By Joe Snyder
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team was making its first appearance in the CIF-Southern Section championship game in 12 seasons but was not able to get through Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro in a 57-46 loss in the Division IVAA finals Saturday at Edison High in Huntington Beach.
The game started see-saw but the stingy defense of the Titans began to take its toll on the Lady Cavaliers, who are 18-13 overall. Serra trailed by just two points at 13-11 after the first quarter but Tesoro, using a variety of pressure defenses, proceeded to outscore Serra 23-8 for a 36-19 halftime lead.
Serra, the third-place team from the Camino Real League, was able to solve the Titans’ defense in the third period. Behind sophomore guard Kaicia Snelson, who scored nine of her team-high 17 points in that quarter, got the Cavaliers to within four points at 41-37 with an 18-5 run with about two minutes left in the period. When the Titans woke up behind a three-point basket from sophomore guard Kaitly Tse, Tesoro was able to finish off Serra from there. The Titans led 44-37 after the third quarter, then outscored the Cavaliers 15-9 in the final period.
“Their physical ability caused us problems,” Serra head coach McKenzie Hadley said. “We made adjustments but some missed shots and rebounding resulted in their three’s.”
Also, for the Cavaliers, Kariana Fabian added 13 points.
For the Titans, Tse and Karen Lumpart combined for 35 points. Tse led Tesoro, the third-place team from the South Coast League, with 18 points followed closely by Lumpart with 17.
Serra moved on to the CIF-Southern California Regional Division IV playoffs where it traveled approximately 140 miles up north to Santa Ynez High, the CIF-Central Section Division IV champion, last Tuesday. The Cavaliers entered the region seeded 11th while Santa Ynez, which was in the CIF-Southern Section until being moved, along with other Northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County high schools, to the Central Section a few years ago.
If Serra upsets Santa Ynez, it will play on the quarterfinals at a site to be determined today at 7 p.m. The semifinals are next Tuesday and the regional championship is on March 15. The California State Championships are on March 21 and 22 at the Golden One Arena in Sacramento.
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North High loses Division IIAA finale to Oak Park
North Torrance High’s girls’ basketball team could not hold down Oak Park in a 68-57 loss in the CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA championship game last Friday at Toyota Arena in Ontario.
The Lady Saxons, who fell to 20-8 overall, were behind virtually the entire game but managed to stay close in parts. North trailed the Eagles 14-13 after the first quarter, 32-26 at halftime and 51-43 after three quarters. Oak Park put away the game in the final period.
North had trouble with highly regarded sophomore forward Maya Deshatelle who had a double-double with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Deshatelle also had two blocks. Among her points was going 10-for-11 from the free throw line.
The Eagles had two other players score in double figures in Joely Chadwick with 12 points and Ava Rogerson with 11. Junior Delaney White had six steals.
The Saxons managed just one player in double figures in senior Kami Santiago with 25 points. North’s second highest scorer was Camryn Shumzalo with eight points.
Despite the championship loss, North, along with Oak Park, were moved up to the Southern California Regional Division I playoffs. The Saxons are seeded 13th in the 16-team tournament beginning last Tuesday at Windward School in Mar Vista. Windward, seeded fourth, is a long-time girls’ basketball power. The Eagles were 12th as they began at fifth seed Rancho Christian in Temecula last Tuesday. The quarterfinals are today at 7 p.m.; the semis the same time next Tuesday with the championship games on March 15. The CIF-State championships are on March 21 and 22 at the Golden One Arena in Sacramento.
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Cavs baseball team off to fast 5-0 start
Serra High’s baseball team is off to a fast start by winning its first five games of the 2025 season.
The Cavaliers’ most recent victory was in their Del Rey League opener, shutting out host Paraclete 4-0 last Friday in Lancaster.
Serra scored two runs in the top of the second inning, one in the third and one in the seventh as its pitching combined for a five-hit shutout.
The Cavaliers began the season by nipping Playa del Rey St. Bernard 2-1 on Feb. 18 at Serra. The Cavaliers won their next three home non-league games over LACES (Los Angeles Center of Enriched Studies) 8-3 on Feb. 19, then rolled over Hamilton from the L.A.-Palms District 14-3 on Feb. 22 and San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep 12-2 on Feb. 26.
Serra hosted North Torrance last Tuesday and have its next league game at home against La Salle High from Pasadena Friday at 3 p.m. The Cavaliers have a challenge when they visit league power Bishop Amat in La Puente next Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
North is 3-4 after a thrilling eight-inning 1-0 home win over cross town rival West Torrance in a non-league last Saturday at North. After a scoreless seven innings, the Saxons got a walk-off base hit by Shane Yamamoto that scored Nick Gonzalez.
Nollan Shirosa, in relief of starting pitcher Justin Oliver, pitched two hitless innings to get the win. Oliver went six innings allowing the Warriors two hits, striking out nine batters and walking two.
West moved from the Pioneer to the Bay League, along with other Pioneer foe Torrance, Mira Costa, Palos Verdes and Redondo.
Among North’s three wins were against Bay League team, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (7-5 on Feb. 21 at Mira Costa). North also downed San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea High 12-7 on Feb. 25 at home. The Saxons’ losses were to host Loyola in L.A. (6-3 on Feb. 17), host Bishop Montgomery in Torrance (5-0 on Feb. 18), Palos Verdes (5-4 on Feb. 22 at North) and host Peninsula High in Rolling Hills Estates in their Pioneer League opener 11-4.
After visiting Serra last Tuesday, the Saxons will have a Pioneer League game on the road against El Segundo Wiseburn-Da Vinci Friday at 3 p.m. at a site to be determined. Wiseburn-Da Vinci does not have an on-campus home field.
Gardena won its first two non-league games at home against Downtown L.A. Santee 11-5 on Feb. 19 and L.A.-Watts Jordan 15-6 on Feb. 21 before losses to Gardena-Lawndale-Inglewood Environmental Charter 12-2 on Feb. 24 at Gardena, Southeast L.A. King-Drew Medical Magnet 12-2 on Feb. 26 at Gardena and 12-2 to host Animo Leadership High last Saturday at Edward Vincent Park in Inglewood.
In the Panthers’ win over Jordan, Derek Norris went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and one run scored. Returning all-Marine Leaguer Anthony Garcia was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Chris Alvarez went 3-for-3 with three runs. Marco Viveros was 2-for-2 with two runs.
Garcia also was 2-for-3 with three RBI’s and two runs in Gardena’s win over Santee and 3-for-3 with two runs and a double against Environmental Charter.
Gardena hosts Animo Leadership Friday at 3:15 p.m. and visits Fremont in South L.A. next Monday at 3:30 p.m.
