Serra High’s girls’ basketball team has not played any games since its thrilling overtime win over Santa Ana Mater Dei for a third place finish in the Redondo Battle at the Beach Classic on Dec. 3.
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team has not played any games since its thrilling overtime win over Santa Ana Mater Dei for a third place finish in the Redondo Battle at the Beach Classic on Dec. 3.
On top of that, the Lady Cavaliers were faced with distractions due to the sudden death of head Serra High boys’ basketball coach Dwan Hurt on Nov. 25 and the school administration deciding to re-dedicate the gym and its floor in his honor. That resulted in the gym floor being re-painted with his name that forced the game against North Torrance, originally scheduled for last Friday at Serra, to be moved a day later to North. The Saxons, who won the Pioneer League the past two years that included a CIF-Southern Section Division IIA title in the 2014-15 season, started out well as they led by as many as eight points in the second quarter. Trailing 27-24 at halftime, the Cavaliers turned things around and were able to pull off a 68-60 victory over North to improve their preseason record to 6-3.
“We hadn’t played in two weeks,” Serra High head coach McKenzie Hadley said. “North is a quality team. We had a poor second quarter but we came back. In the second half, we turned the tide. Our free throw shooting was good.”
The Cavaliers started out with a 6-0 lead but the Saxons, behind their quickness, outstanding shooting and their effective defense, turned things around as they, on three occasions, led by eight points. Serra, though, was finally able to get things going as it whittled its deficit to three points by intermission.
The early third quarter was a see-saw battle that saw the Cavaliers, behind three straight baskets by Alexis Tucker, had some slim leads. North came back and led 33-30 but Serra came back to finish the period with a 14-6 run for a 44-39 advantage.
The fourth quarter saw Serra pull away and lead by as many as 13 points. The final three minutes was plagued with a rash of fouls but Cheyanne Givens, who led all scorers with 21 points, made key free throws to seal the contest for the Cavaliers, who entered last week ranked eighth in the first CIF-Southern Section Division IAA poll but will be top candidates to play in the postseason Open Division.
Along with her 21 points, Gibbons grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists. Gibbons also converted on 12 of 14 free throws. Tucker added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Rachel Duru chipped in six points, five of those in the fourth period.
North, ranked 16th in the Southern Section Division IAA, was led by Cheridan Mataalii and Britany McPherson with 15 points apiece. Kayla Tashima contributed 13 points, including three three-point baskets.
“Serra made more plays than us,” North head coach Lauryn Kimiyama said. “I thought we battled with them toward the end. It just comes down to making the plays.”
The Cavaliers are currently taking another week off before beginning the Southern California Holiday Prep Classic beginning next Tuesday. The Cavaliers open their pool play against Mission Hills from San Diego. Serra also has games against Valencia on Wednesday and Mays from Atlanta next Thursday before the finals on Dec. 30.
The Saxons are currently playing in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions that began last Monday and lasts through Friday.
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Jackson gets unanimous All-American
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Former Serra High football standout added a first team all-American honors to his University of Southern California football resume, announced on Dec. 14 by the American Football Coaches Association at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
Jackson, who regularly plays cornerback but plays some at wide receiver, was an all-American as an all-Purpose player. Jackson, a 2014 graduate of Serra, was a unanimous selection where the voters included the AFCA, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and the Walter Camp Foundation.
The Football Writers also selected Jackson on the punt returning team, as well as being first-team cornerback.
His all-American honors came a week after he received the Jim Thorpe Award for the top defensive back in Atlanta.
A few days earlier in Newport Beach, Jackson was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Award but that went to Jabrill Peppers of Michigan.
Jackson and the Trojans are currently preparing for their Rose Bowl game against Penn State University on Jan. 2 in Pasadena. USC finished the regular season at 9-3. Despite settling for a second place finish, behind champion University of Colorado, in the PAC 12 South Division, USC was chosen over Colorado to play in the Rose Bowl after Colorado fell to Washington in the PAC 12 Championship game on Dec. 2 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Colorado will face Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 in San Antonio, Texas.
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Sports Scoop
Hopeless Rams are in chaos after firing of Fisher
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
After four games, it appeared that the Rams’ return to Los Angeles would be a successful one with a 3-1 record and leading the National Football Conference Western Division.
From there, things fell apart. Their offense never could jell, neither with quarterbacks Case Keenum nor Jared Goff. Their 42-14 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 11 at the Coliseum spelled the firing of head coach Jeff Fisher a day later. He was replaced by special teams coordinator John Fassel on an interim basis as they will be expecting a new and hopefully more successful head mentor beginning next season.
Things were not any better for Fassel after the Rams suffered their fifth consecutive loss and ninth in the past 10 games to the host Seattle Seahawks 24-3 last Thursday.
Their offense continued to be embarrassing mustering just 183 total yards. Goff was injured after being hit hard out of bounds by a Seattle defender as he attempted to score. He fell two yards shy but that play was nullified due to a holding penalty that pushed L.A. back to the Seahawk 28-yard line. Keenum came in but all of his three passes fell incomplete.
They have some hope to close the season with a pair of wins as they host the San Francisco 49’ers on Christmas Eve (Saturday) but the 49’ers began the season on Sept. 12 by shutting out the Rams 28-0 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. San Francisco, since, lost 12 straight. They finish on New Year’s Day at home against the Arizona Cardinals, a team they defeated 17-13 three months ago at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Then, it’s time to decide on the new coach. Unfortunately, University of Michigan head mentor Jim Harbough, a former head coach with the 49’ers, and current Seattle coach Pete Carroll refused the job offer. The Rams are considering former Oakland Raiders-Tampa Bay Buccaneers head mentor Jon Gruden, although he has not coached since 2008. He guided the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl championship in the 2002-03 season but was not as successful after that. Gruden coached the Raiders from 1996-2001. He is currently an analyst with ESPN. Other top considerations include Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was in that position with the St. Louis Rams in 2011. L.A. might even consider current University of Southern California head coach Clay Helton, who is enjoying success with the Trojans who have a 9-3 record heading into the Jan. 2 Rose Bowl. After a 1-3 start, USC won eight consecutive games. Helton, though, might be inexperienced as a National Football League head mentor.
The Rams have not had a winning season since 2006 and did not make the playoffs since 2004. They won their only Super Bowl title in the 1999-2000 season with a win over the Tennessee Titans. The Rams won National Football League crowns in Cleveland in 1945, the year before moving to L.A., and in L.A. in 1951 by topping the Cleveland Browns.
College Bowl in Carson: On Jan. 21, there will be a college bowl game at the StubHub Center in Carson. This will be the National Football League Players Association Collegiate All-Star Bowl game between the National and American stars that starts at 1 p.m. They include senior players who are top prospects for the NFL draft that takes place in April.
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Local Prep Sports Roundup
Gardena hoopsters split first two Marine games
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team evened its Marine League record to 1-1 and overall mark to 5-5 after a 60-48 home victory over King-Drew Medical Magnet last Thursday.
The Panthers led by three points (26-23) at halftime and five (39-34) after three quarters before putting the game out of reach by outscoring the Golden Eagles 21-14 in the fourth period.
At Carson on Dec. 12, Gardena fell to the Colts 47-32.
Following Christmas, the Panthers begin the San Pedro Pirate Christmas Classic against West Adams Prep next Monday at 2:30 p.m.
Serra plays in two tournaments: After not playing last week, Serra High’s boys’ basketball team resumed play in the Mission Prep Tournament in San Luis Obispo last Monday.
The classic runs through Friday.
After Christmas, the Cavaliers will travel to Mesa, Ariz. for the Visit Mesa Tournament which runs from next Tuesday through Dec. 30.
Serra hosts North Torrance in a non-league game at what was recently called the Dwan Hurt Memorial Gymnasium on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.
Gardena soccer teams start well: Gardena High’s boys’ and girls’ soccer teams are off to good starts.
The Panther boys are 5-1-2 after an impressive 3-1 home win over Bishop Montgomery on Dec. 14.
Gardena began the season with a 3-2 win at Manual Arts in South Los Angeles on Nov. 18. On Nov. 28, the Panthers battled host North Hollywood to a scoreless tie. A day later at Gardena, the Panthers shut out Long Beach Wilson 2-0. At Inglewood on Dec. 1, Gardena tied the Sentinels 1-1. At Windward in Mar Vista on Dec. 6, the Panthers fell to the Wildcats 2-1. A day later, Gardena returned home and blanked Rancho Dominguez Prep from Long Beach 2-0. On Dec. 8, the host Panthers held off Inglewood Morningside 3-2.
Gardena will not play until Jan. 11 when it opens the Marine League at Washington at 4 p.m.
The Lady Panthers also started off well getting wins over Downtown L.A. Santee 2-0 on Dec. 2 at Gardena and host Rancho Dominguez 2-1 on Dec. 7. Last Friday, the Panthers were expected to host Marquez but the results were unavailable.
Gardena’s next game is its league opener against Washington on Jan. 11 at 4 p.m.
