Westlake

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.

With two weeks left in the regular season for high school football, it’s become clear there’s a large and growing list of candidates for coach of the year. They are considered based on exceeding expectations, winning championships or helping to engineer a program turnaround when no one saw it coming.

Let’s review the great coaching performances so far this season:

Los Alamitos football coach Ray Fenton stands with his players on Thursday during an Alpha League opener at SoFi Stadium.

(Craig Weston)

• Ray Fenton, Los Alamitos: The man looks so fit he could run around any stadium without breaking a sweat. Few expected the Griffins to be 8-0 at this point, let alone be in the running for a Southern Section Division 1 playoff berth. He’s molded a team of best friends into believing in themselves no matter the opponent. San Clemente and Mission Viejo are the only teams standing in the way of a 10-0 regular season.

• Terrance Whitehead, Crenshaw: When head coach Robert Garrett was placed on administrative leave before the season began, the Crenshaw grad and longtime assistant took over. Garrett helped train him, and Crenshaw is 7-1 going into a Coliseum League title decider against King/Drew on Friday. The Cougars have discipline, resiliency and are playing to make Garrett and his assistants proud.

  

  Crenshaw interim coach Terrance Whitehead speaking with quarterback Danniel Flowers.

  (Robert H. Helfman)

• Brad Vonnahme, Crespi: Who predicted the Celts would be 8-0 and headed to the Del Rey League championship in Vonnahme’s third season of a massive rebuilding job? He hasn’t brought in transfers, rather relying on players who start out as freshmen learning the game and move up. There’s a group of sophomores being developed who could be very good in the coming seasons.

• Jason Negro, St. John Bosco: The Braves have established themselves as the No. 1 team in California, if not the nation, while relying on an improving sophomore quarterback and four receivers headed to college success. He knows championships are won with the help of the offensive and defensive lines, and those are the areas to watch as the playoffs approach.

  

  St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro has his team ranked No. 1 in the nation.

  (Craig Weston)

• Jon Ellinghouse, Sierra Canyon: The Trailblazers are 8-0 and no one has come close to beating them. The season will be based on whether they can break through and disrupt the St. John Bosco-Mater Dei domination. Their defense is clearly the best in Southern California.
• Dylen Smith, Palisades: He lost his field, lost his weight room and nearly lost his team to the Palisades fire. And yet, the Dolphins have persevered and are 8-0 with players who stayed and a couple new ones who wanted to experience an adventure with no guarantee of success.
• Chad Johnson, Mission Viejo: With the Diablos (7-1) having wins over Santa Margarita, Folsom and San Diego Lincoln, Johnson challenged his team with a difficult nonleague schedule and they’ve met that challenge. He placed his trust in quarterback Luke Fahey, and don’t doubt how far this team can advance.
• Rick Clausen, Westlake: An assistant coach all his life, Clausen decided to accept the head coaching position even though his wife died of cancer. He’s somehow managed to balance parenting duties and coaching duties, helping a Westlake team go from 0-10 last season to 8-0 this season in his rookie year.
• Tony Henney, Dana Hills: Wherever Henney goes, he succeeds. He’s been head coach at Nordhoff, Trabuco Hills, St. Bonaventure and Westlake. He has Dana Hills at 8-0 going into a game on Friday against 8-0 Laguna Beach, whose own coach, John Shanahan, surrounded himself with an elite group of assistants, including former JSerra head coach Scott McKnight. The winner of the battle of the unbeatens might not be stopped the rest of the way.

• Kevin Hettig, Corona del Mar: With his team 8-0 and tough games ahead, Hettig has quietly and competently prepared the Sea Kings to stay focused and keep improving each week.

  

  Corona del Mar head coach Kevin Hettig, quarterback Brady Annett, and NMUSD superintendent Dr. Wesley Smith.

  (Don Leach/Staff Photographer)

• Jason Miller, Leuzinger: Who loses his only quarterback who can pass and still keeps the team winning? Miller and the Olympians (6-1) are on the verge of ending Inglewood’s reign as a league champion by using 5-foot-8 Journee Tonga as his versatile offensive weapon and replacement quarterback.

• Mike Moon, Oxnard Pacifica: Moon is trying to get his always underrated 8-0 team to run the table in the Marmonte League. He’s helped develop junior quarterback Taylor Lee while managing rising expectations and winning close games.

  

  Mike Moon of Oxnard Pacifica has his team at 8-0.

  (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

• Raymond Carter, Torrance: The former All-City running back at Crenshaw has his team at 8-0, beating local team after local team led by junior quarterback Gibson Turner, who has 20 touchdown passes.
• Mark Carson, Rio Hondo Prep: Year after year, Carson has Rio Hondo Prep ready to succeed. This year’s 8-0 start is no different. A challenge ahead will be playing in a tougher playoff division.
• Darryl Goree, Palm Springs: An 8-0 start has the Indians being the talk of town. Senior linebacker Koa Rapolla has been turned loose and is averaging 13 tackles a game.
• Rick Curtis, Crean Lutheran: Curtis figured out how to best use one of the best athletes in the Southland, quarterback/point guard Caden Jones, and it has led to an 8-0 record.

CITY SECTION FINALS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

At Birmingham High

DIVISION III

#5 North Hollywood 10, #2 Rancho Dominguez 2

DIVISION IV

#1 Westchester 12, #7 LACES 9

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

At Cal State Northridge

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Granada Hills 11, #3 Carson 2

DIVISION I

#2 Legacy 4, #1 Port of Los Angeles 1

DIVISION II

#6 Taft 8, #1 Marquez 3

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS

At Bill Barber Park, Irvine

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

DIVISION 2

Los Alamitos 3, JSerra 0

DIVISION 3

Marina 8, Westlake 1

DIVISION 6

University 4, Rio Hondo Prep 1

DIVISION 7

Rancho Mirage 7, Culver City 3

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

DIVISION 1

Norco 3, El Modena 0

DIVISION 4

Long Beach Poly 6, Warren 2

DIVISION 5

St. Bonaventure 8, West Ranch 7

DIVISION 8

Hueneme 1, Cathedral City 0

Marina won the Southern Section Division 3 softball championship with an 8-1 win over Westlake in Irvine on Friday.

Aviana Valbuena had three hits and four RBIs. Sister Mia Valbuena struck out 13 with one walk.

Marina improved to 19-13.

Los Alamitos won the Division 2 championship with a 3-0 win over JSerra that took 10 innings. Cienna Kowaleski hit a two-run home run in the 10th to end a great pitching duel.

JSerra’s Liliana Escobar struck out 16. Los Alamitos’ Jaliane Brooks threw all 10 innings, striking out five.

In Division 6, Irvine University defeated Rio Hondo Prep 4-1. In Division 7, Rancho Mirage defeated Culver City 7-3.

SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

SEMIFINALS

DIVISION 1

Norco 6, Ayala 1

El Modena 13, Temescal Canyon 3

DIVISION 2

JSerra 9, Great Oak 6

Los Alamitos 7, Santa Margarita 6

DIVISION 3

Marina 4, Yorba Linda 0

Westlake 7, Kennedy 4

DIVISION 4

Long Beach Poly 13, Harvard-Westlake 12

Warren 8, El Toro 7

DIVISION 5

St. Bonaventure 4, Riverside North 1

West Ranch 9, Cerritos 7

DIVISION 6

University 10, Ramona Convent 2

Rio Hondo Prep 22, Adelanto 11

DIVISION 7

Rancho Mirage 10, Westminster 4

Culver City 6, Riverside Notre Dame 0

DIVISION 8

Cathedral City 12, Lennox Academy 1

Hueneme 4, Calvary Baptist 3

Note: Finals (all divisions) May 30-31 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine.

SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

SECOND ROUND

DIVISION 1

Norco 13, Oaks Christian 1

Chino Hills 4, Huntington Beach 0

La Mirada 12, Roosevelt 4

Ayala 3, Murrieta Mesa 2

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 12, El Segundo 10

El Modena 7, Rosary Academy 5

Temescal Canyon 8, Valley View 0

Etiwanda 3, La Habra 1

DIVISION 2

California 3, Capistrano Valley 0

Great Oak 7, Downey 1

JSerra 5, Sonora 3

Palos Verdes 11, Linfield Christian 7

Ganesha 4, Millikan 0

Santa Margarita 13, Vista Murrieta 3

Los Alamitos 7, Whittier Christian 3

La Serna 4, Redondo Union 2

DIVISION 3

Yorba Linda at Valencia, Monday

Arlington 4, Cerritos Valley Christian 1

St. Paul 6, Alta Loma 2

Marina 7, San Clemente 0

Kennedy at Royal, Monday

Aquinas 5, Tesoro 2

Mission Viejo 14, Ramona 3

Westlake 7, Chaminade 2

DIVISION 4

Santa Monica 7, Duarte 3

Long Beach Poly 11, South El Monte 1

Harvard-Westlake 5, Foothill 3

Dos Pueblos 10, Colton 2

Indio 4, Northview 2

El Toro 14, Quartz Hill 7

Hemet 2, Segerstrom 1

Elsinore at Warren, Monday

DIVISION 5

St. Bonaventure 4, Muir 3

Patriot 10, Kaiser 2

Irvine at Highland, Monday

Riverside North 9, Western Christian 8

Cerritos 11, Placentia Valencia 1

Canyon Springs 5, Grace 1

West Ranch 12, Bishop Montgomery 5

Lancaster at Wiseburn Da Vinci, Monday

DIVISION 6

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 2, South Pasadena 1

University 10, Coastal Christian 2

Ramona Convent 13, Granite Hills 7

Pasadena Poly at La Salle, Monday

Adelanto 11, Norwalk 1

San Jacinto 14, Eisenhower 3

Katella 7, Vasquez 4

Rio Hondo Prep 16, St. Monica 6

DIVISION 7

El Monte 9, Garey 7

Westminster 14, Fillmore 8

Rancho Mirage 23, Hesperia Christian 10

Edgewood 10, Sacred Heart LA 3

Silverado 16, Rialto 4

Los Amigos at Culver City, Monday

Lakeside 9, Yucca Valley 6

Riverside Notre Dame 5, San Bernardino 1

DIVISION 8

Orange 3, Tustin 2

Cathedral City 15, Bethel Christian 6

United Christian Academy12, Banning 11

Nuview Bridge at Lennox Academy, Monday

Hawthorne 17, Rancho Alamitos 8

Calvary Baptist 14, Academy of Careers & Exploration 0

Hueneme 13, Loara 0

Downey Calvary Chapel 10, St. Genevieve 8

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)

QUARTERFINALS

DIVISION 1

Chino Hills at Norco

Ayala at La Mirada

El Modena at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Etiwanda at Temescal Canyon

DIVISION 2

California at Great Oak

JSerra at Palos Verdes

Ganesha at Santa Margarita

La Serna at Los Alamitos

DIVISION 3

Arlington vs. Valencia / Yorba Linda

Marina at St. Paul

Aquinas vs. Kennedy / Royal

Mission Viejo at Westlake

DIVISION 4

Long Beach Poly at Santa Monica

Harvard-Westlake at Dos Pueblos

El Toro at Indio

Elsinore / Warren at Hemet

DIVISION 5

Patriot at St. Bonaventure

Riverside North vs. Highland / Irvine

Canyon Springs at Cerritos

West Ranch vs. Lancaster / La Canada

DIVISION 6

University at Cantwell-Sacred Heart

Ramona Convent vs. Pasadena Poly / La Salle

Adelanto at San Jacinto

Katella at Rio Hondo Prep

DIVISION 7

Westminster at El Monte

Edgewood at Rancho Mirage

Silverado vs. Los Amigos / Culver City

Riverside Notre Dame at Lakeside

DIVISION 8

Cathedral City at Orange

Nuview Bridge / Lennox Academy at United Christian Academy

Hawthorne at Calvary Baptist

Hueneme at Downey Calvary Chapel

Note: Semifinals (all divisions) May 24; Finals (all divisions) May 30-31.