NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW – Cerritos football host Valley Christian in early season crossroads game

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

Usually, so-called crossroads games are saved until the middle of the season, but in the case of the Cerritos High and Valley Christian High football teams, their clash on Friday at Dr. Hanford Rants Stadium would qualify as such. After three games, both teams are still searching for answers for several reasons and the winner of this matchup, which happens to be the HMG-Community News Game of the Week, could determine the paths each team goes down for the remaining six games.

Cerritos built a 17-7 halftime lead in last Friday’s home game against Portola High and went on to defeat the Bulldogs 31-17, improving to 2-1. Senior quarterback Justin Sagun completed just seven passes for 56 yards but scored a touchdown while the Dons tormented Portola to the tune of 276 rushing yards on 49 carries. Senior running back Labrenton Wilson led the way with 86 yards on 17 carries while senior running back Jacob Hoosac added 69 yards on seven rushes and scored a pair of touchdowns. Senior defensive back Michael Quibrantar had a pair of interceptions, including a pick six.

For the season, senior running back Jayden Bagaygay has 222 rushing yards while Wilson is three yards shy of 200. The remainder of the team (eight ball carriers) have combined for 211 yards. Junior wide receiver Terrence Grissom leads in the receiving department with 15 catches for 147 yards.

The Dons scored over 30 points for the second straight game and if it wasn’t for a penalty-marred game against Cypress High in the season opener, they may be undefeated. They have scored 11 touchdowns while allowing five and of the 80 points scored, 56 have come in the second half.

Valley Christian began last season with six straight wins, including a 28-14 win over Cerritos. But it has been rough going for the Defenders who have lost two straight after an emphatic 41-0 win over Gahr High. V.C. squandered a 12-6 halftime lead against Calvary Chapel/Santa Ana High and lost 33-19, then was edged by Mary Star of the Sea High 22-21 last Friday as the Stars scored 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Senior wide receiver Oliver Boateng caught five passes for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns while junior quarterback Graham Lunzer added one on the ground. V.C. was outgained 349-259 in total offense. On defense, Boateng also added an interception as V.C., which will be on the road for the first time this season, has won all four games in the series since 2013 by a combined score of 156-62.

Prediction: Cerritos 35, V.C. 21

Buena Park High (1-2) @ Artesia High (2-1)-After getting blown out by Maranatha High 49-7 in the second game of the season, Artesia bounced back to shutout Firebaugh High 35-0 last Friday at home. Sophomore quarterback Jorge Velazquez completed all three of his pass attempts for 137 yards, including touchdown passes of 87 and 45 yards to senior Elijah Johnson. Velazquez also had an 88-yard touchdown run as the Pioneers racked up over 400 all-purpose yards.

Buena Park has lost two straight games including last Friday’s 28-27 nailbiter against Ocean View High. Quarterback Kevin Garcia was 15 of 25 for 124 yards with a touchdown and an interception and added 27 rushing yards as the Coyotes mustered 64 yards on the ground. Buena Park was held to under 200 yards in total offense and has scored 54 points in three games.

The Coyotes have not had a winning record since going 10-2 in 2016 and this is the first meeting between the teams in at least 28 years.

Prediction: Artesia 38, Buena Park 10

Gahr (0-2) @ Trinity Classical Academy (1-1)-This game was played on Sept. 11. Very little went right for Gahr in the first two games as they were outscored by the city’s two other teams by a combined score of 76-7. The lone score came in the third quarter against Cerritos courtesy of a one-yard run by sophomore De’Mir Cunninham. Now, the Gladiators have had two weeks to rest, recuperate and fix the problems they had in those two games as they head up north to the College of the Canyons to face Trinity Classical Academy for the first time.

The Knights lost their opener to San Fernando High 7-6 before blasting Bosco Tech High 42-0 last Saturday. Trinity Classical Academy, out of Valencia, is situated in the Cottonwood League and began its program as an eight-man football team in 2010. The next season, the Knights went 11-1 and moved to 11-man status in 2015. Last season, the team went 10-1, losing to Carter High in the CIF-Southern Section Division 12 first round playoffs.

Prediction: Gahr 28, Trinity Classical Academy 14

Compton Early College (1-2) @ John Glenn High (1-2)-It’s all about baby steps and Glenn’s 14-0 win over California Military Institute last Friday was one of those steps. The Eagles accomplished the rare shutout without the services of four key senior offensive starters as sophomore quarterback Ryder Perez rushed for a touchdown and threw for the other.

The Eagles stay home for the third straight week, facing a second straight opponent for the first time ever. Compton Early College opened in 2015 but did not field a football team until last season and the Rising Phoenix, out of the Mid-Cities League, went winless in 10 games, allowing 547 points.

This season, Compton Early College lost its first two games by a combined score of 83-14 before setting records against Mark Keppel High last Friday as it won its first game ever by scoring a record 49 points in a 28-point victory.

Prediction: Glenn 28, Compton Early College 7

La Mirada High (2-1) @ Western High (2-1)-This game was played on Sept. 11. The surprise start by La Mirada ended last Friday in a 17-5 setback to Tesoro High. Even though Tesoro had nearly 100 more offensive yards than La Mirada, the Matadores kept themselves in the game converting on several third and fourth down plays and getting into the red zone multiple times throughout the game. Junior kicker Cristian Hecker booted a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter and after the Titans scored a touchdown in the second quarter, the Matadores came up with a safety to trail 8-5 at the half.

Sophomore quarterback Ace Faagata completed seven of 13 passes for 73 yards and added 56 yards on 10 carries while junior running back Ismael Garcia pitched in with 54 yards on 17 carries. In three games, Faagata has 250 passing yards and 91 rushing yards while Garcia leads the team with 391 rushing yards on 68 carries and four touchdowns.

Just like the Matadores, Western won its first two games before falling to Huntington Beach High 48-7 on Sept. 4. The lone score came in the second quarter on a Chance Thomas touchdown. He picked up 39 yards on 11 carries while Skylar Lendsey led the Pioneers with 74 yards on 10 touches. Thomas also threw for 266 yards on 19 completions with an interception as Huntington Beach outgained Western 410-381.

Before last season when they went 5-6, and not including the Covid-shortened season, the Pioneers had five straight seasons of at least eight victories and 11 games played.

Western defeated the Matadores 42-7 last season in the only other meeting between the teams since at least 2004.

Prediction: Western 21, La Mirada 20

Venice High (2-1) @ Norwalk High (3-0)-Senior running backs Diego Cerritos (33 carries, 172 yards, three touchdowns) and Daron Walker (16 carries, 169 yards, three touchdowns) were all the offense Norwalk needed in a 42-34 win over Pasadena High last Friday. The Lancers bolted out to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter and scored twice in the fourth quarter in the first meeting between the teams. Pasadena had 90 more all-purpose yards but could not get closer than eight points at any time.

In three games, Walker has rushed for 546 yards with Cerritos two yards behind, and the two have combined for all but one of the 17 touchdowns the team has gained on the ground. The Lancers are averaging 44 points a game.

This is the first meeting with Venice, out of the CIF-Los Angeles City Section’s Westen League, which also houses Fairfax High and Westchester High, to name a few. The Gondoliers enter having won two straight games including last Friday’s 17-3 decision over Harvard-Westlake High.

Quarterback Bennett Dome was eight of 13 for 104 yards and two touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. Joshua Aaron gained 152 yards on 20 carries as Venice had 178 yards on the ground. On defense, Jonathan Sharp had four sacks, and Donte Ross had two interceptions. The Gondoliers have had eight straight winning seasons but have not won more than eight games since going 10-3 in 2013.

Venice has faced only one other team from the Suburban Valley Conference, which is Paramount High. The Pirates have a 6-2 advantage since 2016, including last season’s 38-14 win.

Prediction: Norwalk 42, Venice 14

Last week’s predictions: 4-2

Season to date: 10-8

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Artesia’s last match was on Sept. 4 when it lost to Firebaugh in five sets. Now, the Pioneers (4-5) are ready for 605 League action on Friday with a home match against Pioneer High. They will also be home to Oxford Academy on Tuesday while Cerritos, idle since a sweep over La Mirada on Sept. 2, visits Glenn on Friday, competes in the Bellflower Tournament on Saturday and travels to Oxford Academy on Thursday. The Dons are undefeated in seven matches and has swept six opponents.

Gahr lost a tough 25-20, 13-25, 21-25, 25-20, 10-15 contest to La Serna High this past Tuesday to drop to 10-6. The Gladiators hosted Lynwood High on Sept. 11 in the Mid-Cities League opener and will participate in the Bellflower Tournament on Saturday before hosting Bellflower High on Tuesday and travelling to Paramount High on Thursday.

Glenn (1-6) will host Pioneer on Tuesday while La Mirada (1-12) has lost nine straight matches as the Matadores entertained Norwalk on Sept. 11 in the Gateway League opener. They will then go to Mayfair High on Tuesday while Valley Christian remains the hottest team in the area.

The Defenders saw their 15-match winning streak snapped by Los Alamitos High 24-26, 14-25 last Saturday in the Gold Division championship of the Whittier Varsity Volleyball Cardinal Classic Tournament. V.C. (16-2) bounced back to sweep Ontario Christian High 25-15, 25-19, 26-24 this past Tuesday and opened Olympic League action on Sept. 11 against nemesis Village Christian High. The Defenders will then travel to Whittier Christian High Tuesday.

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

Artesia has lost all three games it has played, scoring 13 points as it hosted Pioneer on Sept. 11 in the 605 League opener. The Pioneers will also welcome Norwalk on Monday, then go to Glenn on Thursday.

Cerritos is 5-3 and posted its first on the field shutout in program history, defeating Mark Keppel 12-0 this past Monday as they visited Glenn on Sept. 11.

Gahr crushed Buena Park 46-0 for its fourth shutout last Saturday to improve to 8-2 as the Gladiators hosted Los Altos High on Sept. 11 and will face Narbonne High in a doubleheader on Saturday before entertaining Bellflower on Wednesday.

Glenn (1-6) has been shutout in two straight games as it hosts Pioneer on Tuesday while La Mirada dropped a 19-0 contest to Anaheim High this past Tuesday to fall to 2-6. The Matadores have failed to score in their six losses as they went to Schurr High on Sept. 11 and will welcome Downey High on Wednesday.

Norwalk (7-4-1) got past San Gabriel High 13-7 this past Tuesday and will go to Whitney High on Friday while the Wildcats.