SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: Morning Briefing Dec. 24th, 2022
Chris Williams steps down as football coach at Monrovia.
FOOTBALL
Monrovia football coach Chris Williams. (Twitter)
Chris Williams confirmed on his Instagram account that he is no longer the football coach at Monrovia High School. According to sources, school officials have decided to go in a different direction. “I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all the great people and friends I’ve made in Monrovia the last five years as coach,” Williams said. “We did a lot of great things in these years. And I could not be more proud.”
Williams compiled a 35-14 overall record and won three Rio Hondo League titles. However, postseason success eluded Williams he won only once in four games. Monrovia will commence a new search for a football coach immediately.
In other coaching news, Raudric Curtis has stepped down as the football coach at Bosco Tech High School, the school announced. Curtis navigated the Tigers to a league title in 2021. Curtis was the head football coach at the school for four years.
BOYS BASKETBALL
At the Tarkanian Classic
Augusta Christian 66, San Gabriel Academy 63: The Eagles suffered a brutal loss in the championship bracket of the BallerTV division of the tournament as the Lions captured the title with a buzzer-beating basket. San Gabriel Academy will be in action next week at “The Classic at Damien” tournament. Jayden Mojica and Bourgeois Tshilobo were named to the all-tournament team.
Birmingham 71, St. Paul 69: The Swordsmen were another team that suffered a tough loss to the Patriots on the final day of the Tarkanian tournament. St. Paul is on a two-game losing streak. In other games involving area teams, Arcadia defeated Sierra Vista of Las Vegas 78-62, Maranatha (who went 2-2 for the week), defeated Denver South 59-53 and Pasadena (who compiled a 3-1 record for the week) defeated Canyon Ridge 53-50.
In Palomares League action:
Glendora 72, Claremont 31: Colton Gray had a big night for the Tartans as he delivered a double-double (25 points, 10 rebounds) for the Tartans in a road season-opening win. Elijah Regan chipped in 13 points and Chris Lee added 11 points. Wyatt Brandt was the leading scorer for Claremont with 18 points. In another league game, Bonita defeated Alta Loma 76-63 and Colony throttled Ayala, 73-58.
In Valle Vista League action:
San Dimas 65, West Covina 45: The Saints opened up a 35-24 lead and cruised to an easy win over the visiting Bulldogs. Logan Hodson and Alex Duarte each scored 13 points to lead the way for San Dimas. Shawn Daher had the hot hand for West Covina as he hit five 3-point baskets and finished the game scoring 21 points.
Covina 47, Northview 44: In a renewal of one of the top oldest rivalries in the area, Aiden Baltazar scored 26 points to lead the Colts past the Vikings.
In nonleague action:
Bishop Amat 61, Bosco Tech 51: The Lancers took a 32-25 lead at halftime over the visiting Tigers in a key area nonleague game. Jaden Erami had a sensational night for Bosco Tech as he scored 31 points and grabbed six rebounds.
California 50, Kennedy (CIFLACS) 48: Jaylen Lauriano was the toast of the town for Condor fans on Thursday as his game-winning layup with one second left gave Cal-Hi a thrilling home win. Lauriano scored 12 points with Trey Cabrera pacing the Condors' offensive attack with a team-high 16 points.
Huntington Beach 57, La Habra 51: Acen Jimenez scored 20 points and Grayson Sinek added 12 points, but it was not good enough as the Oilers narrowly prevailed over the visiting Highlanders in a nonleague game
Scores
La Serna 62, Buena Park 59
Garden Grove Santiago 65, Nogales 33
GIRLS BASKETBALL
At the La Salle Tournament
La Salle team photo after winning its tournament title on Thursday. (Photo La Salle Athletics)
La Salle 55, Saugus 42: Audrey Chen showed why she was named the tournament MVP as she scored 20 points to lead the Lancers to a tournament title. Casey Higgins pitched in ten points. Casey Higgins and Reese Wong were named to the all-tournament team.
Ashley Chea of Flintridge Prep in action against Holy Martyrs on Thursday. (Photo Alex Velez).
Flintridge Prep 62, Holy Martyrs 47: Filling in for the final day of the tournament, Ashley Chea once again was the star of the game as she scored 32 points, with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Freshmen Maddie Smith added 11 points.
At the Tarkanian Classic
Juneau-Douglas 58, El Rancho 20: Destiny Cruz scored eight points, but it was not good enough as the Dons suffered a loss on the last day of the tournament in Las Vegas.
In Palomares League action
Glendora 45, Claremont 41: In the upset of the day in the area, the Tartans held a first-half lead and played terrific defense to hold off the host Wolfpack for a huge league win. Sophomore Brianna Gomez spearheaded the Tartans scoring attack with 14 points. Rylie Anderson, a junior, added 12 points and Hailey Schaffer pitched in 8 points. The Tartans will be back in action next week at their won tournament.
Bonita 61, Alta Loma 31: Amore Mason was the best player on the court for the Bearcats as she scored 21 points in a home win. Tressa Beatty added 12 points with Serenity Henderson, a junior, pitching in 9 points.
In Pacific League Action
Arcadia 65, Muir 40: Naj Harding scored 16 points and Amari Wilson added 10 points, but it was not good enough as the Apaches defeated the host Mustangs in a Pacific League match. In another Pacific League game, Burroughs defeated Pasadena, 61-31.
In Valle Vista League action
Northview 45, Covina 34: Another night and another double-double for Alana Diaz as she scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a Vikings win. Sammy Martinez also pitched in a double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds).
San Dimas 52, West Covina 26: Janessa Rodriguez paced the San Dimas attack with a double-double performance (17 points, 10 rebounds), in a home league win. Allison McGill added 12 points.
In nonleague action:
Sonora’s Larissa Robles in action on Friday against La Serna. (Arnold Leos Photography)
Sonora 67, La Serna 32: Larissa Robles had a double-double for the Raiders as she scored 24 points along with 12 steals in Sonora’s home win. Mia Chavarin tallied 12 points and Amiah Lewis added 10 points with five steals.
Other scores
Temescal Canyon 60, Maranatha 26
La Habra 66, La Serna 62
South Pasadena 74, Cerritos 69
Los Alamitos 55, California 25
Tesoro 69, La Habra 30
South Hills 56, Whittier Christian 39