Spoke with a ton of athletes during Saturday's CIF state championships at Cerritos College, so many that I used nearly half of the paper in my reporter's notebook. In retrospect, German Fernandez was among the most entertaining kids to talk with.
I suppose I should mention that the senior from Riverbank High stole the show too. First, he broke the state meet record in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:00.29. And for good measure, Fernandez set the national national record in the 3,200, winning in 8:34.23.
Afterward, he was candid. He spoke about his performance and his plans for the rest of the weekend. Celebrating at Disneyland was not an option, though. Fernandez was more concerned with heading back to Stanislaus County in time for his job as a host at Applebee's on Sunday.
Right before the Valencia-Simi Valley game started, a gentlemen from the Southern Section office taped a sign to the tables in the makeshift press box here at Barber Park. The sign said that the entire stadium needed to be "evacuated" before 9:30 p.m.
"I think they meant to say vacated," my colleague Martin Henderson pointed out.
Whatever the case, the Valencia girls are loudly signing "We Are the Champions" in the parking lot, reporters are feverishly typing into their laptops and the stadium light were just turned off. That's my cue to vacate the venue.
Hope you enjoyed our coverage of the Southern Section-Toyota softball championship games the last two days. To relive all the scores and highlights, click here.
When the season ended, Valencia was ranked No. 4 in The Times' rankings. Simi Valley was No. 7 in those same rankings.
Even though Simi Valley, with its previously unbeaten record, was seeded No. 1 for the Southern Section-Toyota Division I playoffs and recently ascended to the nation's top spot in the StudentSports.com's rankings, the Pioneers were not that much better than Valencia-- at least, that's what I'm told.
With both of these teams being so evenly matched, Valencia's 3-0 victory Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine can hardly be considered an upset. If anything, it's vindication for the now two-time champions for ever being doubted. (For the record, they were not doubted by my colleague Martin Henderson, who told me before the game that he thought Valencia would win.)
So, having said all of that, using my best LL Cool J impersonation, don't call this an upset. Momma said knock you out.
Simi Valley made it interesting at the end, but Valencia held on and beat the Pioneers, 3-0, to win their second consecutive Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine.
With runners on first and second with one out, Ali Mapes hit a line drive right back to pitcher Jessica Spigner, who caught the ball and threw to first for the game-ending double play.
Spigner, who was walked three times, finished with a four-hitter.
Simi Valley is down to its last at-bat Saturday night at Barber Park in Irvine. The Pioneers were able to hold Valencia scoreless in the bottom of the sixth inning and trail, 3-0.
Valencia is looking to repeat as Southern Section-Toyota Division I champions.
Valencia has had a runner reach second base in every inning of this Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game, including just now in the bottom of the sixth. Simi Valley, on the other hand, had a runner reach second for the first time in the top of the sixth.
The Vikings are looking to add to their 3-0 lead with a runner on second with one out and Jessica Spigner in the on-deck circle.
The Long Beach Poly girls' team took care of business in the 1,600 relay, winning in 3 minutes 40.87 seconds to capture the CIF state team title with 39 points Saturday at Cerritos College. It's the third consecutive state title for the Jackrabbits.
Dominguez clinched its first state track and field team title by winning the 1,600 relay. The Dons leapfrogged Los Gatos and finished with 36 points. Long Beach Poly was second in the relay and tied Los Gatos with 32 points, ending its two-year winning streak at this meet.
--Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Valencia has definitely turned Barber Park into their house, with a fireplace and everything.
The Vikings added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning Saturday night and lead Simi Valley, 3-0, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game.
With runners on second and third, Simi Valley replaced starting pitcher, Amanda Oliveto, a sophomore, with Kelli-Jo Killingsworth, a junior, who got out of the inning without giving up another run.
Oliveto's final line: 4 2/3 innings pitched, eight hits, two runs, two earned runs, two walks and one strikeout.
Valencia is only six outs away from upsetting
the top-seeded Pioneers, who are also ranked No. 1 in the nation,
according to StudentSports.com.
Whew! What a meet the 2008 CIF state championships has turned out to be.
Jordan Hasay of San Luis Obispo Mission Prep broke a state meet record in the girls' 3,200 meters, holding off Laurynne Chetelat of Davis to win the eight-lap event in a stunning 9 minutes 52.13 seconds Saturday afternoon at Cerritos College. Chetelat finished in 9:52.51, which was also bettered the previous state meet record of 9:52.80, established by Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks in 1996.
Not to be outdone, German Fernandez of Riverbank came back from his record-setting time in the boys' 1,600 to smash the national record in the 3,200, winning in 8:34.23. The previous national high school mark was 8:41.10, established by Dathan Ritzenhein of Rockford, Mich., in 2000.
Combined with Christine Babcock's national record in the girls' 1,600, long-time track enthusiasts are calling this meet the greatest distance performance display they've ever since at the high school level.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
In the bottom of the fourth inning Saturday night, Valencia's Madison Shipman, a sophomore, drove-in Shannon Fitzgerald with a two-out double to center. In the top of the fifth, pitcher Jessica Spigner put down SImi Valley in order on only five pitches.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Valencia is ahead, 2-0, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.
Simi Valley has yet to really figure out Valencia pitcher Jessica Spigner, who figures to be a third baseman -- not a pitcher -- at the next level. The Pioneer's did get a hit, their first of the game, but no more.
Heading into the top of the fourth, Valencia is holding on to a 1-0 lead in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.
Tennessee-bound Jessica Spigner, pictured, got a hit in the top of the third inning, but Simi Valley manged to get out of the inning without allowing a run. My colleague Martin Henderson says that if Valencia continues to get runners on base like they are doing so far, they'll eventually blow the game open.
The Pioneer's are at the plate now.
Heading into the bottom of the third, Valencia is ahead, 1-0, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.
Task completed. Randall Carroll of L.A. Cathedral motored to victory in the 200 meters Saturday evening, clocked at 20.91 seconds, the top time in the state and fourth-fastest in the country. Carroll pulled away down the stretch, as if the rest of the field was standing still. Carroll also won the 100 in a state-leading 10.42 at the CIF state championships at Cerritos College
Joey Hughes of Long Beach Poly finished fourth in 21.53, leaving Poly two points behind Dominguez heading into the final event, the 1,600 relay. Poly needs to win and hope the Dons finished third or lower. That's the only way the Jackrabbits can win the team title outright. Unfortunately for Poly, Dominguez owns the top time in the nation in the event.
Valencia struck first. Simi Valley looks nervous. The Pioneers commited a costly two-out error in the second inning that led to a run-- the game's only so far. Shannon Fitzgerald, who reached second on a fielding error by the first baseman, scored on a single to right by Alyssa Garza.
Heading into the third inning, Valencia is up, 1-0, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.
Valencia's Tennesse-bound Jessica Spigner took care of Simi Valley in 1-2-3 style in the first inning. Simi Valley's Amanda Oliveto, pictured, gave up two singles to the Vikings but got out of the inning without giving up a run.
Heading into the second inning Saturday night, Valencia and Simi Valley are tied, 0-0, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.
Kori Carter of Claremont won the girls' 300 hurdles in a personal-best 41.28, which remains the No. 3 time in the nation this season. Carter, just a sophomore, also finished fourth in the 100 hurdles.
Anna Jelmini of Shafter becomes the second double winner of the day, taking the girls' shot put with a mark of 48-3 1/2. Jelmini won the discus earlier. Jelmini has personally put Shafer in a tie for second place in the team competition with 20 points. Long Beach Poly leads with 28. With two athletes remaining in the triple jump and a strong 1,600 relay team, the Jackrabbits could be tough to catch at this point.
Dayshan Ragans of Bakersfield Foothill also won both the weight events in the boys' competition. His winning throw in the boys' discus was measured at 202-6, seventh best in the nation this season.
Even two wins in field events doesn't better what Harrison Steed of San Juan Capistrano JSerra accomplished in the boys' high jump. He couldn't clear 7-3, but his winning effort of 7-1 is easily the best boys' field event mark of the day, especially considering he's only a sophomore.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Simi Valley (30-0), the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, according to StudentSports.com, and Valencia (28-5-1) are set to meet in the Southern Section-Toyota Division I championship game Saturday night at Barber Park in Irvine. The premise for this matchup up is simple: If Simi Valley wins, it will cap off an undefeated season with a mythical national championship.
Harrison Steed, a sophomore at San Juan Capistrano JSerra, just cleared a personal-best 7 feet 1 inch in the boys' high jump Saturday afternoon at Cerritos College. No athlete has gone higher than 7-0 at the CIF state meet since Jason Howard of Bakersfield Ridgeview went 7-1 in 1997. Steed is now taking aim at 7-3.
Good race in the girls' 800, as Anniya Lewis of Culver CIty made a big move with about 300 meters remaining and held off Mia Lattanazi of Palo Alto to win in 2:10.29. Lewis was in midpack on the final backstretch but moved into first with about 50 meters remaining. It appeared she had the victory sewed up, but out of nowhere, Lattanazi moved up on the inside and nearly outleaned Lewis at the finish. Lattanazi finished second in 2:10.32.
Charles Jock of Pacific Beach Mission Bay made a similar move in the boys' 800 and sped to victory in 1:51.64. I bet when kids at his school call him a Jock, he doesn't mind.
--Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Here's the set-up. The score was 2-1 in favor of Bishop Amat. The inning was the sixth. There are no outs and the bases were loaded for Ocean View. Junior Brandice Cutspec, the seventh batter in the order, came up to the plate. She swung at the first pitch she saw.
Randall Carroll of L.A. Cathedral is officially the fastest high school runner in the state. Carroll just blazed to victory in a wind-legal state-leading 10.42 seconds, and it wasn't even close Saturday afternoon at the CIF state championships at Cerritos College. Carroll, third in state in the event last season, finished well ahead of runner-up Charles Saseun of Rancho Cucamonga (10.63), who finished second last season as well.
Let's see if Carroll can get that second victory in the 200. He'll have tough company in Joey Hughes of Long Beach Poly, who will not only be running for individual honors, but also for key points in the team title race.
Everybody can't be fast today, though. Ashton Purvis of Oakland St. Elizabeth won the girls' 100 in 11.92, the slowest time since the meet went to the metric system in 1980. Purvis, who has a best of 11.74 seconds this season, ran into a pretty stiff headwind of -1.9 meters per second.
Jessica Davis of Highland, another sophomore, was second in 11.97, setting up a great rivalry for years to come. Top qualifier Valexsia Droughn, a freshman at Rio Mesa, got off to a poor start and finished eighth in 12.30.
I had a chance to catch up with Evant Orange, the anchor for the Long Beach Poly boys' 400 relay team, after the Jackrabbits' narrow victory over Compton Dominguez during Saturday's CIF state championships at Cerritos College, and he had plenty to say.
With good reason, too, given the nature of the race.
Fans in the stands are still talking about the way Orange, somehow, someway, leaned his body, seemingly like a contortionist, to cross the finish line ahead of the Dons' Manoah Wesson. Honestly, it was as close a finish as I've seen. Most in the press box would agree.
"I thought I was going to fall at one point but I just kept going for it,'' Orange said. "I knew if I stayed calm and focused, stay composed, we could get the victory. I had to find a way to win. I couldn't let my team down.''
-- Sean Ceglinsky
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Viewpoint held on to its lead and beat Faith Baptist, 2-1, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division VII championship game Saturday afternoon at Barber Park in Irvine.
Michelle Lesser, who pitched a one-hitter, retired the last nine batters in a row. She also scored the game-winning run after getting on-base with a one-out triple in the bottom of the sixth.
The title is the school's first section softball championship. It's also their second section title of the day -- the baseball team won its Division VII final as wel l-- and their fourth of the school year.
Long Beach Poly just picked up more points in the girls' 400 meters, as freshman Akawkaw Ndipagbor won in a nation-leading 53.35 seconds and her teammate, defending champion Jasmine Joseph, finished second.
That's two firsts and a second, overall, for the Jackrabbits, but I'm sure they wish they would've had a 400 relay team out there earlier. The co-state leaders failed to advance when they dropped the baton in Friday's preliminaries.
Ndipagbor wore all white and Joseph wore all gold, which was a little strange. They won't be able to get away with that in a relay, as the uniforms are required to be identical in those events.
The race for the boys' team title is looking more like it will come down to Long Beach Poly and Dominguez. Devron Walker won the 110 hurdles in 13.96 for Dominguez, but Poly's Joey Hughes came back to win the 400 in a nation-leading 46.28, beating out Dominguez sophomore Leon Dillihunt.
By my math, Dominguez has 26 points to Poly's 20. If you remember, the Dons also have the nation's best 1,600 relay team, but Hughes has a good chance to add to Poly's total in the 200, and the Jackrabbits' four-lap relay team isn't bad either.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Viewpoint is three outs away from winning the Southern Section-Toyota Division VII title. The Patriots are leading Faith Baptist, 2-1, heading into the seventh inning Saturday afternoon.
Viewpoint took the lead after pitcher Michelle Lesser led off the sixth inning with a triple -- the first triple of the weekend at Barber Park in Irvine -- and then scored two batters later on a ground ball by Kelsey Kaplan.
Neither team scored in the fifth inning. Heading into the sixth, Viewpoint and Faith Baptist are still tied, 1-1, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division VII championship game Saturday afternoon at Barber Park in Irvine.
Faith Baptist had the best chance to score. Osose Oboh led off the fifth with a walk and then stole second and third. With two outs and Oboh still at third, Cherith Simmons was barely thrown out on a grounder to shortstop.
Wow....and people thought this CIF state meet would be boring compared to last season's. Not so far.
After Christine Babcock of Woodbridge lowered her National Federation of High School Assns. record in the girls' 1,600 meters, German of Fernandez of Riverbank nearly broke a NFHS record, winning the four-lap race in 4 minutes 29 seconds, the third-fastest time in NFHS history.
Fernandez's time broke the state-meet record of 4:02.62 set by Ryan Hall of Big Bear in 2001. This will undoubtedly be remembered as the year of the 1,600.
Who can top those performances?
Vashti Thomas of San Jose Mt. Pleasant gave it a try, winning the girls' long jump with a mark of 20-2 1/4 and the 100 hurdles in 13.44, making her the first double winner of the day. The girls' discus has also concluded, with state leader Anna Jelmini of Shafter taking first with a toss of 169-4, well off her season best of 183-11, however.
We have another Southern Section winner as well. Cameron Gillette of La Mirada won the boys' long jump with a wind-aided mark of 24-1 1/4.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Viewpoint and Faith Baptist fans, where are you? Simi Valley fans are starting to outnumber fans of Faith Baptist and Viewpoint, which are currently enthralled in a 1-1 game heading into the fifth inning of the Southern Section-Toyota Division VII championship game.
Simi Valley, which moved up to No. 1 in the nation in the Student Sports rankings yesterday, play Valencia in the Division I final later tonight here at Barber Park in Irvine.
Christine Babcock of Woodbridge just lowered her National Federation of High School Assns. record in the girls' 1,600 meters, winning the four-lap race in 4 minutes 33.82 seconds.
Babcock came up a fraction of a second short of breaking the national high school record, as Polly Plumer of Irvine University won the mile in 4:35.24 in 1982, which converts to 4:33.65 over 1,600 meters. Plumer set that mark in an open race at UCLA, thus it's not a NHSF record.
Babcock, who set the previous NHSF record of 4:36.57 at the Masters meet on this same track last week, came through the first lap in 1:05.09, the halfway point in 2:16 and 800 meters in 3:27.
Her effort pretty much made everyone forget about the great come-from-behind victory by Long Beach Poly in the boys' 400 relay. Dominguez took the handoff with about a five-meter lead, but the Jackrabbits' anchor, Evant Orange, switched gears and outleaned Manoah Wesson at the finish line. Their time of 41.26 wasn't even their best time of the season, but the close finish made it more than exciting. Dominguez finished runner-up in 41.27.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
Faith Baptist gets the run back in the top part of the third and is now even with Viewpoint Saturday afternoon at Barber Park in Irvine. Heading into the fourth inning, Viewpoint and Faith Baptist are tied, 1-1, in their Southern Section-Toyota Division VII championship game.
Faith Baptist seems to have scouted Viewpoint's battery very well as they stole three bases in that inning. Julianne Ramussen, who reached base with a walk, scored the run after having stolen second base and then moving to third on a ground ball to the shortstop.
Two errors by Faith Baptist led to a run by Viewpoint in the bottom of the second inning. Brooke Berka, who led off the inning with a double, scored the run.
Heading into the third inning, Viewpoint is ahead of Fath Baptist, 1-0, in the Southern Section-Toyota Division VII championship game Saturday afternoon at Barber Park in Irvine.
Huge effort by Tara Richmond of Long Beach Poly in the girls' high jump Saturday afternoon at the CIF state track and field championships at Cerritos College. After five competitors cleared 5 feet 9 in the event, Richmond was the only one to make it over 5-11. It's a personal best for the sophomore and the fourth-best mark in the nation.
Inglewood St. Mary's just took the girls' 400 relay in 46.41, taking the baton with a clear lead and stretching it out over the final 100 meters. Poly was the state leader in the event coming into the preliminaries, but dropped the baton and had to sit the championship out. That's why Richmond's win in the high jump was big in terms of team points.
The boys' shot put has also wrapped up and Dayshan Ragans of Bakersfield is the winner with a mark of 62-10. Nigel Davies of Loyola finished third at 60-6 1/2.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
The first state champion has been crowned Saturday at the CIF state finals at Cerritos College.
Emily Mattoon of Rancho Bernardo cleared 12 feet 6 inches on her first try to win the pole vault. Kelsy Hintz of Crescent City Del Norte also cleared 12-6 on her first try, but she had more misses at lower heights, leaving her in second.
The only Southland athlete to qualify in the event was Melissa Morris of Cypress, and she finished seventh at 11-6.
The girls' high jump is heating up, as five have cleared 5-9. Other field events currently in progress are the boys' and girls' long jump and the boys' shot put and girls' discus.
Running events are scheduled to begin at 4:02 p.m. It's in the high 70s here at Cerritos College, with about a five-mile-an-hour wind blowing out of the south, which will hit the backs of the horizontal jumpers and the 100-meter competitors.
-- Dan Arritt
Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the CIF state championship meet, check here.
The stadium here at Barber Park in Irvine is empty. The emptiest I've seen it the last two days (not including last night when Martin Henderson, Carlos Arias of the OC Register and myself were the last ones to leave after the El Modena-Glendora game).
And the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV championship game between Viewpoint and Faith Baptist is just moments from starting. What's going on you ask?
I'm guessing some Viewpoint fans are making their way down to Irvine, right now. A lot of Bishop Amat fans, including Athletic Director Michael Manzo, were planning on doing the same thing, except the other way around-- Bishop Amat, which lost in the Division IV softball final to Ocean View, 8-3, is playing in the Division IV baseball championship against St. Paul at UC Riverside later tonight.
Michael Cameron hit a three-run home run in the third inning and pitchers Ben Salzman and Gil Brozki combined on a five-hitter as Viewpoint (19-8) avenged a loss in last year's Division VII final with a 7-2 victory over Upland Christian in this year's Southern Section-Toyota division final on Saturday at UC Riverside.
Viewpoint won its first section title by taking advantage of eight hits and three errors by Upland Christian (19-11).
The Patriots took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Jordan Kaplan's single drove in Harrison Bernsen and Kaplan later scored on a passed ball.
Right now, about eight guys are squashing Chatsworth's Trevor Takeyama.
He just struck out the final Narbonne batter of the game and the Chancellors have won their second consecutive section title with an easy 7-2 victory in the City Section Championship Division final Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.
Takeyama unfurled a masterful five-hitter, as he, unofficially, struck out seven and walked three. That's why the poor guy's on the bottom of the massive pile of celebrating bodies right now.
The eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning were more than enough for Ocean View, which scored an 8-3 victory Saturday in the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.
Bishop Amat rallied in the bottom of the seventh to pushed across one run, and had the bases loaded when right fielder Sara Craig made a shoestring catch to end the game.
The sixth inning mercifully ended for Bishop Amat, but not before the Lancers were beat up for eight runs by Ocean View Saturday afternoon at Barber Park in Irvine.
All told, Ocean View sent 12 batters to the plate, had seven hits, including Brandice Cutspec's grand slam, and took advantage of two errors. The Seahawks stranded a runner, but were pretty unconcerned about that.
Going into the seventh inning, Ocean View has an 8-2 lead and is on the cusp of winning the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV title.
Narbonne nicked Chatworth's Trevor Takeyama for a run in the fifth inning of the City Section Championship Division final Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. But it feels as if it could've been more for the Gauchos, who had runners on first and second when the inning finally ended. You can see Takeyama was fading a little.
Doesn't matter, though -- the Chancellors picked up a run moments ago on a single, a walk and an error in the sixth.
The score is 7-2, Chatsworth, as we head into the bottom of the sixth.
Amy Lwin, the Bishop Amat pitcher, has been working magic all afternoon. She stranded runners on base in each of the first five innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, however, there were no more rabbits in her hat.
Her error allowed Sara Craig to reach base, then consecutive hits by Nikole Afusia and Brenna Klein scored Craig with Ocean View's first run. With runners at first and second, Holli Floetker -- who earlier had singled deep to center field and flied out deep to right -- stepped to the plate. Her ground ball was mishandled by the third baseman.
With the bases loaded, junior first baseman Brandice Cutspec hit a grand slam over the left-center field fence.
Ocean View pitcher Holli Floetker carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. She had eight strikeouts. She finally gave up a hit in the top of the sixth inning, a clean one-out single by No. 1 batter Erika Gonzalez, who stole second base and took third base on a bunt single by Alissa Oddo.
Gonzalez scored her second run when on a fielding error by the shortstop.
Bishop Amat has a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning in the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV championship game Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine.
Holly Floetker still has a no-hitter against Bishop Amat in the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV championship game Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine, but she is also down a run through four innings.
Ocean View, which hasn't played nearly as difficult a schedule as Bishop Amat, fell behind in the top of the inning without giving up a hit. A throwing error by the sophomore shortstop allowed leadoff batter Erika Gonzalez to get aboard. She took second on a sacrifice, third on a passed ball, and -- after a walk to Alyssa Ramirez -- home on a double steal.
Yet, Ocean View had a play on to counter the steal attempt as Arizona State-bound catcher Nikole Afusia threw to second baseman Celine Fuentes, who threw back to Afusia in a slow developing play.
Gonzalez, the runner at third, slid home easily ahead of the tag.
You know it's not pretty when you hear mumblings of the mercy rule in the press box.
That's right, Chatsworth just torched the scoreboard for three more runs in the fourth inning of the City Section Championship Division final Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The Chancellors did it on two singles, a walk, a sacrifice bunt and some sloppy Narbonne play. Gauchos shortstop Carlos Avila threw away a ball to let Chatworth's sixth run score.
So the Chancellors lead, 6-1, heading into the bottom of the fourth. And, in the press box, we're already thinking mercy. Mercy me.
Holly Floetker, the towering sophomore pitcher from Ocean View, has struck out five of the first seven batters she has faced. She looks like the school's best pitcher since Kathy Ponce in the mid-1990s.
Ponce went on to Arizona State and later became coach at Ocean View for a few years. I think the furthest OV advanced when Ponce was there was the semis, or maybe the quarters, but that team was good and playing in a higher division. At that time, OV was in the Sea View League. No, make that the Sunset League. I get my "S" leagues confused.
It's 0-0 through 2 1/2 innings of the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV championship Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine.
So, Narbonne starter Chris Park got the hook after 1 1/3 innings and reliever Matt Durbin has doused the flames in the City Section Championship Division final Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Durbin pitched a solid third inning while Chatworth's Trevor Takeyama has also nestled into a groove, retiring eight consecutive hitters.
Chatsworth still leads, 3-1, heading into the fourth.
The Chancellors picked up two runs on two doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning and their starter, Trevor Takeyama, recorded a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the inning against Narbonne in the City Section Championship Division final Saturday afteroon at Dodger Stadium.
So, here we go to the third with Chatsworth leading, 3-1.
Bishop Amat and Ocean View have taken the field for the Southern Section-Toyota Division IV championship game Saturday afternoon at Barber Park in Irvine.
It's a chance for redemption for the San Gabriel Valley after El Modena beat Glendora, 12-4, in Friday night's Division II final.
If Amat is unable to restore some pride back to the SGV, maybe Fred Robledo of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune will challenge Carlos Arias of the Orange County Register to a UFC-style cage match.
Ocean View, wearing black uniforms, is the visiting team. Amat, in blue and gray, is batting second.
Got some early thrills here at the City Section Championship Division title game Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, and I'm not talking about how fast I can down a Dodger Dog.
Chatsworth scored in the first inning when Ryan Cooperstone singled home James Wharton, who walked and stole second. Here's where it got thrilling: In the bottom of the inning, Narbonne responded with a run when Kahana Fitisemanu singled home Carlos Avila -- then, on two consecutive plays, shortstop Kasey Toven gunned down runners at the plate.
With opposing runners on second and third and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Torrance elected to pitch to sophomore Sammy Alvillar instead of intentionally walking her to load the bases, in which case Olivia Alvarez, who hit a home run in the third inning, would have come to bat. It didn't matter.
Alvillar smacked a ground ball to second base and North Torrance's Alexis Vernon, who was on third, beat the throw to home to give the third-seeded Saxons a 2-1 victory in the Southern Section-Toyota Division V championship game Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine.
Top-seeded Torrance had previously defeated North Torrance by scores of 3-0 and 3-2 in Bay League play.
The other big play in this game was that controversial call in the third inning that allowed Alvarez to continue her at-bat, and she hit a home run.
It's 15 minutes before noon and the start of the City Section Championship Division final at Dodger Stadium, and the big question is: Where are all the Chatsworth fans? There are fewer than 50 sitting on the first-base side, while Narbonne has several hundred on the third-base side.
Maybe the Chancellors' fans will be late-arriving. After all, it is Dodger Stadium.
Since this Saturday morning game has the potential to go extra innings, the reporters at Barber Park in Irvine asked CIF officials what the rule was concerning extra innings? Do the teams just keep playing until there is a winner, or is it called after a certain amount of time?
The answer: Each game today is being played under a time limit of three hours. The game is called at that time and if the score is tied, the team's are declared co-champions.
There's only been one co-champion in the history of the Southern Section softball playoffs, which began in 1974. That occurred in 1987, when Laguna Hills and Woodbridge were declared co-champions of Division 2-A.
Heading into the seventh inning, the last of regulation play, North Torrance and Torrance are still tied, 1-1.
Torrance pitcher Jessica Moon put down North Torrance's batters 1-2-3 in fifth inning with a lot of help from shortstop Karina Scott, who got an assist on all three outs. Moon also pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning. She seems to be on a roll.
After five innings, the Southern Section-Toyota Division V championship game is still tied 1-1 at Barber Park in Irvine.
Remember that I blogged that North Torrance pitcher Danielle Castro was having control issues? Remember? Well, she walked two to start the fourth inning and then threw a wild pitch to put those runners on second and third.
Torrance's Lauren DeCastro roped a single to left and the score is tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth at Barber Park in Irvine, site of Saturday's Southern Section-Toyota Division V championship.
North Torrance's Olivia Alvarez grounded out to the shortstop. I saw it. There was no disputing it. But according to the umpire, the ball had some markings on it and so the pitch was ruled illegal. A do-over was called.
With new life at the plate, Alvarez, a junior, hit a solo home run to left field to give North Torrance a 1-0 lead over rival Torrance in the third inning of their Southern Section-Toyota Division V championship game Saturday at Barber Park in Irvine.
Nothing of note happened in the first two innings. North Torrance pitcher Danielle Castro has allowed only one hit after three innings, but she's had control issues the entire game.
Freshman Mathew Troupe of Granada Hills stamped himself as a player to watch for 2009 and beyond with a four-hit shutout of Bell in the City Section Invitational Division final Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
The Highlanders won, 1-0. They got a game-ending double play in the seventh inning when the second base umpire ruled that a sliding Bell runner tried to illegally take out the Granada Hills shortstop.
Granada Hills Coach Josh Lienhard goes out a winner. He moves on to take over the program at El Camino Real and will be replaced by his assistant, Steve Thompson, a former coach at Granada Hills.
