts against Los Altos.
1 of 4 | John Hinckley Jr. is flanked by federal agents as he is driven away from court April 10, 1981. On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot U.S. President Ronald Reagan outside a Washington hotel. UPI File Photo | License Photo
March 30 (UPI) — On this date in history:
In 1842, Dr. Crawford Long became the first physician to use anesthetic (ether) in surgery.
In 1858, a U.S. patent was granted to Hymen Lipman for a pencil with an attached eraser.
In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward reached an agreement with Russia for the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million in gold.
File Photo by Library of Congress/UPI
In 1870, the 15th Amendment, granting African American men the right to vote, was adopted into the U.S. Constitution.
In 1923, the Cunard liner Laconia arrived in New York City, the first passenger ship to circumnavigate the world. The cruise lasted 130 days.
In 1975, the South Vietnamese city of Da Nang fell to North Vietnamese forces. UPI correspondent Paul Vogle described “the flight out of hell” as refugees attempted to flee the city.
In 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot and injured U.S. President Ronald Reagan outside a Washington hotel. White House Press Secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent and a Washington police officer also sustained injuries. Hinckley was released from a psychiatric hospital in September 2016.
In 1999, a jury in Oregon awarded $81 million in damages to the family of a smoker who died from lung cancer. A state judge reduced the punitive portion to $32 million.
In 2006, Jill Carroll, a freelance reporter for The Christian Science Monitor, was freed in Baghdad after being held for 82 days by kidnappers.
In 2018, at least a dozen Palestinians died in the first week of the so-called Great March of Return protests in Gaza. More than 180 people died in the nearly weekly protests through the end of 2019.
In 2023, a Manhattan grand jury took the unprecedented step of voting to indict a former president, formally charging Donald Trump in an investigation into hush-money payments made to adult film actor Stephanie Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels.
MEL Schilling’s “heartbroken” MAFS co-star John Aiken has admitted he is “struggling to breathe”, as he broke his silence on her death.
The Australian relationship expert, 55, revealed his immense grief after Mel tragically died aged 54 following a brave battle with colon cancer.
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MAFS Australia expert John Aiken penned an emotional tribute to Mel Schilling following news of her deathCredit: InstagramJohn said he was ‘struggling to breathe’ following his friend’s passingCredit: InstgramMel and John appeared on the Aussie MAFS together for ten yearsCredit: Nine
Today her MAFS Aus co-star John shared a picture of him with his pal from 2016 and one from the recent series, and penned an emotional message which read: “It’s with great sadness and heavy heart that today I lost my dear friend and fellow MAFS expert Mel Schilling.
“I am heartbroken, devastated and finding it hard to breathe.
“It was a privilege and an honour to sit beside her on the MAFS couch and watch her shine. She was warm, supportive and honest, and she deeply cared about all our participants. I had a front row seat to her remarkable skills and she truly believed in the experiment. At her core she loved love.”
John also talked about their relationship off screen, and the “fun” they would have when the cameras weren’t rolling.
“And when her illness struck she never complained. She kept her challenges to herself and continued to deliver time and time again. She was an inspiration, a fighter, a leader,” the grief stricken star said.
“It’s not fair that my partner in crime is gone. She was one of the good ones. I am unravelling just thinking about it. I wanted to sit on our couch together forever. She knew my rhythms and I knew hers. But it’s simply not to be.
John admitted he was “distraught” that he had to accept she was now gone, and ended the heartfelt message with: “I love you and I miss you gorgeous.. xx”.
Mel and John were incredibly close having worked on MAFS Australia together for ten years, including the latest series which is airing right now on E4.
John said he was ‘heartbroken’ by Mel’s sad deathCredit: Channel 4
Alongside touching pictures of Mel, he said: “Melanie Jane Brisbane-Schilling passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love.
“In her final moments, when I thought cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she ushered me closer and whispered a message for Maddie and me that will sustain me for the rest of my life.
“It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly. Even then, her only thought was for Maddie and me.”
He continued: “This is a woman who became a new mum and a TV star at 42 — and nailed both.
Mel’s husband Gareth Brisbane announced the heartbreaking news today in an emotional Instagram postCredit: Instagram
“This is a woman who, through two years of chemotherapy, when she could barely lift her head from the pillow, never complained and never stopped showing courage, grace, compassion and empathy, and never missed a day of filming.
“To most of you, she was Mel Schilling — matriarch of MAFS and queen of reality TV. To Maddie and me, she was our wee Melsie: an incredible mum, role model, and soulmate.”
Channel 4hailed Mel as a friend who “radiated joy, warmth and optimism”.
Issuing a statement, it said: “Our thoughts and condolences are, first and foremost, with her family and loved ones.
“We’re privileged to be the channel that is home to Mel’s work, which was at the heart of Married At First Sight‘s phenomenal success, both in the UK and Australia.
“It reflected so much about her – her fierce advocacy for other women, her passion for healthy relationships and her mission to unite people in love.
“For many who work for Channel 4, Mel was not just a colleague but a friend, someone who radiated joy, warmth and optimism, who energized every room she walked into, with humour and positivity.
“Everyone who knew her will miss all this about her and much more. We share in the sorrow that we’re sure many viewers will now feel at this terrible loss.”
Mel had been battling colon cancerCredit: Instagram
When UCLA baseball coach John Savage scouts prospects, he looks at their projections and skill upside. Most important, he wants players dedicated to the culture he’s developed during his 22 years as a coach.
“We want people that fit into our program, that want to be a part of a winning culture,” he said.
Most of his current roster consists of players who came up short in last year’s College World Series. This year, the No. 1 team in the country has its eyes set on winning a national title in Omaha. The Bruins (21-2 overall, 9-0 in the Big Ten) are coming off a three-game weekend home sweep of Maryland.
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The Times spoke to Savage about the expectations the Bruins set for themselves and his longevity with UCLA. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Your team entered the year ranked No. 1 nationally and has gotten off to a strong start. How have you managed expectations?
Savage: It’s really about the people you have in the clubhouse. They’ve been born and raised through our program. Now it’s their junior years. They went to Omaha their sophomore year. They had a difficult year their freshman year. It’s been a work in progress, and I think the expectations are probably the heaviest inside our room. Everybody’s held to a very high standard and they believe in one another, they believe in the program. It’s refreshing to coach people that want to be coached, and to have people that love UCLA, and want to stay at UCLA.
After returning a large percentage of last year’s production, what differences have you noticed in this roster compared to previous teams?
UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Savage: I think the leadership is fantastic. Roch Cholowsky, Cashel Dugger, Michael Barnett, Jack O’Connor — our captains, they do a wonderful job of making sure guys are accountable. Everybody’s a year older. Everybody’s a little stronger. Everybody’s a little faster. A lot of guys that work extremely hard to upgrade their physicality, and then certainly it’s a mental game. We’ve worked really hard on the mental side of things to make sure that we’re combining both phases.
What has allowed your program to retain so much of its core talent year to year?
Savage: I would say loyalty, personal relationships, wanting to be at UCLA, to get a degree from UCLA, coaching staff, facilities, location. But, I would say most importantly, relationships. We didn’t win a national championship last year and these guys seem to be on that sort of mission.
Last season’s run to Omaha ended just short of the championship series. How much has that experience motivated this year’s group early in the season?
Savage: You see where you’re going. People always talk about Omaha, but if you never go, it’s hard to really envision what it looks like. It’s something that if you experience, you want to go back. It’s the mecca of college baseball and the city of Omaha has done a wonderful job of developing this tournament over 75 years. It’s an experience that you go and you definitely want to go back as a player and certainly as a coach.
How has recruiting or roster construction changed, if at all, now that UCLA is competing in the Big Ten instead of the Pac-12?
Savage: It’s still UCLA. I’ve been here 22 years, we’ve produced 30 major leaguers. It’s a place that you certainly could go and enjoy your college life and go play in the major leagues. The Big Ten is getting better in baseball, with the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington. Obviously, it has helped the baseball side of things quite a bit. But there’s a lot of programs that are investing throughout the Big Ten in baseball and it’s only going to get better. Baseball is baseball. You gotta go play any time, anywhere.
With the travel demands that come with a conference like the Big Ten, what adjustments have you made to keep players fresh and focused?
Savage: We don’t charter. We’re all commercial. We fly out of LAX on Wednesday morning and we get back late Sunday night. It’s a challenge and it’s certainly one that it’s a daily and weekly operation. In terms of managing school, they all go to class. Not a lot of remote classes, really, so we love the challenge and the opportunity to grow as a young player and a young person.
You’re now in your 22nd season leading the Bruins. What has kept you motivated to continue evolving as a coach after more than two decades in Westwood?
Savage: I love being at UCLA. I love what it stands for. It’s a combination that I’m really looking for in terms of baseball, schedule, league, school — it’s just an elite combination. You have to make sure you’re grounded. You have to make sure you’re very consistent. You have to make sure that you have true values that are consistent with the university and that equates to winning. Winning is really, really difficult, especially now at the Power 4 level.
When players leave UCLA after their careers — whether they go to pro baseball or move on to other careers — what do you hope they carry with them from their time in your program?
Savage: That they understand how to be a contributor to an organization, to a business, how to lead a family, how to lead a group in work. Just be a person that people like to be around and a person that has a vision, that they want to get better and they want to do well in their lives and they want to have impact on other lives. That’s ultimately what we’re looking for, that they can handle themselves in any phase of life.
UCLA men are out, UCLA women stay strong
UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. tries to get through UCLA’s Trent Perry, from left, Donovan Dent and Eric Dailey Jr. in the first half Monday.
(Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
UCLA coach Mick Cronin never wavered.
If senior forward Tyler Bilodeau felt any pain, he was not playing the NCAA tournament.
The No. 7 seed Bruins could not overcome No. 2 seed UConn’s interior game and suffered a 73-57 loss. The Bruins kept it close early, trailing by just five at halftime.
Cronin will help UCLA cope with the sudden end to its season and then immediately work on sorting out next season’s roster.
While fans questioned Cronin’s aggressive coaching style, the Bruins did play significantly improved defense through the final four weeks of their season and his players never wavered in their support of him.
Now Cronin will start over, working to forge comparable buy-in from the next wave of players.
The UCLA women walk to the bench during a time out against Cal Baptist.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It’s rare for a No. 1 seed in the women’s NCAA tournament to miss the Sweet 16, but the Bruins (32-1) say they expect a big test when they face No. 8 seed Oklahoma State (24-9) at 7 p.m. Monday night at Pauley Pavilion.
It will be the final game the Bruins’ celebrated senior class will play at Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA coach Cori Close provided the following scouting report on Oklahoma State.
“I think that what stands out is their ability to shoot the three, their versatility, their work down the tunnel with the high ball screen,” Close said. “They’re extremely good in transition. It’s going to be so important for us to make them play later into the shot clock, which is going to be easier said than done. But I guess with the exception they don’t have like a really tall big, but they actually remind me in terms of their style and some of the actions that they run of Oklahoma. Their guard play.
“And one of the big things that we talk a lot about is trying to make them play later in the clock than they’re comfortable with. Now we go through all the analytics, and the later you have them play in the shot clock, the less efficient they become. They’re 13th in the country in offensive efficiency. They’re really, really good.
“Defensively I think that we obviously need to really hunt the paint. We’ve got some advantages with our size there. But they’re a really good team.”
Survey says
We asked “How far will the UCLA men advance in the NCAA men’s tournament. After 648 votes, the results:
They lose in the second round, 36.5% They lose in the Sweet 16, 27.5% They lose in the Elite Eight, 17.3% They win it all, 12.6% They lose in the first round, 3.2% They lose in the Final Four, 2.5% They lose in the championship game, 0.4%
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
The actor portrays John Worboys – dubbed the “black cab rapist” – in the upcoming series
Daniel Mays plays John Worboys in Believe Me(Image: ITV)
Daniel Mays has admitted he was “absolutely terrified” when he read the script of his new ITV drama Believe Me.
The actor plays convicted offender John Worboys – who was dubbed the ‘black cab rapist’ after preying on women under the cover of being a licensed taxi-cab driver.
He was convicted in 2009 for crimes including sexual assault and drugging with intent against 12 women.
“I actually underestimated how much it was going to affect me,” Daniel said as a first look image of him as Worboys was released.
“I’ve been a professional actor for 26 years, so I’ve done a lot of true crime and played a lot of wrong ‘uns. When I got these scripts, it absolutely terrified me, because I’m a father myself.
“My head immediately went to my 13-year-old daughter Dixie. She’s venturing out, going on trains, and before long, no doubt she’ll be in the back of a taxi. So as a father, I found it an incredibly disturbing and terrifying read.”
He continued: “It was a difficult thing to have rolling around in my head before filming.
“It was a very isolating character to play, by its very nature. When I was announced to play him, I got this tirade from family and friends and work colleagues who can’t quite believe it, going, ‘Why would you want to play something like that?’ So, the challenge was to humanise him, really, and that was a very difficult and unsettling thing to take on.”
The four-part series, filmed in Cardiff, focuses on the ordeal of Sarah (played by Peaky Blinders’ Aimée-Ffion Edwards) and Laila (played by Raised By Wolves’ Aasiya Shah), who reported sexual assaults by Worboys, and how their allegations were not thoroughly investigated.
ITV said it “tells the story of how the victims of one of the most prolific sex attackers in British history were failed by the system”.
Danny, known for Des and A Thousand Blows, said there’s “always a huge responsibility” playing a real person on screen, but that this was “a whole other level”.
He explained: “This is told from the perspective of the victims, and for them to tell their truth, have their stories told – the ordeals that they went through and the fight they took on against the Metropolitan Police and the court systems.
“So, when you’re dealing with that, the onus was on me to get it absolutely 110% right. That was paramount to me.”
Believe Me is coming soon to ITV1
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, http://www.victimsupport.org.uk.
No. 1-ranked St. John Bosco began Trinity League baseball play on Tuesday the same way it has done early in the season — with more good pitching.
Julian Garcia struck out seven, walked one and gave up three hits in five innings of a 6-0 win over JSerra. It was the fourth shutout in five games this season for the Braves (5-0). Jhett Ohira had three hits and Jaden Jackson and Noah Everly added two hits apiece.
Bishop Alemany 6, Harvard-Westlake 5: The Warriors handed Harvard-Westlake its first Mission League loss. Alex Noble had two hits for Alemany (8-2, 3-0).
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 13, Chaminade 2: Unbeaten Notre Dame (7-0) was led by Benett Pace, who hit two home runs and finished with four RBIs. Jacob Madrid added two hits and two RBIs. Beckett Berg struck out six and gave up one hit in five innings.
St. Francis 6, Loyola 2: Lucas Becerra contributed three hits in the Mission League win. Donovan Udell threw two scoreless innings of relief.
Sierra Canyon 3, Crespi 1: Armando Solorio threw a complete game with six strikeouts and no walks.
Florida Stoneman Douglas 7, Santa Margarita 6: The Eagles couldn’t hold on after opening a 6-1 lead. Warren Gravely III had a home run.
Servite 6, Aliso Niguel 2: The Friars received scoreless innings of relief from Wyatt Karges, Eli Rubel and Isaiah Camacho.
Los Alamitos 5, Edison 3: Will McCullough had three hits for Los Alamitos.
Arcadia 18, Hoover 2: Matt Manzo had four RBIs and Jordan Vogel had three hits.
La Mirada 4, Etiwanda 2: Ian Nunez had a three-run home run for La Mirada.
Huntington Beach 6, Marina 1: Jared Grindlinger struck out four with no walks in four innings. Ely Mason had a double and single.
Cypress 5, Villa Park 3: Tate Belfanti struck out eight in 3 2/3 innings for Cypress.
Newport Harbor 5, Corona del Mar 1: Ryan Williams homered and Gavin Guy picked up the win.
Softball
Murrieta Mesa 12, Temecula Valley 0: Macy Clark hit two home runs in the five-inning win for No. 1-ranked Murrieta Mesa.
JSerra 8, Aliso Niguel 2: Zena Edwards hit a two-run home run and Margenta De Arte had a two-run double for JSerra.
Garden Grove Pacifica 6, Eastvale Roosevelt 5: The Mariners got a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh from Jenna Valladares.
Harvard-Westlake 11, Louisville 7: Izzy Whelan drove in three runs in the loss.
Downey 21, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 6: The Vikings (10-2) routed Notre Dame behind Hazel Renteria. Delilah Navarro and Kayla Gutierrez each had four hits.
The hit firefighter TV show, London’s Burning, kept us glued to the safety of our sofas for an incredible 14 years, but where are the beloved cast now? Read on to find out
12:20, 17 Mar 2026Updated 12:30, 17 Mar 2026
London’s Burning: Classic ITV drama teased in throwback trailer
The cast of beloved ITV drama London Burning have endured various fortunes since the popular show came to a demise in 2002. This month, actor John Alford made headlines after it was reported he had been found dead in his prison cell just weeks after being convicted of sex offence charges.
The ITV show had viewers fixed on their sofas during its 14-year run on the network. With emotionally charged storylines and action-packed drama, many wished for more. But the show’s success was down to how much the audience warmed to the Blue Watch team.
London’s Burning began life as a two-hour film in 1986 before becoming the television series we all know and love in 1988. There were a total of 172 blazing episodes before the show was extinguished back in 2002. The firefighter drama was originally shot at Bermondsey’s Dockhead Fire Station, with filming in the first three series taking place in the actual watchroom, mess and bay area – where real-life firefighters leapt at the chance to work shifts as extras. Here, we take a look at the cast now.
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John Alford
Alford, who appeared on the show for five years, was best known as Billy Ray died this month, aged 54. Earlier this year, following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in September 2025, he was jailed.
The actor, who also appeared in Grange Hill, was convicted of six individual counts. There were two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, one count of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.
A Prison Service spokesman told The Mirror: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
After his arrest, he told police: “This stinks. This is a set-up.” He denied all charges and previously told a trial that he “never touched either of the girls.”
Glen Murphy – George Green
George Green was the show’s longest-serving character and the only one to have appeared in every single series of London’s Burning. This hot-tempered former boxer joined Blue Watch at the start of series one, and enjoyed a steady stream of romances throughout his tenure.
Actor Glen is most well-known as the London’s Burning character, but he has also appeared in British thriller flick Tank Malling and The Bill. Back in 2007, he was awarded an MBE for his charity work after raising more than £1m for good causes. Now 68, Glen got to star with his childhood buddy Ray Winstone in the 2014 thriller Lords of London.
Sean Blowers – John Hallam
Did the immensely likeable but rather uptight John ever get that promotion he was chasing? He never did, did he? The character was left severely traumatised after being buried alive when a wall collapsed on a job in series four.
Five years later, John was brutally killed after falling 80 feet when a gantry gave way amid a warehouse inferno. Actor Sean, now 65, also appeared in EastEnders, Crossroads, Heartbeat and Doctor Who. You may also recognise him for playing Wyman Manderly in the finale of season six of the hugely popular Game of Thrones.
Richard Walsh – Bert ‘Sicknote’ Quigley
Blackwall’s resident hypochondriac, the aptly named ‘Sicknote’ was forever complaining about some malady or another. A wannabe star of the stage, he often made theatre appearances alongside his wife Jean, which his colleagues would begrudgingly go to show their support.
Sicknote bowed out in series 12, when he sadly perished in an explosion at a fireworks factory. Since leaving the series, actor Richard has appeared in daytime TV’s Doctors, the movie Daddy’s Girl, Midsomer Murders and Heartbeat. The now 27-year-old also made a cameo appearance in Netflix series The Crown as Joe Gormley in 2019.
Jerome Flynn – Kenny ‘Rambo’ Baines
“But he wasn’t in London’s Burning!” we hear you cry. Well, he did only feature in the initial TV movie, but we felt actor Jerome was worth a mention as he was just so phenomenally successful post Blackwall.
Jerome of course starred as Paddy Garvey of the King’s Fusiliers alongside Robson Green in hit drama Soldier Soldier. The pals even enjoyed multiple Number Ones in the music charts with their versions of Unchained Melody, I Believe and What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted?
Jerome, now 63, appeared in chilling 19th-century drama Ripper Street and an episode of Charlie Brooker’s disturbing Black Mirror in 2016. Game of Thrones fans will instantly recognise him as loveable rogue Bronn, who featured in countless episodes from 2011 to 2019.
In 2019, he also appeared as Berrada opposite Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. In 2022, he starred alongside Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in Taylor Sheridan’s ‘1923’ – a spin-off from the hit series Yellowstone.
James Hazeldine – Mike ‘Bayleaf’ Wilson
A hugely popular member of the team, Bayleaf was mess manager until he departed the show in series 8. The character was involved in many gripping storylines, such as being knocked unconscious when a wall collapsed and also being buried alive.
Very much a star of stage and screen, actor James was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in children’s TV series Chocky as well as Heartbeat. James took on the role of Sigmund Freud in the play The Talking Cure in December 2002, but was shortly taken ill and sadly died a week later. He was 55.
Trevor Nunn, director of the Royal National Theatre, described him as “a leading actor of minutely observed truthfulness, comic brio and emotional daring” who “was also a man of infectious enthusiasm, great warmth and humanity who was universally popular among his colleagues”.
Ben Onwukwe – Stuart ‘Recall’ MacKenzie
Dubbed ‘Recall’ thanks to his unbelievable photographic memory, Stuart joined the team midway through series 4. The firefighter was almost dismissed from the crew when he refused to shave off his beard – something the team rectified by tying him down and shaving it off for him!
Since the show ended, actor Ben, now 68, has been keeping himself busy appearing in Coronation Street, as Clyde Johnson in Holby City and as Dessie Dunn in EastEnders. Back in 2018 he starred as Eric Pratchett in drama Safe, and the following year took on the role of W.E.B Dubois in Hero, inspired by the life and times of the Caribbean war hero, judge and diplomat Ulric Cross.
Ross Boatman – Kevin Medhurst
Renowned as Blue Watch’s resident troublemaker, this wayward firefighter would often scrap with colleagues and question the authority of those above him. The character Kevin came from a broken home and had suffered much sadness in his life before he joined the boys at the station.
Actor Ross is a top poker player and member of the professional playing quartet The Hendon Mob. Now 62, the actor has also enjoyed success in the European Poker Tour and proudly has several poker titles under his belt. He joined the cast of EastEnders in 2021 as Harvey Monroe, for which he won the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.
Michael Garner – Geoffrey ‘Poison’ Pearce
It wasn’t until series 6 that old Poison joined the watch. He received his unpleasant nickname as he had a penchant for gossip and would overly pander to his seniors. The character wasn’t all bad, however, and could at times be very sensitive.
Post-Blackwall, actor Michael joined many of his co-stars by appearing in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty. Rather unexpectedly, he appeared in pop starletEllie Goulding’s music video for How Long Will I Love You in 2013.
Michael, now 72, is perhaps best known for treading the boards, with far-reaching roles in countless Shakespeare plays, Educating Rita and the less high-brow An Evening With Gary Lineker.
Samantha Beckinsale – Kate Stevens
Kate joined the crew in 1990 and quickly became a much-loved member of the team during her two-year stint. Actress Samantha had previously starred as WPC Martin in an episode of Thames Television’s Never The Twain.
Later in 1994, she landed the role of Gillian in the sitcom Time After Time. Three years later she starred as Jilly Howell in the short-lived sitcom Get Well Soon and in 1998 became Gillian Monroe in the short-lived sitcom Duck Patrol with One Foot in The Grave’s Richard Wilson. Samantha, now 59, has also appeared in Doctors, Holby City and Heartbeat.
Connor Byrne – Rob ‘Hyper’ Sharpe
Emotional scenes ensued in series 12 and 13 when Hyper came out as gay to his colleagues. He was later promoted to Leading Firefighter but never got a proper exit as he left for unknown reasons by the start of the final series.
Actor Connor is perhaps best known for playing Mike Milligan in all three of the Tracy Beaker shows, becoming the programme’s longest-serving cast member. Now 61, he also played Geoff in three episodes of Emmerdale back in 2019 and is appearing on our screens this year as Dale Roberts in Doctors.
