By Joe Snyder
Three local high school football teams are only 15 days away from their season opener that begins on Aug. 18.
Traditional power Serra High won the CIF-Southern Section Division III and CIF-State Division IA championships two years ago but settled to an 8-4 overall record and the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs where it lost to Mission League foe and eventual Division II champion Chatsworth Sierra Canyon 42-16 on Nov. 12 at home.
The Cavaliers begin their season on Aug. 18 against Orange Lutheran from the prestigious Trinity League at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. Serra will have its first three games on the road that is followed by Warren High in Downey on Aug. 25 and Cathedral High near Downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 1. Serra’s home opener is a big one when it hosts always powerful Long Beach Poly on Sept. 8. Sources are, though, it could be moved to El Camino College due to usual large crowds. The Cavaliers close non-league at home against Oaks Chris- tian High from Westlake Village on Sept. 15.
Serra begins the Mission League at home against West Hills Chaminade on Sept. 29. The Cavaliers, then, host Notre Dame from Sherman Oaks on Oct. 6. Serra, then, has crucial back-to-back away games against Bishop Amat in La Puente on Oct. 13 and Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth on Oct. 20 before closing the regular season at home against Mission Hills Alemany on Oct. 27.
All games start at 7 p.m.
Last year, Gardena recorded a perfect 6-0 non- league record but continued to struggle in the Marine League, losing all four games. The Panthers managed a spot in the CIF-L.A. City Section Division I playoffs where they lost in the first round on the road against Mervyn Dymally High 30-14 on Nov. 5 in South L.A to end their season at 6-5.
With a large majority of its players back, though, head Panther coach Monty Gilbreath is seeking a turnaround season that could include Gardena’s best season, including in Marine action, in decades. The Panthers’ last league win was two years ago against Narbonne. Their last Marine title goes back to 1975. Gardena won the CIF-L.A. City Division III title in 2019, despite going 0-4 in Marine action. In that year, the Panthers won the Southern California Regional Division VIIA crown over host Patrick Henry High in San Diego but lost in the state championship to host Lincoln High in San Francisco.
Gardena will have a little bit of a tougher preseason schedule than last year, especially in the first two games. The Panthers begin at home against Bell High, which usually does well, on Aug. 18 at 7 p.m., before visiting Crenshaw High on Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Gardena comes home to take on Centennial High from Compton on Aug. 31 at 6p.m. before visiting Jordan High in the L.A.-Watts District on Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. All other remaining games are at 7:30 p.m. including hosting Washington High on Sept. 15 and King-Drew Medical Magnet on Sept. 22.
The brutal Marine action begins at home against San Pedro on Sept. 29. Gardena has a bye week before visiting Banning in Wilmington on Oct. 13. The Panthers host Carson on Oct. 20 before ending their regular season at Narbonne in Harbor City on Oct. 27.
North Torrance also starts on Aug. 18 at Long Beach Jordan High beginning at 7 p.m. The Saxons have their first three games on the road that includes at St. Genevieve in Panorama City on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. and Carson on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. North’s first home game is on Sept. 8 against Encino Crespi at 7 p.m. All other remaining games start at 7 p.m. The Saxons, then, travel some 80 miles to Lancaster to take on Paraclete on Sept. 15 in their last non-league game.
North takes a week off before beginning the Pioneer League at El Segundo on Sept. 29. The Saxons, then, host cross town rival South Torrance on Oct. 6 before visiting Torrance on Oct. 13. The Saxons are at home against Lawndale on Oct. 20 before closing regular season play at West Torrance on Oct. 27.
Last season, North, led by senior quarterback Travis Lagarde who is now beginning his college stint at Liberty University in Virginia, finished second in the Pioneer League (behind Lawndale), and lost in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division VI playoffs to host Oak Park 29-12. The Saxons return a few other good players from that 8-3 squad.
Rosecrans RBI teams battle it out
Two Rosecrans Junior teams (ages 13-14) played each other in the Los Angeles Dodgers Dream League last Thursday at Jackie Robinson Field in Compton.
It was the Rosecrans I squad that outlasted Rosecrans II 4-3.
Starting pitcher Damien Lugo was the winning pitcher for Rosecrans I and Bradley Esquivel got the save. Lugo also had a run-scoring single.
There were run-scoring hits by Adrian Helera and Derek Knowles.
Anthony Faarious had two hits and two runs batted in for Rosecrans II.
Last Monday, players from both teams visited the University of Southern California campus for a college fair. According to coordinator Tom Anderson, also Gardena High’s head baseball coach, they toured the USC campus and received tickets to a Dodger game.
