Serra High’s girls’ volleyball team began the Del Rey League with a four-game loss to St. Paul High from Santa Fe Springs last Thursday at Serra.
The Lady Cavaliers (3-3 overall) got off to a good start by defeating the Swordsmen 25-17 but St. Paul (9-3) turned the tables and won the next three sets by 25-12, 25-22, 25-20 scores.
The first game saw Serra get off to an 8-1 lead and led all the way, although St. Paul got as close as two points on one occasion.
The Swordsmen led virtually the entire second game.
Serra High’s girls’ volleyball team began the Del Rey League with a four-game loss to St. Paul High from Santa Fe Springs last Thursday at Serra.
The Lady Cavaliers (3-3 overall) got off to a good start by defeating the Swordsmen 25-17 but St. Paul (9-3) turned the tables and won the next three sets by 25-12, 25-22, 25-20 scores.
The first game saw Serra get off to an 8-1 lead and led all the way, although St. Paul got as close as two points on one occasion.
The Swordsmen led virtually the entire second game.
The third set saw the Cavaliers lead 19-14 before St. Paul bounced back and pulled the game out.
St. Paul started fast in leading by as many as nine points. Serra got as close as four points but the Swordsmen were able to clinch the game and match.
Tenita Pele sparked Serra with 13 kills and nine digs. Taylor Gentry added six kills and two digs. Zandra Clemons chipped in seven kills and three digs.
“We started out well,” Serra head coach Tony Mayrie said. “Then, we make a little error (and) then everyone is down on themselves.”
The Cavaliers hosted Bishop Amat from La Puente in their second league match before playing in the highly regarded Nike Classic in Phoenix beginning Friday. Serra will face Calexico and Ironwood Ridge from Tucson, Ariz. in two pool matches on Friday.
Serra returns to Del Rey action at home against rival Torrance Bishop Montgomery next Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The Knights are among the favorites to win the league and are coming off a impressive win over Bay League team Palos Verdes and played defending California State Division I champion Redondo, again ranked No. 1 in the CIF-Southern Section Division IAA and among the top teams in California, tough in three close set losses.
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Serra gridders down Loyola in Mission League opener
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Serra High’s football team began the Mission League with a 35-17 victory over host Loyola High last Friday in Los Angeles.
The Cavaliers started fast on the Cubs, who entered the contest after going unbeaten at 4-0 in non-league action, in grabbing leads of 20-0 and 27-7 before seeing Loyola creep within 10 at 27-17 by halftime.
After a lot of action in the first half, things were rather slow with no scoring until Winston Webb recovered a Cub fumble deep in Loyola territory and skipped one yard into the end zone for the touchdown. Kicker Eric Escamilla came in to attempt a point after touchdown but, due to a bad snap, he picked up the ball and ran into the end zone for a two-point conversion to complete the game’s scoring with 3:17 left in the game.
After scoring six touchdowns in Serra’s wild 41-40 non-league win at Narbonne on Sept. 18, Khalil Tate continued from where he left off. On just the third play from scrimmage, Tate sped 76 yards for a TD to help the Cavaliers’ quick start. He finished with two touchdowns.
“Coming into the game, we knew it would be close,” Tate said. “We needed discipline. We slowed down a bit but we picked it up. We need to stay more focused.”
Despite being without top player Blair Walls, who was out because of a bruised MCL, the rest of the Cavalier defense proved havoc on Loyola, forcing the Cubs into four turnovers, three of them in the first quarter. Two of those led to touchdowns.
One of those came after Cub quarterback Sean O’ Malley bobbled the ball into the hands of Kevin Hicks who ran to the Loyola 2-yard line. Tate was able to score from there.
Hall, then, had a 45-yard interception return for a TD.
Loyola (4-1, 0-1) was led by junior running back Drake Beasley who rushed for 154 yards on 24 carries in the first half.
Serra, though, was able to hold him down in the second half as Beasley mustered only 22 yards on seven carries to finish the game with 176 yards on 31 carries. He scored two touchdowns.
The Cavaliers (4-1, 1-0) continue on the road at Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks Friday at 7 p.m. The Knights began league by getting routed by La Puente Bishop Amat 56-7 last Friday. Serra comes home to face the Lancers on Oct. 9, hoping that their new bleacher will be completed.
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Morningside downs GHS in battle of unbeaten teams
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
In a match-up between two teams that had recent down seasons, but were off to great starts this year, Gardena High’s football team was unable to keep up with host Morningside in a 33-14 loss last Friday at Coleman Stadium in Inglewood.
The Panthers had a strong running game in their first three wins over Oxnard Santa Clara, Southeast Los Angeles Verbum Dei and North Hollywood, but the Monarchs, who improved to 4-0, were able to stop Gardena’s ground game. The Panthers came into the game averaging more than 300 yards rushing but managed just 68 against Morningside.
Gardena’s passing game was no better as quarterback Jonathan Mudd completed only two passes for 23 yards. Both of those passes, though, were for touchdowns to receiver Jamar McDaniel. The scores were from 5 and 18 yards. That meant that the Panthers had just 91 total offensive yards.
The Monarchs were led by wide receiver Adarrus Wilson and quarterback Jermone Rouseborgh, each of whom scored two touchdowns. The two connected for a 50-yard TD pass to open Morningside’s scoring early in the first period. The Monarchs quickly added another score on a 42-yard fumble recovery from linebacker Kaylin Spinks.
Gardena got back with a touchdown pass from Mudd to McDaniel to cut Morningside’s lead to 13-7, but the Monarchs pulled away with three second half TDs.
The Panthers (3-1) hope to get back on track as they visit Warren High in Downey Friday at 7 p.m. Gardena begins the Marine League at Carson on Oct. 9 at the same time.
