Football: St. Francis tournament set for today

With temperatures heading into the triple digits, La Canada St. Francis will host a passing tournament today that begins at 3 p.m.

One pool as the host Golden Knights, Glendale, Simi Valley Royal and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. The other pool as La Canada, Crescenta Valley, Moorpark and Valencia.

The championship game will be played at 7:30 p.m.

St. Francis is expected to be getting a new quarterback. Brett Nelson, a 6-foot-3 junior who played last season at Los Angeles Loyola, is in the process of transferring to St. Francis.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Baseball: Another Bonds making a name for himself at St. Francis

Forget about St. Francis football Coach Jim Bonds. It's his son, James, who's making news as a baseball player.

The junior outfielder was named a player of the game while participating in a three-game Elite Baseball Series at UCLA. Bonds went two for three with two runs batted in.

He's also a backup quarterback for the football team.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Baseball: Locals help U.S. team win at Maccabiah Games

Former Calabasas infielder Adam Landecker had seven runs batted in, former Simi Valley catcher Drew Sandler hit a three-run home run and Woodland Hills Taft infielder Jordan Berger had a two-run home run to lead the U.S. team past Israel, 29-1, at the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Max Fried from Van Nuys Montclair Prep had two hits and two RBIs while recording the last six outs of the game, striking out five.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Baseball: A sophomore pitcher ready to be an impact player

I went to watch a baseball game Monday afternoon. I was skeptical about how good sophomore pitcher Lucas Giolito of North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake would be. He turns 15 today, and I was stunned by how smooth and effective he is for someone who hardly pitched on varsity as a freshman and has grown close to five inches in a year's time.

Coach Matt LaCour told me that Giolito is going to be outstanding, and I agree. He has so much room for improvement, being 6-foot-5 and just learning how to use his whole body. LaCour said Giolito was clocked touching 91 mph last weekend at the Valley Invitational Baseball League All-Star Game, and I believe it.

He threw six innings against Moorpark, giving up two runs, none earned, allowing three hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. He has 29 strikeouts in 28 innings this summer.

Next spring, he'll become a starter in the pitching rotation. He'll get to face some very good hitters in the tough Mission League, but I have no doubt he's going to be the next top pitcher from the San Fernando Valley.

Here's video of Giolito pitching and talking about his summer development.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Baseball: Pitchers take charge in VIBL all-star games

They played two all-star baseball games Saturday night at Birmingham in the Valley Invitational Baseball League, and the pitchers were dominant.

In the first game, the American League defeated the National League, 1-0, with North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake's Joe Cadiff driving in the game's only run with a single. One of the most impressive pitchers was sophomore Lucas Giolito of Harvard-Westlake. He threw a scoreless inning on seven pitches.

In the second game, Crespi's Kevin Williams hit a two-run home run, but he was on the losing side. The National League defeated the American League, 4-2.

Valencia West Ranch (13-1) and Chatsworth (16-3) continue to lead the league standings. Playoffs begin this month.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: Edison proves it's no summer fluke

Huntington Beach Edison knocked off Westlake Village Oaks Christian for the third time this summer, defeating the Lions, 20-6, Saturday in the championship game of the Edison seven-on-seven tournament.

Say what you want about the Chargers, but their seven skill-position players have shown they are the best without pads on as a group. They didn't lose in the Dana Hills tournament and they went 6-0 on Saturday.

Quarterback Matt Viles, receiver Jeff Trojan and linebacker Jordan Zumwalt were among Edison's standouts. Oaks Christian has had trouble scoring against Edison all summer. Santa Ana Mater Dei defeated Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in the consolation final.

West Covina South Hills made it to the semifinals before losing to Oaks Christian. Receiver Ify Umodu, whose brothers Tobi and Kebin attend UCLA and Air Force, respectiively, played well for South Hills. See the video below for a look at Umodu.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: Alemany, St. Francis decide to wait until the fall

Mission League rivals Alemany and St. Francis advanced to the finals of the Hart passing tournament Friday, but then the two schools decided not to play.

"It was mutual agreement," Alemany Coach Dean Herrington said.

Besides Herrington and St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds being good friends, the two schools don't want to show anything to each other with a matchup looming this fall. And it was hot, too.

But Alemany would have been the favorite, because the Warriors have won every tournament they've entered this summer except one, and that loss was to Westlake Village Oaks Christian.

St. Francis' top player was running back-defensive back Dietrich Riley.

On Saturday, there are passing tournaments throughout the Southland, with seven-on-seven tourneys at Huntington Beach Edison, Mission Viejo, Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe, L.A. Valley College, Oxnard Rio Mesa, Claremont and Los Angeles Crenshaw.

Next Friday, St. Francis is hosting a tournament. Alemany is not invited.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Softball mound being pushed back in rule change

Among the rule changes announced by the National Federation of State High School Associations are the pitching distance in softball will move from 40 to 43 feet starting in 2010 and instant replay may be used in state championship basketball.

Here are sports rule changes.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Golf: Valencia's Homa wins tournament with a clutch birdie

Max Homa, a Valencia High grad headed to California, won the Ventura County Junior Golf Association's Taylor Made Cup at Robinson Ranch in a one-hole playoff over JJ Holen from Valencia West Ranch.

Both finished tied for first at 145 after 36 holes. Homa earned his victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Michelle Chun of Chino Hills won the girls' championship division with rounds of 76-77.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Big weekend ahead for high school sports

It's the busiest weekend yet for high school sports, with all-star football games, the top summer passing tournament and an all-star baseball game.

The Orange County North-South All-Star Football Game is set for Friday at 7:15 p.m. at Orange Coast College. It's Barnes vs. Barnes, with Los Alamitos Coach John Barnes coaching against his son, Tesoro Coach Brian Barnes.

On Saturday night, the Fiesta Bowl will take place, matching all-star senior players from Los Angeles County against the Inland Empire in a 7 p.m. game at Whittier College. Javier Cid of Los Angeles Roosevelt is coaching the L.A. team, with Anthony Rice of Ontario Colony directing the Inland Empire.

On Saturday at 9 a.m., the Edison passing tournament takes place. There won't be a better field of teams, led by the host Chargers, Oaks Christian, West Covina South Hills, Encino Crespi, Tesoro, Santa Ana Mater Dei and others.

Then, if you're not exhausted, on Saturday evening the Valley Invitational Baseball League holds its two all-star games at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Lake Balboa Birmingham.

-- Eric Sondheimer