Cleveland High coach Dagem Asfaw was yelling to his players at the end of the first half during a timeout to stop playing selfish basketball and start making the “extra pass.”
They listened in the second half Wednesday, and the Cavaliers took off, blowing out Granada Hills 72-47. The first three baskets in the third quarter were threes off passes. It’s clear that Cleveland (11-6, 1-0) has the most talented team in the West Valley League and the only question is will the players decide to find the open man. When they do, it’s doubtful any team will beat them.
Sophomore Sho Evans finished with 17 points and made four threes. Serigne Deme had 11 of his 13 points in the first quarter and finished with four dunks. TJ Wansa scored 13 points, all in the second half. Cleveland led by nine points at halftime.
Birmingham 75, Taft 57: Tekeio Phillips had 19 points and Charles Eleri 16 for the Patriots (10-4, 1-0) in their West Valley opener.
El Camino Real 55, Chatsworth 53: The Royals pulled out the win. Aarsh Singh, Aaron Krueger and Chris Rutherford each scored 11 points for Chatsworth.
Fairfax 66, Westchester 64: The Western League rivalry game goes to the Lions. Domonick Bowie Jr. had 16 points and Chris Stokes 15.
Palisades 87, Hamilton 48: The Dolphins had four players reach double figures. Jack Levey and EJ Popoola each had 22 points, Phillip Reed 19 and OJ Popoola 16.
San Pedro 74, Carson 50: Elias Redlew finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the 16-4 Pirates. AJ Bobich added 16 points.
Los Alamitos 57, Newport Harbor 40: Isaiah Williamson contributed 15 points for the Griffins.
Calabasas 64, Oaks Christian 62: The Coyotes handed Oaks Christian its first Marmonte League defeat in double overtime. Noah Simon made a three-point shot at the buzzer of the second overtime, his only points of the night. Tristan Cardoso and Johnny Thyfault each scored 16 points.
Verbum Dei 80, Bosco Tech 64: Sophomore Chase Coleman scored 20 points for Verbum Dei.
Girls basketball
Harvard-Westlake 42, Louisville 23: Valentina Guerrero, back from injury, scored 13 points for the Wolverines.
Sierra Canyon 79, Marlborough 31: Jerzy Robinson contributed 29 points and 10 rebounds for Sierra Canyon.
Birmingham 65, Taft 28: Kayla Tanijiri led the way for the Patriots with 15 points and Laecy Wilkins had 14 points.
David Greenwood, one of the best high school basketball players in Southern California history, will have his jersey retired on Friday night during a ceremony at his alma mater, Verbum Dei.
Greenwood, who died on June 8 at the age of 68 after a bout with cancer, teamed with Roy Hamilton to make Verbum Dei one of the best teams during his high school days in the 1970s. He’d go on to be an All-American at UCLA and played 12 years in the NBA. He came back to coach at Verbum Dei.
Verbum Dei is playing Gardena Serra on Friday at 7 p.m. The ceremony will be held at halftime.
Greenwood was the No. 2 pick in the 1979 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. Magic Johnson went No. 1 to the Lakers. He’d win an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons.
He coached Verbum Dei to state championships in 1998 and 1999.
“David was a hero to me,” said Verbum Dei alumnus DeAnthony Langston. “He’s one of the all-time greats in Verbum Dei history.”
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. Let’s examine some surprise teams in high school basketball.
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There’s plenty of teams exceeding expectations in high school basketball teams.
How about Chino Hills at 21-4? Yes, the school that went unbeaten 10 years ago led by the Ball brothers is more than holding its own this season. The Huskies are 2-0 in the Baseline League and face tough games this week against Etiwanda and Damien.
Corona Santiago is 20-3 under third-year coach Carlos Castillo, who was an assistant to Josh Giles at Corona Centennial for eight years. The Sharks knocked off defending state champion Eastvale Roosevelt on Friday night 70-63. Two 5-foot-10 guards, Ethan Wadman and Evan Nayback, have been leading the success, along with sophomore guard Matt Bernal. Wadman was MVP of a division at the Tarkanian Classic.
Chaminade is 19-2 and took down Loyola on Friday, the team that beat Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Temi Olafisoye, a 6-foot-9 senior, is averaging 17 points. He had 22 points and 20 rebounds against Loyola.
Oaks Christian is 17-3 and 2-0 in the Marmonte League. Sophomore Brady Sullivan is averaging 16.1 points.
Bishop Amat is 20-3 under coach Brandon Ertle, who won his 400th game as the Lancers’ coach. Sophomore Aiden Shaw is averaging 22.9 points.
Unbeaten Elsinore has run off 18 consecutive victories. Junior Kamrynn Nathan is averaging 24.6 points.
Triumph Charter is Sylmar is having its best season with a 15-2 record. The City Section school has been led by Antonio Garcia, averaging 19.4 points.
Boys’ basketball
Christian Collins of St. John Bosco celebrates overtime victory over Santa Margarita as Kaiden Bailey experiences defeat. Collins had the tying basket in regulation and game-clinching basket in overtime.
(Nick Koza)
St. John Bosco served notice with a 74-73 double overtime win over Santa Margarita in a Trinity League opener. The Braves now own wins over the Eagles and Harvard-Westlake, two of the top five teams in the Southland. Christian Collins came through at key moments. Here’s the report.
No. 1-ranked Sierra Canyon wasn’t dominant last week but came away with close wins over St. Francis and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in Mission League play. Here’s the report. The Trailblazers are 15-1 and headed toward a title showdown game with Harvard-Westlake on Jan. 21 that will be a tough ticket to get at Sierra Canyon.
Damien became the Baseline League title favorite by going on the road to defeat Etiwanda. The Spartans scored the game’s first 24 points. Here’s the report.
Palisades is making progress, improving to 5-10 and remains the team to beat in the Western League and in the City Section.
Coach Harvey Kitani of Rolling Hills Prep is four wins away from win No. 1,000 in his coaching career.
Calabasas is surging with 12 wins in its last 13 games. Here’s the report.
Crossroads came up with a key win in its Gold Coast League opener beating Brentwood. Former Brentwood star Shalen Sheppard led Crossroads.
Big games this week include Mira Costa at Redondo Union on Friday and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at St. Francis on Thursday.
Also the State Preview Classic is set for Saturday at North Torrance.
Kaleena Smith drives the lane for two of her game-high 50 points.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
On Saturday, Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian turned in a performance for the ages, scoring 50 points and rallying her unbeaten team to a double overtime victory over Archbishop Mitty at Mater Dei. Here’s the report.
Smith, a junior, has become the most sought-after girls basketball player by college recruiters since JuJu Watkins.
Flintridge Prep (13-2), led JSerra (16-2), the #2 team in the CIF-SS, by 10+ in the 3rd qtr, but lost a hard fought game, 75-73. Only Ontario Christian has scored more vs JSerra.
JSerra has risen to No. 3 in the Southern California top 20 rankings. The Lions are 16-2 after holding off Flintridge Prep 75-73. They have wins over Sierra Canyon, Oak Park and Corona Centennial. They open Trinity League play against Santa Margarita on Thursday and face Windward on Saturday.
In the City Section, Westchester is 13-3 and has Western League games on Wednesday against Fairfax and Friday against Palisades.
Soccer
Goalie Ben Buchler of Oak Park has recorded 10 shutouts this season.
(Sharon Levy)
It’s been a quite a soccer season for Oak Park goalie Ben Buchler, who has set a school record with 10 shutouts this season.
One person to watch is All-City receiver and standout sprinter Demare Dezeurn of Palisades. Coach Dylen Smith said he’s heard the rumors like everyone else: Dezeurn to Sierra Canyon. School resumes at Palisades this week.
Dezeurn is one of the top track and field performers in the state, so where he ends up will be important for this spring whether he’s competing in the City Section or the Southern Section.
Notes . . .
Carson quarterback Chris Fields III takes off against San Pedro. He ran for two touchdowns and passed for three.
(Craig Weston)
Quarterback Chris Fields III of Carson has been selected the City Section player of the year in football. Here’s the All-City team. . . .
Trent Mosley and Dash Fifita of Santa Margarita top the All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 football team. Here’s the link to the All-CIF team. . . .
St. John Bosco, Harvard-Westlake, Orange Lutheran and Aquinas will participate in the National High School Baseball Invitational March 25-28 in Cary, N.C. . . . .
Zack Stein from Santa Margarita has committed to Whittier College for baseball. . . .
Layli Ostovar of Mater Dei has been selected the Gatorade state player of the year in girls’ volleyball. She’s committed to USC. . . .
Junior defensive back Aaryn Washington from Mater Dei has committed to USC. . . .
Former Loyola goalie Cabral Carter (class of 2022) has signed with LAFC in the MLS. . . .
Junior linebacker Taven Epps of Tustin has committed to Oklahoma. . . .
Noah Darnell, a pitcher at Santa Margarita, went from losing a scholarship to attending Harvard. Here’s his story. . . .
The Trinity League wrestling championships will be held Wednesday at St. John Bosco. . . .
Verbum Dei will hold a ceremony at halftime its basketball game against Gardena Serra on Friday at 7 p.m. retiring the jersey of the late David Greenwood. . . .
From the archives: Colton Joseph
Newport Harbor’s Colton Joseph throws a short pass in 2022.
(Drew A. Kelley / Contributing photographer)
Former Newport Harbor quarterback Colton Joseph has gone from starting quarterback at Old Dominion to one of Wisconsin’s biggest signees from the college transfer portal. He was the Sun Belt offensive player of the year.
He passed for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 1,007 yards this season at Old Dominion. As a senior at Newport Harbor in 2022, he passed for 2,749 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushed for seven touchdowns.
From SI.com, a story on a high school basketball team ending a 120-game league losing streak.
From the Sacramento Bee, a story on a 6-8 high school basketball player known as “Mad Max.”
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on Crossroads students starting a high school pickleball league.
Tweets you might have missed
Not every quarterback goes to a Trinity League school to have a life as an NFL quarterback. Josh Rosen (St. John Bosco) and Nick Robinson (JSerra) are now investment bankers for J.P Morgan and Barclays, respectively. MBAs from Penn.
Senior Finnian Hannegan of the JSerra Wrestling team produced his second straight top-of-the-podium invitational performance, as he won the 175-pound weight class title at the Dr. John Dahlem Pioneer Invitational at Western High School in Anaheim.
This is still one of my favorite moments. Neil Diamond showing up to sing “Sweet Caroline” for the opening of Notre Dame High’s $3 million baseball field in 2014. https://t.co/f658Y0tsw9
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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THE Golden Globes are set to bring the drama this year.
This year’s ceremony, which will happen on Sunday, January 11th, promises big names and some seating surprises.
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Celebrity chef Nobu accidentally gave away some seating orders when posting food prep for the A-list eventCredit: GettyGeorge Clooney is one of the most anticipated presenters.Credit: GettyFans are most excited about who the Heated Rivalry stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, are sitting next toCredit: Shutterstock EditorialNewly engaged Miley Cyrus is expected to create some funCredit: Getty
Fans are excited about the Golden Globes seating chart, which was exposed in some sneak peak photos by celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
The thoughtful seating arrangements might create some drama of its own.
Attendees include pop star Charli XCX, who is seated next to Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.
A Reddit thread was quickly created, with fan theories dropping.
Another fan replied, “I just know she’s gonna love those boys.”
Their dynamic interactions are highly anticipated around the room, with notable presenters including close friends and co-stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
Pop star/ DJ, Charli XCX, is expected to create some camraderieCredit: GettyComedian, Nikki Glaser, is set to hostCredit: Getty
The Hollywood favorites will be joined by other presenters like Snoop Dogg, Colman Domingo, Amanda Seyfried, Ayo Edebiri, Miley Cyrus, Macaulay Culkin, and Kevin Hart.
Their seating will create exciting connections and conversations.
At George Clooney’s table will also be Jean Smart, Miley Cyrus, Chris Pine, and Queen Latifah.
“Miley Cyrus and Leonardo DiCaprio are sat at the table next to theirs,” one Reddit commenter stated.
Another fan replied: “Omg Connor can talk to her about dressing up as her in middle school!”
An A-list comedy table will seat Seth Rogen, Jeremy Allen White, and Kevin Hart.
A third table had a strange twist.
Famous redheads Emma Stone and Sarah Snook are seated directly next to each other.
Prep tables for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly HiltonCredit: Getty
Comedian Nikki Glaser is set to lead the event as host, and many think the star will also bring some heat to the night.
Between Nikki, the comedy table, and the steamy duo of Connor and Hudson, fans think this will be a dream team pairing at tables.
As the event approaches, memorable interactions and funny moments are expected.
This year’s ceremony is shaping up to be memorable, with many funny moments expected and some intriguing rivalries, too.
The Golden Globe Awards are renowned for recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign.
Organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), this awards show stands out because it celebrates both cinematic achievements and television programming in one event, unlike many other awards that focus solely on one medium.
The Globes are famous for their relaxed atmosphere, where winners often share heartfelt and humorous speeches, fostering a sense of camaraderie among stars.
Additionally, the Golden Globes often serve as a precursor to the Oscars, helping to shape the conversation around movies during awards season.
The Golden Globes have hosted some unforgettable celebrity moments over the years.
Besties Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift had fans running to lip-reading experts when they were caught whispering at their table in 2024.
In 2015, Jeremy Renner famously spent a little too much time “reading” the cue cards near Jennifer Lopez’s cleavage while they presented on stage.
A standout memory was Jennifer Lawrence tripping on her way to accept her award in 2013, showcasing her relatable, down-to-earth persona.
In 2009, host Ricky Gervais made headlines with his sharp humor, poking fun at several celebrities, including Mel Gibson, which led to mixed reactions.
The ceremony also often features fun interactions between stars, such as awkward encounters, playful banter, and heartfelt reunions, adding to its entertainment value.
Japanese celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa shows a plate of food as work crews prepare the table that stars Miley Cyrus, Kate Hudson, and George ClooneyCredit: ReutersSeat placecards are displayed around tables during preparations at the venue to host the 83rd Annual Golden Globes awardsCredit: ReutersSeat markers at tables for thee 83rd Annual Golden Globes awardsCredit: ReutersPlace settings featuring a menu by Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa are arranged on a table during preparations for the 83rd Annual Golden Globe AwardsCredit: Reuters
JuJu Watkins is returning to Sierra Canyon High on Friday, the place where she was a high school basketball All-American.
The school will hold a ceremony retiring her jersey at halftime of the boys’ basketball game between Sierra Canyon and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
She will be presented with a framed jersey.
Watkins is sitting out this season at USC while recovering from a knee injury.
Sierra Canyon girls’ basketball coach Alicia Komaki said, “She raised our standards, which was hard to do because we had won four state championships. She was an incredibly talented player.”
On the opening night of Mission League basketball action Wednesday, there was a huge upset, one close call and two easy victories.
Loyola, down 16 points going into the fourth quarter, started making threes and stunned Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on the road 72-68. Deuce Newt scored 23 points for the Cubs (10-9). First-year coach Cam Joyce saw his team take a leap in ability when Newt became eligible on Dec. 26 after transferring from Campbell Hall. Randall Sanders added 15 points.
No. 1-ranked Sierra Canyon (14-1) held on for a 50-47 win over St. Francis. The Golden Knights gave the Trailblazers a real scare with a chance to tie at the end of regulation. Maxi Adams made two clutch free throws in the final seconds for Sierra Canyon. Brandon McCoy had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Cherif Millogo scored 14 points for the Golden Knights.
Harvard-Westlake improved to 18-2 with an 84-51 win over Chaminade (18-2). Amir Jones made six threes and had 26 points. Joe Sterling added 22 points and Dominique Bentho had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Crespi (14-6) defeated Bishop Alemany 87-59. Jasiah Williams and Christian Tshina-Nzambi each scored 20 points.
On Friday night, it will be Notre Dame at Sierra Canyon, Harvard-Westlake at Crespi and Chaminade at Loyola.
Arcadia 87, Burroughs 51: Owen Eteuati Edwards scored 23 points and had eight rebounds for Arcadia.
Fairfax 77, Carson 40: Dominick Bowie had 14 points for the Lions.
San Pedro 67, Hamilton 37: Chris Morgan had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Pirates (13-4).
California 105, Saddleback 77: Jair Linares had 26 points for 11-7 California.
Tesoro 78, Capistrano Valley 39: Dean Mika finished with 23 points for 18-3 Tesoro.
St. Monica 67, St. Bernard 58: St. Monica won in overtime. Jordan Ballard scored 20 points for St. Bernard.
Los Alamitos 57, Huntington Beach 47: Sophomore Isaiah Williamson contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds in the Sunset League win.
John Bobich, in his 26th season coaching San Pedro High basketball, knows a few tricks in the coaching trade. All you had to do is listen and watch in the third quarter when he put 6-foot-5 junior Aidan Applegate into the game. Applegate was crouching at the scorer’s table waiting to be buzzed in.
“This is your chance,” Bobich told him.
Applegate had a shot blocked, which didn’t deter him. By the fourth quarter, he was comfortable and confident, scoring eight points in the quarter and finishing with eight rebounds to help San Pedro pull away from Granada Hills 64-51 in a Marquez tournament game between two potential City Section Open Division playoff teams.
Applegate said when he heard Bobich’s words of motivation, he thought, “It’s my opportunity to show what I could do.”
Bobich has known Applegate since he was 8 years old. In fact, Bobich knows most of his San Pedro players from coaching or seeing them play in local recreation leagues. His son is on the team. San Pedro is 12-4 and favored to win the Marine League. Ricky Alonso led the scoring with 19 points and Elias Redlow, AJ Bobich and Chris Morgan added 10 points apiece.
Granada Hills received 20 points from Kristapor Kedikian. Applegate celebrated his 17th birthday with the team serenading him.
Girls basketball
Birmingham 54, Kennedy 46: The Patriots (14-3) received 21 points from Kayla Tanijiri.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. 2026 has arrived, which means league play starts getting serious in high school basketball with a number of huge games scheduled for Friday night.
The matchups
Christian Collins is all smiles after leading St. John Bosco to its own tournament championship.
(Nick Koza)
The Trinity League starts this week, and no game is bigger than Santa Margarita (19-2) hosting St. John Bosco (11-4) on Friday night in a game matching the preseason league title favorites.
Santa Margarita has been doing what everyone expected — taking advantage of its experience with four returning starters. The Eagles already own two wins over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, a Mission League power. St. John Bosco has relied on Christian Collins but suffered defeats to some very good teams in recent weeks.
The Mission League begins with a key Friday matchup of defending champion Harvard-Westlake (17-2) playing at Crespi (13-5). Both schools need a win to challenge league favorite Sierra Canyon, which plays host to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. Former Sierra Canyon women’s star JuJu Watkins will have her jersey retired at halftime.
In the Gold Coast League, Brentwood (18-1) is playing at Crossroads on Friday in the first meeting since Shalen Sheppard transferred from Brentwood to Crossroads.
In the Marmonte League, unbeaten Thousand Oaks (16-0) plays host to Oaks Christian (15-3) on Friday.
In the Del Rey League, St. Bernard is playing at St. Anthony in an early league match that could establish a league favorite.
In the Gateway League, the top two teams face off on Friday, with La Mirada hosting Mayfair. In the Baseline League, 17-1 Etiwanda plays host to 15-4 Damien on Thursday in a matchup of the league’s top two teams. On Tuesday in the Sunset League, the two favorites, Los Alamitos and Corona del Mar, meet at Los Alamitos.
Tajh Ariza (right) and Malachi Harris of Westchester celebrate after winning the City Section Open Division title last season. Westchester is 2-8 this season.
(Nick Koza)
City Section basketball is in a precarious place. The talent level has diminished. The history of great teams and great players is in decline.
Ontario Christian (18-0) and Etiwanda (13-2) continue their march to the Southern Southern Open Division playoffs. Sierra Canyon (13-1) is right behind.
Mater Dei (12-4) is still adjusting to season-ending injury to Kaeli Wynn, but received a 28-point performance from Harmony Golightly in a win over Nevada Democracy Prep.
@MaterDeiGBB is hosting its 2nd Annual Kay Yow Showcase. This year’s show case is a 2-Day Event, day 1 is at Rosary HS & Day 2 will conclude at Mater Dei HS. This year’s event is by the best line up we’ve ever had w/ the best teams, players & coaches in the country!! pic.twitter.com/eX5nkxtmCB
Sage Hill, with a new coach, is 14-4. Kamdyn Klamberg had a 31-point performance last week.
Villa Park is 15-3. Olivia Sturdivant and Lauren Wolfe are both averaging 13 points a game. JSerra is 14-2 and ranked No. 2 in the first Southern Section power rankings. JSerra faces Corona Centennial in a big nonleague game Monday.
In the City Section, Westchester, King/Drew, Birmingham and Granada Hills are emerging as the top teams. Junior Savannah Myles has been leading Westchester, which is 13-0 overall and 3-0 in the Western League.
Transfer tracker
Quarterback Jaden Jefferson of Cathedral is leaving for Corona Centennial.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
It’s time. The high school football transfer tracker for 2026 is up and running. Here’s the link.
The big transfers confirmed last week were Cathedral quarterback Jaden Jefferson and Cathedral receiver Quentin Hale announcing they would be transferring to Corona Centennial.
January is a big month for football transfers because it’s the start of the spring semester. As usual, quarterbacks are leading the way in switching schools.
Looking ahead to 2026
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s JJ Harel is ready for a big 2026.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Predictions for 2026 include lots of unique NIL deals, some baseball standouts and football stars. Here’s my crystal ball forecast.
Soccer
Anderson Carranza has 10 goals for Cleveland’s soccer team.
(Cleveland HS)
City Section boys soccer gets serious this week with the start of West Valley League play. El Camino Real, the defending champion, faces tough games against Cleveland on Wednesday and Birmingham on Friday. Here’s a report.
Rivals Mira Costa (6-2-1) and Palos Verdes (13-2) face off Tuesday at Mira Costa. Mira Costa won the Nike SoCal Holiday Classic last week in Oceanside. Former Palisades player Noah Szeder had two goals in the championship game.
In girls soccer, Santa Margarita has won its first 10 games, including a 3-0 win over Bishop Amat on Saturday. The Eagles have recorded six shutouts and given up just two goals.
Mater Dei is 9-1-3 but suffered its first defeat Saturday, losing to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 1-0.
Harvard-Westlake is 5-1-3 with its only loss to Mater Dei.
Notes . . .
Lance Mitchell is the new football coach at St. Francis. He was head coach at Muir. . . .
Johnathan Coutee is the new football coach at Murrieta Mesa. . . .
Former Long Beach Poly football coach Justin Utupo said he has won an appeal and will be able to coach again in the district in three years. Previously he was banned lifetime. . . .
Congratulations to Westlake High School Head Coach Rick Clausen as he is named our Los Angeles Rams Don Shula Coach of the Year! 🏈
We surprised him alongside Rams Legend, Andrew Whitworth with 2 Super Bowl tickets. pic.twitter.com/N7km2R941C
Westlake football coach Rick Clausen, who took over an 0-10 team and led them to a 10-1 record, has been selected the Rams’ Don Shula award coach of the year. Also honored was Mike Moon of Oxnard Pacifica. . . .
In a big girls water polo match, Mater Dei suffered its first defeat when defending Southern Section champion Oaks Christian beat the Monarchs 11-7. The Santa Barbara tournament is this weekend.
From the archives: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Amon-Ra St. Brown during his Mater Dei days in 2015.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
After 17 NFL games this season, former Mater Dei and USC receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions ranks among the top receivers. He finished with 106 receptions for 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Remember he’s one of three football-playing brothers and is multilingual being fluent in German.
From the Daily Pilot, a story on Bailey Turner of Huntington Beach becoming a world junior champion in surfing.
From NBCPalmSprings, a story on the death of a teenager golfer who fought to the end dealing with cancer.
From MaxPreps, a story on the 100 most influential people in the history of high school football.
Tweets you might have missed
I was asked by someone diagnosed with prostrate cancer to retweet this story to remind everyone get checked for the new year. Michael Boehle is now cancer free. https://t.co/OYBhEnwGlL
From the hard to believe file: A 5-foot-4 sportswriter running into a 7-6 man from Ethiopia and a 7-4 teenager from Burkina Faso. Now I know Munchkinland. pic.twitter.com/hjnDR1MDKu
Former Thousand Oaks football coach Bob Richards will receive the Coastal Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation Al Wistert Award. The banquet is March 1 at Canyon Club in Agoura.
Summary of Tommy John surgeries for MLB pitchers used by team in 2025. New record of 21 in one season by DET and LAD, which doesn’t even include their pitchers who were injured all season.
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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Garo Ohannessian is known as a “lifer” at AGBU, an Armenian K-12 school in Canoga Park. He’s been there from the start and now he’s making a name for himself in high school basketball with his three-point shooting skills.
He set a school record making 13 threes and finishing with a career-high 45 points in a Dec. 30 win over Brawley.
Will Bryson III of St. Paul stuck it out for his senior basketball season even though the team lost pretty much everybody to graduation except for him.
All he can do is his best, and that’s what he has been doing, including a 68-point performance two weeks ago in Las Vegas in a triple overtime game.
The 6-foot-4 guard is averaging 33.1 points a game for St. Paul (6-9) and showing dedication in that he stayed knowing the team might not be as good as last season’s 19-11 team, but he’d be the leader entrusted to help young players develop. On Friday, he faces the state’s leading scorer, Jason Crowe Jr. of Inglewood, in a noon game at Morningside. Bryson ranks as No. 3 in the state. Crowe is averaging 43.9 points and the two have been facing off since their youth days.
Coach Patrick Roy has been raving about Bryson’s contributions.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
The 2026 high school football transfer tracker is officially launched to identify top players switching schools in Southern California.
There were more than 17,000 transfers statewide last school year, and football is the sport that consistently has more than any.
According to CIF rules, players who transfer and physically move along with their family are eligible immediately to play at the new school. If a player transfers and his family doesn’t move, there’s a sit-out period of close to 50% of the season. The date athletes become eligible in the fall after sitting out is Sept. 28, 2026, for the Southern Section and Sept. 24, 2026, for the City Section.
Listed players are confirmed as having switched schools through social media or from coaches, parents or players. Their transfer eligibility remains uncertain until paperwork is submitted to the Southern Section or City Section. Names will be updated each week, with the latest at the top. Students have been known to change their minds, too, before the season begins.
Jaden Jefferson
Previous school: Cathedral
New school: Corona Centennial
Position: Quarterback
Year in the fall of 2026: Senior
Buzz: He’s a small but dynamic quarterback with tremendous ability to pass and run. He has been a starter since freshman year.
Quentin Hale
Previous school: Cathedral
New school: Corona Centennial
Position: Receiver
Year in the fall of 2026: Senior
Buzz: Had 62 receptions and 12 touchdown catches in 2025.
Simote Tupou
Previous school: Henderson (Nev.) Pinecrest Academy Sloan Canyon
New school: St. John Bosco
Position: Defensive line
Year in the fall of 2026: Junior
Buzz: Had 19 sacks as a 6-1, 230-pound sophomore.
Koa Smith-Mayall
Previous school: JSerra
New school: Santa Margarita
Position: Quarterback
Year in the fall of 2026: Senior
Buzz: Was briefly JSerra’s starting QB and overcame injuries early in high school.
Aided by aggressive offensive rebounding, Rolling Hills Prep led from start to finish to hand Arcadia only its second defeat of the season 50-37 in a semifinal game of the Classic at Damien Gold Division on Monday.
Rolling Hills Prep (13-2) appears to have found itself after back-to-back losses earlier this month to Los Alamitos and Loyola. The arrival of sit-out period transfer point guard Carter Fulton certainly has helped. He had 10 points on Monday. The Huskies opened a 25-8 lead midway through the second quarter. Arcadia dropped to 11-2.
Kawika Suter had a big game for the Huskies with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Nick Welch Jr. had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Rolling Hills Prep will play Folsom at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Redondo Union 79, Crean Lutheran 55: SJ Madison had 23 points for Redondo Union, which will face Phoenix (Ariz.) Sunnyslope in Tuesday’s Plantium Division championship game. Redondo Union has a win this season over Sunnyslope. Sunnslope defeated Crespi 65-48 in the other semifinal.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias 68, Francis Parker 63: Dominic Gallardo scored 18 points and Dayvion Gates had 17 points for 9-4 PMA.
Inglewood 92, Austin (Tx.) St. Michael’s 80: Jason Crowe Jr. scored 54 points and passed the 4,000-points mark in win.
Brentwood 70, Dublin 64: The Eagles (16-1) made it to their divisional final at Damien. Auggie Sugarman had 16 points and Ethan Hill added 15 points and 14 rebounds. They will face Long Beach Millikan, a 68-62 winner over Hesperia in which Jeremiah Hunt had 26 points and freshman Quali Giran added 20 points.
San Gabriel Academy 60, Arizona Mesa 57: Mahamadou Diop had 21 points and nine rebounds for San Gabriel Academy.
Damien 57, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor 51: Eli Garner finished with 30 points for Damien.
La Mirada 62, Utah American Fork 46: Gene Roebuck scored 22 points and Jordyn Houston 17 for the Matadores.
Corona Centennial 64, Dallas Parish Episcopal 61: Jayden Yim had 17 points for the 15-3 Huskies.
Etiwanda 67, Loyola 64: Devin Mitchell contributed 18 points and nine rebounds for 16-1 Etiwanda in an overtime victory. Deuce Newt had 29 points for Loyola.
Layton Christian (Utah) 70, Eastvale Roosevelt 59: Jackson Higgins had 18 points for Roosevelt.
Richmond Salesian 61, St. John Bosco 58: Christian Collins led the Braves with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Gavin Dean-Moss had nine assists.
Cleveland 71, Redwood 62: Emmitt Claiborne had 20 points and Charlie Adams 19 for the Cavaliers, who will play in the Silver consolation championship game on Tuesday at San Dimas.
Eastside 82, West Ranch 60: Wydell James had 26 points for 12-2 Eastside at St. Francis.
St. Anthony 77, Washington Mercer Island 49: The Saints advanced to the championship game of the Tustin tournament. Jamil House had 19 points.
Mater Dei 88, Nevada Clark 74: Luke Barnett made seven threes and finished with 28 points.
Mayfair 52, Crossroads 48: Josiah Johnson had 15 points for 7-3 Mayfair.
St. Bernard 82, Democracy Prep 75: Chris Rupert scored 23 points, Gary Ferguson 18 and Jordan Ballard 16 for St. Bernard.
Summit 67, Viewpoint 48: Solomon Clanton Jr. had 18 points for Viewpoint.
St. Francis 74, Calabasas 59: The Golden Knights advanced to the championship game of their own tournament. Cherif Millogo had 25 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks. Will Ellien added 23 points.
Harvard-Westlake 94, Nevada Democracy Prep 52: Pierce Thompson had 21 points for the 16-2 Wolverines.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 81, Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha 62: NaVorro Bowman scored 20 points, Caleb Ogbu 17, Josiah Nance 15 and Zach White had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
San Pedro 67, Merced Stone Ridge Christian 40: AJ Bobich led the Pirates (11-3) with 14 points.
JSerra 63, Mission Bay 50: Jaden Bailes and Micah Cunningham each scored 14 points for JSerra.
Santa Margarita 80, Washington Puyallup 52: The Eagles improved to 16-2. Kaiden Bailey had 23 points and Brayden Kyman 22 points.
Girls basketball
Brentwood 46, Bothell (Wash.) 32: Logan Scott had 12 points and Mikaella Kawahito 11 for the Eagles in the semifinals of the WNBA Gold in San Diego.
Oak Park 57, La Jolla Country Day 53: Maya Deshautelle and Ava Rogerson each scored 14 points for Oak Park.
Ontario Christian 76, Houston Summer Creek 54: The Knights improved to 15-0. Dani Robinson had 22 points and Tatianna Griffin 18.
Bishop Montgomery 53, Alameda 39: Sophia Dignadice had 15 points for the Knights.
Windward 64, Bakersfield Christian 52: The Wildcats went 4-0 in Las Vegas. Charis Rainey had 27 points and 13 rebounds.
Sierra Canyon 77, Washington Bellevue 57: Cherri Hatter had 27 points for Sierra Canyon.
Crespi’s basketball team is starting to gain notice just in time for the start of Mission League play next month.
The Celts (11-4) advanced to the semifinals of the toughest division of the Classic at Damien with a 70-67 victory over Northern California power Richmond Salesian on Saturday.
Carter Barnes finished with 16 points and five assists. Jasiah Williams had 15 points. And, in a big development for the Celts, 6-foot-10 transfer student Rodney Mukendi, who became eligible on Friday, had nine points and eight rebounds in 13 minutes as he continues to gain playing time and makes the transition to blending in.
Crespi will face the winner of St. John Bosco-Phoenix Sunnyslope in the Platinum division semifinals on Monday.
Crean Lutheran 61, Texas Sandra Day O’Connor 60: Nick Giarrusso had 17 points and 12 rebounds to help Crean Lutheran earn a spot in the Platinum division semifinals.
Rolling Hills Prep 61, Arizona Mesa 47: Nick Welch Jr. had 25 points and 14 rebounds to advance Rolling Hills Prep (12-2) to the Gold Division semifinals at Damien.
Eastvale Roosevelt 65, Utah American Fork 61: Sloane Harris had 26 points for Roosevelt.
Mayfair 55, Palisades 49: Josiah Johnson finished with 27 points for Mayfair.
Campbell Hall 75, Washington Prep 69: Ean Britt finished with 23 points for Campbell Hall.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias 67, De La Salle 64: In double overtime, the Warriors prevailed. Kayleb Kearse scored 23 points and Dominic Gallardo had 16.
Crossroads 65, California 58: Shalen Sheppard, cleared by the Southern Section after transferring from Brentwood, scored 19 points for Crossroads.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 85, St. Augustine 47: NaVorro Bowman had 17 points for 10-4 Notre Dame. Josiah Nance added 15 points.
St. Anthony 64, Tesoro 55: Jamil House had 24 points and seven rebounds for St. Anthony.
Calabasas 76, Menlo 53: JR Hughes had 24 points and 14 rebounds for Calabasas.
Viewpoint 62, Palo Verde 43: Solomon Clanton Jr. finished with 21 points for 10-2 Viewpoint.
Girls basketball
Windward 68, Bishop Montgomery 50: Angelina Habis scored 37 points, including eight threes, for a Windward team that got better after the sit-out transfer period ended Friday. Charis Rainey added 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Sierra Canyon 72, San Juan Hills 22: Emilia Krstevski finished with 16 points and Payton Montgomery had 12 rebounds for 11-1 Sierra Canyon.
The day after Christmas is for more than seeking bargain Christmas sales or making returns on gifts. It’s also the first chance for high school basketball players who had to sit out the first half of the season after transferring to make their debuts.
At the Classic at Damien, Loyola got an immediate lift in a 67-51 win over Bakersfield Christian on Friday. Its two leading scorers were sit-out period players. Deuce Newt, a transfer from Campbell Hall, scored 24 points and Omari Cuffe, a transfer from St. Pius X-St. Matthias, had 17 points.
No team has waited more patiently than Corona Centennial’s girls’ basketball team. Knowing its top transfer students wouldn’t be eligible until Dec. 26, the Huskies didn’t play any games until Friday’s 90-31 win over Camarillo. Perhaps this is the trend of the future. Centennial is 1-0 and expected to be a Southern Section Open Division playoff team.
Can you say built for the playoffs?
Boys’ basketball
Crean Lutheran 62, Meridian (Id.) Owyhee 59: The Saints knocked off a team that beat Harvard-Westlake last week in Hawaii. Hunter Caplan scored 20 points.
Crespi 73, Layton (Utah) Christian 70 (OT): The Celts won in overtime. Isaiah Barnes had 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Redondo Union 110, Fresno Clovis North 56: SJ Madison had 30 points for the Sea Hawks.
St. John Bosco 56, Utah American Fork 39: Christian Collins led the Braves with 27 points.
Arcadia 64, Mayfair 59: Owen Eteuati-Edwards had 22 points for Arcadia, setting up a Saturday showdown with San Gabriel Academy.
San Gabriel Academy 66, Palisades 57: Freshman Zach Arnold contributed 14 points for San Gabriel Academy.
Moorpark 57, Fairfax 47: Sophomore Logan Stotts had 16 points for Moorpark.
Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee 65, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 64: Freshman Darrellreon Morris had 21 points in a buzzer-beater loss.
Milken 65, Bishop Alemany 55: Grayson Coleman scored 24 points for 7-7 Milken. Sophomore Ethan Frank, a transfer from Crespi, made his season debut for Milken, scoring nine points and getting seven rounds.
Etiwanda 53, San Joaquin Memorial 50: Armaun Pollock’s 14 points helpd the Eagles (15-0) stay unbeaten.
Mira Costa 55, La Costa Canyon 44: The Mustangs improved to 14-1 with a win in Carlsbad. Jayden Kainsinger scored 20 points.
La Habra 63, Washington Prep 48: Acen Jimenez finished with 27 points for La Habra.
St. Francis 68, Burroughs 23: Luke Paulus had 23 points for St. Francis.
Bishop Montgomery 73, Sylmar 41: Twins Terron and Tarron Williams combined for 30 points and 18 rebounds.
Harvard-Westlake 70, Germany Urspring 44: Joe Sterling made seven threes and finished with 31 points.
Brentwood 62, Taft 52: Ethan Hill finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Mater Dei 98, Otay Ranch 50: Zain Majeed, a transfer from IMG Academy, had 20 points in his debut for Mater Dei.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 55, Idaho Lake City 45: Josiah Nance, back from injury, had nine points for the Knights as they slowly get him back into shape. NaVorro Bowman led the way with 17 points.
Thousand Oaks 68, Davis Sr. 61: The Lancers stayed unbeaten behind Dylan McCord, who made seven threes and had 36 points.
Viewpoint 67, Washington Roosevelt 43: Solomon Clanton Jr. had 21 points.
Rolling Hills Prep 51, California 50: Carter Fulton had 27 points for 11-2 Rolling Hills Prep.
Calabasas 85, Eastside 58: Tristan Cordero had 28 points and Calvin Goetz 27 points for the Coyotes.
JSerra 68, Democracy Prep 64: Early Bryson scored 23 points and Jaden Bailes 22 points in San Diego.
St. Bernard 65, Washington Mount Si 64: Brandon Granger had 34 points for St. Bernard.
Girls’ basketball
Troy 57, King/Drew 46: Mei-Ling Perry led the way with 24 points for 10-3 Troy.
Sierra Canyon 82, Rancho Cucamonga 36: Sophomores Rosie Oladokum and Cherri Hatter each scored 18 points for the Trailblazers.
