NOTEBOOK : It Was Championship Week for Four Area High Schools

The San Gabriel Valley is home to Southern Section champions in boys’ and girls’ basketball, and boys’ and girls’ soccer.

The Glendora boys’ basketball team remained unbeaten by defeating Artesia, 66-48, to win the 2-AA Division championship on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Sophomore guard Cameron Murray scored 31 points to lead the Tartans (31-0), who won their second Southern Section title in three years. They opened play in the state tournament Tuesday against Redwood of Visalia (20-8).

The Walnut boys’ soccer team concluded an unbeaten season by defeating Corona, 3-2, for its second 1-A title in three years. Junior forward Tommy Vazquez scored the game-winning goal with six minutes left. The Mustangs finished 25-0-1.

The Pasadena Poly girls’ basketball team (17-9) defeated Holy Martyrs, 41-25, to win the 5-AA championship on Friday and advanced to a first-round state tournament game against Laton (15-13).

On Saturday, the Pasadena Poly girls’ soccer team defeated Harvard-Westlake, 1-0, in overtime for its second consecutive 1-A title.

Outstanding seasons: Several San Gabriel Valley schools fell short in their quest for Southern Section championships.

The San Dimas boys’ basketball team lost to La Canada, 62-53, in the 3-A final at the Sports Arena. Brad Alley scored 22 points for San Dimas, which took a 23-6 record into Tuesday’s state tournament game against Lemoore (23-6).

The South Hills girls’ basketball team lost to Rancho Alamitos, 68-66, in the 3-A final at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center. Stephanie Ring scored 24 points and had 14 rebounds for South Hills, which was 24-3 entering Tuesday’s state tournament game against Our Lady of Peace of San Diego (17-8).

The Rio Hondo Prep girls’ basketball team lost to Christian High of San Bernardino, 65-60, in the 5-A final at Pacific High. The Kares were 25-1 entering Tuesday’s state tournament game against Strathmore (23-3).

The Damien boys’ soccer team lost to Ocean View, 3-2, in the 4-A final. Tony Da Voght and Damon Hughes scored goals for the Spartans, who finished 20-6-2.

The Arcadia girls’ soccer team lost to Torrance, 3-2, in the 3-A final at Gahr High. Valerie Brice and Michele Kennedy scored goals for the Apaches, who finished 26-1.

Getting a grip: Jeremiah Miller of South Hills and Daniel Maes of Arroyo are state wrestling champions.

Miller won the 171-pound division and Maes won the 135-pound division at the state meet last weekend at Stockton.

Miller pinned John Haas of Poway in the division final to end his season 51-0 and was selected as the meet’s “Champion of Champions.”

Maes defeated Shane Holloway of Saddleback, 10-2, to finish 52-1.

Other San Gabriel Valley-area wrestlers who placed at the state meet included Mike Kawamura of Rosemead, who was fifth at 103 pounds; Eddie Rodriguez of Sierra Vista (fifth at 125); Peter Phe of Rosemead (sixth at 130); Charlie Valencia of Mark Keppel (seventh at 119), and Mike McNeely of Walnut (seventh at 160).

Second to none: For the sixth year in a row, the Azusa Pacific men’s track team finished in second place at the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics indoor championships.

Azusa Pacific finished with 72 points, 10 behind winner Adams State. The meet was held last weekend at Kansas City, Mo.

Benjamin Koech of Azusa Pacific won the long jump (23 feet 8 1/4 inches) and the triple jump (51-11 1/4).

Davidson Ezinwa defended his title in the 60-meter dash (6.12 seconds), edging his twin brother, Osmond, in a photo finish. And Jason Wyatt defended his title in the shotput (55-2 3/4).

Vince Beresford won the pole vault (17 feet) and Larry Johnston won the 35-pound throw (55-9 1/4), an event won by an Azusa Pacific athlete since the meet’s inception 12 years ago.

Over and out: The streak is finally over.

The Pomona Pitzer women’s track team handed Occidental its first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference dual-meet loss in 12 years on Saturday when the Sagehens defeated Occidental, 71-64, at Occidental.

Brittany Burch, an All-American heptathlete, led Pomona by winning the 100-meter hurdles, long jump and javelin.

The Pomona men earned their first dual-meet victory over Occidental since 1987 by outscoring the Tigers, 98-65.

Pomona’s Nate Kirtman, the two-time defending Division III long-jump champion, won seven events, including the 100 meters, 200, 110 hurdles, long jump, triple jump, javelin, high jump. He also ran the anchor leg in the 4x100 relay.

Tournament time: The Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team plays UC Davis Saturday in the semifinals of the four-team Division II West Regional at Portland State.

Pomona (23-5), ranked 15th, lost to No. 20 Davis, 85-54, earlier this season.

Portland State (27-2) plays Alaska Anchorage (19-8) in the other semifinal.

Honor roll: Senior forward Chancellor McCobb of Cal Poly Pomona was selected first-team All-California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

McCobb averaged 18.4 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Broncos, who lost to UC Riverside, 80-63, in the CCAA tournament and finished 15-13.