By Joe Snyder
Gardena High’s girls’ and Serra High’s boys’ basketball teams suffered 20-point losses in the first round of the CIF-Southern California Regional playoffs on Feb. 27.
At La Mirada High, the Lady Panthers fell to the Matadors 55-35 in the Division V playoffs. At Thousand Oaks, the Cavaliers were ousted in the Division III playoffs by the Lancers 73-53.
Gardena’s girls, who, on Feb. 23 captured the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division IV championship by crushing Fremont 54-12 at El Camino College, knew things were going to get tougher against the CIF-Southern Section Division VAA semifinalists. La Mirada jumped out to a 35-15 halftime lead and never looked back. The Panthers managed to play the Matadors to a 20-20 tie in the second half but found the big deficit too much to dig out of.
“We had trouble with La Mirada’s point guard,” Gardena head coach Tracey McNeil said. “We didn’t take advantage of our size and speed. It was a learning experience for all the girls. We had a group of players with little or no skills coming into this season. They developed into City Division IV champions. We have a ton of work to do to get to the level one envision, which is one of the top programs in the state. We return 10 of 12 players. We had a young team.”
Lauren Tobia Williams led the Panthers, who finished their season at 15-10 after placing third in the Marine League at 6-4, with 12 points. India Cage added 10 points.
After making the CIF-Southern Section Division IIIAA semifinals before falling to Ventura St. Bonaventure 67-64 on Feb. 20, Serra High’s boys’ basketball team had to sit out two weeks before opening the regional Division III playoffs as the 15th seed and going on the road to take on No. 2 Thousand Oaks.
Cold shooting hampered the Cavaliers in their loss to the Lancers, who lost to San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep in the CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA semifinals, as they fell behind early and never could recover.
Maximo Adams led Serra with 17 points, followed by Kayleb Kearse with 12.
Thousand Oaks went on to lose in the quarterfinals at home to CIF-Central Section Division II champion Bakersfield Centennial, which is in the regional Division III finals on Saturday.
The Cavaliers, who ended their season at 19-15 after placing fourth in the tough Del Rey League at 4-6, are also very young as head coach Bernard McCrumby will be looking at them to become top contenders for next season.
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Cavs offense falter in DR League losses
Serra High’s baseball team began the Del Rey League facing two top contenders and its offense was hardly able to muster much in losses to host Pasadena La Salle and visiting La Puente Bishop Amat last week.
At Arcadia Regional Park on Feb. 27, La Salle pitcher Adrian Hernandez hurled a no-hitter as the Lancers blanked the Cavaliers 5-0. Last Friday at Serra, the Cavaliers lost to Bishop Amat 8-1.
Hernandez went the distance striking out 12 batters and walking only two, the only baserunners that Serra (3-2 overall and 0-2 in league) had in the game.
The Cavaliers also were unable to do much against Del Rey power and CIF-Southern Section Division I team Bishop Amat. The Lancers taggled Serra senior pitcher Henry Sorman for eight runs on 11 hits.
Serra scored its only run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Josh Boronsai scored on a bases-loaded walk to C.J. Hughes.
After finishing second, behind Bishop Amat, in the Del Rey League before losing in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoffs, Serra has some key players back including Sorman, along with juniors, infielder C.J. Hughes and outfielder Amari Hackett. Head Cavalier coach Art Perry, Jr. is also looking at junior infielder Marc Emmerman, a transfer from Manhattan Beach Mira Costa High, and freshman first baseman Terrance Sullivan to contribute a lot.
“We have defense and pitching,” Perry said. “We just need to start hitting. Last year, we got off to a slow start in league, then we got hot.”
Serra visited league rival Bishop Montgomery in Torrance last Tuesday and will host Paraclete High from Lancaster Friday at 3 p.m. The Cavaliers next games will be in non-league at Palos Verdes on March 15 at 3:15 p.m. and at home against North Torrance on March 16 at 10 a.m. Serra resumes the Del Rey on March 19 at home against La Salle beginning at 3 p.m.
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Panthers baseball struggle in losses to Fremont, Kg-D
Gardena High’s baseball team struggled in home non-league losses to Fremont and King-Drew Medical Magnet Highs last week.
On Feb. 26, the Panthers fell to the Pathfinders 7-1. Last Thursday, Gardena lost to the Golden Eagles 4-1.
Anthony Garcia, who was the starting pitcher when Gardena shut out Downtown L.A. Santee 10-0 on Feb. 24, allowed three hits and struck out three batters in three innings against King-Drew. He struck out three batters in his two innings of work against Fremont.
“Our pitching struck out seven batters against King-Drew but also gave up six walks,” Gardena High head coach Tom Anderson said. “All four runs were unearned.”
The Panthers had three hits against the Golden Eagles, two of those by Daniel Serna, who went 2-fors-3. Dansuet Lugo had the other hit and scored Gardena’s only run.
Gardena had a home non-league game against Morningside High from Inglewood on Wednesday and will host Animo Leadership, also from Inglewood, Friday at 3 p.m. Gardena begins the San Fernando Tournament at home against Camino Nuevo Saturday at noon before hosting Harbor Teacher Prep from Wilmington next Monday and San Pedro Port of Los Angeles next Wednesday. Both non-league games start at 3 p.m.
North Torrance is also struggling at 2-8 after three losses in the El Segundo Tournament last week. At Palos Verdes on Feb. 27, the Saxons were edged by the Sea Kings 3-2. At North last Thursday, North was shut out by San Pedro 6-0. At Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach last Friday, the Mustangs rolled over the Saxons 8-1.
Makoto Nakawaki went 2-for-3 and drove in a run for North in its loss to Palos Verdes, which was tournament runner-up after losing the championship game to host Redondo 9-2 last Friday.
The Saxons began the Pioneer League at home against El Segundo on Wednesday. North visits El Segundo Friday at 3 p.m. The Saxons will be at Leuzinger for a non-league game next Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Lawndale.
