Los Amigos forges ahead
Sabrina White, the Los Amigos High girls’ basketball coach, is doing everything that she can to keep her team focused on the day-to-day operations of team basketball.
Los Amigos’ opponents may be more challenged to keep that degree of level-headedness. Teams will be marking their calendar for when the Lobos (12-1) come to town.
After dropping their first game of the season, the Lobos are leaving the competition in their dust like a runaway train. They won the Ontario Holiday Classic last week and have now won 12 games in a row.
“We are incredibly grateful for the success we have had thus far,” White said via text. “Our focus is still to get better every single day.”
Cheryl Caldera was named the tournament’s MVP, and Jennifer Murillo was selected to the all-tournament team.
In the four-game stretch this past week, the Lobos squandered an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter of their first-round game against Covina Northview. They recovered to win, 50-49, in overtime.
Wins over Hemet West Valley and Fontana Jurupa Hills followed, and Los Amigos squeaked past Buena Park, 48-47, in the final.
“In all four games, we came out and executed the game plan from the start. We were able to get off to good starts,” White added.
Ocean View steps up
An all-area championship game was had in the Tri-City Christian Tournament in Vista.
Ocean View defeated Sage Hill, 33-21, in the championship game for its fifth straight victory.
Seahawks Coach Kim Morris felt that winning the tournament was a byproduct of her team recommitting itself on the defensive end.
“The things that we didn’t do well and could have and should have in the Villa Park Tournament, we took care of them,” Morris said. “Lesson learned. We’re hoping to build on that in league. We’re excited.”
In the final, Ocean View held Sage Hill’s high-scoring shooting guard Heather Park to five points.
On the other end, Jackie Moss scored 12 points and Erica Almiranez had 11 for the Seahawks.
Ocean View is now 12-3 overall, with all three losses having come by three points or less.
Strong local showing at Asics SoCal Challenge
A handful of locals medaled in the Asics SoCal Challenge at Next Level Sports Complex in Garden Grove last week.
Fountain Valley’s Karson Ayres, the reigning CIF-SS Southern Division champion in the 138-pound weight class, grabbed the headlines.
He made his impressive return to the mat in just under three months after undergoing a LARS (Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System) surgery in Austria on Oct. 1.
The standard ACL surgery performed in the United States requires a nine-month recovery process, but with the LARS procedure, athletes can be back in action in 12 weeks.
In addition to Ayres, brothers Merrick and Jack O’Donnell also medaled for the Barons. Merrick placed third in the 182’s, and Jack was eighth in the 126’s.
Marina’s John and Mike McCoy also did well, placing fourth (145’s) and eighth (106’s), respectively.
Edison’s Garrett Weichman took third in the 285’s, and Ocean View’s Noah Edsell was fourth at 120 pounds.
Newport Harbor’s girls’ wrestling team made some noise at the South Hills Tournament on Tuesday.
Cheyenne Stooks medaled by taking third in the 111-pound division. She was pinned in the third round by Silverado’s Danielle Garcia, who won the weight class.
At 116 pounds, Alina Aguirre placed fifth.
