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By Loren Kopff
Sports Editor | Follow X
October 23, 2025
Six of the eight area girls volleyball teams advanced to the CIF-Southern Section divisional playoffs and the best team in the area during the regular season was rewarded for its performance. However, Valley Christian High, the second-ranked team in Division 2 was upset by Marina High this past Tuesday night.
After taking the first set from the Vikings, 25-17, Marina bounced back to win the next three sets, 25-23, 25-15, 25-18 as the Defenders concluded the season at 24-3. V.C. saw its nine-match winning streak, all sweeps, snapped and this was the third time the team had played a four-set match. The first of those four-set matches was the season opener against Etiwanda High on Aug. 9 in pool play action of the Lakewood Tournament.
In other girls volleyball first round playoff action, Artesia High is the other area ranked team, also No. 2, but in Division 8. The Pioneers finished in fourth place in the 605 League but earned an at-large berth thanks to a forfeit victory over Dominguez High on Aug. 27 when the Dons did not show up for the match. Artesia swept Ramona Convent this past Tuesday and hosted de Toledo High on Oct. 23.
Cerritos High, the champions of the 605 League, outlasted West Torrance High in five sets to improve to 24-5 as the Dons welcomed Paloma Valley High on Oct. 23 in a Division 4 second round match.
Gahr High, the champions of the Mid-Cities League which went 24-9 in the regular season and won all 10 league contests, hosted Canyon High this past Wednesday in a Division 5 first round match.
Norwalk High (14-9, 5-3) tied Warren High for second place in the Gateway League and got past Trinity Classical Academy in four sets this past Tuesday in Division 6 action. The Lancers hosted Marshall High on Oct. 23 in a second round match.
Finally, Whitney High (20-12, 7-3) finished in second place in the 605 League and travelled to San Gabriel High this past Wednesday for a Division 5 first round match.
FOOTBALL
605 LEAGUE (Both games played on Oct. 23)
John Glenn High (2-6, 0-1) @ Artesia (3-5, 0-1)-In a four-team league, there’s not much margin for error if you have plans to play at least an 11th game, and the winner of the HMG-Community News Game of the Week will stay alive for playoff contention while the loser most likely will look ahead to 2026.
Artesia is coming off a 28-7 loss to Cerritos last Thursday in which it allowed three straight touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Sophomore running back Justin Pettus scored on a 34-yard run just past the halfway mark of the second quarter. He leads the team in rushing with 424 yards and has scored six touchdowns.
The Pioneers have rushed for 1,327 yards and have five players over 100 yards on the ground. Since 1998, Artesia has had more wins over Glenn than any other team, posting a 21-6 record and has won five straight over the Eagles, including last season’s 40-6 affair. Overall, the red and black has won 11 of the last 13 meetings.
Glenn is riding a four-game losing streak in which it has been outscored 101-25. In last Thursday’s 26-12 loss to Pioneer High, the Eagles trailed 12-6 at the half, then tied the game early in the fourth quarter. Last season, the Eagles lost five games by at least 30 points, but this season, their worst loss was a 34-7 defeat to University High on Sept. 26.
Prediction: Artesia 28, Glenn 13
Cerritos (6-2, 1-0) @ Pioneer (3-5, 1-0)-If staying alive for the playoffs is the theme in the Artesia-Glenn game, then at least a share of the 605 League title will be at stake in this meeting. After losing three straight in the series, the Dons have won five straight meetings, including last season’s 70-14 contest, and since the league was formed, the Titans have yet to finish in first place.
Rushing is the name of the game for the Dons, who have gained 1,531 yards and scored 20 touchdowns, led by seniors La’Brenten Wilson (97 carries, 563 yards, nine touchdowns) and Jayden Bagaygay (66 carries, 367 yards, three touchdowns).
Pioneer is led by quarterback Noah Anderson, running back Damian Salguero and wide receiver Jose Rojas. In the three wins, the Titans have outscored their opponents 105-12 but have been outscored 148-54 in the five losses.
Prediction: Cerritos 35, Pioneer 14
GATEWAY LEAGUE
La Mirada High (3-5, 1-2) @ Paramount High (3-5, 0-3)-A 3407 homecoming win over Dominguez last Friday has put La Mirada back in playoff contention with two games remaining in the regular season. Sophomore quarterback Ace Faagata completed three passes for 22 yards with one touchdown, which went to freshman wide receiver Kaiden Wardlow. Faagata also gained 100 yards on five carries and scored twice while junior running back Josiah Fregoso led the rushing attack with 160 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. For added measure, the defense posted half a dozen sacks totaling 33 yards.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak in which the Matadores scored 49 points. But the team isn’t out of the woods yet as they face a Paramount squad itching for a victory.
The Pirates fell to league-leading Downey High 48-9 last Friday and a loss to La Mirada would knock Paramount out of playoff contention. After winning the first three games of the season scoring 90 points and allowing 25, the Pirates have averaged 10 points during their losing skid. Daejon Massey and Serafin Solis are the key rushers, while Paramount has used the tandem of Nicko Hernandez and Zechariah Moreno as quarterbacks.
This will be the fourth meeting since 2006 with the Matadores having won the previous three encounters. The last time they faced each other was in 2022, a 40-20 victory.
Prediction: La Mirada 28, Paramount 10
IRONWOOD LEAGUE
Valley Christian (5-3, 2-1) @ Heritage Christian High (5-3, 1-2)-Last season, Valley Christian felt it had a playoff team and won seven games. But it wasn’t good enough for the playoffs as the Defenders finished in fourth place in the league. Now, after defeating Village Christian 28-21 last Friday, the Defenders are on the brink of getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Junior quarterback Graham Lunzer completed 13 of 24 passes for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding 87 more yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. Lunzer has accounted for just over 1,800 total yards and 23 of the 28 offensive touchdowns the Defenders have scored.
Heritage Christian is also playing for its playoff life after losing to league-leading Aquinas High 49-7 last Friday. The Warriors lone touchdown came with less than a minute remaining in the game and have scored 28 points in league action.
Valley Christian has won 17 of the past 20 meetings dating back to 2004 when it was known as Los Angeles Baptist High. The three wins came in 2008, 2018 and 2022.
Prediction: Valley Christian 35, Heritage Christian 17
MID-CITIES LEAGUE
Compton Early College (2-6, 1-2) @ Gahr (4-4, 2-1)-Despite falling to Norwalk 27-13 last Friday, the Gladiators still have a slim chance of claiming a piece of the league title. They shouldn’t have a problem on Friday against Compton Early College, which was blasted by Bellflower High 63-7 last Friday.
While Gahr has put up 156 points, the Rising Phoenix have allowed 368 points while scoring 69 points in the six losses. Daniel Riley is basically a one-person show for CEC, rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns. Gahr defeated the Rising Phoenix 55-6 last season in the only meeting between the two programs.
Prediction: Gahr 42, Compton Early College 7
Firebaugh High (1-7, 0-3) @ Norwalk (8-0, 3-0)-While Norwalk was looking forward to putting on a proper Senior Night for its 15 upperclassmen, it will have to wait as Firebaugh forfeited the game due to a lack of players available to suit up. Still, the Lancers are off to their best start since winning the first 13 games of the 2013 season. Norwalk also began the 2022 season with eight straight wins and last season, began 5-0. Since 1998, the previous fastest start to a season was in 2009 when Norwalk won the first seven games.
The forfeit win also assures the Lancers no worse than a tie for the Mid-Cities League crown.
Last week’s prediction: 4-1
Season to date: 32-19
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL
In Division 2 action, Gahr (19-8) defeated Beaumont High 31-21 on the road this past Tuesday and will host Upland High on Saturday while in Division 6 action, Artesia (12-6) knocked off Tahquitz 27-6 this past Tuesday and will entertain Adelanto High on Saturday while Norwalk (12-11-1) dropped an 18-13 contest to Leuzinger High this past Tuesday.
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