Football: Maranatha's Schilz is healthy and heading to Kansas St.

When Matt Schilz broke his leg last year, in the second game of the season to be exact, things didn't look very promising for his future. Adding insult to injury -- no pun intended -- was the fact that the 6-foot-2 signal caller from Maranatha had just begun to pique the interest of Division I scouts.

Nearly 11 months later, Schilz is seemingly fully recovered. And a good indication of his good health has been the way he's thrown the ball this summer during the numerous quarterback camps he's attended. From the things I've heard, he's received rave reviews from most everyone.

Apparently, Kansas State was one of his biggest supporters around this time last year and recently jumped back on the bandwagon. That was enough to win over Schilz. According to this report, he orally committed to the Wildcats earlier this week despite interest from schools in the Pac-10 Conference.

-- Sean Ceglinsky

Football: Martinez could be the heir apparent at Corona Centennial

One of the summer's more interesting questions surrounding the program over Corona Centennial has been: Who will emerge as the starting quarterback for the Huskies since the graduation of Matt Scott, one of the Southland's most prized prospects a season ago before he committed to Arizona?

Well, it appears as if we have the answer. His name is Taylor Martinez. The 6-foot-1 senior transferred from Cajon recently, has spent most of the last couple of months getting acclimated to his new surroundings and will be No.1 on the depth chart for the team's first practice, Aug. 20.

"We're expecting some big things out of Taylor this year,'' Centennial Coach Matt Logan said. "He has done a good job of fitting in well with his new teammates. He's a smart kid with plenty of poise. He knows about the tradition we have here. He knows we play at a high level.''

Basketball: Rudd and Hankins are in search of a new home -- again

Just got word from one of my buddies that Victor Rudd and Willie Hankins are transferring from Van Nuys to Las Vegas' Findlay Prep. And this sudden development strikes me as very interesting, borderline odd. I mean, we're talking about a couple of youngsters who left Sylmar amid plenty of controversy to join the Wolves not too long ago.

And things were heading in the right direction for both players, particularly Rudd, who appeared to find a home at Van Nuys and was emerging as one of the most sought-after recruits on the West Coast. Now, he's up and leaving? I'm wondering if the 6-foot-8 senior is receiving some bad advice or getting caught up in all the hype surrounding him...

Anyway, the first thing I did once the news broke was to call Wolves Coach Charles White to find out what was going on. Unfortunately, he hasn't returned either of my messages. The Daily News was able to get a hold of him though; click here for some quotes. In the meantime, I plan on doing some more research, so stay tuned for more information.

-- Sean Ceglinsky

Basketball: Inland Empire sophomore is making a name for himself

For those unfamiliar with Dominique Dunning, be prepared for your first introduction. It's time that everyone becomes a bit more informed about the improving abilities of the 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard, who recently transferred from Corona Santiago to Corona Centennial.

As a freshman, he averaged 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, not bad numbers for a rookie playing on a talented Sharks team that made a nice little run in the Southern Section playoffs before losing in the Division II-A semifinals to eventual champion Rancho Verde.

And there's been no slowing him down since. Dunning has opened plenty of eyes during the spring and summer, and though he's far from a finished product, he still figures to be the marquee name at the Slam Jam Sophomore Showcase on Aug. 17 at Taft High.

"I have a lot of pride. I want to be known as one of the best players in the 2011 class, so I'm looking forward to this showcase out in the Valley,'' Dunning said. "I can't wait to go up against some of my peers. A goal of mine is to always do well and this will be a good test for me.''

Football: Mater Dei and Carson open season on ESPN2

ESPN released its high school football broadcast schedule on Wednesday, and it's planning to make another early-season SoCal pit stop.

Mater Dei, led by Gatorade national male athlete of the year Matt Barkley, pictured, will take on defending City Section runner-up Carson at Veterans Stadium in front of the ESPN2 cameras on Sept. 3 at 6 p.m.

I have a feeling we won't see a repeat of last year's parochial vs. L.A. Unified battle, but this game should give us a good idea as to where each team stands. The Monarchs are once again a favorite to take the Pac-5 Division title and Carson figures to be one of the main challengers to Birmingham's quest for a three-peat.

Still, do you know what the best part of all this is? The game starts at 6 p.m! That means we reporter types can actually file a complete game story before deadline (last year, the Notre Dame-Birmingham showdown didn't get over until around 11 p.m.).

Click here to check out ESPN's 19-game coverage schedule.

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Image by Lori Shepler/Los Angeles Times

Football: Long Beach Wilson's Roberts decides, joins Stanford

I'm not sure if anyone has paid attention to the 2009 recruiting class Stanford has been assembling recently, but perhaps it's time to take a closer look. The Cardinal, after all, have been making a big splash on the national scene and added one of the most prized prospects from the Southland on Wednesday morning.

Jemari Roberts orally committed to Stanford, according to these quotes. Interestingly enough, the 6-foot-3 receiver from Long Beach Wilson chose to play for Coach Jim Harbaugh in Palo Alto even though he had been offered a scholarship by every Pac-10 Conference school except UCLA and USC.

On Tuesday afternoon, Stepfan Taylor joined the Stanford family, another huge pickup given that the Texas senior is regarded as one of the top 20 running backs in the nation. San Diego's Levine Toilolo, who's ranked among the country's top five tight ends, jumped on the bandwagon back in March.

Click here for a complete list of the oral commitments the Cardinal have received. And my guess is that they are not finished yet. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Stanford was able to secure a couple more quality players in the near future to complement Roberts and everyone else already on board.

-- Sean Ceglinsky

Basketball: Walker of San Juan Capistrano JSerra commits to USC

Well, that didn't take long. Less than a week ago, this blog hit the Internet and indicated that Demetrius Walker of San Juan Capistrano JSerra was interested in spending his college years at USC. And it appears he's made the all-important decision about his future.

The 6-foot-4 senior orally committed to the Trojans despite having offers from some of the nation's premier programs such as Memphis and Tennessee. Other schools hoping to woo Walker were Arizona and Indiana. Click here for some quotes on the decision-making process.

The pledge was USC's first for the 2009 recruiting class, and a huge one at that. Walker is regarded by most Division I scouts as one of the top shooting guards in the nation, so Tim Floyd & Co. deserve kudos for landing him.

-- Sean Ceglinsky   

Football: South East senior could surprise everyone in the City

Senen Carson was one of the first South East players in uniform and out on the field Monday for the Jaguars' first official practice. And his eagerness to get things started is understandable, given that the 5-foot-8, 215-pound senior running back has a realistic shot of leading the City Section in rushing this season.

For those thinking he has no chance, let's look at the facts. Birmingham's Milton Knox led everyone with 2,210 yards on the ground last year, but he has moved on to UCLA. Reseda's Giovannie Dixon was second with 1,828 yards, Dorsey's Johnathan Franklin was third with 1,732, and like Knox, both were seniors.

I'll give you guys one guess to name the kid who finished fourth. That's right, it was Carson. In 12 games, he gained 1,537 yards on 217 carries and scored 15 touchdowns. His most impressive effort was against Los Angeles in the Invitational playoffs when he carried the ball 23 times for 292 yards and scored three touchdowns.

"Senen means a lot to us, there's no doubt about it,'' South East Coach Roger Satti said. "This will be his fourth season as a starter for us and we're expecting big things again. He's stronger, faster, more mature. He's our go-to guy.''   

Basketball: Guerrero transfers from St. John Bosco to Workman

I had a hunch that Cezar Guerrero might end up leaving St. John Bosco by the time all was said and done this summer. And sure enough, he has. The 5-foot-11 sophomore point guard made things official on Tuesday night, announcing that he has transfered to Workman.

"I have nothing but good things to say about St. John Bosco. Everyone there, all of the coaches, the players, they were all great,'' said Guerrero, a.k.a. CJ. "It came down to me and my family deciding that Workman would end up being a better place for me. It feels right, it feels like the right fit.''

The addition of Guerrero instantly makes the Lobos one of the favorites to win the Montview League title once the season rolls around in December. We are, after all, talking about a player who is regarded by most Division I scouts as one of the top prospects among the 2011 class.

"I am very excited. I can't wait to get things started,'' Guerrero. "And I know people might be wondering why I left a big school like St. John Bosco for a smaller one like Workman. But the player makes the school. The school doesn't make the player. I'm ready to move on and succeed at Workman.''

-- Sean Ceglinsky

Football: Can Birmingham three-peat?

Somehow, I managed to catch Ed Croson in his office Tuesday afternoon, just before the Birmingham head coach made his way out to the field for his team's second practice of the summer, and he was more than happy to engage in some good old-fashioned gridiron talk.

You know what, I would be in a good mood too if I was at the helm of a Patriots program that is the two-time defending City Section champion and winner of four titles in this decade. Moreover, Croson & Co. have to be considered one of the favorites to do it all over again.

"We're not cocky or overconfident, but we're coming into this season with the same goal we have every year, and that's being the best in the City. It's a realistic goal for us,'' Croson said. "Other schools can say they want to win the title, but until they do it, it's just pie in the sky.''