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NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW – Volleyball playoffs underway while other fall sports nearing end of regular season

 

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on Twitter

It’s only fitting that John Glenn High, which ended the area’s longest girls volleyball playoff drought, was the first of five schools to begin the 2022 CIF-Southern Section playoffs, which began this past Tuesday. The Eagles, which have not been to the playoffs since 2009, visited Glendale High in a Division 7 wild card match and lost 25-18, 25-10, 25-19 to conclude their season at 9-10.

The first round began on Oct. 20 and Cerritos High, which went through another 10-0 605 League campaign, hosted Citrus Valley High in Division 5 action. The Dons, which went 17-7 in the regular season, have lost two out of 122 sets in league action since it was formed in 2018. The winner of that match will play the winner of the Crescenta Valley High/Western Christian High match on Saturday.

La Mirada High went 17-9 overall and became the first Mid-Cities League champion, winning all 10 matches, all but one coming in the form of a sweep. The Matadores hosted Pacifica Christian High in Division 7 action and a win will send the team on the road to either Don Lugo High or Lancaster High on Saturday.

Tied for second place in the Mid-Cities League was Norwalk High, which swept Bellflower High last Friday to get a piece of second place. The Lancers (11-11, 7-3), visited Bassett High in Division 8 action and should they prevail, will host either Geffen Academy or United Christian Academy on Saturday.

The only 20-win team is Valley Christian High where the Defenders knocked off Heritage Christian High in five sets last Wednesday to go into the playoffs with a 20-11 mark, 6-2 in the Olympic League. The second place representatives visited South Hills High in Division 4 action and win will put V.C. up against the winner of the Roosevelt High/St. Anthony High match.

The area teams that did not reach the playoffs were Artesia High, which went 5-13 overall and finished in fourth place in the 605 League with a 3-7 record, Gahr High, which had a 9-14 mark but won one of eight Gateway League matches and came in fifth place, and Whitney High, which tied for fifth place in the 605 League. The Wildcats had a record of 5-26 and won two of 10 league matches.

FOOTBALL

605 League (All games played on Oct. 20)

Artesia (0-7-1, 0-1) @ Glenn (2-5, 0-1)-See Artesia/Cerritos game story.

Prediction: Glenn 24, Artesia 7.

 

Pioneer High (3-4, 1-0) @ Cerritos (3-5, 1-0)-See Artesia/Cerritos game story.

Prediction: Cerritos 28, Pioneer 14.

 

Mid-Cities League

Gahr (1-7, 1-1) @ Norwalk (8-0, 2-0)-The Gladiators picked up their first win of the season, slamming Firebaugh High 48-0 last Friday. Through the first seven games, Gahr managed a total of 61 points but now will go from one extreme to another as it visits a Norwalk team that hung on for a 14-12 win over Bellflower in a battle for first place. Gahr and Norwalk have not played each other since Oct. 21, 2004 when the Gladiators were a freelance team. That contest was a 26-14 affair in favor of Gahr. Don’t expect a repeat as the Lancers are literally running towards an undefeated regular season, having amassed over 3,000 yards on the ground with 51 touchdowns and putting up nearly 400 points.

Prediction: Norwalk 49, Gahr 13.

 

Gateway League

Warren High (7-1, 3-0) @ La Mirada (4-4, 2-1)-The Matadores got back to their winning ways with a 40-20 win last Friday over Paramount High to stay in a three-way tie for second place. Senior running back C.J. Zackery scored a pair of touchdowns and senior quarterback Nehuel Garcia threw three touchdown passes. But with two games remaining in the regular season, La Mirada now faces the top two toughest teams in the Gateway League.

Warren is coming off a 49-22 win last Friday over city rival Downey High, the sixth time the Bears have scored at least 49 points this season. As good as it is on offense, Warren’s defense is stingy, yielding an average of 11.3 points per game.

Prediction: Warren 42, La Mirada 21.

 

Ironwood League

Big Bear High (4-4, 0-3) @ Valley Christian (2-6, 0-3)-The Defenders were roughed up by first place Aquinas High last Friday in a 50-14 loss, marking the second straight game they have given up at least 40 points while the Bears are coming off a 49-35 loss to Heritage Christian last Saturday for their third straight loss. Sean Garvey has been a dual threat for Big Bear, passing for 370 yards while leading the team in rushing with 412 yards and five touchdowns. He is one of five players to have rushed for over 200 yards.

Prediction: Big Bear 38, V.C. 14.

Last week: 5-1

Season to date: 37-11-1