2008 WDN All-Area Boys Water Polo
Player of the Year – Ely Bonilla, Montebello, goalkeeper, junior
Coach of the Year – Jeff Padgett, La Serna
Hole set – Tyler Plueger, La Serna, senior
Attacker – Erick Gonzalez, Montebello, junior
Attacker – Arturo Villalpando, Montebello, senior
Utility – Matt Valdes, La Serna, senior
Utility – Jonathan Ruiz, Montebello, junior
Utility – Jon Canizales, Whittier, senior
Attacker – Aaron Valdes, La Serna, sophomore
Driver – J.P. Aguirre, El Rancho, senior
Driver – Justin Calderon, El Rancho, senior
Driver – Raymond Torres, Montebello, junior
Attacker – Rafael Romero, Montebello, sophomore
2m def – Miguel Torres, Montebello, senior
Untility – Connor Uroff, California, senior
A quick look at area basketball in the confusion of all the tournaments
being played …
La Habra (8-3) upset the Daily News No-1 ranked La Mirada, 74-71, in a
North Orange County tournament game today. La Habra’s Jordan Sachs
scored 36 points, La Mirada’s Derrick Williams got 35 in a duel between
the area’s top two players.
La Habra led, 72-71, when Randall Nygren, fresh from quarterbacking
the Highlanders to the CIF-SS Southwest Division football championship,
scored a layup off an offensive rebound with three seconds to play to
ice the victory.
La Habra plays next against San Dimas in the first round of the
Orange Holiday Classic at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Chapman College.
La Mirada (8-3) does not play again until Dec. 27 in the KSA Tour
Tournament that runs through Dec. 30 in Orlando, Fla. The Matadores
leave Christmas Day. …
St. Paul had its impressive, season-opening seven-game winning streak ended
by Morningside, 75-73, in the Friday’s semifinals of the Cantwell Sacred
Heart boys tournament. St. Paul point guard Steven Saenz had 30 points
and continues to (arguably) be the area’s best 3-point shooter. …
La Serna took a 5-4 record off back-to-back losses into today’s game
against Apple Valley in the West Covina Tournament. The Lancers have been
led by Jonathan Diaz (10.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Matt Bridge (8.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
and Steven Desowitz (8.6 ppg). …
Whittier (6-3), La Serna and Pioneer (6-5) led Del Rio teams in games
reported through Wednesday. …
Has anybody witnessed anything/anyone interesting among area teams during the early goings on of this young season?
Football for area schools, in terms of participation, is over except for the annual 605 all-star game and perhaps a smattering of individuals who might be invited to other all-star contests.
La Habra High School put a capper on it by bringing home the Southwest Division championship to go with the Southeast Division crown the Highlanders captured in 2007.
And they did it glorious fashion.
When the game was over, there was no doubt as to which was the better team. The teams played the way they’ve played all year and with the players they’ve played with all year.
There were no “what ifs” or “should-coulda-wouldas” left on the table.
And that’s the way it should be. …
All things considered, it was a good season.
It might have been even better had Pioneer not lost starting quarterback Ronnie Palacios, the Del Rio League’s returning offensive MVP from 2007, to a back problem before the season started.
And if California had not had to play down the stretch with an injured quarterback and running back.
And if Santa Fe had a healthy Aaron Turner playing instead of standing relatively immobile on the sideline with a heavily-taped ankle when the Chiefs lost to Burbank in the first round of the playoffs.
And if La Serna had not been without at least two key players who had been disciplined and were missing in the second-round loss to Rowland.
And if Whittier running back Alex Gonzalez hadn’t suffered an ankle injury (reportedly broken?) just as he was on the verge of a breakout season and set to couple with Daniel Enriquez to provide the Cardinals with the DRL’s best running back tandem.
And if El Rancho hadn’t suffered the same fate, losing half of it’s ground game when Marcus Aldecoa went down with a leg injury leaving Marcus Galan to fend for himself (which he did most valiantly) for a good chunk of the season.
Youthful La Mirada finally settled on a quarterback just in time to win its way into the playoffs, and can’t wait to get started for next season.
And neither, probably, can the rabid fans who have followed the area’s teams this fall.
It’s gone final –
LA HABRA 26, Tustin 14 in the CIF Southern Section Southwestern Divisional championship game.
Southwest Divisional Championship Game Updates live from Angels Stadium
La Habra strikes first with a 7-play, 49-yard drive that culminates in a Randall Nygren direct snap from 3 yards out.
Key play of the drive was a third and 13 from the Tustin 48 in which Nygren connected with running back Josh Quezada for a 23-yard gain. Two plays later Nygren hit Chris Gonzales with a gain of 20 to the 3.
La Habra 7, Tustin 0 @ 8:04
Click on the comments for further updates.
It’s still early in the season for projecting potential for success, but La Habra’s boys basketball program should draw a lot of attention from its Freeway League foes after an impressive, 59-48 victory over Santa Margarita Wednesday night.
Versatile Jordan Sachs, who sent up the first rocket with a 47-point effort in the season opener, scored 23 against Santa Margarita. Joshua Burresch added 13 points, including three 3-point baskets.
Coach Mark Stewart also cited the play of sophomore Marcus Wimberly and added, “They had those two 6-foot-7 guys (Brandon Blanchard, Jessee Hazely), but we had a lot of people step up.”
Consider that the Highlanders were missing five players who are with the football team that is playing for a CIF-SS Southwest Division championship Saturday, including Randall Nygren and Jake Peppard, who figure to be starters in basketball.
The Highlanders hope to make it back-to-back wins over Division I-AA teams when they travel to play Mission Viejo Friday. …
High school football fans interested in attending La Habra’s Southwest Division championship game against Tustin Saturday at Anaheim Stadium can purchase tickets in room 12 at La Habra High School. tickets will be sold Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reserve seat tickets are $15, adult general admission tickets are $12 and students tickets are $5. …
Former St. Paul football coach Marion Ancich’s state career coaching record is in jeopardy. The Swordsmen’s legendary mentor posted 344 victories to set the state mark for high school football coaches, but Concord De La Salle’s Bob Ladoceur is just a win behind.
Ladoceur will tie the mark if his team defeats Pittsburg in tonight’s North Coast Division I championship game. The Spartans also are in line for a berth in the state playoffs. …
Santa Fe two-way standout football player Nikolai Crouch will be ready to join the Chiefs’ wrestling team shortly after recovering from a lower back strain suffered in the first quarter of the team’s first-round playoff game against Burbank. At first it was feared Crouch had fractured a vertebra, but x-rays were negative, according to a school spokesperson. …