By Joe Snyder
Several local senior football stars had strong showings in last Saturday’s 59th Annual Lions All-Star Classic last Saturday at El Camino College.
In the end, it was the Blue stars that shut out the White team 21-0.
It was Gardena wide receiver D’Maj Longley that started the Blue scoring as he caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from West Torrance quarterback Eli Brandt that gave the Blues a 7-0 lead on the last play of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Torrance High standout Jake Silverman, who is bound for University of Nevada, intercepted a pass by White quarterback Marcus Jeroymo from CIF-L.A. City Section Open Division runner-up (to Marine foe Narbonne) San Pedro, and returned it to the White 49-yard line. A few plays later, Silverman’s Tartar teammate Connor Shearing scored from eight yards out giving the Blue team a 14-0 lead.
Brandt, who keyed the Warriors to the Ocean League title and the semifinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division VII playoffs, scored the Blues’ final touchdown on a 16-yard run.
Brandt completed six of eight passes for 75 yards and one TD. He rushed for another. Shearing rushed for 51 yards and one touchdown on eight carries.
The Whites, which included players from Pioneer League champion North Torrance including standouts Will Pineda and Felix Alvillar, were shut down but had one opportunity as Jeroymo completed a pair of passes to Lawndale wide receiver Toriano Spain that got the ball to the Blue 19. Unfortunately, they were stopped short there and turned over the ball to the Blues shortly before halftime.
Jeroymo had a fine game completing 14 of 20 passes for 101 yards.
Other Gardena players in running back Xavier Grant, defensive and tight end David Frankling and wide receiver Devin Lee, had fine plays for the Blues.
They keyed the Panthers to a 7-4 record and the CIF-L.A. City Section Open Division playoffs where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Lake Balboa Birmingham 42-19.
Serra linemen Damarion Miller and Reggie Terry played most of the game as their blocking helped key the Blue stars.
The Cavaliers placed second, behind CIF-Southern Section Division I playoff team Chatsworth Sierra Canyon, in the Del Rey League and lost in the Southern Section Division II quarterfinals to Yorba Linda 24-20.
West kicker Cale Omanson was 3-for-3 in his point-after-touchdown attempts.
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North Saxons outlast El Segundo to win Pioneer League crown
North Torrance High’s boys’ basketball team had to work overtime, two of them, but pulled off a 68-66 win over a determined El Segundo High team to capture the Pioneer League championship last Friday at North.
The Saxons captured the league which head coach Wai Sett knew was going to be very even with all five teams and this contest proved what it is like. North started out with a 15-11 first quarter lead but the Eagles, who fell to 8-17 overall and 3-4 in Pioneer action, were determined needing this game for a shot of the CIF-Southern Section playoffs. El Segundo held slim one-point leads at 26-25 at halftime and 38-37 after three periods and seemed to be headed for a 54-52 win before a critical foul that sent North’s Jordan Staub to the free throw line with two seconds left in regulation. Staub promptly made both free throws tying the game at 54 and sending it into overtime.
Staub scored all the Saxons’ eight points in the first overtime period as North held a 62-57 lead with 1:13 remaining. That was when Vetor Dorn made a two- and three-point basket that tied it and taking it into the second extra four-minute period. Dorn gave North’s defense fits as he led all scorers with 24 points, including seven three-pointers.
The two teams continued to play a tight game but a basket from Geovanni Gilpen, along with two free throws each from Staub and Kole Tanaka were just enough for the Saxons to hold off the Eagles and win their third straight Pioneer crown, two of those outright. Last season, North tied with El Segundo, which advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division VAA finals before falling to Castaic, and El Segundo Wiseburn-DaVinci, currently in third place behind powers Redondo and Manhattan Beach Mira Costa in the Bay League, for the league title.
The Saxons were led by Staub with 21 points. Gilpen added 16 points and Tanaka chipped in 10.
“They (El Segundo) got great coaches,” Sett said. “They used a triangle defense but we got adjusted. We battled.”
North closed Pioneer play at home against one of its three cross-town rivals, Torrance, last Tuesday. On Jan. 17 at Torrance, the Saxons topped the Tartars 68-63. Torrance got off to a 17-3 start but fell to fourth place in Pioneer action after losing to West Torrance last Friday.
Serra fell to 0-11 in the Del Rey League after losses to league leading Long Beach St. Anthony 90-47 on Jan. 27 at Serra, host St. Bernard 100-70 on Jan. 29 in Playa del Rey, and Torrance Bishop Montgomery 65-50 last Friday at Serra.
Against the Knights, the Cavaliers were led by Chinemerem Anyikwa with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Jeremiah Graham with 17 points, two steals and three assists.
Against the Vikings, Anyikwa led Serra (11-15 overall) with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Graham contributed 15 points and Khary Wilder had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Cavaliers closed Del Rey at home against Downey St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy last Tuesday.
Gardena split its two Marine League games with a 53-37 loss to host Narbonne on Jan. 29 in Harbor City and a 51-50 nail-biting win over San Pedro last Friday at home.
The Panthers hosted Wilmington Banning on Wednesday and visit Rancho Dominguez Prep in Long Beach Friday at 4:30 p.m. Gardena closes league at Carson next Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. seeking a spot in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section playoffs.
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Lady Saxons stay alive for Bay Lea. title
North Torrance High’s girls’ basketball team is seeking to win the Bay League championship after a key 59-50 home win over Redondo last Friday at North.
The Lady Saxons led most of the game but the Sea Hawks had a strong third quarter to lead by as many as seven points. Redondo still led by five after three periods before North proceeded to outscore them 20-6 in the fourth period for the nine-point win.
Senior guard Kemei Santiago led the Saxons with a game-high 23 points. Junior guard Leila Fitzgerald added 16 points and Shakey Tokeshi chipped in 14.
The Sea Hawks, who are 15-12 overall and 4-3 in Bay action, were led by senior guard Siena Blaustein with 13 points. Redondo, which lost to North 52-45 earlier in league ending its 22-game Bay League winning streak, had four players out including top starter in junior Abby Zimmerman. The Sea Hawks are in third place in league.
North, which is 14-7 overall, lost in the Palisades Showcase to Louisville High from Woodland Hills 52-22 Saturday at Redondo High. The classic was moved to Redondo due to Palisades High still shut down after the wildfires from a few weeks ago. About half of that high school received severe damages.
The Saxons closed Bay action at home against Peninsula High from Rolling Hills Estates last Tuesday. North begins the CIF-Southern Section playoffs next week. The Saxons are currently tied for first place with Manhattan Beach Mira Costa.
Serra High is currently in third place in the Camino Real League after routing Alhambra Ramona Convent 65-35 on Jan. 28 at Serra.
The Lady Cavaliers dominated Ramona, leading 37-16 at halftime.
Serra was led by sophomore Kaicia Snelson with 21 points. Yve Young and Mariyah Lewis added 15 and 13 points, in order.
In a non-league game against St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy from Downey last Saturday, the Lady Cavaliers rolled to a 55-35 victory.
Young led Serra with 16 points, followed closely by Lewis with 15.
The Cavaliers played their final league game at St. Joseph High in Lakewood last Monday with the CIF-Southern Section playoffs beginning next week.
Gardena splits its Marine League games by losing at Harbor City Narbonne 44-36 on Jan. 29 and defeating host San Pedro 53-41 last Friday.
The Lady Panthers hosted Wilmington Banning on Wednesda and will play the rest of the league at home. Gardena hosts Rancho Dominguez Prep from Long Beach Friday and finish league against Carson next Wednesday. All Marine games start at 4:30 p.m.
