Latest news with #Harvard-Westlake
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Catholic Athletic Assn. meeting ends in dispute over Mission League proposal
The Catholic Athletic Assn., made up of 25 high schools, voted for new leagues as part of a four-year cycle on Wednesday, but the meeting ended in disagreement, disputes and a threat that Mission League schools might leave the organization. Terry Barnum, head of athletics at Harvard-Westlake, submitted two re-leaguing plans as proposals but asked they be withdrawn as had been done in the past. It was refused. One of the plans was adopted by a 14-11 vote for football only, and now Barnum vows to appeal on procedural grounds and believes his fellow Mission League members will look to leave the CAA and form their own area. Barnum and other Mission League representatives wanted the football-only proposal pulled. The fact it wasn't could cause Mission League schools to pull out of the CAA, Barnum said. Advertisement He said that eight years ago in the last CAA meeting on reconfiguring league members, proposals were allowed to be withdrawn, setting a precedent. "We believe precedent and procedures were not followed," Barnum said. "What today showed is that there's an ideological difference and divide in parochial schools and the Mission League," he said. "We will never be in position to control our own destiny and rules will be bent and circumvented in order for the Mission League not to control our destiny." Barnum is well-respected within the CIF hierarchy as a member of the Southern Section executive committee and CAA executive committee. He said he plans to appeal the decision to the Southern Section but first must receive support from fellow Mission League members. His philosophy is to keep Mission League schools together for almost all sports. They are Harvard-Westlake, Crespi, Sierra Canyon, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Loyola, St. Francis, Bishop Alemany and Chaminade. The CAA meeting was originally scheduled for last Wednesday, then changed after supposedly not enough time had been given as notice to satisfy the Brown Act. Barnum said he believes the delay was designed to "allow a group of schools to rally themselves around a plan" they wanted. Advertisement 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
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Catholic Athletic Assn. meeting ends in dispute over Mission League proposal
The Catholic Athletic Assn., made up of 25 high schools, voted for new leagues as part of a four-year cycle on Wednesday, but the meeting ended in disagreement, disputes and a threat that Mission League schools might leave the organization. Terry Barnum, head of athletics at Harvard-Westlake, submitted two re-leaguing plans as proposals but asked they be withdrawn as had been done in the past. It was refused. One of the plans was adopted by a 14-11 vote for football only, and now Barnum vows to appeal on procedural grounds and believes his fellow Mission League members will look to leave the CAA and form their own area. Barnum and other Mission League representatives wanted the football-only proposal pulled. The fact it wasn't could cause Mission League schools to pull out of the CAA, Barnum said. He said that eight years ago in the last CAA meeting on reconfiguring league members, proposals were allowed to be withdrawn, setting a precedent. 'We believe precedent and procedures were not followed,' Barnum said. 'What today showed is that there's an ideological difference and divide in parochial schools and the Mission League,' he said. 'We will never be in position to control our own destiny and rules will be bent and circumvented in order for the Mission League not to control our destiny.' Barnum is well-respected within the CIF hierarchy as a member of the Southern Section executive committee and CAA executive committee. He said he plans to appeal the decision to the Southern Section but first must receive support from fellow Mission League members. His philosophy is to keep Mission League schools together for almost all sports. They are Harvard-Westlake, Crespi, Sierra Canyon, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Loyola, St. Francis, Bishop Alemany and Chaminade. The CAA meeting was originally scheduled for last Wednesday, then changed after supposedly not enough time had been given as notice to satisfy the Brown Act. Barnum said he believes the delay was designed to 'allow a group of schools to rally themselves around a plan' they wanted.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Get ready for playoff drama with many top pitchers in peak form
There are so many top pitchers ready to show why they are aces that the opening playoff games are going to be nerve-racking, unpredictable and sometimes lasting until sundown or even longer (there was a 19-inning playoff game in 2023 played over two days). 'We're going to see a bunch of these guys on TV one day,' Harvard-Westlake coach Jared Halpert said. 'It will be a year for the ages.' Advertisement Let me offer pitchers to watch: Angel Cervantes, Warren. With a 97-mph fastball, the UCLA commit begins action Thursday in Division 3 against host Redondo Union. He has a 16-strikeout game and a no-hitter this season along with 95 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. 'I think I improved on commanding my pitches and being able to throw my off-speeds anywhere I want,' he said. Said coach Cesar Martinez: "He's been dominant." Seth Hernandez, Corona. He's 17-0 in two years of high school baseball with 88 strikeouts and three walks in 42 1/3 innings while throwing 98 mph this season. 'He's amazing,' Halpert said. Hernandez will pitch Tuesday against Los Osos or Cypress. Advertisement Jackson Eisenhauer, Crespi. He's 9-1 with a 0.24 ERA as the surprise standout pitcher in his senior year and probably the Mission League MVP after throwing just 11 innings last season. He has a sweeping curveball and can reach 91 mph. He and Tyler Walton are a terrific starting duo for the Division 1 playoffs. Vaughn Neckar, Vista Murrieta. The Oklahoma commit with a 95-mph fastball is 6-2 with a 0.73 ERA and should be on the mound Thursday against Harvard-Westlake sophomore pitcher Justin Kirchner, who is 8-0 with an 1.81 ERA. Gary Morse, Orange Lutheran. He's a 6-foot-8 junior committed to Tennessee who is continuing to develop at a school that produced Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole. Morse is 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA. Mike Erspamer, San Clemente. The left-handed Stanford commit dominated in the Sea View League and gets to face Westlake in a Division 2 opener. He's 6-3 with a 1.71 ERA. Advertisement Hunter Manning, West Ranch. The Long Beach State commit has a school-record 16-strikeout performance this season and is 7-0 with a 0.78 ERA. Jordan Ayala, Norco. One of the best freshmen in Southern California, Ayala went 7-3 with a 0.82 ERA in helping the Cougars win 12 of their last 13 games. Garrett Jacobs, Mira Costa. The junior right-hander is 9-1 with 91 strikeouts in 63 innings and has a 1.44 ERA for the 26-2 Mustangs. Damian Catano, Arcadia. He went 9-1 with a 1.13 ERA as a junior for the Pacific League champions and teamed with senior Gus Cooper (7-1, 1.22 ERA) to help Arcadia go 25-3. Jake Brande, Palm Desert. The 6-foot-7 Long Beach State commit throws strikes and is 8-1 with a 1.35 ERA. Advertisement Zach Strickland, Maranatha. The hard-throwing UCLA commit is 6-0 with a 0.58 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 48 innings. He opens against Anaheim Canyon in Division 2. Brandon Thomas, Mater Dei. The Fresno State commit has been facing Trinity League pitchers all season and now goes in Division 2. He has a 1.08 ERA with 12 walks in 58 1/3 innings. Dustin Dunwoody, Royal. The junior Arizona commit is 7-0 with a 1.28 ERA and has 86 strikeouts in 60 innings. Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach. Get ready for the unleashing of the sophomore standout who has been used strategically to save his arm for May Madness. He's 5-0 with a 0.77 ERA in 27 1/3 innings. Advertisement Ryan Oaks, Summit. Committed to Cal State Northridge, Oaks is 6-0 with a 0.88 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 56 innings. 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
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Get ready for playoff drama with many top pitchers in peak form
There are so many top pitchers ready to show why they are aces that the opening playoff games are going to be nerve-racking, unpredictable and sometimes lasting until sundown or even longer (there was a 19-inning playoff game in 2023 played over two days). 'We're going to see a bunch of these guys on TV one day,' Harvard-Westlake coach Jared Halpert said. 'It will be a year for the ages.' Let me offer pitchers to watch: Angel Cervantes, Warren. With a 97-mph fastball, the UCLA commit begins action Thursday in Division 3 against host Redondo Union. He has a 16-strikeout game and a no-hitter this season along with 95 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. 'I think I improved on commanding my pitches and being able to throw my off-speeds anywhere I want,' he said. Said coach Cesar Martinez: 'He's been dominant.' Seth Hernandez, Corona. He's 17-0 in two years of high school baseball with 88 strikeouts and three walks in 42 1/3 innings while throwing 98 mph this season. 'He's amazing,' Halpert said. Hernandez will pitch Tuesday against Los Osos or Cypress. Jackson Eisenhauer, Crespi. He's 9-1 with a 0.24 ERA as the surprise standout pitcher in his senior year and probably the Mission League MVP after throwing just 11 innings last season. He has a sweeping curveball and can reach 91 mph. He and Tyler Walton are a terrific starting duo for the Division 1 playoffs. Vaughn Neckar, Vista Murrieta. The Oklahoma commit with a 95-mph fastball is 6-2 with a 0.73 ERA and should be on the mound Thursday against Harvard-Westlake sophomore pitcher Justin Kirchner, who is 8-0 with an 1.81 ERA. Gary Morse, Orange Lutheran. He's a 6-foot-8 junior committed to Tennessee who is continuing to develop at a school that produced Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole. Morse is 7-2 with a 1.08 ERA. Mike Erspamer, San Clemente. The left-handed Stanford commit dominated in the Sea View League and gets to face Westlake in a Division 2 opener. He's 6-3 with a 1.71 ERA. Hunter Manning, West Ranch. The Long Beach State commit has a school-record 16-strikeout performance this season and is 7-0 with a 0.78 ERA. Jordan Ayala, Norco. One of the best freshmen in Southern California, Ayala went 7-3 with a 0.82 ERA in helping the Cougars win 12 of their last 13 games. Garrett Jacobs, Mira Costa. The junior right-hander is 9-1 with 91 strikeouts in 63 innings and has a 1.44 ERA for the 26-2 Mustangs. Damian Catano, Arcadia. He went 9-1 with a 1.13 ERA as a junior for the Pacific League champions and teamed with senior Gus Cooper (7-1, 1.22 ERA) to help Arcadia go 25-3. Jake Brande, Palm Desert. The 6-foot-7 Long Beach State commit throws strikes and is 8-1 with a 1.35 ERA. Zach Strickland, Maranatha. The hard-throwing UCLA commit is 6-0 with a 0.58 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 48 innings. He opens against Anaheim Canyon in Division 2. Brandon Thomas, Mater Dei. The Fresno State commit has been facing Trinity League pitchers all season and now goes in Division 2. He has a 1.08 ERA with 12 walks in 58 1/3 innings. Dustin Dunwoody, Royal. The junior Arizona commit is 7-0 with a 1.28 ERA and has 86 strikeouts in 60 innings. Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach. Get ready for the unleashing of the sophomore standout who has been used strategically to save his arm for May Madness. He's 5-0 with a 0.77 ERA in 27 1/3 innings. Ryan Oaks, Summit. Committed to Cal State Northridge, Oaks is 6-0 with a 0.88 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 56 innings.
Los Angeles Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Corona's Seth Hernandez is set to become next great pitcher from Southern California
Through 48 years of covering high school baseball in Southern California, watching so many prolific pitchers develop into legendary pro players has been one of the funnest parts of being a prep sportswriter. I've learned to always look for someone who can throw strikes. There was Jack McDowell of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Bret Saberhagen of Cleveland in the 1980s. They became Cy Young Award winners for the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals, respectively. In the 1990s, there was Jeff Suppan of Crespi, Russ Ortiz of Montclair Prep and Randy Wolf of El Camino Real. In the 21st century, there were Cy Young winners Gerrit Cole (Orange Lutheran), Shane Bieber (Laguna Hills) and Trevor Bauer (Hart); and standouts Paul Skenes (El Toro), Hunter Greene (Notre Dame), Jack Flaherty (Harvard-Westlake) and Max Fried (Harvard-Westlake). Bringing up these names is to remind everyone how stunningly good Seth Hernandez of Corona has been this season as he prepares for the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs and heads off to be the next great pitcher from the Southland. In 42 1/3 innings, he has struck out 88 batters while walking only three. Never has there been someone throwing a 98 mph fastball as a teenager with so much pinpoint control. In fact, he's only hit one batter all season. Teenagers who throw in the 90s normally hit and walk lots of batters. Not Hernandez. His command is freakishly good. 'That was his goal,' coach Andy Wise said of improving over his junior season. 'What are we going to do to get better and that was his No. 1 thing to do.' Hernandez has never suffered a pitching defeat since he started playing high school baseball. He went 9-0 and had 15 walks in 56 innings last season. This season he's 8-0 with an 0.17 ERA. Showing off his athleticism, he has also hit five home runs. As comparison, probably the pitcher closest to having a season with this much control was Flaherty in 2013, when he walked 10 in 89 innings, struck out 112 and went 13-0 as a junior. But he didn't come close to Hernandez's velocity. Greene was throwing 101 mph fastballs and had 10 walks in 55 2/3 innings in 2016, his junior season. Greene's coach at Notre Dame, Tom Dill, said of Hernandez, 'You take an arm like that with the ability to throw strikes and the upside is fantastic.' The Washington Nationals have the first pick in this summer's amateur draft. Their general manager attended a Corona game to see Hernandez pitch. Attending high school baseball games is free, so the best ticket around might be going to watch Hernandez pitch when he's expected to be on the mound next Tuesday in Corona's playoff opener. The pairings will be released on Monday, and Corona is expected to have a first-round bye when the playoffs begin on Thursday. It's not only his control and fastball that are impressive, it's his poise and his breaking pitches. He really does have all the qualities scouts want in a pitching prospect, from work ethic to competitiveness to the ability to deal with pressure situations. If opponents want him to autograph a ball during the playoffs, that wouldn't be acting silly. That would be someone understanding they are in the presence of someone they'll be watching from their living room one day pitching at a major league stadium.
