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Roosevelt, Ontario Christian are top seeds in boys' and girls' regional basketball playoffs

Roosevelt, Ontario Christian are top seeds in boys' and girls' regional basketball playoffs

The Southern California Regional basketball playoff pairings were released on Sunday with Eastvale Roosevelt and Ontario Christian receiving the No. 1 seeds for the six-team boys' and girls' Open Division tournaments that begins on Wednesday. Each gets a first-round bye.
The boys' bracket has Roosevelt facing the winner of Harvard-Westlake vs. St. John Bosco. The No. 2 seed, Santa Maria St. Joseph, gets a first-round bye and will face either San Diego Montgomery or Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
The girls' bracket has Ontario Christian meeting the winner of Sierra Canyon-Mission Hills. No. 2-seeded Etiwanda will face the winner of Mater Dei vs. Bishop Montgomery.
City Section Open Division boys' champion Westchester drew the No. 2 seed in Division II and will host La Jolla Country Day on Tuesday.
The state championships are March 14 and 15 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

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A rookie called Otto: Undrafted Kemp gets 3 hits and sparks rally in 1st home game for Phillies

timean hour ago

A rookie called Otto: Undrafted Kemp gets 3 hits and sparks rally in 1st home game for Phillies

PHILADELPHIA -- Otto Kemp wandered alone for about 20 minutes in his first trip to Citizens Bank Park — 'people were (like) what is this guy doing in this place?' — when he spotted Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Hours before Realmuto would score the winning run in an extra-innings comeback — a run set-up in large part by Kemp's bunt single in the two-run rally — he found the rookie and showed him the way to the clubhouse. 'I kind of walked with him and let him take me,' Kemp said, laughing. 'Just trying to enjoy it. Get the lay of the land. Every clubhouse is different. Enjoy the day. Enjoy the moment.' Kemp's improbable rise from undrafted Division II prospect out of Point Loma Nazarene University in California to signing a free-agent minor-league deal with the Phillies in 2022 through four minor-league stops finally brought him Monday night for the first time to Citizens Bank Park. Not as a fan such as reliever Orion Kerkering, who had to scrounge for upper deck tickets as a prospect to watch the 2022 World Series. Or even former Phillies pitcher Tyler Phillips, who practically grew up at the ballpark as a diehard fan of the team. Kemp saved his first trip to the ballpark for when he finally made the major leagues. 'I just tried to keep it special,' he said. 'I just tried to keep it something that I get to do on the first day I get to the big leagues. It was kind of just a little bit of motivation to keep me pushing and get to this point.' The 25-year-old Kemp's push took him first to Pittsburgh when he was called up Saturday from Triple-A Lehigh Valley with slugger Bryce Harper on the injured list. Kemp made his third straight start Monday night, this one against the Chicago Cubs and he finished a sparkling 3 for 5 with an error, his first career hit and run scored. Kemp said he hadn't bunted since he played collegiate summer baseball for the St. Cloud Rox in 2021. 'I popped it up straight to the catcher,' he said with a laugh. The seemingly lost art in baseball came right back to Kemp. It certainly helped that he told the Phillies coaching staff over the weekend that, yes, he could in fact bunt. Realmuto made it 3-all when he drove in the automatic runner with a single off Cubs reliever Daniel Palencia. The Phillies then improbably got two straight bunt singles, the first from Bryson Stott — a late-inning replacement after he was benched amid a 2-for-24 slump —and then from Kemp, who had the third of his first three big league hits in the game to set up the clutch swing from Marsh. Marsh — batting just .228 on the season — delivered a 381-foot single to center that scored Realmuto for the 4-3 victory and snapped the Phillies' five game losing streak. Marsh, a fan-favorite with his stringy hair and ZZ Top-esque beard, said it was the first walk-off winner of his career at any level of baseball. Kemp singled in the fifth for his first hit — he said he would frame the baseball — and scurried to third on Cubs starter Matthew Boyd's errant pickoff attempt. Kemp scored on Weston Wilson's RBI single for a 2-1 lead. Kemp's surprise call-up at around 11 p.m. Friday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the Iron Pigs played turned into a whirlwind trip for him and his family and friends. Kemp had an early morning flight on Saturday to Pittsburgh while his wife and dog drove from North Carolina and his parents scrambled to find a red-eye from California and made it to the game just in time. Kemp had his wife, his dad, three friends and his Point Loma college baseball coach Justin James and his family and friends at the game Monday for the home debut. 'It's cool to execute that bunt and get it down and thank him for raising me in a West Coast baseball program,' Kemp said. 'He's stoked. He's just so fired up. Just to see me in that moment and out on that field, it's cool for him to see one of his products and how he helped me get to this point.' Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Kemp could play first base and even the outfield the longer he stays in the major leagues. Kemp played all over the field this season at Triple-A with 33 starts at third base, 17 combined starts at second and first base and seven starts in the outfield. It was all enough to impress Thomson and the Phillies front office. 'He's looked comfortable. He's got great composure,' Thomson said. 'I really like the way he goes about his business.' Kemp was slashing .313/.416/.594 with a 1.010 OPS, 49 runs, 14 home runs and 55 RBI in 58 games for the Iron Pigs. A non-roster invitee to spring training this season, the reality of going from unwanted in the draft to undeniable on the way to the majors truly came into focus over the last two seasons. 'Double-A was when it really clicked,' Kemp said. 'Like this is when it can become a real possibility.' As his new Phillies teammates bathed him in sports drinks and water to celebrate his three hits and the win, he soaked in the moment and how that possibility had indeed turned into a reality. 'I'll have that Gatorade bath any day,' he said.

Prep Rally: The best high school tournaments to watch this summer
Prep Rally: The best high school tournaments to watch this summer

Los Angeles Times

timea day ago

  • Los Angeles Times

Prep Rally: The best high school tournaments to watch this summer

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. The summer season has begun. Let's examine what to look for. The 2025-26 season starts with a busy summer of preparation, when freshmen and transfers get their first looks from coaches in the off season. Football teams have begun competing in seven on seven events, hitting the weight room and beginning the process of getting into shape for the start of the season Aug. 22. Fans wanting to get a sneak peek at this season's fall stars, here are some tournaments to watch. The L.A. Chargers are hosting a tournament June 14 in El Segundo. Arroyo High also has a tournament June 14. Palos Verdes has a tournament June 21. The Saugus tournament is June 21 at Central Park. St. John Bosco, Mission Viejo, Simi Valley and Baldwin Park are having tournaments June 28. Edison's Battle at the Beach is July 12 and a must-see event. Long Beach Poly is hosting a tournament July 19 that includes Mater Dei, which is also in the Mission Viejo tournament. In basketball, the California LIVE tournament for girls is June 12-14 in Roseville and for boys June 27-29 at Ladera Sports Center and San Juan Hills High. The Section 7 tournament for boys is June 20-22 at the Arizona Athletic Grounds and June 13-14 for girls. The War on the Floor tournament is June 19-22 at Chaminade and El Camino Real. The Maranatha tournament is June 9-14. The Fairfax tournament is June 16-21. In baseball, the Area Code tournament featuring class of 2026 and 2027 players is Aug. 6-11 at Blair Field in Long Beach. The Area Code underclass tournament is Aug. 1-5. Remember Southern Section schools have to take a mandatory two-week dead period in each sport, where coaches are not allowed to work with athletes. St. John Bosco culminated the greatest baseball season in school history by winning the Southern California Division I regional. The Braves previously won the Trinity League title and the Southern Section Division 1 championship. From shortstop James Clark to relief pitcher Jack Champlin, coach Andy Rojo's Braves finished 30-4 and beat one top team after another. Here's a report on their final win. If you want an early look at top teams for 2026, here they are: 1. St. John Bosco, 2. Harvard-Westlake, 3. Corona, 4. Norco, 5. JSerra. It's awards season, and Corona pitcher Seth Hernandez is going to be busy. Last week, he was named the state player of the year by Gatorade, then the national player of the year by Gatorade. Hernandez went 9-1 this season and should be a top pick in next month's baseball draft. He was home schooled until joining Corona his junior year and finished with a two-year mark of 18-1. Here's the report and video from the announcement. For all the push-ups completed, for all the running drills endured and for all the yelling received during his days playing high school football at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High in the 1990s, Dan Keeler is getting the last laugh later this month when he takes command of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in Coronado. 'Now I'm going to have to salute him,' former Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney quipped. A story on the impact coaches can have on their players' lives. El Modena finished runner-up in the Division I regional to Chula Vista Mater Dei. Lots of top teams chose to opt out of participating due to club commitments, graduation and other issues. The CIF intends to hold state championships in softball and baseball soon, so finding a way to get the top teams to participate will be a priority. The regular season must end sooner to be held before school lets out or the problems will continue. Southern California is where golf prodigies Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay first began to receive attention as youths, and 15-year-old Jaden Soong, a member of the Class of 2028 at St. Francis High in La Cañada, is on the same path. On Tuesday, he mastered Poppy Hills Country Club, shooting a nine-under 62 to win the CIF state championship in Pebble Beach. He had no bogeys, seven birdies and an eagle. He's believed to be the youngest to win a CIF individual golf title. PGA winners Cantlay (Servite) and Rickie Fowler (Murrieta Valley) are former winners of the event. Here's a look at his amazing performance. Sydney Douglas, who was a 6-foot-7 starting freshman for Ontario Christian's championship girls basketball team, has transferred to Corona Centennial. . . . John Andrade is the new soccer coach at Viewpoint. . . . Offensive lineman Anthony Rodriguez of Long Beach Poly has committed to San Jose State. . . . Junior receiver Gavin Honore of Mater Dei has committed to Georgia. . . . Former Hart, UCLA and major leaguer Trevor Brown is the new baseball coach at West Ranch. He was known for his versatility, playing everything from catcher to the infield. . . . St. Francis basketball coach Todd Wolfson will also be the school's interim athletic director. Matt Luderer has been on leave while battling an illness. . . . Gina Hairapetian has resigned after 22 years as softball coach at Chaminade. . . . Offensive lineman Josh Haney from JSerra has committed to Fresno State. Ralphy Velazquez, a former Huntington Beach baseball standout, is playing in the Cleveland Guardians organization. The 2023 first-round draft pick has eight home runs this season in the minors playing in high-A ball. Here's a story from 2023 discussing his power potential. From the Los Angeles Times, a story on skateboarders in their 50s and 60s. From the Los Angeles Times, a story on Palisades High allowing its graduates to enjoy the Hollywood Bowl as the site for its ceremony with some celebrity speakers. From the Los Angeles Times, the story of a high school track runner being disqualified at the state track championships for using a fire extinguisher. From On3, a story on the new NIL rules approved by a judge for college athletics. Have a question, comment or something you'd like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer. Did you get this newsletter forwarded to you? To sign up and get it in your inbox, click here.

Bryan Seeley is charged with enforcing college sports' new rules. What's his plan?
Bryan Seeley is charged with enforcing college sports' new rules. What's his plan?

New York Times

timea day ago

  • New York Times

Bryan Seeley is charged with enforcing college sports' new rules. What's his plan?

The closest Bryan Seeley has been to working in college sports was spending 40 hours a week covering them for the Daily Princetonian during his days as an undergraduate at the Ivy League school. Now, the longtime head of investigations for Major League Baseball is about to step into a brand-new role, leading a brand-new organization, which could make him one of the most powerful people in college sports. Advertisement On Friday night, Seeley, 46, was named the chief executive officer of the College Sports Commission, the enforcement agency launched by the wealthiest and most powerful conferences to oversee and implement the system that will allow direct payments from NCAA schools to athletes for the first time. The formal announcement of the CSC and Seeley's hiring came about two hours after a federal judge approved the $2.8 billion settlement of a trio of antitrust lawsuits facing the NCAA and major college conferences. A self-described lifelong college sports fan, Seeley brings more than a decade of experience in compliance, enforcement, investigations and policy-making at MLB, along with eight years with the U.S. Department of Justice and a law degree from Harvard. He said he was drawn to the job by the opportunity to shepherd college sports through a period of transition and into a new era. 'I view this as an area where I can really add value,' Seeley told The Athletic on Sunday in his first interview since a press release announced his hiring. College sports has a long history of inconsistent enforcement and skirting rules to gain a competitive advantage. The NCAA will still oversee rules related to academics and eligibility, but systems installed to regulate the revenue-sharing cap schools must adhere to, evaluate fair-market value of name, image and likeness deals between athletes and third parties and monitor roster limits will be under the purview of Seeley and the CSC. He will report to a board made up of the power conference commissioners. 'I think this is a good, new starting point. So whatever existed beforehand does not need to be what exists going forward,' Seeley said. 'Culture doesn't change overnight. I don't expect that to happen overnight, but I do think that the schools that have signed on to the settlement want rules and want rules to be enforced. Otherwise they wouldn't have signed on to the settlement. I think student-athletes want a different system. So I think there is a desire for rules enforcement. There's a desire for transparency.' Advertisement Seeley doesn't have an official start date, but there is no time to waste. Universities can begin directly sharing revenue with college athletes starting July 1. The clearinghouse for evaluating third-party NIL deals for athletes worth at least $600, run by accounting firm Deloitte, goes live Wednesday. Schools in power conferences are expected to sign formal agreements to abide by rulings made by Seeley and outside arbitrators. 'I haven't been given assurances of anything, but I do know from my read on this, there is buy-in from the institutions,' Seeley said. Seeley built the investigations unit at MLB, staffed with lawyers and former law enforcement officers. 'During his time at MLB, Bryan demonstrated unparalleled integrity, a commitment to fairness, and the ability to navigate complex challenges with precision and care,' Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. 'I have no doubt he will bring the same level of excellence to the College Sports Commission. College sports will greatly benefit from Bryan's expertise and vision.' Seeley's first task at CSC is to again build a staff. 'These are going to be more private-sector investigations, right?' Seeley said. 'We don't have subpoena power. We don't have search-warrant power. I've operated in that system for over a decade, so I'm well-suited to continue to do that with college sports.' He added, 'I think I'm one of the few people in the country who's probably led investigations into salary-cap circumvention, and so in terms of the subject matter, at least for part of this, I have a lot of experience.' MLB teams do not operate under a hard salary cap, but there is one for the league's international amateur talent acquisition system. One of the most prominent cases Seeley investigated came in 2017, when the Atlanta Braves were found to have circumvented international amateur signing rules over a three-year period. Braves general manager John Coppolella received a five-year ban for his role in the violations. In a separate investigation, Seeley's group found the Boston Red Sox had also cheated in the international amateur market. Punishment in that case was handed down in 2016. Advertisement While the highest levels of college sports are becoming more similar to professional sports, Seeley pushed back on the notion that the power conferences are trying to create another pro league. 'College sports is its own unique thing, and what makes college sports great needs to remain,' Seeley said. 'Some of the system we're going to bring for enforcement is a system that has been used in the pro sports world, but it's been used in other worlds, too. … But I don't view this as the professionalization of college sports. Working with schools and working with student-athletes is going to be quite different than working with professional sports teams and professional athletes.'

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