By Joe Snyder
Gardena High’s baseball team began the Marine League with a five-inning mercy rule 12-0 loss to host San Pedro last Monday.
Last week, the Panthers lost a home non-league 8-4 game to Port of Los Angeles High from San Pedro on March 12 and 13-5 to Inglewood Animo Leadership High in the Dorsey Tournament last Saturday at Jackie Robinson Field.
Against POLA, Nathan Guzman sparked Gardena by going 3-for-4 with one run batted in. Jesse Aguiayo went 3-for-3 with one run scored and Mark Garcia went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs.
“We played good defense,” Gardena head coach Tom Anderson said of the Panthers’ game against the Polar Bears. “We could have had a couple of more hits that could have drove in runs and a few called third strikes.”
Against Animo, Daniel Serna went a perfect 4-for-4 with one run. Anthony Garcia was 3-for-4 and scored a run. Marco Vivero went 2-for-3 with one RBI including a triple.
Gardena started out well by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning for a 4-1 lead but the Aztec-Eagles scored six in the top of the second and were never threatened from there.
The Panther roster includes mostly underclassmen with four starting freshmen.
Gardena is at home against San Pedro today at 3 p.m. before a spring break. Its next game is a tournament game against Vaughn of San Fernando on April 6 at 11 a.m. and league game at Banning in Wilmington on April 8 at 3 p.m.
Serra split two non-league games last week. Last Thursday, the Cavaliers fell to host Palos Verdes 4-2 but ended their five-game losing streak with a 4-2 home win over North Torrance last Saturday.
The Cavaliers (5-9 overall and 0-4 in the Del Rey League) hosted La Salle of Pasadena in league last Tuesday and will visit the Lancers at Arcadia Regional Park Friday at 3 p.m. Serra, then, visits Loyola in Los Angeles next Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. before hosting Venice next Wednesday at 3 p.m. in non-league games.
After hosting Wiseburn-Da Vinci in Pioneer League play on Wednesday, North visits the Huskies in El Segundo Friday at 3:30 p.m. The Saxons play a non-league game at Newport Harbor High next Monday at 3:15 p.m. before resuming Pioneer action at South Torrance next Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
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Serra track enjoys fine showing at Cal Relays
Serra High’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams traveled to Long Beach Wilson High and came out with several high finishes in Friday and Saturday’s California Relays.
Keying the Lady Cavaliers were sprinter Mia Flowers and hurdler-sprinter Jaiya Fletcher who won the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles, in order. Flowers captured the 100 at 11.96 seconds and Fletcher was victorious in the 100 hurdles clocking 15.38.
Serra, which included Fletcher, Isabella Samuel, Flowers, and Mecca Muhammed, captured the 800-sprint medley relay in 1:51.7. The Cavaliers were fifth in the 4×100 timing 48.0. Runners were Fletcher, Flowers, Samuel, and freshman Eryn Carter.
Lo’ani Atofao took sixth in the shot put with a toss of 34 feet, four inches. Mecca Muhammed placed fifth in the 800 clocking 2:26.66.
Gone for Serra’s boys was premiere sprinter Roderick Pleasant, now participating in football and track and field at University of Oregon, but their mostly young team had several top performances, behind their 4×200 relay squad of freshman Wesley Ace, sophomore Cole Inbrianna, junior Chris Harrison, and Muhammad Sherrilla, who won in 1:32.82. Cameron Wilcot-Harris, Ace, Otis “Tre” Harrison and Sherrilla teamed to get Serra’s 4×100 relay team for fifth place clocking 43.05. Freshman Duvey Williams and Ace finished third and sixth at 10.92 and 10.98, respectively, in the 100.
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CWU buries Dominguez hoops team in DII playoffs
The Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s basketball team could not solve the hot three-point shooting from Central Washington University in a 110-90 loss in the NCAA Division II Western Regional quarterfinals last Friday at Cal State Los Angeles.
The Toros entered the playoffs as the fourth seed, while the Wildcats were seeded fifth, but Central Washington connected on an astounding 18 three-point baskets, including 14 in the first half for a 61-36 halftime lead.
The second half saw CSDH get things under control, but could not get any closer than within 12 points of the Wildcats. Central Washington had just four additional three-pointers and the Toros were forced into fouling as the Wildcats made their free throws to keep their commanding lead.
Former Serra High standout guard Jeremy Dent-Smith led Cal State Dominguez with 25 points, 21 of those in the second half. Among those were three three-pointers. Andre Ball and Za-Ontay Boothman each added 15 points. D.J. Guest finished with 14 points and Jakob Alamudun had 11.
Central Washington was led by Jordan Clark with 28 points, including six three-pointers. Colby Gennett and Samaad Hector each chipped in 18 points and Camron McNeil contributed 16.
The Wildcats were upset in the semifinals by Azusa-Pacific University 82-74 on Saturday, following a 60-59 victory over host and top seed Cal State L.A. in the quarterfinals on Friday. Cal State San Bernardino, which lost in the CCAA championship game to the Golden Eagles on March 9 at CSSB, was the No. 2 seed as it advanced to play in last Monday’s final against the Cougars, who entered the tournament as the last seed. APC improved to 16-16 overall. San Bernardino slipped past Chico State 75-73 in the semis.
