November 24, 2007 | 8:59
pm
If the rugged Marine League schedule wasn't enough, Carson had to defeat arch-rival Banning twice in the past three weeks to reach the City championship semifinals for the second straight year.
To play for the City championship, something Carson last won in 2003, the Colts (10-2) will have to get past Dorsey, the team they beat last year in the quarterfinals. They expect the Dons (9-3) will have payback on their minds this week.
November 24, 2007 | 8:52
pm
The Southern Section Pac-5 Division semifinal football doubleheader Friday at the Home Depot Center in Carson will kick off with the game between second third-seeded Servite (9-2) and third second-seeded Crespi (10-2) at 4:30 p.m.
The other semifinal between top-seeded Long Beach Poly (11-1) and fourth-seeded Orange Lutheran (10-1) is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. This game will be televised live by FSN Prime Ticket.
One admission charge of $12 will allow fans to watch both games. Tickerts are available at the Home Depot box office and at participating schools.
For a complete schedule of Southern Section and City Section semifinal football games this weekend, check here.
-- Editor Bob, courtesy of Eric Maddy, stats guru
November 24, 2007 | 6:28
pm
Austin Trinkle scored three goals, all in the fourth quarter, and Los Alamitos rallied from a 7-5 deficit after three quarters to beat El Toro, 10-9, in the championship game of the Southern Section Masters tournament Saturday at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Complex in Irvine.
For complete scores from the two-day tournament that featured 16 of the best teams in the Southern Section, check here.
November 24, 2007 | 5:56
pm
I'm feeling no disrespect toward either Huntington Park or University. One of them is going to play for the Invitational championship after their semifinal matchup next Friday.
But the other semifinal, Fairfax at Garfield, pits the two best teams left in the Invitational bracket, if you believe the seedings. Garfield (9-3) is seeded second and Fairfax (8-4) is seeded third.
Fairfax Coach Shane Cox offers plenty of respect for the Bulldogs defense, which has settled down after late-season losses to Jordan and Roosevelt.
November 24, 2007 | 4:24
pm
For many, the biggest question heading into Friday's Northern Division quarterfinal matchup between Newbury Park and Valencia was how much are the Vikings going to win by? The same team that tied Hart a month ago and annihilated Canyon in the Foothill League finale was the favorite, and believe me, I got some flak for picking the Panthers in this one.
A guy on the Valencia sidelines pointed out I was one of only four "newspaper guys" to pick Newbury Park (I'm not sure if that's true, though) and, a couple weeks ago, I took some criticism for suggesting the Panthers would knock off Valencia in the quarterfinals.
November 24, 2007 | 4:19
pm
If I could watch Crespi tight end Joseph Fauria for 15 games this season, life would hardly be boring.
He's so fun to observe, then speak to after games. At 6 feet 8, he towers over everyone, including small sportswriters. But he loves to compete so much and his ability to catch a football is as good as it gets for someone his size. I covered his three uncles when they played at Crespi, and they all play the same way: With a relentless passion to succeed, while having fun in the process.
His two touchdown catches against Santa Ana Mater Dei Friday night, measuring 40 and 22 yards, helped put the Celts into the Pac-5 Division semifinals. He picked up a 15-yard penalty for diving into the end zone when there weren't any players around, though.
November 24, 2007 | 2:24
pm
Before I get to the next-to-last race here at the state cross-country finals, I've must fast forward to the meet-ending Division IV boys' championship.
German Fernandez, a senior from Riverbank, just smashed the all-time course record by eight seconds, winning the 5,000-meter race in 14:24. The previous course record was set at a non-state meet event by Marc Davis of San Diego High in 1986. Fernandez blew through the opening mile in 4:28 and covered the last mile in 4:40.
I remember two years ago, when Fernandez pulled a big upset in the Division IV state championships, beating Chad Hall of Big Bear by 37 seconds. Fernandez won that race in 15:14, which remains the second-fastest time by a sophomore at the state finals.
Big Bear won the Division IV team title for the second straight season, as Alberto Solis led the way with a third-place finish in 15:44.
November 24, 2007 | 2:11
pm
When you only have one first down in the final 24 minutes of a playoff game, chances are you're not going to win.
Valencia's comeback season after last year's 2-8 campaign ended Friday with a heart-wrenching, 29-28 loss to third-seeded Newbury Park in the Northern Division quarterfinals.
The main culprit behind the Vikings' demise was its inability to crack the Panthers' defense, especially in the second half, when it was held to only 37 total yards, a 15-yard chunk of which came in the final seconds when all hope was practically gone.
November 24, 2007 | 1:32
pm
The Loyola boys' cross-country team won its third state title in the last six years Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno, totaling 72 points to defeat Petaluma (159) and Woodcreek (166). The Cubs also won a Division I state championship in 2002 and a Division II title in 2004.
"This is a better team," said Frank Meza, the team's co-coach, when asked to compare the school's previous state champions.
November 24, 2007 | 1:26
pm
Esperanza Coach Bill Pendleton was not blinded by his team's 10-1 record going into Friday's Pac-5 Division quarterfinal game against third-seeded Servite.
He understood that while his Aztecs' veer, run-oriented offense could be difficult to prepare for, it was not infallible. And if they could not pass the ball enough to keep opposing defenses honest, their running game could be bottled up.
If the rugged Marine League schedule wasn't enough, Carson had to defeat arch-rival Banning twice in the past three weeks to reach the City championship semifinals for the second straight year.
