May Madness arrives as high school sports season enters final month
Let's examine the calendar and potential news to be made.
Swimming
The Southern Section finals are Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College with the City Section finals the same day at L.A. Valley College. The state championships are May 15-17 at Clovis West.
Advertisement
All eyes will be on four-year Santa Margarita standout Teagan O'Dell before she heads off to California to begin her college career with the Golden Bears. She has dominated in Division 1 and is hoping to break more records while leading her team to a sixth straight girls' state championship.
Lacrosse
Palisades won the boys' and girls' City Section championships this past week. The Southern Section will hold its girls' finals on May 16 at El Modena and the boys' finals on May 17 at El Modena.
Loyola is seeded No. 1 in boys and Mira Costa is No. 1 in girls.
Baseball
Corona is 26-2 and atop the Southern Section power rankings. Playoff seedings will be announced on May 12 and the championship games will be played May 30 and 31 at Cal State Fullerton and Blair Field in Long Beach. Division 1 will have its strongest 32-team bracket ever. Regional championships are June 7.
It's a last chance to see Corona pitcher Seth Hernandez before he goes No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 in baseball's amateur draft this summer. He has 88 strikeouts and three walks in 42 1/3 innings. The Panthers also have another likely top-10 selection in shortstop Billy Carlson.
Advertisement
The City Section championships are set for May 24 at Dodger Stadium. Playoff pairings are announced on May 10. Either Birmingham or El Camino Real will be the No. 1 seed as they battle it out for the West Valley League championship with a two-game series this week. Venice is 24-2 and looking good for a top-four seed.
The Open Division playoffs change from 12 teams to eight teams and playoff games scheduled for May 14 and May 20 make it possible for a team to use a single pitcher to get to Dodger Stadium. "It's not who has the best team but who has the best pitcher," Birmingham coach Matt Mowry said of the scheduling.
Softball
Orange Lutheran center fielder Kai Minor is headed to Oklahoma.
(Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
Norco, Rosary and Orange Lutheran look like the teams to beat in Southern Section softball. Pairings come out on May 12. The finals are May 30-31 in Irvine.
Advertisement
With the absence of a dominant pitcher, the hitters have a chance to lead their team to a championship, and few have been better than Orange Lutheran's Kai Minor, an Oklahoma commit.
In the City Section, who wouldn't want to see a third straight final between Granada Hills and Carson? Last season Carson won on a 14th-inning walk-off home run. The final will be played May 31 at a college field to be announced. San Pedro has won the Marine League title over Carson, so beware of the Pirates.
Volleyball
Mira Costa's Andrew Chapin and Wyatt Davis block a hit by Loyola's Simon Capps on March 21.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Mira Costa is the No. 1 seed in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs that conclude May 16-17 at Cerritos College. The regional playoffs are the following week, then the state championships May 31 at Santiago Canyon College.
The City Section championships will be held May 17 at Birmingham. Venice received the No. 1 seed on Thursday for the Open Division tournament.
Tennis
Irvine University sophomore Rishvanth Krishna won the CIF singles championship at the Ojai tournament on April 26.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Palisades won its 16th consecutive City Section boys' tennis championship for legendary coach Bud Kling, who has won 53 combined boys' and girls' titles. Imagine where he finds room to store all the championship plaques.
Irvine University and Beckman are the favorites to win a Southern Section Open Division title. The finals are May 16 at the University of Redlands.
Football
This month schools are ending spring practices by holding college showcases and playing seven-on-seven competitions against other schools.
Advertisement
One of the most intriguing should take place Tuesday at Sierra Canyon, where Newbury Park and quarterback Brady Smigiel will be facing the Trailblazers' talented secondary, led by USC commit Madden Riordan.
Long Beach Millikan is hosting the first big seven-on-seven event on May 17 that will feature 20 teams.
This month, the National Federation of State High School Assns. will release its first national rules for girls' flag football. It will have a big influence in California, with special teams used for the first time (punting) and defenses allowed to rush from one yard back of the line of scrimmage instead of seven last year. Coaches say that will lead to fewer touchdowns and fewer long passes.
Track
The Southern Section track and field finals are set for May 17 at Moorpark High, followed by the Masters Meet on May 24. The City Section finals will be May 22 on Birmingham's new Mondo track. The state championships are May 30-31 at Buchanan High in Clovis.
Advertisement
The Arcadia Invitational was a good sneak peek for athletes to watch, including Servite's group of young sprinters, Temecula Valley's Jack Stadlman in the 400, Santa Margarita's Leo Francis in the long jump and Aliso Niguel's Jaslene Massey in the girls' shotput.
Bishop Alemany sophomore Demare Dezeurn ran the second fastest 100 meters in the state this year when he won the Mission League finals in 10.32 seconds on Thursday.
Golf
The City Section championships will be held May 21 at Harding Golf Course. Luke Schultz of Palisades is back to defend his individual title.
The Southern Section team finals are May 19-20, followed by the individual final on May 22. The state championships are June 3 at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach.
Advertisement
Watch to see if St. Francis freshman Jaden Soong can contend for an individual title.
Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Top storylines for the 2025 Southland high school football season
The high school football season begins this weekend with Week 0 games. Let's examine storylines and questions to be answered: What will it take for a team other than Mater Dei or St. John Bosco to reach the Southern Section Division 1 final? The answer is luck, because it's not happening. Every season since 2016, the Monarchs or Braves have won the Southern Section Division 1 title and have met in the finals every season except for 2021, when Servite, led by its two future first-round draft picks, Mason Graham and Teteroia McMillan, beat St. John Bosco in the semifinals. Those two schools have offensive and defensive lines too big, too strong and with too much depth for others to take down in the transfer era. They face off at the end of the regular season on Halloween, then will likely play again four weeks later for the section title. What will life be like in the City Section after the collapse of Narbonne for rules violations? It's back to beating Birmingham if you want to win the City Section Open Division title. The Patriots had their 48-game City winning streak end with a loss to Narbonne but that was turned into a forfeit victory, so the streak is at 49. It's a wide-open City race. Look for Carson, San Pedro and Palisades to join the Patriots for the right to win a missing trophy (yes, put up a reward to find it). What's the strongest position in the Southland this season? It's the defensive line. There are so many elite linemen and ends capable of making an impact this season, and beyond that quarterbacks better be warned to wear extra equipment to cushion the blows about to be inflicted. From Mater Dei's Tomuhini Topui to Gardena Serra's Khary Wilder, from Sierra Canyon's Richard Wesley to St. John Bosco's Dutch Horisk, expect lots of sacks and forced fumbles. Which teams will be surprise success stories? A new campus and new football stadium has Compton excited and ready for a big turnaround after going 3-7 last season. Former L.A. Jordan coach Derek Benton has taken over at Fremont, so perhaps the Pathfinders can move up. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has received some big-time transfers, putting the Knights in position to be competitive with Sierra Canyon and Gardena Serra in the Mission League. Agoura quarterback Gavin Gray is back from a knee injury, so the Chargers are ready to roll. Servite has a group of track athletes to be unleashed in football, and speed can be a game-changer. Cathedral is poised to be a title contender as quarterback Jaden Jefferson receives help on the offensive line. Burbank was impressive in seven-on-seven competitions and will try to prove its linemen can help out. Which teams must find replacements for big-time players from last season? Newbury Park needs someone to become the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Brady Smigiel after the graduation of Shane Rosenthal. Mater Dei will be trying out a trio of running backs to take on the role previously held by Jordon Davison, who is now at Oregon. Sierra Canyon's bid to be a Division 1 contender will come down to play at quarterback (senior Chase Everett, junior Demarco Hernandez and senior Laird Finkel are competing for the starting job). Mission Viejo must find someone to duplicate Jaden Williams' 23 sacks. JSerra is turning to untested quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall to replace Ryan Hopkins, who left for Mater Dei. Which coaches will be under the microscope? Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer takes over at Santa Margarita, having put together a top staff that includes last season's interim coach, Steve Fifita. No one has a bigger task ahead than Narbonne first-year coach Doug Bledsoe, whose team is ineligible for the postseason and saw an exodus of players. Former NFL defensive back Troy Hill is a first-year coach at St. Bonaventure with no head coaching experience. Rick Clausen takes over at Westlake, which went 0-10 last season. Former Crespi coach Dameon Porter gets a second chance at Harvard-Westlake, which forfeited a game in 2023 because of a lack of players. Which freshmen could have an impact? Quarterback Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton; quarterback Ezrah Brown, Orange Lutheran; quarterback Ford Green, Westlake; quarterback Marcus Washington Jr., Cajon; linebacker Ethan Harrington, Sierra Canyon; tight end Austin Miller, Bellflower; quarterback CJ Woods, Harvard-Westlake; quarterback Evan McCalister, Valencia; safety Tyrin Jefferson, Cathedral; receiver Mason Fowler, Corona Centennial. What are games you don't want to miss? Mission Viejo vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, Friday; Mater Dei at Corona Centennial, Sept. 12; Mater Dei at Bishop Gorman, Sept. 19; Gardena Serra at Sierra Canyon, Oct. 3; St. John Bosco vs. Orange Lutheran, Oct. 10; San Clemente at Mission Viejo, Oct. 17; Roosevelt vs. Garfield, Oct. 24; Carson at San Pedro, Oct. 30; Mater Dei at St. John Bosco, Oct. 31. Which schools have new stadiums to visit? Garfield, Roosevelt and Hamilton have new stadiums in the City Section. Long Beach Jordan, Hawthorne, Crescenta Valley and El Rancho open new stadiums in the Southern Section. Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
High school flag football: Monday's and Tuesday's scores
TUESDAY'S RESULTS SOUTHERN SECTIONAgoura 20, Redondo Union 12Arlington 34, Ramona 34Brea Olinda 32, Santa Ana Valley 7Buena 12, Channel Islands 6Cajon 12, San Gorgonio 0Camarillo 36, Newbury Park 12Canyon Springs 14, Citrus Valley 0Cerritos 20, Culver City 2Chaffey 26, Baldwin Park 12Claremont 39, Northview 6Corona 19, Murrieta Valley 0Covina 18, Don Lugo 12Dos Pueblos 55, St. Bonaventure 0Downey 27, Long Beach Wilson 0Garey 41, Pomona 0Hacienda Heights Wilson 41, Whittier 0Hart 12, Highland 6Hemet 20, Moreno Valley 0Jurupa Hills 31, Colony 6Kennedy 18, Pacifica 6La Sierra 13, Corona Centennial 12Los Osos 16, Paramount 12Millikan 12, St. Mary's Academy 8Mira Costa 6, Torrance 0Murrieta Mesa 20, Desert Hot Springs 8Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 20, Ontario Christian 14Norte Vista 6, Arroyo Valley 0Oak Park 34, Westlake 0Orange 13, Capistrano Valley 0Orange Lutheran 44, Rosary Academy 6Oxnard 44, Simi Valley 0Portola 18, Costa Mesa 6Ramona 34, Arlington 34Rancho Cucamonga 35, Alta Loma 0Riverside Poly 36, Elsinore 0San Clemente 25, Laguna Hills 2San Jacinto Valley Academy 12, California Military Institute 2San Marcos 25, Lompoc 0San Marino 49, Sacred Heart of Jesus 0Santa Barbara 51, Lompoc Cabrillo 6Santa Fe 20, Sunny Hills 0Santa Monica 14, Quartz Hill 7Summit 13, Serrano 6Temecula Prep 57, Nuview Bridge 6Temescal Canyon 39, Tahquitz 6Tesoro 27, Segerstrom 0Western 20, Glenn 14Westminster La Quinta 18, Garden Grove Santiago 14Woodbridge 7, Anaheim Canyon 7Xavier Prep 32, Whitney 0 MONDAY'S RESULTS CITY SECTIONFranklin 19, Garfield 12Marshall 25, San Fernando 0Marshall 31, Monroe 13San Fernando 48, Monroe 0Wilson 62, Maywood Academy 0 SOUTHERN SECTIONArlington 26, Nuview Bridge 13Anaheim 29, Cerritos 26Arroyo 15, Alhambra 6Ayala 19, Riverside King 6Azusa 20, San Gabriel 0Beaumont 28, Norco 12Bishop Amat 7, Rancho Cucamonga 6Brea Olinda 32, Santa Ana Valley 7Buena Park 20, Estancia 0Burbank Burroughs 39, Lancaster 0Cajon 51, Colton 0California 31, La Mirada 0Canyon Country Canyon 20, Saugus 12Cathedral City 20, Rancho Mirage 14Chino 6, Claremont 0Chino Hills 19, Rialto 0Compton 12, Dominguez 0Corona 13, Colony 7Corona del Mar 13, Sana Hills 12Cypress 15, Los Alamitos 14Downey 24, El Modena 6El Dorado 12, Irvine University 7El Toro 26, Villa Park 0Garden Grove 27, Tustin 0Garden Grove Pacifica 24, Westminster La Quinta 8Garden Grove Santiago 12, Bolsa Grande 6Gahr 21, Westminster 6Garey 19, Montclair 18Glendora 13, West Covina 0Godinez 33, Magnolia 0Golden Valley 27, Vasquez 13Hart 13, Valencia 7Huntington Beach 26, Yorba Linda 7Indian Springs 12, Miller 6Indio 6, La Quinta 0Laguna Beach 20, Savanna 14Laguna Hills 27, Katella 7La Habra 6, Fullerton 0La Serna 38, Los Altos 6La Sierra 14, Hillcrest 13Linfield Christian 30, Temecula Prep 6Littlerock 12, PACS 0Long Beach Cabrillo 18, Bell Gardens 6Long Beach Jordan 19, Artesia 7Long Beach St. Anthony 45, Ramona Convent 0Marina 21, Long Beach Wilson 12Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 19, Loara 6Newport Harbor 21, Northwood 6Nogales 12, Schurr 0Norwalk 13, Saddleback 0Orange 14, Los Amigos 0Paramount 8, Keppel 0Patriot 34, Summit 32Ramona 25, Riverside North 0Rancho Alamitos 36, Western 0Redlands East Valley 40, Palm Springs 6Sage Hill 19, Fountain Valley 18Santa Fe 26, Montebello 13Segerstrom 12, Crean Lutheran 7Serrano 33, Redlands 7Shadow Hills 31, Palm Desert 0Sonora 41, Whittier 6Sunny Hills 25, Troy 14Temescal Canyon 13, Canyon Springs 13Valley View 27, San Gorgonio 19Vista del Lago 12, Norte Vista 7Warren 19, Santa Ana Foothill 7West Ranch 19, Castaic 13Westridge 24, Culver City 0Woodbridge 8, Anaheim Canyon 7Xavier Prep 20, Banning 18Yucaipa 26, Jurupa Hills 7 INTERSECTIONAL Alemany 25, Sherman Oaks CES 6 Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Six West Valley League football teams agree: Their league is best in City Section
It was football media day for six West Valley League teams on Saturday at Granada Hills, and as a unit, the coaches and players are convinced they have a chance to be the best league in the City Section in terms of competition. While defending league champion Birmingham has an overall 49-game winning streak against City Section opponents, Cleveland, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, Taft and El Camino Real hope to be factors in the playoffs. Cleveland is making strides to challenge for second place with a group of talented juniors, including two Nigerian-born players, running back Moyosoreoluwa Odebunmi and linebacker Oluwafemi Okeola. Odebunmi, in his first varsity carry in a scrimmage against Van Nuys on Thursday, ran for a touchdown. 'When I scored, I was like, 'Oh wow,'' he said. 'But I know it's not going to be easy.' Birmingham has an offensive line filled with 300 pounders, and when 6-foot-5, 260-pound quarterback Kevin Hawkins plays tight end, the Patriots are truly giants up front. Coach Jim Rose said of Hawkins running the ball: 'It's like tackling a lineman. He's a huge guy out there.' Birmingham held a pizza eating contest this past week, and the winner was lineman Pablo Granados, who ate 10 slices in seven minutes. Hawkins was runner-up with seven. Chatsworth offensive lineman Pablo Escobedo is known for riding his horse in his Chatsworth neighborhood. 'It's pretty cool,' he said. Chatsworth should have one of the league's best running backs in junior Devin Del Toro, who has been playing running back and linebacker since his freshman season. Coach Shawn Johnson said he has made 'a huge jump.' There are two players in the league who are outstanding two-sport athletes in football and baseball. That's Taft quarterback/catcher Nathan Swinson and El Camino Real defensive back/center fielder Shane Bogacz. Both try to find time to hit the batting cages to stay sharp during football season. Granada Hills will continue to run the double-wing attack, focusing on running the ball, but the midseason availability of transfer quarterback Taiyo Dorio from Crescenta Valley could cause coach Bucky Brooks to try a pass or two. Wingback Myles Cross drew laughter when he said, 'I caught a pass.' Brooks offered praise to all coaches and players in the City Section. 'I applaud all those who opted to stay in the neighborhood and play for neighborhood schools,' he said. 'I want to salute everyone. I love the competitiveness.'
