Sondheimer: Marques Johnson’s daughter begins new era in family legacy
Marques Johnson is a living, breathing legend who’s seen and experienced so many moments of greatness that his story could be part of a museum…
Sondheimer: There’s no competitive equity in Open Division football bowl game
There are 15 CIF state championship football bowl games set for Dec. 13-14 in Southern California, and 14 of the matchups should be fine. The…
Sondheimer: Glendale’s Art Samontina finds solace in coaching after loss of son
For nearly 10 minutes last June, Glendale High basketball coach Art Samontina watched on his cell phone in horror as his 6-year-old son, who had…
Sondheimer: How Southern Section football became must-see TV
Kevin Rooney, the football coach and athletic director at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, was on vacation in Lake Tahoe during the summer of 1997 when…
Sondheimer: City Section football quarterfinal playoff predictions
Narbonne High’s football team, idle since Sept. 27 after four forfeits by Marine League opponents protesting alleged rule violations, is scheduled to return to the…
Sondheimer: SoCal has the best high school basketball anywhere
If you’re a fan of amateur basketball, there’s no better place to spend the next four months than Southern California, where talent at the high…
Sondheimer: Prep football storylines for 2024 playoffs
High school football playoffs begin Thursday and Friday in the City Section and Southern Section. Here are some story lines to follow.Unbeaten Newbury Park gets…
Sondheimer: Plenty to blame in Marine League football fiasco
In one of the strangest occurrences in state high school football history, the City Section’s No. 1-ranked team, Narbonne, is set to go seven weeks…
Column: Former Southland stars balance school and football in Ivy League
When Kai Honda was running a 10.73-second 100 meters last spring at an elite prep school in New Hampshire, Phillips Exeter Academy, many were impressed…
Sondheimer: It’s the year of the linebacker in prep football
At midseason in high school football, with some teams having played five of their scheduled 10 regular-season games, the most obvious trend involves linebackers. They…
QB Jaden Jefferson and his family have Cathedral moving on up
“The Jeffersons” was a hit TV sitcom on CBS from 1975 to 1985, with its famous theme song, “Movin’ On Up.”There’s another hit Jeffersons show…
Sondheimer: Elite athletes to watch for in the 2024-25 high school sports season
The 2024-25 sports season will have a group of elite girls competing in a variety of sports who are so talented they could push the…
Sondheimer: Can CIF committees reshape the future of prep sports?
It’s time for fine-tuning, creativity and some commonsense solutions.The California Interscholastic Federation, which governs high school sports in the state, is holding a series of…
Sondheimer: Looking back on six decades of covering high school football
It’s high school football season No. 48 for someone who loves telling stories about Southern California teenagers making a difference on and off the field.Sitting…
Sondheimer: Summer football gives clues as to what you can expect this fall
When best friends unite, the power they unleash can be magical in terms of chemistry, unselfishness and determination. That’s what Mission Viejo’s football team has…
Sondheimer: Catcher Josh Springer is Corona High baseball hero
Pow! Boom! Zap! It’s time to make Corona High catcher Josh Springer a comic book hero. For four years he has done superhero things, such…
Sondheimer: Look for a changing of the guard in City Section football
With spring football under way and the weather beginning to heat up, there’s a growing feeling that change is in the air when it comes…
Sondheimer: Players to watch in the Southern Section baseball playoffs
Get ready for lots of twists, turns, drama, excitement and big-time players coming through in big-time situations as the Southern Section high school baseball playoffs…
Sondheimer: Colin Moore deals with Type 1 diabetes while dealing on the mound
There are important things teenage athletes never forget when leaving home. Cellphone. Wallet. Bottle of water. For Colin Moore, a junior pitcher at Crescenta Valley…
Sondheimer: Karson Gordon is a hop, skip and jump away from UCLA playing days
The No. 1 high school triple jumper in America, Karson Gordon, is coming to town on Saturday to attend UCLA’s spring football practice in the…