Boys Tennis:
Thanks to Maranatha for this report:
The big irony that Maranatha’s boys tennis team has been working under this season is that after losing five of their top players from last season (all singles players and two of their top doubles players), they moved up a division to CIF-SS Division 3 (a division they’ve only played in twice before – ’18 and COVID-shortened ’20), despite being reduced to a mid-Division 5 level squad.
They faced the reality of that mismatch today against a Le Lycee team that had just too much fire power and depth.
They even spotted the Minutemen a 3-0 lead when one of their players was unavailable.
With the lead, Maranatha actually had a window that they could have squeezed through to pull out the win; but their doubles teams would have to turn the corner on something they’ve had trouble doing all season … winning the close ones.
There were five such sets today; but they only came up with one of them, as Joshua Im/Eli Su rallied back from a 2-5 deficit in the tie-breaker to win 8-6.
The Minutemen lost three other sets, 4-6, and a set, 5-7, in which they had a 4-0 lead.
Had they won those sets, they would be moving on to the 2nd round.
But that’s a tall ask, especially under the pressure of the playoffs, for a team still learning how to continue to play their best in “crunch time.”
The Minutemen finish the season with a 7-5-1 record and 2nd place in league, both far better than anyone expected.
They reached their goal of making the playoffs by making constant progress this season under the direction of a dedicated coaching staff – Coach Arthur Hsieh and his assistant coaches, Preston Geeting, Amanda Lin, and John McNall – who poured themselves into helping the Minutemen grow and mature as players and as young men.
The team says farewell to their seniors and captains, Joshua Im, Shahe Yerevanian, and Victor Qiao, which marks the second straight year of significant departures.
While this marks the end of the season for the team, Im and Yerevanian still have some tennis to play, as they have qualified to represent the Coastal League in doubles at the prestigious CIF-SS Individuals Sectionals on May 18.
Baseball: Rio Hondo Prep won five of its last six regular season games to earn a spot in the CIF-SS playoffs. The Kares hosted Bolsa Grande in Tuesday’s Division 8 wild card game. And the Matadors pounded out a 9-2 victory. BGHS out-hit RHP, 20-7, and they had a 6-1 advantage in extra-base hits. Seven […]
College Baseball: All-South Coast Conference: (stats listed below are in conference play) MVP: Luke Davis, Long Beach City catcher:.410, 25 RBI; Led SCC 8 HR, 10 doubles, .605 OBP, .846 SPCT Pitcher of the Year: Derek Valdez, Cerritos: 6-1 record, 58.2 IP, 4 CG, Led SCC 0.92 ERA, 0.85 WHIP Coach of the Year: Nate […]
College Baseball: All-Inland Empire Athletic Conference: MVP: Kyle Phin, Barstow: .420 average, 66 hits, 47 runs, 13 doubles, two triples, 10 HR’s & 23 RBIs Pitcher of the Year: Julian Castro, Mt. San Jacinto: 8-0, 3.97 ERA, 16 walks, 75 strikeouts in 81 2/3 IP. Coach of the Year: Jake Hansen, Mt. San Jacinto Infield […]
Wrestling: By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor It gets repetitive to say. But it doesn’t make it any less true. Of all the sports this writer has covered over the last 25 years, in my view, none has produced more quality young men and women than wrestling. It all begins with the discipline it takes to […]
Baseball: CIF-SS Playoff Schedule: Division 1 (Friday): Mater Dei at Damien South Hill at Foothill West Ranch at San Dimas JSerra at Bonita Division 2 (Thursday): Long Beach Poly at Arcadia Royal at Maranatha Ayala at La Serna Charter Oak at Quartz Hill Division 3 (Friday): La Salle at El Rancho Newbury Park at Flintridge […]
College Baseball: First-Round Playoffs: Best-of-three, Starting Friday. There are two games scheduled for Saturday, if necessary. No. 24 Desert at No. 1 Cerritos No. 23 Canyons at Palomar No. 22 San Diego City at No. 3 Golden West No. 21 Cypress at No. 4 LA Valley No. 20 OCC at No. 5 Saddleback No. 19 […]
Softball: First-Round Playoff Schedule for 210 Prep Sports Programs: Division 1 Wild Card (Thursday): Moorpark at Chino Hills Vista Murrieta at South Hills Division 2 (Thursday): Sunny Hills at Ayala Cypress at Bonita Division 3 Wild Card (Tuesday): Upland at Fountain Valley Division 3 (Thursday): Claremont at West Torrance Arlington at Northview La Canada at […]
College Baseball: JC Baseball Standings: Inland Empire Athletic Conference: Chaffey (27-13, 21-3) Mt. San Jacinto (30-10, 19-5) Desert (21-19, 15-9) Cerro Coso (19-21, 12-12) SBVC (16-24, 11-13) Victor Valley (7-29, 4-20) Barstow (4-36, 2-22) South Coast Conference: Cerritos (32-8, 19-5) Mt. SAC (27-13, 16-8) Long Beach (27-13, 16-8) PCC (23-16, 13-11) El Camino (21-19, 12-12) […]
Baseball: Editor’s Note: This is a list of programs within the 210 Prep Sports coverage zone from most team wins to least, and below that are the complete league standings. Most Wins Among 210 Prep Sports Teams & League Finish: San Dimas (23-4, Valle Vista champs) Maranatha (21-6, Olympic champs) San Marino (20-7, Rio Hondo […]
