Serra High’s girls’ volleyball team began the Del Rey League by getting swept by host Bishop Montgomery, 25-19, 25-18, 25-11, last Thursday at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance.
The Knights, who improved to 9-3, led throughout most of the match, although the Cavaliers were close in parts.
In the first game, Bishop Montgomery led by as many as eight points before Serra got to within one at 19-18. The Knights finished off the Cavaliers with a 6-1 run.
Serra also was close, for awhile, in the second game before the Knights put the match away.
Serra High’s girls’ volleyball team began the Del Rey League by getting swept by host Bishop Montgomery, 25-19, 25-18, 25-11, last Thursday at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance.
The Knights, who improved to 9-3, led throughout most of the match, although the Cavaliers were close in parts.
In the first game, Bishop Montgomery led by as many as eight points before Serra got to within one at 19-18. The Knights finished off the Cavaliers with a 6-1 run.
Serra also was close, for awhile, in the second game before the Knights put the match away.
Bishop Montgomery dominated the third game.
“We lost intensity,” Serra head coach Tony Mayrie said. “We had some good rallies. We didn’t take advantage of ourselves.”
Cydney Uko led the Cavaliers, who are 6-5 overall, with five kills and two digs. Middle blocker Zandra Clemons had three blocks.
The Knights were led by Taylor Rudeen with 11 kills, seven digs and one ace. Emma Chaidez added seven aces, and Jessica Seto contributed 12 digs and two aces. Courtney Hall had four kills and 2.5 blocks and her sister, Sydney, tallied two kills and 1.5 blocks.
Serra hosts St. Joseph High from Lakewood tonight before visiting La Salle in Pasadena next Tuesday in 6 p.m. league matches.
Bishop Montgomery is at home against St. Joseph tonight at 6 p.m.
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Bishop Amat holds down Serra
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
In its Sept. 26 CIF-Southern Section PAC Five Mission League opener, Serra High’s football team showed promise by topping previously unbeaten Notre Dame High from Sherman Oaks, 28-23, in its homecoming game.
Last Friday, Serra was tested as it had to go on the road to take on Bishop Amat last Friday in La Puente.
Using their new gold uniforms that helped the Lancers win over defending Texas State champion Aledo, 42-7, on Sept. 5 in Texas, it seemed to be their good luck charm as they used a stingy defense and an effective ball-control offense to stun the Cavaliers, 14-7.
Bishop Amat, who improved to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in league, already took a 14-0 advantage midway in the third quarter. Its second touchdown was set up by a 15-yard pass from quarterback Damian Garcia to Xavier Chavez to put the ball at the Serra one-yard line. Running back Anthony Camargo ran the ball into the end zone from there.
Early in the fourth period, the Cavaliers, who fell to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Mission play, got on the scoreboard on a 1-yard run from quarterback Khalil Tate. Preceding that was his 12-yard keeper.
From there, though, Serra was never able to get the ball as the Lancers made several key first downs to chew up the clock.
Down 7-0 in the first period, the Cavaliers had a chance to tie the game. Tate appeared to be headed for a touchdown only to have the ball stripped as Bishop Amat’s Ricky Fiero-Schneider recovered the ball at the Lancer 15-yard line.
Bishop Amat scored in the first quarter on a 20-yard TD pass from Garcia to Tyler Vaughn.
Serra plays its second of three consecutive league road games at Crespi High in Encino Friday at 7 p.m. On Sept. 26, the Celtics outlasted the Lancers, 32-31 in overtime. Along with a bye on Oct. 17, the Cavaliers do not return home until Halloween (Oct. 31) against the only other team with them in the previous Mission, last season’s CIF-Southern Section Western Division champion West Hills Chaminade (which stunned host Serra 38-35 on a walk-off field goal.
The Eagles went on to capture the California state Division II crown.
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El Camino can’t keep up with Riverside
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
El Camino’s football team managed to stay close to a powerful Riverside City College team but the Tigers broke the game open in the second half for a 31-7 win last Saturday at Riverside.
In the second quarter, the two teams traded interception returns for touchdowns. It started when Riverside’s A.J. Hotchkins intercepted a pass from ECC starting quarterback Joey Notch and returned the ball 15 yards for the TD.
Shortly after, the Warriors’ Kelly Helinski returned an interception from Tiger quarterback Nick King and returned the ball 55 yards for the score and the score was tied at seven with 4:35 left before halftime.
Riverside (4-1 and ranked eighth in California) led 10-7 at halftime.
In the second half, the Tigers wore down El Camino and the Warriors were also plagued with several mistakes.
Riverside began its second half scoring on King’s 15-yard run.
The Tigers led 24-7 after three quarters. Early in the fourth period, ECC (2-3 overall and 0-2 in the National Central Conference) had a chance to score but quarterback Jorge Hernandez fumbled away the ball at the Riverside 4-yard line. It was there that Miki Fangatua picked up the ball and returned it for a 96-yard touchdown and the final score.
The Warriors had four turnovers, two which went for touchdowns, and 74 yards in penalties.
Notch completed 15 of 33 passes for 119 yards and one interception.
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Winless Panthers begin Marine
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Gardena High’s football team finished its preseason play at 0-5 after a 42-16 home loss to Warren High from Downey last Friday.
Despite the loss, the Panthers had a fine performance from the passing combination of junior quarterback Jonathan Mudd and senior all-around player Michael Thompson. Mudd completed seven of 15 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns, both to Thompson.
Thompson caught five passes for 93 yards and two TD’s.
Sophomore Tyler Frasier led Gardena’s ground attack with 63 yards on just two carries. Junior Janaar McDaniel ran for 62 yards on 18 carries.
Chris Plunkett sparked the Panthers’ defense with seven tackles, six of those solo. Mudd had six tackles, five of those solo.
Gardena begins the brutal Marine League at Banning in Wilmington Friday at 7 p.m. The Pilots are 3-2 in non-league after a bye last week. On Sept. 26 in Woodland Hills, Banning narrowly lost at El Camino Real, 28-27.
