By Joe Snyder
The 2023-24 prep sports year already ended with the South Bay All-Star Softball Classic at Torrance High.
Two Mondays ago marked the 54th annual All-Star Baseball Classic at Redondo High.
Numerous local stars played in the May 27 baseball game, including five from Serra, two on the American team, which is co-coached by head Cavalier mentor A.J. Perry, Jr., and Alex Morales from Palos Verdes, and two on the Nationals. They are coached by West Torrance’s Juan Cueva and Grady Sain, who guided South Torrance High to the CIF-Southern Section Division III semifinals where it lost to Bellflower St. John Bosco, which lost in the finals to Irvine Beckman and won the Southern California Regional Division III title over Bakersfield Christian 5-4 last Saturday at Blair Field in Long Beach. The Spartans, though, were invited to the Southern California Regional Division III playoffs but lost in the quarterfinals to CIF-Los Angeles City Section Open Division runner-up (to Bell) Birmingham 2-0 in Lake Balboa.
Serra players on the Americans were pitcher Adrian Pineda and outfielder K.J. Romero. On the Nationals for the Cavaliers included designated hitter Daniel Johnson and infielder Kelvin Martinez.
North Torrance had catcher Isaiah Aguilar and pitcher-infielder Makato Nakawake play for the Americans and outfielder Colin Anderson for the Nationals.
Unfortunately, neither team made it to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs as the Cavaliers finished fifth in the Del Rey League at 4-8 and the Saxons displaying the same record for fifth place in the Pioneer League. Both are highly competitive leagues as always powerful La Puente Bishop Amat won the Del Rey, and West Torrance, El Segundo and Torrance all tying for the Pioneer title. The Tartars had the task of playing in the prestigious CIF-Southern Section Division I where they were crushed at home by Mission League power Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 16-1. West made the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs where it fell to top seed Westlake 6-3, due to its defense giving up six unearned runs due to two errors in the top of the fourth inning. Westlake, though, lost in the quarterfinals to St. John Bosco.
Softball rosters have not been announced by last Monday’s press deadline. North Torrance enjoyed a good season by placing third in the very highly competitive Pioneer League but was pitted against a very good Rosary team from Fullerton where it fell 9-4.
Some local athletes made the Daily Breeze all-South Bay girls’ beach volleyball and boys’ indoor volleyball teams. In girls’ beach volleyball, West Torrance’s Emerson Turner and Malia Merueroa, South Torrance’s Reilly Owens and Sarah Schacht, and Kiana Greer and Natalya Morales from Torrance all made the second team. West captured the Pioneer League with an 8-2 record as its head coach Luke Krymarjuk was Coach of the Year. Pair of the Year were Mallory and Molly La Reach, both juniors from Palos Verdes High School. They won the CIF-Southern Section pairs championships including sweeping all teams from Bay League and CIF-Southern Section Division I team champion Mira Costa and Bay League and Southern Section Division I runner-up Redondo. On April 27 at Long Beach City College, the Mustangs downed their rival Sea Hawks 4-1 for the Division I title.
In boys’ volleyball, South Torrance High outside hitter Gino Viggiano made the Daily Breeze all-South Bay first team after getting Pioneer League Player of the Year in keying the Spartans to the league title. South entered the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs as the fourth seed but was stunned in five sets to Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula, which finished third in the Bay League behind champion Mira Costa and second place Redondo. All other players on the first team were from the Mustangs including Player of the Year Victor Loiola, a senior outside hitter headed to men’s volleyball power Cal State Long Beach in the fall, or the Sea Hawks. From Mira Costa also included senior all-around Stone Seligson, junior middle blocker Alex Heins, senior setter Jett Bathurst and senior libero Johnny Dykstra. From Redondo included junior middle blocker Bobby Bennett and senior opposite hitter Luke Goldmann. The Mustangs were CIF-Southern Section and Southern California Regional Division runner-ups to Los Angeles Loyola, led by Southern Section Division I Player of the Year Sean Quinn, who many have ranked as the top-ranked prep boys’ volleyball player in the nation and is headed to recent NCAA Division I champion UCLA. The Sea Hawks were CIF-Southern Section Division II finalists losing to Santa Margarita but bounced back to outlast San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s in five sets for their first ever CIF-Southern California Regional Division II crown. Loyola ended up winning the mythical national championship, while the Mustangs were third. Redondo ended up 15th in the nation by Maxpreps.
Mira Costa’s Greg Snyder was named area Coach of the Year.
Meanwhile, senior Shane Hanson from California Academy of Math and Science from Carson (located on the Cal State Dominguez Hills campus) made CIF-Southern Section Division VII. In the CIF-Los Angeles City Section honors, Marine League champion Carson had senior middle blocker Donato Green make first team and senior outside hitter Julian Toledo land on second team for Division I. The Colts, last year’s L.A. City Section Division I champions were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
