By Joe Snyder
Serra High’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams made their stop at the California Relays with several outstanding showings Saturday at Long Beach Wilson High.
Junior Wesley Ace, who ran his personal best 100-meter dash time of 10.51 seconds in the Redondo High Nike Track and Field Festival on March 14, finished second behind Torrance High’s Nicolas Obingba at 10.72. Obingba, who finished second in the more prestigious Redondo Invitational a week earlier clocking 10.34, won the race in 10.41. Obingba already recorded his personal best time of 10.2 at the CIF-State Prelims last season at Buchanan High in Clovis. He ended up taking second in the state championship.
Earlier in the meet, Ace ran the third leg of the 4×100 relay which won timing 41.65. Other runners included Dion Edwards, Landon Johnson and anchor Lawson Griggs.
“Ace is getting stronger and has great potential,” Serra assistant coach Dwayne Fiqeue said.
A day earlier in the California Relays, Ace also sparked Serra’s 4×200 relay to a win with a blazing time of 1:26.84. Other runners were Landon Thomas, Edwards and Noah Garrir.
The Cavalier boys 4×400 relay also did well taking second in its heat in 3:27.52. Runners were Thomas, Dwayne Fiqua, Edwards and Tyler Woods.
Serra’s girls 4×100 relay, including Avante Davis, Najah Kelly, Mecca Muhammad and Sarah Nohownoa, placed fourth overall in 48.64.
“We have depth on our teams,” Serra first-year head coach Jasmine Frost said. “All levels did well. It shows that we’re getting better.”
Frost, who graduated from Serra in 2019, was a key sprinter for the Lady Cavaliers. Frost replaces Princeston Williams, who stepped down for family reasons.
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SB Hoops Classic sees split
Last Friday’s boys’ and girls’ prep basketball classic featured a blowout and a record high scoring game at El Camino College.
Starting with the girls’ game, the American team raced off to a quick start and took total command in a 91-48 rout of the Nationals. Then came the usually high-scoring boys’ game which featured 301 total points in the 48-minute classic. (Prep boys’ all-star games have 12-minute quarters, while the girls played 10-minute quarters in the first half and 12-minute quarters in the second half.). In the end, it was the Nationals that outscored the Americans 161-140. The 301 total points beat out last year’s contest that was won by the Nationals 146-133.
In the wild contest, the Nationals led the entire game taking a 34-18 lead after the first quarter, 72-49 at halftime, and 115-95 after three periods. The Americans briefly made the game close midway in the third quarter before the Nationals came back to pull away.
Serra High standout C.J. Anyikawa was one of eight National players to score in double figures with 14 points, including four three-point baskets. North Torrance Malachi Harris added 12 points, including two three-pointers. Playa del Rey St. Bernard’s Jordan Ballard led the Nationals with a game-high 22 points, followed by Redondo’s Chace Holley with 19. San Pedro Mary Star’s Sam Lane contributed 17 points.
For the Americans, it was another St. Bernard player, David Fidelis, who shared the team’s high scoring honors with Devin Wright of Redondo with 19 points, apiece. North Torrance’s Jordan Staub had 14 points, as did Cain Hawkins of Torrance.
In the girls’ game, the American stars started quickly in racing to a 16-2 lead. The Americans led 22-11 after the first quarter and 44-26 at halftime. The Americans continued to stay on the pedal as they outscored the Nationals 47-22 in the second half.
San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep standout Mia Fernandez sparked the Americans with 16 points.
The Nationals had no player score in double figures. Their high scorer was Ashley Jordan with seven points. Sydney Matsumoto of North Torrance had only three points, on a three-pointer in the second quarter.
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South baseball dominant in win over North High
North Torrance High’s baseball team fell to 1-2 in the Pioneer League with a 9-2 loss to host South Torrance last Friday.
The Spartans are currently unbeaten in league at 4-0 and ranked No. 2 in the South Bay by the Daily Breeze.
In a non-league game Monday at Culver City, the Saxons fell to the Centaurs 6-2.
At St. Monica in Santa Monica on March 16, North rolled over the host Mariners 12-1.
This week, North has a two-game series against Wiseburn-Da Vinci. The Saxons hosted Wiseburn-Da Vinci on Wednesday and the two teams play at Lawndale High, WDR’s current home field, Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Serra took a break from the brutal Del Rey League and routed King-Drew Medical Magnet 21-0 Saturday at Serra.
The Cavaliers, who are 4-5 overall and 0-4 in league, resumed Del Rey at home against La Salle High from Pasadena last Tuesday. Serra visits La Salle at Arcadia Regional Park Friday at 3:15 p.m. The Lancers won their first game over the Cavaliers 10-0 on March 3.
Serra hosts Maywood Center of Enriched Studies in a non-league game Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Gardena lost in the Dorsey Tournament to West Los Angeles University 6-1 on Saturday at Dorsey High.
The Panthers mustered only two hits off Wildcat pitcher Diego Romo, who had nine strikeouts.
Chris Alvarez drove in Gardena’s only run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly scoring Jesse Auayo.
On March 16 at Gardena, the Panthers fell to Torres 8-4.
Chris Alvarez highlighted Gardena with a two-run double. Max Garcia drove in a run for the Panthers.
The Panthers resume the Dorsey Tournament against King-Drew Monday at 10 a.m. Gardena takes on Roybal on Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Sotomayer on Wednesday at the same time.
