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Los Angeles Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Sage Hill surges into second straight boys' volleyball final
Sage Hill hadn't had a storied history in boys' volleyball when it swept in and claimed the program's first CIF Southern Section championship last year. It will have a chance to add to the trophy case this weekend, but it took a lot of improvement in the second half of the season and a bit of luck for the Lightning to get the opportunity to find out if they could indeed strike twice in the CIF finals. Deep into the spring, Sage Hill was still trying to find itself, buried behind the eight-ball from a slow start that had as much to do with who wasn't on the floor as anything else. Jackson Cryst, named the CIF Division 5 Player of the Year in the Newport Coast-based private school's run to the title last season, was a late arrival because of yet another deep postseason run — this time on the basketball court. The basketball season carried into the first week of March, as the Lightning reached the Division 3AA section final with Cryst serving as their two-way difference-maker at center. Sage Hill lost the title game to Palmdale Knight, then made a first-round exit in the regional playoffs. Even the return of Cryst, who had an eye-popping 54 kills against San Marino in the Division 5 championship game a year ago, didn't spell immediate success for the Lightning. A five-game losing streak to open the season had made it an uphill battle. Struggles within the Pacific Coast League only added to the pressure. Sage Hill's 11-11 record with a week remaining in the regular season had its playoff hopes teetering, the standard of a .500 record or better for at-large qualifier consideration very much in play. All the Lightning have done since then is rattle off seven wins in a row, including a five-set win to kick it off versus Portola on April 17. Junior outside hitter Ryan Manesh described the agonizing moment of the team waiting on the release of the playoff brackets to find out if their season would continue. 'We knew that we had to [get] the wildcard,' Manesh said. 'I was actually on the CIF Southern Section Instagram page. I knew that the brackets would come out that day, so I was like refreshing, refreshing, and then I saw it popped up. … I saw we were in the bracket, and as soon as I saw it, I sent it to the group chat, and then we all got super pumped.' The Lightning were 'hungry to repeat' as CIF champions, Manesh said, and with a straight-sets win over visiting Crean Lutheran on May 10, Sage Hill earned a spot in the Division 4 final. Sage Hill (18-11) will travel to Santa Barbara (20-10) for the championship game, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday. 'There was an 'aha moment,' I think, really at that Portola game, where it's like, 'We're back.' We're still the same team that won CIF last year, but even better — different tools,' Cryst said. 'It just took time to find it, so it didn't feel like, 'Oh, we have to win this game, and this game, and this game.' Every game, we're finding something new. Every game, we're developing and becoming tighter knit as a team.' Cryst has committed to continue playing in college at Long Beach State, which beat UCLA to win the Division I national championship on Monday. The senior outside hitter said he watched Long Beach State take down Pepperdine to advance to the title game on Saturday, before stepping onto the court for the Lightning's semifinal against the Saints. He was taking notes. 'Something I've learned from [Long Beach State coach] Alan Knipe, he actually said it in his press conference before the semifinal, you don't want to peak at the beginning,' Cryst said after the win over Crean Lutheran. 'You want to be able to play your best volleyball at the end, and I think that's what we're doing. I think every game it's getting better. I think [the Saints] were pretty similar to [Simi Valley] Royal, who we just played on the road, except this time, we swept them instead of winning in five [sets], so I think we're on a really good trajectory.' Cryst provided 20 kills and three service aces in a 25-21, 26-24, 25-18 win over Crean Lutheran. Manesh tacked on 13 kills, including the match-clinching blast from the right pin. The Lightning have found their form under the tutelage of first-year coach Jordan Hoppe, a Wisconsin transplant who competed locally at Concordia University in Irvine. Hoppe also addressed the quarterfinals win at Royal, calling the feeling 'amazing' to emerge victorious in the fifth set. 'Our hearts were racing,' Hoppe commented. 'You could tell it was very tangible in the gym, just being an away crowd. We just knew the stakes. Funny enough, Dylan Han, our right side [who] played libero last year, he steps up and makes two just absolutely icing-the-cake blocks. … That's the stuff you hope for when you have a team, [for] guys to step up and make those moments happen.' Manesh shared his thoughts on where the Lightning have improved with Hoppe at the helm. 'I think one thing that he's completely changed this year is our offense,' Manesh said of Hoppe. 'He's taught us to run quicker balls, and that faster offense has given us one-up [or] no-up blocks, and that's allowed us to play at a way higher level than we did last year.' Connor Gapp, a pin hitter during the title run last year, took on setting duties this season. The versatile junior contributed 23 assists, six kills and two block assists. 'I'm used to being on the right side, I play beach a lot, so my hands are good enough to set,' Gapp said. 'I decided to put my head down and learn how to set, so I could end up helping set this season. It's where I needed to be, so I could help our team the most. … It's hard to adjust and learn a new position in such a short time. That's maybe why we were losing a lot of the games at the start. … It ended up being fun.' Junior Jonathan Ye also distributed 15 assists to go with two aces, his contributions affording the Lightning the opportunity to keep Gapp available as a hitting option in a few rotations. Han had four kills and a solo block, Carson Ellis totaled 2½ blocks, Justin Liu registered 1½ blocks, and Ethan McNutt supplied a pair of aces. 'I didn't have a lot of time with the guys to really develop and form the culture that we're forming,' Hoppe said. 'Now that we kind of are going, it's going good, and it's just only getting better and better.'
Los Angeles Times
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Sage Hill denied the crown by Knight in CIF Division 3AA final
Throughout its playoff run, Sage Hill had figured out ways to stay within striking distance and make plays when it mattered most in the fourth quarter. In a three-point game at the half, it appeared the Lightning were headed down that road again, but the opposition had another idea. The three-point shot began to fall for Palmdale Knight after the break, foiling the best laid defensive plans, as Sage Hill lost 64-43 on Saturday night in the CIF Southern Section Division 3AA boys' basketball final at Edison High. In a battle between teams seeking the first section title for their respective programs, Knight (26-5) realized the dream. 'I told my guys when they were handing out the [runner-up] trophy to Sage Hill, I said, 'Hey, show them respect. I've been there twice,'' said Tom Hegre, who has coached the Hawks since the school opened in 2003. 'This is my third time in the finals. Our guys were not going to be denied tonight.' Knight previously appeared in the Division II-A final in 2008 with a roster led by Paul George. The nine-time NBA All-Star was then in his senior year with the Hawks. In 2018, Knight suffered a double-overtime defeat to Crean Lutheran in the Division 3AA final. Amare Larane had a game-high 26 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals to lead Knight. The junior forward also accounted for half of the Hawks' eight three-pointers. Entering the halftime locker room with a slim 24-21 advantage, Larane said the mindset was if the Hawks threw the 'first punch' in the third quarter, they would win the championship. 'Tonight, we just trusted our shot,' Larane said. 'In the first quarter, we went two for 10. We went into the locker room at halftime and just said, 'Stay with it. Shoot the same way every time.' In the third quarter, we just came out and we hit all our shots.' Knight, the Golden League champion, nearly doubled its scoring output in the first half with a 23-point third quarter, extending its lead to 47-34 heading into the fourth quarter. It was significant separation from a Sage Hill team that did not take a lot of three-pointers and made just two — both by Carson Ellis. James Karahalios scored 16 points to pace Sage Hill (18-10), adding six rebounds and three assists. Jackson Cryst contributed nine points, nine rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists. Tre Cradle chipped in with six points and nine rebounds. Knight made its advantage in the ball-handling categories. The Hawks had 19 assists against just six turnovers. Sage Hill committed 17 turnovers (including 10 steals for the Hawks), which led to Knight scoring 27 points off turnovers and 18 points in transition. 'Earlier on, when we were kind of locked in and we were staying level with the ball, we were fine,' Sage Hill coach D'Cean Bryant said. 'I think when we started looking at the ball too much, they kind of drove the gaps.' Da'vian Brooks scored a dozen points to go with four assists for Knight. Jaylen Mims had 11 points, four assists and three steals, and Jay'len Brooks added six points, eight assists and three steals. Sage Hill was playing in its second CIF final in three years and third overall. The Lightning lost to Oxnard Santa Clara in the Division 5AA final in 2019, then to Long Beach Jordan in the Division 4A final in 2023. There was anticipation on campus this week as Sage Hill prepared to compete for CIF championships in two sports. The girls' soccer team prevailed in penalty kicks over La Mirada in the Division 4 final on Saturday afternoon. 'Everyone was talking about the big games,' Karahalios said. 'Everyone wanted to go. Everything in the last week has been built around this, so we were all super excited. Brackets for the CIF State boys' basketball playoffs were scheduled to be released on Sunday afternoon. CIF Southern Section Division 3AA final Knight 64, Sage Hill 43 SCORE BY QUARTERS Knight 15 - 9 - 23- 17 — 64 Sage Hill 15 - 6 - 13 - 9 — 43 K — Larane 26, D. Brooks 12, Mims 11, Hardwell 7, J. Brooks 6, Williams 2. 3-pt. goals — Larane 4, D. Brooks 2, Hardwell 1, Mims 1. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None. SH — Karahalios 16, Cryst 9, Cradle 6, Ellis 6, To. Akomolafe 2, Gomez 2, Yun 2. 3-pt. goals — Ellis 2. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None.
Los Angeles Times
15-02-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
High School Roundup: Pacifica Christian girls' basketball tops Troy
Pacifica Christian had its work cut out for it during the regular season, but the Tritons are hoping that the bumps and bruises along the way have toughened them up for a postseason run. Junior guard Vivian Villagrana had a game-high 17 points, as the top-seeded Tritons took the first step in that process with a 43-35 win over Troy at home on Thursday to begin the CIF Southern Section Division 3AA girls' basketball playoffs. Pacifica Christian (13-14) will travel to take on Temecula Chaparral (15-10), another challenge on numbers alone. Chaparral has an enrollment of 3,370 students, while the Newport Beach-based private school has 343 kids on campus. During the season, Pacifica Christian faced a gauntlet that included two San Joaquin League games against Fairmont Prep, an Open Division qualifier. It also faced Corona Centennial, Crean Lutheran, JSerra, San Clemente and Santa Margarita, all of which are in Division 1. 'We played the best teams,' Villagrana said. 'We were playing JSerra, Fairmont, all those Trinity League teams, and I think it did get our spirits down a little bit, but just being able to get back up from that. … Now that we've played against those teams, we're doing a lot better, giving it our all and being able to throw our bodies out on the court. We're doing great.' Vivian Villagrana made four three-pointers, and sister Caylie Villagrana added 14 points and five assists, tossing in two three-pointers. Their sharpshooting provided the difference, as Troy (12-17) made just one shot from that distance. 'I didn't think we were going to be the No. 1 seed,' Pacifica Christian coach Pablo Martinez said. 'With that comes pressure, but I'd rather we have pressure and be relevant than not having pressure and be at home. It is what it is. We're just going to play hard, and whatever happens, happens.' Angie Martinez added eight rebounds, five blocked shots and five assists for the Tritons. Kassandra Aguiniga added six points. Kaylene Vivo scored 15 points to pace the Warriors. CIF Southern Section Division 3AA playoffs Pacifica Christian 43, Troy 35 SCORE BY QUARTERS Troy 6 - 7 - 8 - 14 — 35 Pacifica Christian 6 - 12 - 14 - 11 — 43 T — Vivo 15, Cao 9, Tan 5, Pagcaliwagan 4, Watson 2. 3-pt. goals — Cao 1. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None. PC — V. Villagrana 17, C. Villagrana 14, Aguiniga 6, Ham 2, Burrus 2, Martinez 2. 3-pt. goals — V. Villagrana 4, C. Villagrana 2. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None. Also in the CIF Southern Section girls' basketball playoffs: Marina 70, Placentia Valencia 51: Rylee Bradley scored 24 points to go with four rebounds and four assists, as the Vikings opened the Division 2A playoffs with a win on the road. Maria Tejeda contributed 19 points, six steals and three assists for Marina (18-11), which will travel to take on Whittier Pioneer (16-11) in the second round on Saturday. Fountain Valley 48, Mission Hills Alemany 46: The fourth-seeded Barons held off the upset-minded Warriors on Thursday in the first round of the Division 2A playoffs at home. Victoria Om had a team-high 22 points for Fountain Valley (19-9), headed to San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep for its second-round game on Saturday. Sophie Hsieh added 14 points, and Karley Waite pulled down 17 rebounds. Corona del Mar 38, Yorba Linda 31: Kayly Honig had 13 points and eight rebounds to pace the visiting Sea Kings on Thursday in the first round of the Division 2A playoffs. Sawyer Blumenkranz added 12 points for Corona del Mar (18-10), which will play host to third-seeded Chino (21-5) on Saturday. The Sea Kings were eliminated by the Cowboys, 61-18, in a first-round game last year. Alexa Rokos contributed six steals defensively for CdM. Huntington Beach 45, Los Angeles Immaculate Heart 31: Emily Hoang had a team-high 23 points for the Oilers on Thursday in a Division 3AA playoff opener on the road. Taylor Savage chipped in with 10 points for Huntington Beach (17-12), which advances to a home date against second-seeded El Segundo (18-11) in the second round on Saturday. Laguna Beach 46, Yermo Silver Valley 34: Fiona McCormick scored 20 points to lead the host Breakers on Thursday in a Division 4AA playoff game. Kate Cheng added 13 points for Laguna Beach (20-9), which travels for its second-round game against top-seeded Savanna (19-5). The Rebels beat the Breakers, 34-30, in the teams' season opener on Nov. 18. Costa Mesa 65, Panorama City St. Genevieve 48: Leilani Quero's 17 points led a balanced attack for the fourth-seeded Mustangs in a first-round win at home Thursday to begin the Division 5AA playoffs. Emi Kamikihara had 14 points, Yanelly Martinez scored 10 points, Myah Martinez added nine points, and Ariana Mendoza chipped in with eight points. Costa Mesa (13-14) hits the road to face Capistrano Valley Christian (11-6) in the second round on Saturday. Crystal Rivera had a game-high 27 points for St. Genevieve, but the Mustangs kept the freshman guard off the scoresheet in the third quarter. 'We have a crazy defense,' Costa Mesa coach Zedric McKee said. 'We eat, breathe, sleep off of our defense. Our defense will carry us a long way if we can keep that mindset going through the whole postseason.' Los Amigos 49, Perris 28 Edison 1, Lancaster Eastside 0 (OT): Dylan Petruolo scored the overtime game-winner for the visiting Chargers on Wednesday in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs. Andrew Mosham manned the net in the shutout for Edison (13-4-1), which faces a tough test in top-seeded Moorpark (12-1-4) at home on Saturday. Warren 3, Fountain Valley 3 (4-2 on PKs) Laguna Beach 1, West Covina South Hills 0: An own goal off a Dylan Petrie-Norris feed into the box was all the Breakers needed Thursday in a Division 4 playoff opener at home. Cole Anderson made two saves to keep the clean sheet for Laguna Beach (12-5-5), which heads to San Bernardino Indian Springs (11-3-3) in the second round. Los Amigos 6, Westminster 2: Julian Rivera and Jose Vargas each scored twice for the top-seeded Lobos, who stormed past the Lions at home on Thursday in the first round of the Division 5 bracket. Erubey Bermudez had a goal and an assist for Los Amigos (10-5-2), which travels to take on Santa Clarita Golden Valley (7-9-3) in the second round. Adrian Ramirez added a goal, and Eduardo Reyes drew a pair of assists for Los Amigos. Lennox Academy 4, Pacifica Christian Orange County 2: The visiting Tritons could not overcome a 3-0 halftime deficit on Thursday in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs at Wiseburn Da Vinci High in El Segundo. Pacifica Christian (10-7-3) was the Academy League champion.
