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Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Early lead vanishes for Fountain Valley baseball in CIF semifinals
SANTA ANA — Fountain Valley High baseball coach Gerardo Gonzalez has been around long enough to know that high school sports are about more than just the wins and losses. Gonzalez, three years into his second stint as Barons head coach, smiles when he talks about senior leadoff hitter Anthony Zamora, for example. 'He was a little kid and grew up,' Gonzalez said of Zamora, who played on the junior varsity team last year as a junior. 'He just kept his head down, worked his rear end off, worked out in the weight room and just had a fantastic year.' Zamora hit his first home run of the season on Tuesday, blasting the first pitch he saw over the fence in left-center field. Mater Dei rallied late, however, earning a 5-4 home win in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs to end Fountain Valley's season. The Monarchs (19-13) advanced to play West Ranch in the Division 2 title game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton. Fountain Valley (18-14) was trying to make its first CIF final since 1996. Zamora's solo shot gave the Barons a 4-1 lead in the top of the second inning, but they couldn't hold it. 'We didn't add to our runs and we gave them that opportunity,' Gonzalez said. 'Kudos to them. That's a good ball club. At this point, everybody's a good ball team. They're a good Trinity League team, and we're a really strong Sunset League team. I just feel that at the end of the day, when we walk away from this game, our kids aren't very happy and I'm not very happy because I think we should be playing in the championship.' Fountain Valley took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, with Zamora and Mikey Patterson lacing back-to-back singles. After Zamora scored on an errant pickoff move, Tyler Peshke was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Starting pitcher Josh Grack then helped his own cause, roping a triple to deep center to score two more runs. Grack was out at home plate on the play. 'It was a very good feeling just to do your job and see your team just roll with it,' Zamora said. 'It's absolutely insane, honestly. Everybody just giving you compliments because you started it, there's nothing like it, man.' The offensive outburst didn't last, though. Mater Dei senior pitcher Landon Gordon, who came on before Grack's triple, landed the win in relief. He retired the side in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth. 'Landon is a guy we trust,' Mater Dei coach Richard Mercado said. 'He's a four-year varsity guy, and he was Trinity League Rookie of the Year his freshman year with a 0.8 ERA. He's been through everything, he's got ice water in his veins and he's just a guy we would trust in any big moment. That's why we had him out of the pen, because we know we can rely on him to come in and throw strikes and be competitive for us as a team. That's what he did today.' Fountain Valley still led 4-2 headed into the bottom of the sixth. Barons reliever Logan Hunt got the first out before the hosts began to rally. Dylan Wetzel drew a full-count walk, then Brandon Thomas was plunked by a pitch. Bradley Beaudreau's dribbler in front of the plate went for an infield single for Mater Dei, loading the bases. After Brady Guth's run-scoring groundout, CJ Ciampa hit a sharp grounder to shortstop, but the throw was dropped to allow another run to score and tie the game. Mater Dei senior catcher Lawson Olmstead followed with the eventual game-winning single to left, scoring Beaudreau. Thomas, normally the Mater Dei No. 1 pitcher, earned the save in the seventh, working around a two-out single by Patterson. Junior catcher Ethan Cortez was two for three for the Barons, while junior outfielder Isaac Lomeli added a hit. Gonzalez said his Barons went through adversity this season, with the starting shortstop quitting the team two weeks into the year and Patterson missing much of the year with an injury. They came together at the end, however, to help fuel a memorable run. 'First and foremost I told them that I love them,' Gonzalez said when asked his post-game remarks to the team. 'It's all about relationships here for us. We have a moniker at our school, 'Barons for Life,' and they know that they're always welcome back. Even as the game was going on, I had 50 ex-players right there watching the game, which was awesome to see.'
Los Angeles Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Huntington Beach girls' lacrosse bows out in CIF semifinals
The Huntington Beach High girls' lacrosse team had to deal with a lot of adversity this year, and it started a month before the season even began. Kelly Reid, a junior who played lacrosse, flag football and soccer at the school, died with her father in a plane crash in early January. 'She would have been a huge part of our team,' said Oilers coach Brian Eisenberg, knowing that Reid still played a major role, as 'For Kelly' became the team chant. Huntington Beach battled its way to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs, but top-seeded El Segundo earned a 13-10 win Friday night at Cap Sheue Field to end the Oilers' season. Huntington Beach (8-12) jumped on El Segundo (16-6) early, opening up by scoring five unanswered goals in the first quarter. As the match went on, however, the visiting Eagles did a better job of controlling the draws and fighting back. El Segundo freshman Riley Clinton led everyone with four goals scored, while fellow freshman Contessa Tipton also scored and played a key role. 'They've just jumped right in from the start, and we're so lucky to have them,' El Segundo coach Shea MacDonald said. 'It's really special to have such young leaders, to have that opportunity. A lot of times, players have to wait until their junior or senior years to have leadership roles, but they really stepped into it on their own and the team has been better than ever because of it.' El Segundo pulled within a goal twice during the second quarter, before a late eight-meter goal from Huntington Beach senior captain Lolo Pilkington gave the hosts a 7-5 halftime advantage. But the visitors, who will play St. Margaret's on Friday in the Division 2 title match, scored three unanswered goals in the third quarter. They took their first lead at 8-7 on a quick shot by senior Arrow Koester. Huntington Beach junior Elle Tran gained control near the left sideline midway through the fourth quarter and sped toward the goal in front of several opponents. Her strike tied the score at 9-9 with 7:37 remaining, before El Segundo scored three straight goals. Ella Jones and Pilkington led the Oilers with three goals each, while Summer Vandergrift added a pair of goals. Tatum Viezbicke also scored for Huntington Beach, with Pilkington leading with four draw controls. 'Just to see them fight through everything and fight through that last game; the kids are amazing,' Eisenberg said. 'I can't say that enough. It sucks when you lose, but I'm so inspired by them. Truly inspired.' Huntington Beach, which won the Division 3 title in its inaugural varsity season in 2023, was trying to make its second CIF final in three years. The Oilers lost Vandergrift for several games early in the season, after she suffered a concussion against this same El Segundo team in a match that Huntington Beach lost in overtime. Senior goalkeeper Bella Verdone also missed the entire season with a knee injury. Francesca Thong stepped up as a replacement for much of the season, and fellow junior Bleu Thomas, a recruit from softball, made five saves Friday. Playing a tough schedule, the team lost seven of eight games heading into Sunset League play, all by double digits. The Oilers were close to the league title, losing by a goal to both league champion Edison and Corona del Mar, but continued to fight all the way to the final whistle. Entering the playoffs, Huntington Beach earned consecutive one-goal wins over Royal and Palos Verdes to earn its semifinal berth. 'Just watching us grow together and bond as a team has been really special,' Pilkington said. 'I'm super grateful for the time I've had here.' Losing Reid before the season even began undoubtedly left its mark as well, she said, adding that the tragedy brought the team closer together in some ways. 'We were able to practice more as a team,' Pilkington said. 'We were able to bond in our sorrow, just able to share emotions. We can't change what happened, but that's why now we play for Kelly no matter what.'
Los Angeles Times
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Edison girls' water polo uses overtime push to advance in CIF playoffs
The Edison High girls' water polo team matched up with Long Beach Millikan twice earlier this season. Edison beat the Rams by a goal in a nonleague game in early December. Two days later, Millikan won by two goals in a tournament. A close match, then, could be expected when the teams faced off Tuesday night in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs. Going to overtime certainly qualified. Edison prevailed, earning a 9-7 win at its home pool after the extra time to extend its season. Senior attacker Gaby Kelly led the Chargers (15-14) with four goals. Edison, guided by first-year head coach Eric Perales, heads to No. 4-seeded Downey in the second round on Friday. 'It felt pretty cool,' said Kelly, headed to UC Santa Barbara for swimming. 'I was really happy I was able to help the team.' Senior Madison Emerson and junior Cali Spencer each scored twice for Edison, the fourth-place finisher from the tough Sunset League, and sophomore Nora Stovall added a goal. Junior goalkeeper Camryn Murphy made 13 saves, 10 of those coming in the second half and overtime. 'I've never been in an overtime for high school before, so that was a new experience for me.' Murphy said. 'It was exciting and stressful, at the same time.' The same could be said about regulation, as neither team led by more than two goals. Edison took a 6-4 lead in the fourth quarter, on Stovall's rebound goal. But Moore League runner-up Millikan (13-11) tied the match as freshman McKenna Rosenberg, who led the visitors with three goals, struck twice from the outside. 'It seemed like we'd go on a mini-run, and they were resilient and came right back and made it a game,' Perales said. 'They never quit. It was really fun … We've just got to clean up our turnovers.' Edison responded in the first overtime period. Emerson, bound for Concordia University, scored her team-best 75th goal, a quick strike assisted by Kelly on a power play that she drew. 'I felt really good, because I was able to get it really fast and just shoot it in really quick,' Emerson said. 'I knew that first goal right off the bat would be really big, just for morale reasons. Starting [the overtime] off being up was nice.' Perales said Emerson, a defender who drew multiple exclusions Tuesday, has been like the team's Swiss army knife this season. 'She's willing to do it all for the team,' he said. Edison's overtime onslaught continued. Spencer then struck on an outside shot from about eight meters, before Kelly's cross-cage power-play goal gave Edison a 9-6 lead after the first of two three-minute overtime periods. Millikan's Grace Darby scored in the final minute of the second overtime, but by then the victory was secure. Edison will have to pull an upset in the next round to make the Division 2 quarterfinals. The Chargers almost accomplished that task last year, losing 10-9 at eventual Division 2 champion Alta Loma in the second round. The season has come together well for Edison, considering Perales said he took over just a couple of weeks before it started. Chargers alumnus Jarrett Tossey, who also coaches boys' water polo at Edison, resigned after one season as the girls' coach but has still been supportive. Tossey operated the scoreboard on Tuesday night. 'These girls needed a coach,' Perales said. 'The whole first two months of season was us all learning each other, trying to figure out what we do on offense, trying to figure out how we help on defense. Our defense is improved significantly.' Segerstrom 9, Estancia 7: The Eagles were eliminated on the road Tuesday in the first round of the Division 5 playoffs. Estancia finished the season 16-12. Los Amigos 11, Riverside Notre Dame 6: The Lobos won their Division 6 opener Tuesday at La Quinta High. Los Amigos (11-10) hosts Cathedral City in the second round on Friday.
