By Joe Snyder
North Torrance High’s softball team had some big chores to do just to get a guaranteed spot in the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs.
Torrance captured the Bay League with West Torrance finishing second. The Lady Saxons found themselves locked in a three-way tie with El Segundo and South Torrance, each with 4-6 league records. North went to work having two play-in games with the Eagles and Spartans, defeating both of them to get the spot in the playoffs.
The Saxons received the spot with a home game against Beaumont High last Friday. North went on to shut out the Cougars 5-0. In the second round last Saturday, North hosted Murrieta Valley, which came off a 9-6 first-round win over Pioneer League runner-up (behind Palos Verdes) Redondo Friday at Murrieta Valley. North went on to hang on to defeat Murrieta Valley 6-5.
Against Murrieta, the Saxons, who increased their overall record to 20-9, got off to a quick start scoring five runs in the bottom of the second inning. North upped its lead to 6-0 with a run in the bottom of the fourth before seeing Murrieta made a ferocious rally, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh, only to fall one run shy enabling the Saxons to advance to Wednesday’s (May 20) quarterfinal at San Juan Hills in San Juan Capistrano.
Brooklyn Ghilardi sparked North by going 2-for-3 with one run batted in and a run scored. Corina Alvilar went 1-for-4, driving in two runs and scoring twice. Giaina Quezada was 2-for-3 with one run.
Isis Jones was the winning pitcher.
Against Beaumont, freshman winning pitcher Chloe Iboy pitched a complete game one-hitter with five strikeouts.
Iboy was supported by several outstanding defensive plays including an outstanding catch at the fence by left fielder Olivia Marshall and some from first base Leslie Torres.
“The play by Marshall could have been the game changer,” North head coach Sam Alvilar said. “It was a key out.”
Torres also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and scored once. Ghilardi went 2-for-3 and Corina Alvilar was 2-for-4.
If North gets by San Juan Hills, the Saxons play in the semifinals on Saturday.
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Saxon baseball begins playoffs with win
North Torrance High’s baseball team entered the CIF-Southern Section Division VII playoffs after placing third, behind champion South Torrance and second place El Segundo, in the Pioneer League, despite only going 4-8 in league.
The Saxons took advantage of that. They traveled to Baldwin Park and came home with a 5-1 first-round victory.
Sei Nagashima sparked North (12-17 overall) by going 3-for-4 and driving in one run. Tanner Okawa had two runs batted in. Winning pitcher Mason Matsumoto went five innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out seven batters and walked four. Matsumoto has an earned run average of 1.4. Joseph Banuelos pitched two scoreless innings for the Saxons, allowing just one additional hit.
North came home to face Grace Brethren from Simi Valley in the second round last Tuesday. In the first round last Friday, host Grace shut out Beverly Hills 6-0. If the Saxons win, they play in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Despite an 0-10 Marine League record, Gardena High’s baseball team received a spot in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division III playoffs, facing Huntington Park at Legacy High in South Gate on May 13. The Panthers scored six runs, all after two outs and nobody on base, in the top of the seventh inning for an 8-2 victory.
That sent Gardena into the second round at Fremont in South L.A. last Saturday as the Panthers fell in eight innings to the Pathfinders 4-3.
Gardena started well leading 3-0 in the top of the third inning before seeing Fremont tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Neither team scored during the next four innings and the Pathfinders pushed in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth ending the Panthers’ season at 5-21-1 overall.
Jesse Aguayo sparked Gardena’s offense by going 2-for-3 with one RBI and a run scored. Anthony Macias went 2-for-4 with one run and was the losing pitcher. He pitched three innings but gave up Fremont’s winning run in the eighth. Juan Castellanos drove in a run.
Against Huntington Park, it was a freak play at home plate that ignited the Panthers’ six-run rally. The play happened when Francisco Pavon flew out as Garcia, from third base, raced toward home plate as he hurdled over the Spartan catcher to score the go-ahead run after the game was tied at two through six innings. Huntington Park pitching, then, had trouble finding the plate as several walks and an error enabled Gardena to break the game open.
In the bottom of the seventh, relief pitcher Anthony Macias got the Spartan batters out in order, enabling Gardena to advance to the second round against Fremont.
Garcia had two hits with three runs and one RBI. Aguayo went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. Chris Alvarez and Castellanos each drove in one run.
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Serra boys’ T&F wins second SS Div. IV title
Last season, Serra High’s boys’ track and field team, faced with mostly a rebuilding season, managed to tie Calabasas Viewpoint for the CIF-Southern Section Division IV championship.
Behind its outstanding sprinters, the Cavalier boys made a statement, winning the Division IV title over second-place Encino Crespi 70-49 Saturday at Moorpark High. Viewpoint took third with 37 points.
Serra proved dominant by winning the 4×100- and 4×400-meter relays with times of 41.47 seconds and 3 minutes and 23.06 seconds in order. The Cavaliers 400 relay squad included Wesley Ace, Landon Thomas, Lamar Roberson and Lawson Griggs-Andrews. Runners on Serra’s 1,600 relay were Thomas, Griggs-Andrews, Dwayne Fiquar and Dion Edwards.
The Cavaliers were also dominant in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Serra had three runners place in the top seven, led by ace junior Ace who won at 10.55. Finishing sixth and seventh, respectively, were freshman Noah Garry (10.76) and Lawson-Griggs (10.81). Despite not getting a winner in the 200, Serra used its depth with runners from second (Edwards, 21.45), fourth (Thomas, 21.54), Ace (21.74) and Griggs-Andrews (21.88).
In the shot put and discus, Joe Bolder recorded a second place at the discus (152 feet) and eighth in the shot put (44-5).
Serra’s girls finished eighth in the standings, behind their 4×100 and 4×400 relays, both placing second. The Lady Cavaliers’ 400 relay, with Avante Davis, Khloe Romero, Mecca Muhammed and Nojah Kelly, were clocked in 47.33, well behind champion Fullerton Rosary Academy, which recorded one of the top times in California in 45.7. Toward the end of the meet, Serra’s 1,600 relay, including Lyraye Taylor-Dawson, Muhammed, Savannah Coleman and Sarah Nahounou, was runner-up timing 3:58.38, also finishing behind Rosary.
The Cavaliers had a strong showing in the 400 with sixth and eighth-place finishes by Muhammed (57.48) and Nahounou (58.57). Torrance Bishop Montgomery had a third-place finish by Aubrey Walker in 55.95. Serra scored 20 points. Rosary dominated the division outscoring second-place Foothill Tech from Ventura 112-29. Playa del Rey St. Bernard took third with 24.
In the Division II finals, Torrance High senior Nicolas Obimgba proved dominant in his sprints, winning the 100 with a meet-best time of 10.38 and the 200 at 21.01.
Obimgba also sparked the Tartars’ 4×100 relay to fourth place clocking 41.5.
As a team, Torrance finished in sixth place with 25 points. Murrieta Valley won Division II with 51 points to 46 for runner-up Thousand Oaks. Goleta Dos Pueblos was third with 37.
North Torrance sprinter Kaidyn Spires hit the scoring column, placing eighth clocking 21.81.
Elijah Taueetia finished fourth in the shot put (50-9.5) and fifth at the discus (158-2).
Dylan Mehnert of West Torrance placed third in the 3,200 meters (9:07.86) and was fourth in the 4×800 (7:58.78).
In Division I boys, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa captured its first Southern Section title, outscoring runner-up Los Angeles Loyola 62-58. Long Beach Poly (54), Etiwanda (44) and Redondo (41), were third, fourth and fifth, in order.
Anaheim Servite continued to run sub-40 in the 4×100, winning the Division III crown at 39.89 seconds but, as a team, the Friars settled for a second-place finish behind champion Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (98) with 81.5 points. Host Moorpark took third outscoring fourth-place Palos Verdes 46-42.
Other top South Bay performances were by Mira Costa’s Ryan Bargar, who won the 800 timing 1:52.58, along with Redondo thrower Bo Ausmus, who won the shot put (63-2) and discus (187-9).
For the girls, Long Beach Wilson continued to dominate Division I, outscoring second-place and Moore League rival Long Beach Poly 96-48. Mira Costa was third with 44. The Bruins had the top four finishers in the 400.
Top athletes, including from Serra, Torrance and North, will compete in the CIF-State qualifying Southern Section Masters Championships at Moorpark High on Saturday. The CIF-State Championships continue to be at Buchanan High in Clovis on May 29 and 30.
