August 23, 2008 | 5:46
pm
There are lots of choices to win Southern Section football championships this fall, but one of the true favorites should be Lancaster Paraclete, which returns nine offensive starters from a team that went 12-1 and averaged 36.7 points per game.
Coach Norm Dahlia's Spirits have two standouts in linebacker Kyle Swanson, a 6-foot-1 senior who's entering his third year as a starter, and defensive lineman Todd Davis, a 6-2, 225-pound junior who had 11 sacks last season.
Four of five starters return on the offensive line, and running back Dante Donato gained 785 yards as a fullback.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 23, 2008 | 11:51
am
Nick Montana, the junior quarterback who transferred from Concord De La Salle, has won the competition to start at quarterback for Oaks Christian.
Coach Bill Redell informed Montana and senior Tony Macarena of his decision before Saturday's morning practice session.
Macarena, a transfer from Ventura St. Bonaventure, had been the starter for much of the summer until Montana's arrival.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 23, 2008 | 6:40
am
Lucky Radley, a starting linebacker as a sophomore on Crespi's 2007 Pac-5 Division runner-up team, has enrolled at Taft. The big question, however, is whether he'll be eligible to play this season.
Radley had to leave Crespi after he failed to fulfill an academic requirement to stay in school. To be eligible immediately at Taft, he'll have to move or be given a hardship waiver. If he gains eligibility, he'll be a top player for the Toreadors. He's fast, aggressive and a terrific tackler.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 23, 2008 | 6:40
am
Lucky Radley, a starting linebacker as a sophomore on Crespi's 2007 Pac-5 Division runner-up team, has enrolled at Taft. The big question, however, is whether he'll be eligible to play this season.
Radley had to leave Crespi after he failed to fulfill an academic requirement to stay in school. To be eligible immediately at Taft, he'll have to move or be given a hardship waiver. If he gains eligibility, he'll be a top player for the Toreadors. He's fast, aggressive and a terrific tackler.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 22, 2008 | 12:01
pm
You never know what the City Section is up to, and on Thursday, Commissioner Barbara Fiege told athletic directors that night football games scheduled for Halloween on Oct. 31 might have to be postponed because there would not be enough school police available.
By Friday morning, Fiege was feeling better. "It's much less a concern today than yesterday," she said.
There will be enough security available, but she's looking for several schools to voluntarily change games to Thursday night to help with the expected crunch for police personnel.
One problem is that Oct. 31 is the night for the Crenshaw-Dorsey game, where close to 30 police will be needed for security. That puts a burden on school and LAPD officers across the city, but it looks like football will be played on Halloween night in the City Section.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 21, 2008 | 7:21
pm
Defending City Section champion Birmingham might have found a promising defensive end to help replace the Jackson twins with the arrival of 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior Marquelle Henderson from Boise, Idaho.
Henderson practiced for the first time on Thursday. He moved to the area to live with his father, David, who was a Fairfax High basketball player in the 1980s. Henderson supposedly has good speed and athleticism. Coach Ed Croson is taking a wait and see approach but adding a defensive lineman would be good news for the Patriots.
One certainty is the improvement by senior quarterback Morey Croson. His arm is much stronger than a year ago, and that should bring smiles to USC-bound receiver De'Von Flournoy, who should be getting lots of long passes to catch.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 20, 2008 | 4:48
pm
My offseason vow to write less about Darrell Scott, pictured, is getting off to a bad start.
But I figured someone might want to know that Colorado isn't planning to have Scott carry it to the top of the Big 12 -- at least for now, anyway.
Colorado Coach Dan Hawkins told the Associated Press he's "not putting any pressure on [Scott] to lead us to the next level." This year is going to be more of a learning experience for the former St. Bonaventure standout even though he could still see a good amount of playing time in the backfield and on special teams.
It's good to see the Buffs are taking a slow approach toward acclimating Scott to the college game. With two other backs in front of him on the depth chart, Mr. Five Star will have time to grow and get more accustomed to the altitude and climate differences.
August 20, 2008 | 2:29
pm
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Jordan Barrett will be one of the first players to arrive at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Thursday for the team's first official practice, and one of the last guys to leave. Mind you, the senior has a reputation for being one of the hardest workers around, so I feel safe with my prediction.
Establishing his presence as a leader from Day 1 will be key for Barrett, who is expected to assume a bigger, perhaps more vocal role this season for the Knights since the graduation of several key players from last year. And all signs point to the three-year starter being a more than capable replacement.
"Jordan has an unmatched work ethic. Naturally, his teammates look up to him,'' Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney said. "There's no reason for me not to expect him to come to camp and set the tone for us right from the get-go. We're counting on him to step up. If anyone is capable of doing that, it's Jordan Barrett.''
August 20, 2008 | 2:07
pm
Mission Viejo self-reported a Southern Section rules violation of the summer dead period rule, with Coach Bob Johnson and assistant Bret Johnson being suspended for one practice as punishment.
-- Eric Sondheimer
August 20, 2008 | 12:29
pm
Texas-bound Amanda Lisberger from Brentwood and San Diego-bound Danielle Russell from Long Beach Wilson have been named to the EA SPORTS All-American girls' soccer team.
-- Eric Sondheimer
