Hello, and welcome to a different version of Prep Rally. My identify is Eric Sondheimer. Spring soccer follow has begun. I checked in with St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro, the group to beat this fall. A spotlight might be on toppling Mater Dei.
Spring soccer is again
Highschool spring soccer follow has developed over the past 10 years. Yearly, it seemingly will get larger and extra elaborate as non-public and public colleges welcome faculty recruiters with handshakes and barbecues making an attempt to realize publicity for his or her athletes.
At Bellflower St. John Bosco, the seemingly No. 1 group in Southern California this fall, coach Jason Negro is simply excited a couple of return to normalcy.
“We haven’t had a spring soccer in over two years,” he mentioned. “It’s actually refreshing. It’s injected vitality in our program.”
Exercises started Monday and culminate with a spring showcase for school coaches on Might 11 adopted by a spring scrimmage on Might 19 that might be open to the general public.
Proper now, the highest groups to look at embody St. John Bosco, Santa Ana Mater Dei, Corona Centennial, Los Alamitos and Mission Viejo, with Santa Margarita and Lengthy Seaside Poly additionally having intriguing groups.
A take a look at spring soccer together with six gamers to look at.
Baseball rewind
It was fairly every week in highschool baseball, with the 16-team Boras Traditional producing a number of drama and surprises.
Villa Park emerged because the 4-0 champion behind some clutch performances from junior Zach Brown with a walk-off house run within the first spherical after which a complete-game pitching efficiency in opposition to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame within the semifinals. Then the Spartans routed JSerra within the last. Right here’s the report.
From Instances contributor Luca Evans:
Justin Tims couldn’t hold himself in his seat.
Friday math courses could be tough for any child to take a seat by means of. However that morning, Tims’ coach at Villa Park, Burt Name, had pulled the group into a gathering and informed them that Tims, the youngest pitcher on the group as a sophomore, was beginning on the mound for that evening’s Boras Championship sport in opposition to JSerra.
So the subsequent interval, algebra simply turned a little bit harder to concentrate to.
“I used to be simply so anxious, so hyped, to pitch within the championship,” Tims mentioned.
Name mentioned “it’s a little bit particular to win it right here tonight,” referring to taking part in at Mater Dei’s discipline the place he used to educate. Gavin Grahovac mentioned the group noticed that this sport meant lots to Name.
“He simply wished us to know that what we did – the truth that we’re on this match, this our first yr – that we put our names on the market,” Grahovac mentioned. “And the truth that now we gained it, clearly we did one thing proper.”
It was every week that reminded everybody in Southern California why highschool baseball can’t be matched. Right here’s my column wanting again on some nice gamers and what makes communities get pleasure from their successes.
That is the ultimate week of the common season earlier than the playoffs start subsequent week.
The Instances’ high 25 rankings underneath went adjustments after final week’s Boras Traditional. Right here’s the newest rankings.
Bobby Grey of Trabuco Hills had two house runs and 7 RBIs to assist his group clinch the Sea View League championship. He has 12 house runs and 37 RBIs and is simply a junior.
Harvard-Westlake hasn’t been ready to make use of its finest pitcher, Bryce Rainer, on the mound all season. Then it misplaced Mission League MVP Toussaint Bythewood to a damaged wrist. And but, the Wolverines can win the Mission League in the event that they sweep Chaminade in a three-game sequence this week. Or they will find yourself in a tie with Sherman Oaks Notre Dame by profitable two of three. Playoff pairings might be launched every week from Monday. Georgetown commit Andrew Citron is batting .492 with 31 hits.
Freshman star
The Etiwanda baseball group was wobbling when the Eagles took the sphere at La Verne Damien for a Baseline League sport on April 2. Etiwanda, a perennial energy, had misplaced 4 of its final seven video games.
Etiwanda coach Don Furnald requested a 14-year-old freshman right-hander to show the season round.
Brady Ebel isn’t simply one other ninth grader stuffed with large league desires. He’s lived inside whistling distance of the bigs for all of his life similar to his father, Dino, the third base coach for the Dodgers who is thought for his shrill whistle that catches the eye of gamers and coaches close by and lots of of ft away within the outfield.
Corridor of Fame sure slugger Albert Pujols was so grateful to Dino for his teaching assist that he gave him a 2021 Dodger blue Corvette Stingray as a token of thanks. Dino’s teaching ability could be seen within the play of his son.
“He taught me to play baseball the precise approach,” Brady mentioned.
Furnald, the Etiwanda coach, mentioned he has put lots on the plate of such a younger participant within the very robust Baseline League.
“He has been phenomenal,” Furnald mentioned. “He has exceeded our expectations.”
As a hitter, he has 4 house runs. As a pitcher, he’s 4-0 with an 0.27 ERA for the 17-8 Eagles
Furnald mentioned Brady reveals no exaggerated sense of significance from his proximity to the majors. Brady was home-schooled when he attended the MLB playoffs and World Collection in Texas after the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season.
“He’s very humble,” Furnald mentioned. “That comes from his mother and father, Dino and Shannon.”
Ebel, 6-feet-2, 185 kilos, mentioned his stature apparently comes from his uncles who stand effectively above six-feet tall. Dino is 5-9.
Ebel has a fastball that touches 86 mph. He used it and his breaking pitches to stifle Damien, 3-1, on April 2. Ebel additionally hit a house run.
He has lived along with his household in Rancho Cucamonga for over 10 years. He began in baseball in Little League. He’s performed journey ball for seven years. His father’s tenure in Southern California with the Angels, 13 seasons, and Dodgers, 4 seasons, have supplied a steady life for him and his brother, Trey, 13. Their older sister, Future, 30, lived a transient life along with her mother and father when Dino was a minor league coach and supervisor in Vero Seaside, Fla., Albuquerque, San Antonio and Bakersfield.
Dino, 56, was such an excellent baseball-basketball participant at Barstow Excessive that the varsity retired his quantity 6.
—Jeremiah Soifer
Softball
Southern Part softball pairings might be introduced on Saturday. The large information of the week was the return from an ankle damage of Villa Park star pitcher Sydney Somerndike. She beat Esperanza, and with Somerndike pitching, Villa Park needs to be again into the image to win a championship.
Junior Myra Perez of Norco continues to have an MVP season. She’s batting .667 with 16 house runs and 49 RBIs.
Unbeaten Oaks Christian gained the Better of the West match. The Lions are 26-0 and prone to be a No. 1 seed when the Southern Part releases softball pairings Saturday.
Senior Micaela Kastor leads the group in hitting with a .544 common.
Right here’s the newest high 20 softball rankings.
Monitor
Dalia Frias of Mira Costa and Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura proceed to showcase wonderful type within the distance races heading into league finals, Southern Part prelims and finals and state championships.
Frias traveled to Oregon to win the invite mile on the Oregon Relays in 4:43.32.
Engelhardt set a nationwide freshman document in profitable the three,200 on the Ventura County championships in 9:50.59
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Notes . . .
Offensive lineman Siaosi Rhino Tapaatoutal of Bishop Alemany has dedicated to Arizona. . . .
Sophomore infielder Nate Castellon of Calabasas has dedicated to Pacifica. . . .
Harvard-Westlake is anticipated to finish last interviews this week for water polo coach. . . .
Ethan Damato has stepped down as water polo coach at Laguna Seaside. Right here’s the story. . . .
From the archives: Justin Campbell
Again when Justin Campbell was a youth phenom in Simi Valley, a youth coach predicted he would at some point be an excellent pitcher. It’s all coming true. This summer season, he’ll be eligible once more for the MLB draft after spending three years at Oklahoma State.
He’s 6 ft 7 and a former baseball and basketball standout at Simi Valley.
This season, he’s 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA. He has 81 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings and 15 walks.
Right here’s a story from 2019 about Campbell and his 5-8 teammate Andrew Devine at Simi Valley.
Right here’s a story from 2014 about Simi Valley awaiting the arrival of Campbell.
The Meals Taster
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the same old VIP tents had been lacking from final week’s Boras Traditional. The snack bar at JSerra, although, had donuts for early morning video games and most significantly, the favourite of school college students for a chilly evening: Ramen noodle soup that comes alive with sizzling water.
After all, down the road is the most effective barbecue on the town — Heritage. The brisket melts in your mouth. Add potato bread and a few Mac & Cheese and also you’re all set.
Suggestions
From the Los Angeles Instances, a narrative on how UCLA goes to attach companies with scholar athletes in a brand new NIL emphasis.
From the San Jose Mercury Information, a narrative on a blind hurdler.
From Yahoo, the story on the loss of life of a former Oak Park runner.
From the Washington Put up, a narrative on how volleyball is being launched to HBCUs.
Tweets you might need missed
Till subsequent time...
Have a query, remark or one thing you’d prefer to see in a future Prep Rally e-newsletter? E mail me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and observe me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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