Southern

High school girls’ tennis: Updated Southern Section playoff schedule

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TENNIS

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Matches at 2 p.m. unless noted)

Semifinals

DIVISION 1
Mater Dei at Corona del Mar
Mira Costa at Portola

DIVISION 2
Calabasas at Woodbridge
Harvard-Westlake at Crean Lutheran

DIVISION 3
Temple City at Whitney
Campbell Hall at Flintridge Prep

DIVISION 4
Pasadena Poly at Oaks Christian
Agoura at Torrance

DIVISION 5
Burbank at Valencia
Cerritos at Lakewood St. Joseph

DIVISION 6
Flintridge Sacred Heart at Villa Park
Village Christian at Saugus

DIVISION 7
Laguna Hills at Malibu
Oakwood at Segerstrom

DIVISION 8
Bishop Diego at Tahquitz
Oxnard at Garden Grove Santiago

Note: Finals (Divisions 1-4) Nov. 17 at University of Redlands; Finals (Divisions 5-8) Nov. 17 at The Claremont Club.

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Supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford Enters U.S. Southern Command’s Area Of Responsibility

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its air wing have officially joined the enhanced counter-narcotics mission under U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) purview, the command said in a statement on Tuesday. The carrier had been ordered to the Caribbean, but it stalled for a number of days off Africa before proceeding. You can catch up with our previous reporting on this operation, which is also designed to pressure Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, here.

The Ford, the first in the newest class of aircraft carriers, is now in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility (AOR), the command stated, without giving the ship’s precise location. It transited from the Mediterranean region through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Atlantic on Nov. 4.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 21, 2024) The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), sails in formation with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Kashima-class training ship, JS Kashima (TV-3508), middle, and Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyer JS Shimakaze (TV-3521) while conducting routine operations in the Atlantic Ocean, September 23, 2024. The U.S. Navy and JMSDF continue to train together to improve interoperability and strengthen joint capabilities. For more than 60 years, the U.S.-Japan Alliance has been the corner stone of stability and security and is crucial to the mutual capability of responding to contingencies at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly)
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), is now in the U.S. Southern Command region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly)

The AOR extends as far northeast as near the Cape Verde islands, about 2,000 miles from Venezuela and just a few hundred miles from Africa. We asked SOUTHCOM for additional details about the carrier’s location and will update this story if it responds.

The U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (SOUTHCOM)

“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell in a statement on Tuesday. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations.”

On Oct. 24, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Ford, which had previously been stationed in the Middle East region, to the Caribbean.

The Ford brings a great deal of additional capability to the Joint Task Force assigned to the counter-narcotics operation. There are four squadrons of F/A-18 Super Hornets, a squadron of E/A-18 Growler electronic warfare jets, a squadron of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne command and control aircraft, MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and a detachment of C-2A Greyhound Onboard Delivery planes.

Sailors assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 prepare for flight operations, March 25, 2022. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting flight deck certification and air wing carrier qualification as part of the ships tailored basic phase prior to operational deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nolan Pennington)
Sailors assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 are now assigned to the enhanced counter-narcotics mission in the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nolan Pennington) USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)

In addition to those assets, several other elements of the Ford Carrier Strike Group will take part in this operation. 

“Destroyer Squadron Two’s Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyers USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) and USS Mahan (DDG 72), and the integrated air and missile defense command ship USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81)” will join the Ford. Two other Arleigh Burke class destroyers assigned to the strike group – the USS Forrest Sherman and USS Mitscher – were still operating in the Red Sea, a U.S. official told us last week.

While it is unclear where any of these vessels are, online ship watchers have located the Bainbridge at about 800 nautical miles northeast of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Trump administration’s plans for the Ford and its escorts are still unknown. President Donald Trump has wavered between saying he won’t order an attack on Venezuela to answering in the affirmative if he thought Maduro’s days were numbered. If Trump does order strikes in Venezuela, he has several options, The Washington Post noted on Tuesday. They range from hitting Venezuelan military bases to cocaine refinery labs, clandestine airstrips or guerrilla camps.

Regardless of the intention, the Ford and its escorts will join a growing array of U.S. military assets in the region “under a Joint Task Force, created to defeat and dismantle criminal networks that exploit our shared borders and maritime domains,” the Pentagon stated.

There are at least seven Navy surface vessels, a special operations mothership and aircraft, including F-35B stealth fighters, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and AC-130 Ghostrider gunships deployed to the region. Beyond that, there are “site surveys ongoing to see if more military assets should be sent to the region,” a U.S. official told The War Zone Friday morning.

In addition to the counter-narcotics operation, at least one of these vessels in this flotilla, the San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio, is supporting humanitarian relief efforts in Jamaica following the devastating Hurricane Melissa, SOUTHCOM announced.

USS San Antonio (LPD 17) sails off the coast of Jamaica in support of disaster relief efforts there following #HurricaneMelissa, Nov. 6, 2025. At the direction and request of #SOUTHCOM and Jamaica’s government, U.S. military forces are providing foreign assistance in the wake of… pic.twitter.com/m37bitIBOU

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 11, 2025

To date, the Pentagon has limited its kinetic operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific to attacking suspected drug boats. The U.S. carried out two more in the eastern Pacific on Monday that War Secretary Pete Hegseth said killed all six people aboard, raising the total in about 20 such attacks to more than 70 deaths. The majority of those strikes were carried out by the MQ-9s and some by the AC-130 Ghostriders, as we have noted and as CNN reported today.

Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, two lethal kinetic strikes were conducted on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.

These vessels were known by our intelligence to be associated with illicit narcotics smuggling, were carrying narcotics, and… pic.twitter.com/ocUoGzwwDO

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) November 10, 2025

These attacks, however, have been criticized for being extrajudicial strikes without Congressional authorization. The administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “unlawful combatants,” and Trump has claimed, without proof, that each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. 

Meanwhile, the U.K. “has stopped sharing intelligence with the U.S. about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal,” CNN is reporting.

“…shortly after the U.S. began launching lethal strikes against the boats in September… the U.K. grew concerned that the U.S. might use intelligence provided by the British to select targets,” the cable network suggested. “British officials believe the US military strikes, which have killed 76 people, violate international law, the sources said. The intelligence pause began over a month ago, they said.”

The U.K. controls several territories in the Caribbean where it bases intelligence assets, the cable network noted. They have “helped the U.S. locate vessels suspected of carrying drugs so that the U.S. Coast Guard could interdict them. That meant the ships would be stopped, boarded, its crew detained, and drugs seized.”

We reached out to the White House, the U.K. MoD and the Pentagon for comment.

“We don’t discuss intelligence matters,” the Pentagon told us. Neither the White House nor MoD immediately responded to our queries.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the growing U.S. pressure against him, Maduro has ordered his forces to prepare for a “guerrilla-style resistance or sow chaos in the event of a U.S. air or ground attack,” Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing “sources with knowledge of the efforts and planning documents seen by Reuters.”

While no one knows for sure what Trump will do about Venezuela, he has a large and growing array of assets to carry out the missions he selects.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Howard is a Senior Staff Writer for The War Zone, and a former Senior Managing Editor for Military Times. Prior to this, he covered military affairs for the Tampa Bay Times as a Senior Writer. Howard’s work has appeared in various publications including Yahoo News, RealClearDefense, and Air Force Times.




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High school girls’ volleyball: Southern California regionals pairings

CIF SOCAL REGIONALS

(Matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION I

#16 Santa Barbara San Marcos at #1 Harvard-Westlake

#9 Long Beach Poly at #8 San Luis Obispo

#12 Bishop Montgomery at #5 La Jolla Country Day

#13 Redlands at #4 West Ranch

#14 San Diego San Marcos at #3 Santa Margarita

#11 JSerra at #6 Coronado

#10 Bakersfield Centennial at #7 Bishop’s

#15 Orange Lutheran at #2 Temecula Valley

DIVISION II

#16 Oak Park at #1 Liberty

#9 Arroyo Grande at #8 Flintridge Prep

#12 La Canada at #5 Christian

#13 Ventura at #4 Santa Ana Foothill

#14 Venice at #3 Cypress

#11 St. Margaret’s at #6 Scripps Ranch

#10 Palisades at #7 Carlsbad

#15 Dana Hills at #2 Westview

DIVISION III

#16 Arrowhead Christian at #1 Academy of Our Lady of Peace

#9 Garces Memorial at #9 Royal

#12 Cleveland at #5 Patrick Henry

#13 El Camino Real at #4 Santa Fe Christian

#14 Taft at #3 Mission Vista

#11 Santa Barbara at #6 Ontario Christian

#10 Eagle Rock at #7 Chadwick

#15 Wiseburn Da Vinci at #2 Frontier

DIVISION IV

#1 Nipomo, bye

#8 Grant at #9 Oceanside El Camino

#12 Capistrano Valley Christian at #5 Chatsworth

#13 West Valley at #4 Olympian

#14 Cate at #3 Granada Hills

#11 Garden Grove Pacifica at #5 LA University

#10 Rock Academy at #7 Granada Hills Kennedy

#15 California Academy of Math & Science at #2 Mammoth

DIVISION V

#1 East Valley, bye

#9 Loma Linda Academy at #8 Panorama

#12 South East at #5 Artesia

#13 Legacy at #4 Elsinore

#14 Moreno Valley at #3 O’Farrell Charter

#11 Nogales at #6 Schurr

#10 South El Monte at #7 Foothill Tech

#15 Anaheim at #2 Morro Bay

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

OPEN DIVISION

#8 Mira Costa at #1 Sierra Canyon

#5 Marymount at #4 San Diego Cathedral

#6 San Juan Hills at #3 Torrey Pines

#7 Redondo Union at #2 Mater Dei

Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions I-V) Nov. 13 at higher seeds; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 18 at higher seeds.

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High school girls’ tennis: Southern Section playoff results

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

First Round

DIVISION 1

Corona del Mar 18, Sage Hill 0

Mater Dei 9, JSerra 9 (Mater Dei wins on games 76-75)

Mira Costa 10, Palos Verdes 8

Portola 15, Fountain Valley 3

Second Round

DIVISION 2

Woodbridge 13, Orange Lutheran 5

Redondo Union 14, San Juan Hills 4

Chadwick 12, Aliso Niguel 6

Calabasas 12, Tesoro 6

Crean Lutheran 10, Peninsula 8

San Marino 11, Marlborough 7

Westlake 11, Crossroads 7

Harvard-Westlake 15, Troy 3

DIVISION 3

Anaheim Canyon 13, Santa Monica 5

Whitney 10, Cate 8

Temple City 14, San Clemente 4

Los Alamitos 10, Eastvale Roosevelt 8

Brentwood 13, West Ranch 5

Campbell Hall 11, Capistrano Valley 7

Flintridge Prep 15, Arcadia 3

Palm Desert 9, Corona Santiago 9 (Palm Desert wins on games 78-70)

DIVISION 4

Sierra Canyon 12, Esperanza 6

Pasadena Poly 10, Placentia Valencia 8

Dana Hills 12, Rancho Cucamonga 6

Oaks Christian 14, San Dimas 4

Keppel 9, Murrieta Mesa 9 (Keppel wins on games 80-67)

Torrance 11, Simi Valley 4

Agoura 16, Geffen Academy 2

Marymount 14, St. Margaret’s 4

DIVISION 5

Valencia 10, Thacher 8

Milken 9, Riverside North 9 (Milken wins on games)

Burbank 11, Millikan 7

Golden Valley 11, Maranatha 7

Lakewood St. Joseph 11, Chino Hills 7

Santa Barbara 10, Beverly Hills 8

Cerritos 17, Santa Fe 1

Bishop Montgomery 10, Paloma Valley 8

DIVISION 6

Flintridge Sacred Heart 12, Woodcrest Christian 6

Garden Grove 10, Ontario Christian 8

Villa Park 12, Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 6

Linfield Christian 13, Vista del Lago 5

Village Christian 11, San Jacinto 7

Hillcrest 9, Downey 9 (Hillcrest wins on games 79-78)

El Modena 10, Montclair 8

Saugus 14, Heritage 4

DIVISION 7

Temescal Canyon 10, Los Amigos 9

Malibu 10, El Rancho 8

Laguna Hills 12, South Hills 6

Ventura 11, Apple Valley 7

La Salle 10, Norwalk 8

Segerstrom 12, Ramona 6

Oakwood 10, Bolsa Grande 8

Arroyo 12, Northview 6

DIVISION 8

Bishop Diego 10, Alhambra 8

Rim of the World 12, Nogales 6

Tahquitz 11, Costa Mesa 7

Whittier 12, Duarte 6

Oxnard 9, St. Bonaventure 9 (Oxnard wins on games 73-68)

Bellflower 13, Arroyo Valley 5

Garden Grove Santiago 12, Canyon Springs 6

Academy of Academic Excellence 12, Hueneme 6

Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions 2-8) Nov. 10; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 12; Finals (Divisions 1-4) Nov. 14 at University of Redlands; Finals (Divisions 5-8) Nov. 14 at The Claremont Club.

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High school football: City and Southern Section playoff scores

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

First Round

DIVISION I

#1 Venice 38, #16 Bell 0

#8 Franklin 35, #9 Westchester 15

#5 Marquez 17, #12 Granada Hills 12

#13 Van Nuys 36, #4 Wilmington Banning 15

#3 Eagle Rock 62, #14 Taft 37

#11 Dorsey 26, #6 El Camino Real 8

#7 Gardena 30, #10 L.A. Hamilton 26

#2 South Gate 47, #15 Lincoln 21

DIVISION II

#1 Cleveland 24, #16 Legacy 3

#9 North Hollywood 42, #8 Sylmar 35

#5 L.A. University 16, #12 Washington 12

#4 Fairfax 55, #13 Panorama 22

#14 Chatsworth 40, #3 L.A. Roosevelt 12

#10 Arleta 35, #7 Huntington Park 32

#2 San Fernando 33, #15 South East 14

DIVISION III

#1 Santee 40, #16 Locke 8

#8 Maywood CES 34, #9 Fremont 16

#5 Contreras 35, #12 Sun Valley Poly 28

#4 Jefferson 57, #13 Canoga Park 7

#3 L.A. Wilson 42, #14 Rancho Dominguez 14

#11 Chavez 36, #6 Manual Arts 14

#7 Roybal 34, #10 Verdugo Hills 14

#2 Hawkins 34, #15 Los Angeles 0

SOUTHERN SECTION

First Round

DIVISION 2

Murrieta Valley 35, Corona del Mar 14

Rancho Cucamonga 45, Tustin 8

Los Alamitos 35, Yorba Linda 28

San Juan Hills 28, Downey 27

San Clemente 38, Beaumont 21

Vista Murrieta 36, Damien 31

Leuzinger 34, Crean Lutheran 17

Chaparral 63, Chaminade 42

DIVISION 3

Bishop Amat 28, Murrieta Mesa 9

Oxnard Pacifica 42, Oak Hills 21

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 44, Laguna Beach 28

Chino Hills 42, Mira Costa 35

Dana Hills 27, Aquinas 26

Palos Verdes 42, Valencia 34

Edison 31, Huntington Beach 19

Inglewood 40, Capistrano Valley 16

DIVISION 4

Charter Oak 17, Muir 14

San Jacinto 30, Bishop Diego 29

Great Oak 38, Cajon 15

Villa Park 28, Westlake 24

Oaks Christian 16, St. Bonaventure 13

Paraclete 54, Long Beach Wilson 48

Cathedral 40, Western 21

La Habra 41, El Modena 7

DIVISION 5

Redondo Union 21, Torrance 14

St. Paul 38, Etiwanda 19

Bonita 31, Northview 19

Loyola 17, Newbury Park 14

Aliso Niguel 7, Millikan 6

La Serna 7, Lakewood 0

Rio Hondo Prep 50, Thousand Oaks 34

Troy 49, Orange 27

DIVISION 6

Eastvale Roosevelt 33, Crespi 24

Burbank 52, Lancaster 43

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 35, Alta Loma 6

Upland 42, Los Altos 21
Orange Vista 50, El Toro 31

Agoura 35, Summit 7

Ventura 42, Salesian 31
Moorpark 31, Riverside King 28

DIVISION 7

Palm Springs 33, Claremont 7

Hart 52, Mayfair 24

Barstow 34, Serrano 12

La Canada 30, West Covina 14

Apple Valley 21, North Torrance 20

Victor Valley 34, Segerstrom 14

Saugus 22, Schurr 19

Calabasas 31, El Segundo 24

DIVISION 8

Palm Desert 31, Marina 7

Patriot 48, Elsinore 28

Beckman 41, La Mirada 21

Fullerton 38, La Quinta 21

Irvine 24, Temecula Valley 7

Quartz Hill 41, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 0

Brea Olinda 21, Mary Star of the Sea 12

St. Monica 28, St. Genevieve 18

DIVISION 9

Ramona 21, Silverado 14

Cerritos 16, Fillmore 7

Hesperia 27, Moreno Valley 21

Norte Vista 28, Vista del Lago 24

Warren 17, Norwalk 7

Cerritos Valley Christian 29, Chino 6

San Dimas 24, Rowland 22

Riverside Poly 34, Corona Santiago 24

DIVISION 10

Oak Park 17, Village Christian 15

Tahquitz 39, Heritage Christian 12

Brentwood 13, Portola 3

Santa Monica 42, Pasadena 16

Garden Grove Pacifica 35, El Rancho 14

Liberty 42, West Torrance 35

St. Margaret’s 16, Redlands East Valley 15

Hillcrest 41, Monrovia 14

DIVISION 11

El Monte 18, St. Anthony 13

Western Christian 27, Bell Gardens 20

Baldwin Park 42, Maranatha 28

Shadow Hills 37, Jurupa Hills 0

Gahr 21, Chaffey 16

Valley View 24, Dominguez 3

Palmdale 39, Diamond Bar 20

South Pasadena 42, San Marcos 17

DIVISION 12

Yucca Valley 43, Costa Mesa 17

Grace 28, Rialto 27

Perris 51, Citrus Hill 22

Coachella Valley 38, Banning 35

Bellflower 14, Nogales 7

Colton 73, Ganesha 53

Santa Paula 27, Ocean View 7

Arroyo Valley 26, Desert Christian Academy 24

DIVISION 13

Saddleback 21, Pacific 17

Santa Rosa Academy 35, Heritage 21

Woodbridge 28, Desert Hot Springs 13

Buena 42, Nordhoff 40

La Puente 26, Kaiser 19

Linfield Christian 47, Hacienda Heights Wilson 20

Montebello 19, Rancho Alamitos 17

DIVISION 14

South El Monte 46, Channel Islands 7

Indian Springs 27, Vasquez 20

Ontario 21, Bolsa Grande 0

Miller 39, San Jacinto Valley 13

Alhambra 25, Bassett 0

Trinity Classical Academy 47, Gabrielino 35

Pioneer 42, Godinez 21

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Quarterfinals

#1 Sherman Oaks CES 66, #8 USC Hybrid 0

#4 East Valley 28, #5 Valley Oaks CES 22

#2 Animo Robinson 66, #7 New Designs University Park 21

SOUTHERN SECTION

First Round

DIVISION 1

Avalon 45, Thacher 14

DIVISION 2

Cal Lutheran 52, Maricopa 22

Desert Christian 34, Malibu 7

Hesperia Christian 26, Academy of Career and Exploration 13

Lancaster Baptist 57, Downey Calvary Chapel 14

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High school boys’ water polo: Southern Section playoff scores and schedule

Nov. 5, 2025 8:30 PM PT

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WATER POLO

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

OPEN DIVISION
Pool A — Third Round
#1 Newport Harbor 12, #4 Oaks Christian 6
#5 JSerra 14, #8 Laguna Beach 6

Pool B — Third Round
#3 Corona del Mar 13, #2 Santa Margarita 11
#6 Mira Costa 10, #7 Long Beach Wilson 6

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)
Quarterfinals

DIVISION 1
Loyola vs. San Marcos at Dos Pueblos
Dos Pueblos vs. Buena at Rio Mesa
Mater Dei at Sage Hill
Harvard-Westlake at Westlake

Note: Divisions 2-5 quarterfinals Nov. 7; Open Division crossover round Nov. 8 at higher seeds; Divisions 2-5 semifinals Nov. 11; Open Division semifinals Nov. 12 at Woollett Aquatics Center; Division 1 semifinals Nov. 12; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 15 at Mt. San Antonio College.

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Calabria comes alive with song and dance: how a new generation is revitalising southern Italy’s quiet villages | Italy holidays

On the lamp-lit steps of a sombre gothic church, a young woman stands before a microphone. Beside her, a man plucks a slow melody from his guitar. Arrayed on chairs and cobblestones in front of them, a large crowd sits in an expectant silence. From a nearby balcony, laundry sways in the sultry Calabrian breeze.

The guitar quickens, and the woman issues a string of tremulous notes with all the solemnity of a muezzin. She clutches a hand drum, beating out a rhythm that draws the crowd to its feet. As people surge forward, stamping and whirling around the square, the singing intensifies and the drum’s relentless thud deepens. The festival of Sustarìa has begun.

Southern toe of Italy map and Sicily

“Sustarìa is a word in the dialect of Lago,” says Cristina Muto, who co-founded the festival in summer 2020. “It is a creative restlessness, which doesn’t let you sit still.” We’re speaking at a drinks party the evening before the annual event, on a terrace overlooking Lago’s clay-tiled roofs, when her brother Daniele appears with a jug of local wine in hand. “Welcome to Lagos Angeles, Calabrifornia,” he winks, pouring me a cup.

‘Creative restlessness’ … The festival of Sustarìa, in Lago.

Lago is a hilltop village in the province of Cosenza, overlooking the Mediterranean. It’s surrounded by sprawling olive groves and small plots where families cultivate figs, chestnuts and local grains. Cristina and Daniele were born and raised in this grey-stoned hamlet, a medieval outpost of the Kingdom of the Lombards. Although their pride in Lago is palpable, few of the Laghitani I meet live here all year round. Like many young people from southern Italy, they have left in search of opportunities that are scarce in Calabria.

It’s against this backdrop that Cristina co-founded Sustarìa. “The trend is longstanding and severe,” she tells me, “but people still live here, and there are communities that thrive despite the problems. If more people stay or return, things will get better.” By spotlighting the allure of the region’s heritage, she hopes to play a part in this.

With agriculture historically shaping Calabria’s economy and its inhabitants’ daily lives, many traditions have agrarian roots. The dance that erupted on the festival’s first night was the tarantella. It features distinctive footwork, with dancers kicking their heels rapidly. “It’s a dance of the field workers,” Cristina says. “Some say it began as a way to sweat out venom from spider bites during harvests; others say tired workers in need of a creative outlet danced slowly and just with their feet, and over time the pace and range of movement increased.”

Olive groves at Agriturismo Cupiglione which offers guest rooms close to Lago

The vocals on display that night told of another aspect of the region’s history: its frequent colonisation. Calabria was variously conquered by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Arabs, Lombards and Bourbons. The folk songs we heard were replete with Greek scales and Arabic cadences, a melting pot of Mediterranean timbres.

After the concert, the crowd migrated to a field by a small waterfall on the outskirts of Lago for dinner featuring regional dishes: rosamarina (the pescatarian version of nduja, known as “Calabrian caviar” made from tiny fish); fried courgette flowers; cipolla rossa di Tropea (red onions from the popular beachtown of Tropea); and pecorino crotonese, a sheep’s cheese from the Crotone province.

Over dinner I spoke with two other festival organisers, Claudia and her husband Alberto. Claudia, a Lago native, returned permanently, after a career in aerospace engineering, to run the B&B Agriturismo Cupiglione with Alberto. Nestled in woodland a few kilometres from Lago, Cupiglione was founded 25 years ago by Claudia’s parents as a restaurant with guest rooms. After closing during the pandemic, it was renovated and reopened in 2023 as a B&B with seven rooms for up to 18 guests (doubles from €40). The change in direction paid off, and Cupiglione has since welcomed hundreds of visitors to the area, evenly split between Italian and international travellers.

During my stay, I’m lodging in a house on the edge of Lago, thanks to the Sustarìa team. Hospitality runs deep during the festival; organisers open up their homes and those of their relatives to anyone who enquires through social media. Other options abound during the festival and year-round, including B&Bs such as Cupiglione and A Casa di Ely (doubles from €60), a short walk from where I stayed.

A musician playing the zampogna, an ancient form of bagpipes. Photograph: Valentina Procopio

The following afternoon, I return to the field before aperitivi, where I meet up with Cristina, who explains the growth of her initiative: “Initially, it was just locals who came to Sustarìa, but then people from other parts of Italy and even other countries started coming. Every year it grows.” This year, there are nearly 600 people in attendance.

Eric, a Londoner studying in Zurich, is one such international guest. Eric also attended Felici & Conflenti, a festival in late July hosted by friends of the Sustarìa team, which focuses on preserving and reviving the region’s ancient music. It has held 11 editions over as many years, each one featuring a winter and summer instalment, to which more people flock each year. It takes place in Conflenti, a small inland village nestled at the foot of the Reventino mountain, at the confluence of two small rivers (hence its name).

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“Thanks to their work and research, instruments that were becoming extinct, like the zampogna [Italian bagpipe], are finding new life,” Cristina says.

The three of us sit chatting over plates of crisp taralli (wheat crackers) as twilight fades, and a reedy piping starts up from across the field. I stroll over, and catch sight of someone playing the zampogna, which looks like a set of bagpipes improvised from foraged materials, and is truly ancient – it counts the Roman emperor Nero among its historical admirers.

The next morning, we head to the hilltop town of Fiumefreddo Bruzio, a short drive from Lago and officially recognised as one of “Italy’s most beautiful villages”. Clinging to the western slopes of the Apennines, this medieval village offers panoramic views of the swelling coastline, which traces the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its narrow, meandering streets are lined with squat houses made of the local grey stone, quarried from the surrounding mountains. We wander around Il castello della Valle, a sprawling 13th-century Norman castle partly destroyed by Napoleonic troops, but retaining a splendid portale Rinascimentaleor Renaissance gate – still in excellent condition.

Castello della Valle in Fiumefreddo Bruzio, one of ‘Italy’s most beautiful villages’. Photograph: Yuriy Brykaylo/Alamy

At Palazzo Rossi, on the edge of town, we take a seat at a cafe and sip local craft beer as we admire the view of the active volcano Mount Stromboli, across the water.

“You should see it in the winter,” Cristina says. “The air is cooler, so it becomes even clearer. Everything here is completely different in the winter, but most people don’t see it as visitors come mainly in the summer,” she adds with a note of regret.

The sun starts to sink into the horizon. In the square, a band starts setting up for an evening gig. A waiter brings over a plate of bread and olives to our table, on the house. “Things are quieter but not empty. There are almost as many events as in summer. And you get to see how the locals live during the rest of the year.” Cristina tears off a piece of bread. “And, of course, the hospitality never changes – people are always welcomed with open arms.”

Sustarìa will return to Lago for its sixth instalment on 1-3 August 2026. There is a winter edition of Felici & Conflenti in Calabria on 27-29 December 2025; its next summer instalment is in July 2026



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High school girls’ tennis: Southern Section playoff results, schedule

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TENNIS

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION 2
Woodbridge 13, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 5
Orange Lutheran 13, Great Oak 5
Redondo Union 10, Santa Margarita 6
San Juan Hills 13, Diamond Bar 5
Aliso Niguel 10, Newport Harbor 8
Chadwick 14, Laguna Beach 4
Tesoro 13, Huntington Beach 5
Calabasas 15, Temecula Valley 3
Crean Lutheran 15, Los Osos 3
Peninsula at Bonita
Marlborough 10, South Pasadena 8
San Marino 14, Crescenta Valley 4
Crossroads 16, Claremont 2
Westlake 13, Yorba Linda 5
Troy 10, Oak Park 8
Harvard-Westlake 15, Northwood 3

DIVISION 3
Anaheim Canyon, bye
Santa Monica 12, Patriot 6
Whitney 15, Arlington 3
Cate 13, Dos Pueblos 5
Temple City 13, Buckley 5
San Clemente 10, Cypress 8
Eastvale Roosevelt 11, Riverside King 7
El Toro at Los Alamitos
Brentwood 16, Liberty 2
West Ranch 10, CAMS 8
Campbell Hall 17, Yucaipa 1
Capistrano Valley 9, Ayala 9 (CV wins on games 75-68)
Flintridge Prep 10, Long Beach Poly 8
Arcadia 11, Sunny Hills 7
Corona Santiago 13, Redlands 5
Palm Desert, bye

DIVISION 4
Sierra Canyon 12, Quartz Hill 6
Esperanza 12, Fullerton 6
Pasadena Poly 11, Mission Viejo 7
Placentia Valencia 11, Camarillo 7
Rancho Cucamonga 10, Carpinteria 8
Dana Hills 10, Fairmont Prep 8
San Dimas 10, Irvine 8
Oaks Christian 11, La Serna 7
Keppel 9, San Marcos 9 (Keppel wins on games 79-74)
Murrieta Mesa 14, Silverado 4
Torrance 11, Orange County Pacifica Christian 7
Simi Valley 10, Alta Loma 8
Geffen Academy 11, Mayfield 7
Agoura 10, West Torrance 8
St. Margaret’s 12, Warren 6
Marymount 16, Westminster La Quinta 2

DIVISION 5
Thacher, bye
Valencia 11, Oxford Academy 7
Milken Community 10, Louisville 8
Riverside North 13, Valley View 5
Burbank 16, Long Beach Wilson 2
Millikan 14, Oak Hills 4
Maranatha 14, Rowland 4
Golden Valley 15, Chaparral 3
Chino Hills 10, Webb 8
Lakewood St. Joseph 13, Burbank Burroughs 5
Santa Barbara 13, Laguna Blanca 5
Beverly Hills 10, Citrus Valley 8
Santa Fe 11, Serrano 7
Cerritos 12, Pasadena Marshall 6
Bishop Montgomery 13, Xavier Prep 5
Paloma Valley 9, La Palma Kennedy 9 (PV wins on games 87-75)

DIVISION 6
Woodcrest Christian 10, La Habra 8
Flintridge Sacred Heart 15, Lancaster 3
Garden Grove 10, Mayfair 8
Ontario Christian 10, Estancia 8
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 9, Western Christian 9 (PC wins on games 70-66)
Villa Park 10, Corona 8
Vista del Lago 11, San Bernardino 7
Linfield Christian 10, La Quinta 8
San Jacinto 12, Riverside Notre Dame 6
Village Christian 16, Indio 2
Downey 11, Summit 7
Hillcrest 10, Western 8
Montclair 14, Hesperia 4
El Modena 14, Hacienda Heights Wilson 4
Heritage 13, Chino 5
Saugus 14, La Mirada 4

DIVISION 7
Temescal Canyon 11, Los Altos 7
Los Amigos 9, Rosemead 9 (Los Amigos wins on games 79-78)
El Rancho 10, La Sierra 8
Malibu 16, Twentynine Palms 2
South Hills 13, Azusa 5
Laguna Hills 17, Orange Vista 1
Ventura 12, Savanna 6
Apple Valley 10, Chaffey 8
Norwalk 9, Canoga Park AGBU 9 (Norwalk wins on games 70-66)
La Salle 13, Coachella Valley 5
Ramona 12, Granite Hills 6
Segerstrom 11, San Gabriel 7
Bolsa Grande 12, Westminster 6
Oakwood 17, Miller 1
Northview 12, Indian Springs 6
Arroyo 17, Highland 1

DIVISION 8
Alhambra, bye
Bishop Diego 14, YULA 4
Rim of the World 10, Foothill Tech 8
Nogales 13, Paramount 5
Tahquitz 13, Grand Terrace 5
Costa Mesa 12, Knight 6
Duarte 10, Workman 8
Whittier 11, de Toledo 7
St. Bonaventure 12, Edgewood 6
Oxnard 10, Channel Islands 8
Bellflower 10, Rancho Alamitos 8
Arroyo Valley 10, Moreno Valley 8
Canyon Springs 12, Cathedral City 6
Garden Grove Santiago 14, Carter 4
Hueneme 14, Banning 4
Academy for Academic Excellence 14, La Puente 4

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 3 p.m. unless noted)
First Round

DIVISION 1
Sage Hill at Corona del Mar
JSerra at Mater Dei
Mira Costa at Palos Verdes
Fountain Valley at Portola

Second Round

DIVISION 2
Orange Lutheran at Woodbridge
San Juan Hills at Redondo Union
Chadwick at Aliso Niguel
Calabasas at Tesoro
Crean Lutheran vs. Bonita / Peninsula
San Marino at Marlborough
Westlake at Crossroads
Harvard-Westlake at Troy

DIVISION 3
Santa Monica at Anaheim Canyon
Whitney at Cate
Temple City at San Clemente
Roosevelt vs. El Toro / Los Alamitos
Brentwood at West Ranch
Campbell Hall at Capistrano Valley
Flintridge Prep at Arcadia
Corona Santiago at Palm Desert

DIVISION 4
Esperanza at Sierra Canyon
Pasadena Poly at Placentia Valencia
Rancho Cucamonga at Dana Hills
San Dimas at Oaks Christian
Keppel at Murrieta Mesa
Simi Valley at Torrance
Agoura at Geffen Academy
Marymount at St. Margaret’s

DIVISION 5
Valencia at Thacher
Milken at Riverside North
Millikan at Burbank
Maranatha at Golden Valley
Lakewood St. Joseph at Chino Hills
Santa Barbara at Beverly Hills
Santa Fe at Cerritos
Bishop Montgomery at Paloma Valley

DIVISION 6
Woodcrest Christian at Flintridge Sacred Heart
Ontario Christian at Garden Grove
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Villa Park
Linfield Christian at Vista del Lago
San Jacinto at Village Christian
Hillcrest at Downey
El Modena at Montclair
Heritage at Saugus

DIVISION 7
Temescal Canyon at Los Amigos
Malibu at El Rancho
Laguna Hills at South Hills
Apple Valley at Ventura
Norwalk at La Salle
Ramona at Segerstrom
Bolsa Grande at Oakwood
Arroyo at Northview

DIVISION 8
Bishop Diego at Alhambra
Rim of the World at Nogales
Tahquitz at Costa Mesa
Whittier at Duarte
St. Bonaventure at Oxnard
Bellflower at Arroyo Valley
Garden Grove Santiago at Canyon Springs
Academy of Academic Excellence at Hueneme

Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions 2-8) Nov. 10; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 12; Finals (Divisions 1-4) Nov. 14 at University of Redlands; Finals (Divisions 5-8) Nov. 14 at The Claremont Club.

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High school flag football: Southern Section championship schedule

HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS

Saturday at El Modena High

DIVISION 1
JSerra (27-0) vs. Orange Lutheran (24-2), 7 p.m.

DIVISION 2
Corona del Mar (17-14) vs. Westlake (17-6), 5 p.m.

DIVISION 3
La Serna (17-11-1) vs. Eastvale Roosevelt (14-10), 3 p.m.

DIVISION 4
West Ranch (17-3) vs. Riverside Poly (19-11), 9 a.m.

DIVISION 5
Castaic (15-10) vs. Anaheim (15-10), 1 p.m.

DIVISION 6
Adelanto (14-6) vs. Bishop Alemany (10-11), 11 a.m.

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High school girls’ volleyball: Southern Section championship schedule

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

DIVISION 4
La Canada (22-18) at Ventura (21-9), 6 p.m.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

At Cerritos College

DIVISION 1
Sierra Canyon (38-3) vs. Mater Dei (31-4), 6 p.m.

DIVISION 2
Santa Margarita (23-10) vs. West Ranch (25-5), 12:30 p.m.

DIVISION 3
Santa Ana Foothill (27-10) vs. Cypress (20-12), 10 a.m.

DIVISION 5
Ontario Christian (13-8) vs. Chadwick (22-18), 3 p.m.

At Arrowhead Christian

DIVISION 6
Wiseburn Da Vinci (19-14) vs. Arrowhead Christian (18-11), 6 p.m.

At Carpinteria

DIVISION 7
West Valley (13-18) vs. Cate )13-6), 4 p.m.

At Artesia

DIVISION 8
Schurr (15-19) vs. Artesia (14-10), 6 p.m.

At South El Monte

DIVISION 9
Nogales (16-14) vs. South El Monte (16-11), 6 p.m.

At Anaheim

DIVISION 10
Moreno Valley (16-15) vs. Anaheim (16-12), 6 p.m.

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Southern Section high school football playoff pairings

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 2

Corona del Mar at Murrieta Valley

Tustin at Rancho Cucamonga

Yorba Linda at Los Alamitos

Downey at San Juan Hills

Beaumont at San Clemente

Damien at Vista Murrieta

Leuzinger at Crean Lutheran

Chaminade at Chaparral

DIVISION 3

Murrieta Mesa at Bishop Amat

Oak Hills at Oxnard Pacifica

Laguna Beach at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Mira Costa at Chino Hills

Aquinas at Dana Hills

Palos Verdes at Valencia

Huntington Beach at Edison

Inglewood at Capistrano Valley

DIVISION 4

Muir at Charter Oak

San Jacinto at Bishop Diego

Great Oak at Cajon

Villa Park at Westlake

St. Bonaventure at Oaks Christian

Paraclete at Long Beach Wilson

Western at Cathedral

El Modena at La Habra

DIVISION 5

Redondo Union at Torrance

Etiwanda at St. Paul

Bonita at Northview

Newbury Park at Loyola

Millikan at Aliso Niguel

Lakewood at La Serna

Rio Hondo Prep at Thousand Oaks

Orange at Troy

DIVISION 6

Eastvale Roosevelt at Crespi

Lancaster at Burbank

Alta Loma at St. Pius X-St. Matthias

Los Altos at Upland

El Toro at Orange Vista

Summit at Agoura

Salesian at Ventura

Riverside King at Moorpark

DIVISION 7

Claremont at Palm Springs

Mayfair at Hart

Barstow at Serrano

La Canada at West Covina

North Torrance at Apple Valley

Segerstrom at Victor Valley

Schurr at Saugus

El Segundo at Calabasas

DIVISION 8

Marina at Palm Desert

Patriot at Elsinore

Beckman at La Mirada

La Quinta at Fullerton

Temecula Valley at Irvine

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Quartz Hill

Mary Star of the Sea at Brea Olinda

St. Genevieve at St. Monica

DIVISION 9

Ramona at Silverado

Cerritos at Fillmore

Moreno Valley at Hesperia

Vista del Lago at Norte Vista

Norwalk at Warren

Chino at Cerritos Valley Christian

San Dimas at Rowland

Riverside Poly at Corona Santiago

DIVISION 10

Oak Park at Village Christian

Tahquitz at Heritage Christian

Portola at Brentwood

Pasadena at Santa Monica

El Rancho at Garden Grove Pacifica

West Torrance at Liberty

St. Margaret’s at Redlands East Valley

Hillcrest at Monrovia

DIVISION 11

El Monte at St. Anthony

Western Christian at Bell Gardens

Maranatha at Baldwin Park

Jurupa Hills at Shadow Hills

Gahr at Chaffey

Valley View at Dominguez

Diamond Bar at Palmdale

San Marcos at South Pasadena

DIVISION 12

Costa Mesa at Yucca Valley

Rialto at Grace

Perris at Citrus Hill

Coachella Valley at Banning

Nogales at Bellflower

Ganesha at Colton

Ocean View at Santa Paula

Arroyo Valley at Desert Christian Academy

DIVISION 13

Pacific at Saddleback

Santa Rosa Academy at Heritage

Desert Hot Springs at Woodbridge

Nordhoff at Buena Park

La Puente at Kaiser

Fontana at Viewpoint

Hacienda Heights Wilson at Linfield Christian

Montebello at Rancho Alamitos

DIVISION 14

Channel Islands at South El Monte

Vasquez at Indian Springs

Bolsa Grande at Ontario

San Jacinto Valley at Miller

Bassett at Alhambra

Anaheim at Webb

Gabrielino at Trinity Classical Academy

Godinez at Pioneer

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14

Quarterfinals

DIVISION 1

Orange Lutheran at St. John Bosco

Santa Margarita at Sierra Canyon

Mission Viejo at Mater Dei

Servite at Corona Centennial

Note: Quarterfinals (Divisons 2-14) Nov. 14; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 21; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 28-29.

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High school girls’ volleyball: Southern Section playoff results

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

Semifinals

DIVISION 1

Sierra Canyon d. Marymount. 25-13-26-28, 24-26, 25-22, 15-9

Mater Dei d. San Juan Hills, 25-15, 25-1, 25-15

DIVISION 2

Santa Margarita d. Long Beach Poly, 25-13, 25-18, 25-14

West Ranch d. JSerra, 25-21, 25-14, 25-19

DIVISION 3

Foothill d. Flintridge Prep, 25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21

Cypress d. St. Margaret’s, 21-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 15-9

DIVISION 4

La Canada d. Dana Hills, 25-13, 25-20, 19-25, 25-18

Ventura d. Oak Park, 25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 25-14

DIVISION 5

Ontario Christian d. Santa Barbara, 25-18, 25-15, 25-18

Chadwick d. Royal, 25-16, 25-21, 25-27, 26-24

DIVISION 6

Arrowhead Christian d. Garden Grove Pacifica, 3-0

Wiseburn Da Vinci d. Capistrano Valley Christian, 25-23, 25-21, 25-17

DIVISION 7

West Valley d. Elsinore, 25-22, 25-14, 25-17

Cate d. CAMS, 3-1

DIVISION 8

Schurr d. Foothill Tech, 22-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-6

Artesia d. Loma Linda Academy, 25-7, 25-15, 25-23

DIVISION 9

Nogales d. Westminster La Quinta, 3-0

South El Monte d. Nordhoff, 3-1

DIVISION 10

Anaheim d. Thacher, 3-2

Moreno Valley d. San Luis Obispo Classical, 3-1

Note: Division 1 Finals Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at Cerritos College; Finals (Divisions 2-10) Nov. 6-8 (sites & times TBA).

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