Latest news with #Maranatha
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Sport
- 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.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prep talk: Lopez family creates lasting memories with Summit High baseball
For four seasons, Samuel Lopez, the baseball coach at Summit High in Fontana, has been coaching son Sammy, the starting second baseman. No one knows how the dynamics might work when a father takes on the role of also being the coach for his teenage son, but everyone agrees the memories being created and the fun being experienced have been great. "He's a great kid," Samuel said. Sammy Lopez, the son of the head coach at Summit, line drive single. Four-year starter. Headed to Cal Baptist. — eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) March 4, 2025 Sammy, committed to California Baptist, recently collected his 100th career hit in high school. Congratulations @SammyLopes13 on his 100th career varsity base hit against Corona last Saturday 3/1/25. Only the second player in school history to accomplish this feat! @Inland_Sports @SummitSports2 @SummitASB @latsondheimer @IE_Varsity @210PrepSports @CBUbaseball — SUMMIT BASEBALL (@SummitBaseball) March 7, 2025 Dad and son work on hitting at home and at Summit. Sammy says, "He's always holding us accountable." Summit is 4-3 and one of the favorites to win the Sunkist League. ... Maranatha basketball coach Tim Tucker has been coaching so long (32 years) that the opposing coach he faces on Tuesday in the Southern California Division III regional final, Daniel Piepoli, used to play for him at Pasadena. In fact, Pasadena will be the site for the game between Maranatha and San Gabriel Academy. Here's the link to complete regional final pairings. The winners on Tuesday advance to the state basketball championships Friday and Saturday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email 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
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Prep talk: Lopez family creates lasting memories with Summit High baseball
For four seasons, Samuel Lopez, the baseball coach at Summit High in Fontana, has been coaching son Sammy, the starting second baseman. No one knows how the dynamics might work when a father takes on the role of also being the coach for his teenage son, but everyone agrees the memories being created and the fun being experienced have been great. 'He's a great kid,' Samuel said. Sammy, committed to California Baptist, recently collected his 100th career hit in high school. Dad and son work on hitting at home and at Summit. Sammy says, 'He's always holding us accountable.' Summit is 4-3 and one of the favorites to win the Sunkist League. ... Maranatha basketball coach Tim Tucker has been coaching so long (32 years) that the opposing coach he faces on Tuesday in the Southern California Division III regional final, Daniel Piepoli, used to play for him at Pasadena. In fact, Pasadena will be the site for the game between Maranatha and San Gabriel Academy. Here's the link to complete regional final pairings. The winners on Tuesday advance to the state basketball championships Friday and Saturday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email
Los Angeles Times
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Prep talk: Maranatha coach loses home in Eaton fire, then guides team to playoffs
The story of coach Michael Allen and Maranatha High girls' basketball team is nothing short of amazing. He joined the program as an assistant coach this year to help out a friend. When the head coach resigned two weeks before the season began, he took over as the fourth head coach in four years. 'I've never coached in my life,' he said. The team went 0-8 in league play last season and hasn't been to the playoffs since the 2018-19 season. The Eaton fire happened on Jan. 7 and Allen's house was destroyed, along with that of his assistant. 'The night I lost our house was a breakthrough game for us,' he said. 'We beat Whittier Christian for our first league win. A couple hours later, my house went down.' Then came a series of events that indicated someone was looking over Maranatha. Whittier Christian lost a buzzer beater, forcing a play-in game against Maranatha to decide third place in the Olympic League and a playoff spot. Maranatha won the coin toss to host. Then Maranatha won the game in double overtime and will go to the playoffs with a 9-16 record. 'We had definitely divine intervention,' said Allen, who's 28 and runs a business that helps schools with after-school programs. Afterward, there was a joyous celebration, with boys' basketball players, coaches, girls' players all letting loose to celebrate the journey the girls team has taken. 'Seeing it in our seniors' eyes, you can see how much this girls' program has been through,' Allen said. 'It was nice to have a positive outcome.' Asked about dealing with all the families displaced in the Altadena/Pasadena area, including his own, while coaching basketball, Allen said, 'It's been something to distract us. It speaks to the heart of our community. Altadena/Pasadena have some of the most resilient people. The streets are flooded with people giving and helping.' On Saturday morning, Allen will wait to find out what team he will have to prepare to play in the Southern Section girls basketball playoffs. A happy moment for a team and coach that has gone through so much. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email
