Swanson: Jaden Soong’s super-cool summer – history and Steph Curry

• September 24, 2024

If you haven’t met him yet, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Jaden Soong. He’s a St. Francis High School freshman, a funny kid and, yeah, something of a golf phenom.

There’s a chance you’ve already met him. Perhaps as an adorable 6-year-old getting buzz from BuzzFeed, which posted a video in 2016 showing off Soong’s perfect miniature swing under the title: “This 6-Year-Old Could Be The Next Golf Phenom.”

Maybe you learned of him last year?

Do you remember the Burbank eighth-grader who became the youngest golfer to reach the final round of U.S. Open qualifying? The youngster who made it through the local qualifier Brentwood Country Club after going through a pre-round routine that included watching the short video Kobe Bryant recorded for him in 2018: “If you want to be great, if you want to feel what excellence feels like, you have to put in the work!”

Spent Monday watching 13-year-old @jadenrsoong Soong school the grownups at U.S. Open local qualifying (see below). He shot even to finish T4 – after getting hyped by watching this video Kobe Bryant made him in 2018. Watch and you’ll be hyped too. Thanks for sharing, Chris Soong! pic.twitter.com/96xNN0tuP2

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) May 16, 2023

Or if you’re just reading about him now, it’s as he’s finishing a summer rampage, win after win after win, so many that it started to feel like every time I logged into Instagram, I was seeing a post about another victory somewhere in the country.

Those successes ranged from impressive to gobsmacking, including the one early this month at the Curry Cup, the final stop on NBA star Stephen Curry’s national Underrated Tour.

Soong shot 2-under 217 at the venerable Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J, where he won a three-man playoff and got to shoot the breeze with Curry, the all-time shooter – which is to say, there was a rumor Curry shot a 66 on that uber-challenging course before the kids showed up.

Soong’s take: “If he shot 66, he should switch to golf. Like, genuinely, he shouldn’t be playing basketball. He might be the greatest 3-point shooter of all time, but he should retire and play golf.”

Seems only fair, then, to let Soong tell you about his own hoops prowess: “I’m not very good at layups,” he said, “but a contested 3-point shot? I can do a full-360-stepback-turnaround-Durant-type stuff and I will make that shot all day long.”

I can’t verify that, but I can tell you that in the past few months, he won on the SCPGA’s Toyota Tour Cup series and at an American Junior Golf Association stop – where he shot a nine-birdie final-round 63 at The Havens Country Club in Vista to rally from three strokes back.

That Soong advanced to the semifinals of the California Amateur, where he played one-on-one match play golf for the first time at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks.

That most notably, he became the youngest winner Southern California Golf Association Amateur Championship’s 125-year history, shooting an unconscious 10-under-par 278 over four days to make history at The Saticoy Club in Somis. That he carded a bogey-free six-under-par 66 on the final day to add his name to the trophy beside the likes of Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay, Charlie Wi, Beau Hossler and Sahith Theegala.

That the victory earned Soong entry into the U.S. Amateur in August at Minnesota’s Hazeltine National Golf Club (where he shot 8 over and missed the cut in his first bite at the prestigious event) and walked away with another experience that will go into his “golf DNA,” as dad Chris Soong calls it.

That Jaden shot 65-69 (8 under) to win the third stop of Curry’s Underrated Tour at Notre Dame’s Warren Course, before finally claiming the Curry Cup championship, winning in a playoff, a real show of grit after he’d given back the final-round lead.

“I didn’t really use to believe in myself,” Jaden said recently after returning home from a couple-hour practice, where he’d worked on putting and ball flight and more putting. “Now it’s like I feel like I’m kind of the guy to beat.”

Sure, he has incredible momentum at the moment – despite a sore shoulder from too many pushups, Jaden just teamed with fellow 14-year-old Myla Robinson to win the inaugural SCGA Mixed Team Championship last week (64-65) at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Springs – but this is golf and eventually, “golf comes and smacks you in the face,” Chris knows.

So it’s one thing to stack wins, it’s another to stack all these golf lessons.

To figure out how to really read greens and what it’s like to play against golfers like the 6-foot-5 Noah Kent, who was bombing drives 350 yards (only about 50 yards longer than Jaden, who stands, well … “if I can lie, I’ll say 5-6; if a girl’s asking, I’m 5-8, and if you want me to be really real, I’m 5-2.”)

Most importantly, he thinks, is that he’s learning how to handle golf’s best shot on any given day, whether he’s sitting on a lead or getting smacked around.

“Before I’d feel the nerves kick in, and it’s hard to control them sometimes,” said Jaden, who’s been working with Collin Morikawa’s coach Rick Sessinghaus on his mental approach, using his FlowCode system.

“I’ve been able to do way better this year,” Jaden continued, “because, obviously, I’ve made it to some pretty big stages. Like when you’re coming down to the final stretch at the SCGA Amateur and you don’t want to lose it, or you’re on the first tee at the U.S. Amateur and all the nerves start kicking in.

“But I feel like I’ve been really able to figure out my mindset and just tell myself, ‘Hey, I’ve been putting in a lot of work.’ So this summer’s been great, and the confidence I have right now, it’s just how do you keep that and build off that?”

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So that’s got to be the best part, right? All the winning? The competing and coming out on top? The confidence that inspires?

Well, sure, Jaden said. And getting to travel; he and his mom, Sandra, had never been to New York City until the Curry Cup brought them there.

“But I think what I’ve realized this year, is that most important is the experiences and the people and the connections that you build playing golf,” said Jaden, who just met NBA all-timer Curry, of course. “It’s just really building those connections that I like the most.”

And so I’m glad I could introduce you to him, or reintroduce you – not for the last time, I’m sure.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County football season stat leaders through Sept. 21

• September 24, 2024

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Here are the Orange County high school football stat leaders after the Week 4 games.

The leaderboards are based on season stats published on MaxPreps.com.

To be included, teams must have stats updated on MaxPreps each Monday by 2 p.m.

PASSING: TOTAL YARDS

Name, school  
Yards 
Yds/Gm 
Cmp. 
Att. 
TDs 

Alexander Lundsberg, Canyon
1834
366.8
147
222
22

Cash O’Byrne, Tesoro
1395
348.8
103
173
10

Brady Edmunds, Huntington Bch
1371
274.2
93
154
12

Xzavior Guess, El Modena
1280
256.0
80
122
17

Star Thomas, Orange
1218
304.5
115
175
7

Noah Giddens, Western
1181
295.2
94
165
14

Cullen Doyle, Brea Olinda
1127
225.4
77
120
7

Tommy Acosta, Capistrano Valley
1110
222.0
89
147
15

Tristan Zale, Trabuco Hills
1109
277.2
78
119
13

Dawson Martinez, San Clemente
1081
216.2
80
113
7

Jackson Kollock, Laguna Beach
974
194.8
74
132
10

Diego Perez, Savanna
945
189.0
81
136
6

Travis Frazier, Esperanza
942
314.0
66
91
9

Gino Marchetti, Foothill
936
187.2
69
134
10

Vanden Dugger, Dana Hills
889
222.2
80
117
8

Timmy Herr, San Juan Hills
861
172.2
65
101
9

Rudy Alcala, Troy
849
212.2
53
89
10

Nate Lewis, Villa Park
840
210.0
48
83
13

Quinlan Russell, Calvary Chapel
771
154.2
56
100
7

Tank Britton, Bolsa Grande
766
255.3
72
123
7

John Gazzaniga, Santa Margarita
750
150.0
50
88
5

Noah Nam, Beckman
750
187.5
48
78
5

Garrett Hunnicutt, Marina
739
147.8
48
84
9

Caden Jones, Crean Lutheran
726
181.5
56
70
8

Jesse Lopez, Segerstrom
720
180.0
28
59
12

Carter Vestermark, Aliso Niguel
716
143.2
52
85
6

RUSHING: TOTAL YARDS

Name, school  
Yards 
Yds/Gm 
Yds/Car. 
Att. 
TDs 

Julius Gillick, Edison
772
154.4
10.03
77
7

Jarett Sabol, Aliso Niguel
763
152.6
6.75
113
8

Quentin Pacelli, Garden Grove
751
150.2
7.59
99
6

Khryztopher Entrala, Laguna Hills
733
146.6
8.83
83
9

Jeff Brown, Estancia
722
180.5
8.20
88
6

Xzavior Guess, El Modena
671
134.2
12.90
52
9

Eimesse Essis, Tustin
639
159.8
7.79
82
8

Nathan Gouvion, Foothill
637
127.4
6.57
97
6

Joshua Monroe, Capo Valley Chr.
631
126.2
11.27
56
8

Ethan Mundt, Troy
594
148.5
8.74
68
5

Quaid Carr, Servite
547
136.8
7.10
77
5

Jake Dorsi, Savanna
547
109.4
5.95
92
5

Radley Geiss, Dana Hills
543
135.8
6.87
79
7

Nathan Aceves, Brea Olinda
530
106.0
8.69
61
13

Kevika Martinez, La Habra
530
106.0
7.68
69
5

Anthony Abad, Sonora
522
130.5
6.61
79
7

Malachi Alatorre, Western
507
126.8
6.76
75
5

Gaige Prichard, Ocean View
501
100.2
6.26
80
5

Gavin Garza, Costa Mesa
495
123.8
6.78
73
4

Isaac Galindo, Los Amigos
468
117.0
12.00
39
10

Makya Chee, El Toro
442
110.5
10.28
43
6

Cooper Starnes, La Quinta
424
141.3
16.31
26
9

Brandon Figueroa, Irvine
413
103.2
6.88
60
4

RECEIVING: TOTAL YARDS 

Name, school  
Yards 
Yds/Gm 
Yds/Rec. 
Rec. 
TDs 

JJ Amezcua, Western
670
167.5
15.23
44
8

Connor Smith, El Modena
627
125.4
21.62
29
7

Troy Foster, Huntington Beach
614
122.8
18.61
33
5

Kellen Rommelfanger, Canyon
559
111.8
13.31
42
8

Trent Mosley, Santa Margarita
557
139.2
16.38
34
5

Fabrissio Ramirez, Savanna
551
110.2
14.50
38
7

Vander Ploog, Troy
511
127.8
17.03
30
6

Talon Spencer, Capistrano Valley
486
97.2
16.76
29
6

Gianni Porfilio, Orange
482
120.5
13.77
35
8

Nicholas Cervantes, Segerstrom
480
120.0
32.00
15
4

Campbell Schamel, Tesoro
480
96.0
15.00
32
4

Ryan Luce, Trabuco Hills
454
113.5
14.19
32
5

Noah McClary, Canyon
422
84.4
12.79
33
2

Matthew Peters, Calvary Chapel
396
79.2
18.00
22
4

Braiden Vaca, Tesoro
394
78.8
9.85
40
1

Carl Oldham, University
385
96.2
14.81
26
3

Armando Torres, Anaheim
378
94.5
19.90
19
3

Shane Cassidy, Marina
368
73.6
23.00
16
8

Parker Brown, Orange
366
91.5
9.63
38
1

Kaden Hunter, Capistrano Valley
352
70.4
15.30
23
4

James Leicester, Dana Hills
347
86.8
11.57
30
3

Edward Khutshivili, Esperanza
340
113,3
22.67
15
4

Vance Spafford, Mission Viejo
338
67.6
16.10
21
6

Max Kotiranta, San Clemente
338
67.6
12.52
27
1

Tanner Silber, Tesoro
333
66.6
17.53
19
5

Steel Kurtz, Huntington Beach
329
65.8
14.30
23
3

TACKLES: TOTAL

Name, school  
Tackles 
Tackles/Game 
Solo 
Assist 
TFL 

Carter Jones, Crean Lutheran
64
12.8
36
28
1

Thompson Foulger, Dana Hills
62
15.5
35
27
3

Maxwell Mapstone, Portola
59
11.8
11
48
1

Alek Camaj, Foothill
58
11.6
33
25
8

Brady Holcomb, Foothill
58
11.6
33
25
8

Madden Faraimo, JSerra
56
11.2
20
36
3

Matt Lopez, Edison
55
11.0
22
33
2

Isaac Real, Savanna
54
10.8
18
36
4

Weston Port, San Juan Hills
53
10.6
29
24
5

Michael Vukich, Capo Valley Chr.
51
10.2
27
24
1

Jeremiah Ross, Edison
47
9.4
18
29
3

Matteo Picou, Godinez
46
9.2
30
16
0

Chris Bucio, Savanna
46
9.2
11
35
2

Davis Post, Newport Harbor
46
9.2
33
13
0

Gavin Blum, San Juan Hills
45
9.0
27
18
8

Chris Villalobos, Godinez
44
8.8
28
16
0

James Munro, Canyon
44
8.8
20
24
4

Max Krosky, Capo Valley Chr.
44
8.8
30
14
1

Jovohn Cruz, Woodbridge
43
10.8
30
13
3

Reily Walker, Capistrano Valley
43
8.6
27
16
2

Kaden Raymond, San Clemente
42
8.4
23
19
0

Wyatt Owens, Tesoro
42
8.4
30
12
4

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​ Orange County Register 

Crean Lutheran football’s Jacob Maiava denied temporary restraining order against CIF

• September 24, 2024

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SANTA ANA — A request for a temporary restraining order by Crean Lutheran football player Jacob Maiava to restore his CIF eligibility was denied Monday in Orange County Superior Court.

After a brief hearing, Judge David Hoffer denied the request against the CIF State and CIF Southern Section “without prejudice” because he said “administrative remedies” such as Maiava’s pending appeal with CIF officials have not been “exhausted.”

CIF State attorney Diane Marshall-Freeman, who appeared at the hearing via video, stated that the decision in Maiava’s appeal of his denied transfer eligibility case is due “on or before” Oct. 4. She added that the deadline for the decision is following the same calendar — a maximum of 15 business days — for all appeals.

Hoffer expressed concern about making a ruling before the results of the appeal are known but left open the possibility that Maiava and his attorney could file another request for a temporary restraining order.

The schedule for Crean Lutheran’s next football game was discussed at the hearing. The Saints have a bye this week and next play Oct. 4 against visiting Foothill in the teams’ Epsilon League opener.

“(Hoffer) is very cautious in allowing the CIF to do the right thing … because we have the luxury of the bye week,” said Michael Caspino, the attorney representing Maiava. “Otherwise, we’ll be back (in court). Absolutely. Right away. The problem is, is CIF going hand us that ruling at 4:59 (p.m.) on the day of the game?”

Maiava, who transferred to Crean Lutheran from Santa Margarita in the offseason, had what the CIF Southern Section called in court documents an “expedited appeal hearing” on Sept. 12. The All-County offensive lineman is appealing a ruling by the section that makes his him ineligible this season due to pre-enrollment contact between him and Crean Lutheran assistant coach Ryan Porter “prior to the enrollment” at Crean Lutheran.

Porter coaches quarterbacks at Crean Lutheran.

The section, according to court documents, also stated that it found evidence Maiava’s transfer was “athletically motivated.”

The senior, who is committed to SMU, stated in his court filing that he departed Santa Margarita for academic reasons.

Southern Section attorney Ronald Scholar didn’t hold back his thoughts on the court case in a filing before Monday’s hearing.

“On his third school transfer in as many years and looking to cut to the front of the line ahead of his fellow students,” Scholar wrote, “injunctive relief should be denied.” He then cited the pending appeal and the schedule of Crean Lutheran’s next football game among reasons.

Maiava, who is 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, played at Liberty of Nevada before transferring to Santa Margarita. He earned second-team All-County honors last season for the Eagles.

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​ Orange County Register 

Newsom signs law to teach Mendez v. Westminster in California schools

• September 23, 2024

A landmark court case involving an Orange County family and local school districts that helped bring about the end of segregation laws in schools around the country will be a mandatory element of history and social science classes in California public schools.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday, Sept. 20, requiring public schools in the state to teach Mendez v. Westminster. The passage of AB 1805, introduced by Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana and Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, is considered important recognition of Latino discrimination and the role that one Orange County family played in fighting against it.

The 1947 federal court case centered on events that began in 1943, when Sylvia Mendez and her brothers were turned away after attempting to enroll at Seventeenth Street School in Westminster. Instead of accepting the students, district officials told the Mexican-American children to attend a “Mexican school.”

In response, their parents, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, along with four other Mexican-American families, filed a class-action lawsuit against four school districts in Orange County. Their efforts proved successful, with the U.S. district court deciding in 1947 that the segregation of Mexican and Mexican American students into separate schools was unconstitutional.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a similar ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which involved discrimination against Black students, declaring racial segregation in education to be unconstitutional.

Language in the California bill signed by Newsom spells out how the two cases are connected, saying Mendez “represents the beginning of the end of legal school segregation and signifies the important role of California in the civil rights movement.”

Supporters of the new law say the Mendez story will have value for current and future students in California.

“Today marks a historic moment for California’s educational system and our commitment to justice and equality,” said Ta. “The signing of AB 1805 is a testament to the importance of remembering our history and ensuring that future generations understand the significant strides California has made in the fight for civil rights. I am proud to see this crucial piece of legislation become law, and I extend my deepest thanks to Governor Newsom, my legislative colleagues, and all the advocates who supported this effort.”

Other efforts have already been made to shed light on the Mendez case. In Westminster, a park and a trail at Westminster Boulevard and Olive Street bear the name of the Mendez family.

Umberg, who helped secure funding for the Mendez Historic Freedom Trail and Monument in Westminster, said he believes in “the power of the Mendez v. Westminster story,” and that the story is an important part of Orange County history.

The legislation, which passed both chambers of the state legislature with bipartisan support, was also backed by the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, California Charter Schools Association, California State PTA, California Federation of Teachers and the cities of Fountain Valley and Westminster.

​ Orange County Register 

Gunman who killed 10 at Colorado supermarket found guilty of murder

• September 23, 2024

By COLLEEN SLEVIN

BOULDER, Colo. — A mentally ill man who killed 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in 2021 was convicted Monday of murder and faces life in prison.

Defense attorneys did not dispute that Ahmad Alissa, who has schizophrenia, fatally shot 10 people including a police officer in the college town of Boulder. But he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, with the defense arguing he couldn’t tell right from wrong at the time of the attack.

In addition to 10 counts of first-degree murder, the jury found Alissa guilty on 38 charges of attempted murder, one count of assault, and six counts of possessing illegal, large-capacity magazines.

Alissa did not visibly react as the judge began reciting the guilty verdicts against him. He sat at a table with his attorneys and appeared to trade notes with members of the defense team, speaking quietly at times with one of his attorneys.

In this image taken from video provided by the Colorado Judicial Branch, Ahmad Alissa, third from left, stands for the verdict in his trial for the 2021 Colorado supermarket shootings, Monday, Sept 23, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. (Colorado Judicial Branch via AP)

Judge Ingrid Bakke had warned against any outbursts. There were some tears and restrained crying on the victims’ side of the courtroom as the murder convictions were read.

The courtroom was packed largely with victims’ families and police officers, including those who were shot at by Alissa. Several members of Alissa’s family sat just behind him.

Alissa started shooting immediately after getting out of his car in a King Soopers store parking lot in March 2021. He killed most of the victims in just over a minute and surrendered after an officer shot him in the leg.

Prosecutors had to prove Alissa was sane. They argued he didn’t fire randomly and showed an ability to make decisions by pursuing people who were running and trying to hide from him. He twice passed by a 91-year-old man who continued to shop, unaware of the shooting.

He came armed with steel-piercing bullets and illegal magazines that can hold 30 rounds of ammunition, which prosecutors said showed he took deliberate steps to make the attack as deadly as possible.

Several members of Alissa’s family, who immigrated to the United States from Syria, testified that he had become withdrawn and spoke less a few years before the shooting. He later began acting paranoid and showed signs of hearing voices, they said, and his condition worsened after he got COVID-19 in late 2020.

Alissa was diagnosed with schizophrenia after the attack and experts said the behaviors described by relatives are consistent with the onset of the disease.

State forensic psychologists who evaluated Alissa concluded he was sane during the shooting. The defense did not have to provide any evidence in the case and did not present any experts to say that Alissa was insane.

Despite the fact that he heard voices, the state psychologists said, Alissa did not experience delusions. They said his fear that he could be jailed or killed by police revealed Alissa knew his actions were wrong.

Alissa repeatedly told the psychologists that he heard voices, including “killing voices” right before the shooting. But Alissa failed during about six hours of interviews to provide more details about the voices or whether they were saying anything specific, forensic psychologist B. Thomas Gray testified.

The defense pointed out that Gray and and his partner, Loandra Torres, did not have full confidence in their sanity finding, largely because Alissa did not provide more information about his experiences even though that could have helped his case. Gray and Torres also said the voices played a role in the attack and they didn’t believe it would have happened if Alissa were not mentally ill.

Mental illness is not the same thing as insanity. Colorado law defines insanity as having a mental disease so severe that it’s impossible for a person to tell right from wrong.

Family members of the victims attended the two-week trial and watched graphic surveillance and police body camera video. Survivors testified about how they fled and in some cases helped others to safety.

Prosecutors did not offer any motive for the shooting. Alissa initially searched online for public places to attack in Boulder, including bars and restaurants, then a day before the shooting focused his research on large stores.

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On the day of the attack, he drove from his home in the Denver suburb of Arvada and pulled into the first supermarket in Boulder that he encountered. He shot three victims in the parking lot before entering the store.

An emergency room doctor said she crawled onto a shelf and hid among bags of potato chips. A pharmacist who took cover testified that she heard Alissa say “This is fun” at least three times as he went through the store firing his semi-automatic pistol that resembled an AR-15 rifle.

Alissa’s mother told the court that she thought her son was “sick.” His father testified that he thought Alissa was possessed by a djin, or evil spirit, but did not seek any treatment for his son because it would have been shameful for the family.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County football Top 25: Servite, Santa Margarita switch positions in Week 5

• September 23, 2024

ORANGE COUNTY FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLL

Notable this week: Servite moves up from No. 6  to No. 5 this week, trading places with Santa Margarita, which lost to Leuzinger of Lawndale by one point. … Yorba Linda moves up to No. 8 after a win over Tustin. … La Habra advances two spots after a 48-21 win over La Mirada.

1. Mater Dei 4-0 (75 points)

The defense of Mater Dei, No. 1 in the MaxPreps national rankings, created four turnovers in a 25-14 win over national No. 22 St. Frances of Maryland. Senior linebacker Nasir Wyatt caused a fumble and had three sacks. The Monarchs have this week off before opening Trinity League play Oct. 4 against Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills High.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Mission Viejo 5-0 (72)

Vance Spafford caught two touchdown passes and blocked two punts for the Diablos in a 31-28 win over Basha of Arizona. Mission Viejo edge rusher Jaden Williams had two sacks to give him 13.5 sacks over the team’s five games. Mission Viejo is home against 4-0 Chaparral of Temecula on Friday.

Previous ranking: 2

3. JSerra 5-0 (69)

The Lions stayed undefeated with a 49-21 win at Damien. Quarterback Ryan Hopkins got JSerra off to a great start, passing for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. The Lions do not play this week. They play their Trinity League opener at home against Servite on Oct. 4.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Orange Lutheran 4-1 (66)

The Lancers made a great second-half comeback to win at Sierra Canyon 33-26 on Saturday night. They trailed 26-7 at halftime and scored 23 points in the final quarter. Orange Lutheran receiver Tyler Hennessy had 12 catches for 163 yards and linebackers Talanoa Ili and Christian Panapa forced fumbles that led to points in the fourth quarter. Orange Lutheran has a bye this week before opening Trinity League action at St. John Bosco on Oct. 4.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Servite 4-0 (63)

The Friars did not play last week. They play St. Paul, a long-ago Angelus League rival, on Friday at Orange Coast College. The Friars start the Trinity League portion of their schedule at JSerra on Oct. 4.

Previous ranking: 6

6. Santa Margarita 3-2 (59)

The Eagles gave up a touchdown in the final minute of their 14-13 loss in a nonleague game against Leuzinger. Santa Margarita had a couple of players unable to participate, including injured receiver Trent Mosley who was All-Orange County first team last year as a sophomore. The Eagles play their Trinity League opener Oct. 4 against Mater Dei at Trabuco Hills High.

Previous ranking: 5

7. Los Alamitos 4-1 (58)

Griffins senior quarterback Alonzo Esparza completed 16 of 18 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-14 win at Clovis North of Fresno. Los Alamitos’ challenging schedule continues Friday with a nonleague home game against Serra of Gardena.

Previous ranking: 7

8T. San Clemente 3-2 (51)

Tritons quarterback Dawson Martinez threw for 223 yards and a touchdown and Cole Herlean and Max Kontiranta both had more than 100 yards receiving in a 35-28 home win over Chino. San Clemente plays at 3-1 Murrieta Valley on Friday.

Previous ranking: 8

8T. Yorba Linda 5-0 (51)

Yorba Linda does it again, another fourth-quarter comeback for a victory. This time the Mustangs rallied to beat Tustin 35-31, scoring the winning points on Vaughn Sharp’s third rushing touchdown of the game. Yorba Linda has a bye this week before playing a Bravo League opener on Oct. 3 against Villa Park at Yorba Linda High.

Previous ranking: 9

10. Edison 3-2 (48)

The Chargers got a third straight victory with a 49-6 triumph over Fountain Valley in their annual “Battle for the Bell” game. Edison lost its first two games by one point in each contest before stringing together wins over Lakewood and Palos Verdes before the win over the rival Barons. The Chargers play La Serna of Whitter on Friday at Huntington Beach High.

Previous ranking: 10

11. San Juan Hills 4-1 (46)

Previous ranking: 10

12. Tustin 4-1 (44)

Previous ranking: 10

13. Villa Park 3-1 (39)

Previous ranking: 13

14. Crean Lutheran 4-1 (36)

Previous ranking: 15

15. La Habra 4-1 (30)

Previous ranking: 17

16T. Corona del Mar 2-2 (29)

Previous ranking: 14

16T. El Modena 5-0 (29)

Previous ranking: 15

18. Tesoro 3-2 (26)

Previous ranking: 18

19. Trabuco Hills 4-0 (21)

Previous ranking: 19

20. Huntington Beach 3-2 (18)

Previous ranking: 20

21. Capistrano Valley 4-1 (15)

Previous ranking: 21

22. Foothill 3-2 (11)

Previous ranking: 22

23. Laguna Beach 5-0 (10)

Previous ranking: 23

24. Aliso Niguel 4-1 (5)

Previous ranking: 24

25. Troy 3-1 (3)

Previous ranking: 25

Also receiving votes: Marina 5-0 (1)

About the poll: Dan Albano, Steve Fryer and Michael Huntley vote each week for the Orange County Top 25.

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​ Orange County Register 

Foster kids’ benefits belong to kids, not the counties

• September 23, 2024

Katrina White never thought she would end up in foster care, but after losing both of her parents at a young age, she spent three years in a Southern California group home. When she aged out of the system, she had no family to rely on, no money, no home, and nowhere to go. She ended up living in a tent just off the freeway for almost seven months, and bounced in and out of various homeless shelters, while working part time and taking college classes.

As it turns out, Katrina was legally entitled to life-changing money. When her biological parents died, she became entitled to their Social Security survivor benefits which they had contributed to during their working years. The county responsible for her care – the same county that had already received millions in tax dollars to administer care to all foster children – had, without notifying her, her lawyer, or the judge overseeing her case, applied to the Social Security Administration to receive her benefits. It then took every last dollar of her money to reimburse itself for the cost of her care.

For foster kids like Katrina, these benefits would have allowed her to transition into stable and safe housing, and ensure she had her basic needs met as she launched into adulthood without her parents. Approximately 29 percent of foster youth who remain in the foster care system past the age of 17 have experienced homelessness in some capacity between the ages of 19 and 21. As California spends billions to address the state’s homeless problem, it is exacerbating it by taking money that legally belongs to abused and neglected children, pushing them onto the streets.

Katrina soon found out she wasn’t alone.

In 2021 alone, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services paid itself $5.4 million in disability and survivor benefits intended for 600 of its foster children. However, since this practice has come to light, Los Angeles and San Diego counties have vowed to stop this practice for some of the foster children in their care. The rest of the state must follow suit.

Most everybody understands that those acting as fiduciaries may not take the money for themselves, but that is precisely what happens here. In a recent advisory, the Social Security Administration admonished foster care agencies “to carry out the duties of representative payees, including meeting regularly with beneficiaries and deciding on an individual basis how to use and save benefits in the beneficiaries’ best interests.”  SSA then stated: “We commend the jurisdictions that have already made or are considering changes” that “optimize how they use and conserve Social Security benefits and SSI payments for foster youth.” California is out of compliance with federal law and policy.

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Last year, legislation sponsored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan from Culver City (AB 1512) would have ended this practice. Despite unanimous approval by the Legislature, Governor Newsom vetoed the bill, citing then-emerging budget constraints. A scaled-back version of that bill (AB 2906) again sits on Newsom’s desk, having passed the Legislature unanimously again.

Newsom must right last year’s wrong and sign the bill. Transitioning to adulthood is a fraught time for all youth, and is exponentially more so for children who must confront the world alone after losing their parent(s), who are raised in a too-often loveless and broken system, and who must at absurdly young ages fend entirely for themselves. These are children of the state – no different from our children. Do we really have to say out loud that stealing from them is wrong?

Amy Harfeld is the National Policy Director for the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law.

​ Orange County Register 

Chargers review: Time is now for Justin Herbert to rehab ankle injury

• September 23, 2024

Here’s what we learned, what we heard and what comes next after the Chargers’ worrisome 20-10 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers that went far beyond the final result, the Chargers’ first defeat after impressive victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers in their first two games:

SHUT HIM DOWN

There is no magic cure for a sprained ankle, and a high ankle sprain like the one Justin Herbert suffered in the third quarter of the Chargers’ victory in Week 2 over the Panthers could be especially difficult and time-consuming to mend. High sprains typically take longer to heal than those lower down in the ankle.

Don’t ask why. This isn’t a medical journal.

It just is the case that high ankle sprains take more time to heal.

So, the wise move, the prudent decision, would be to shut down Herbert this week and let either Taylor Heinicke or Easton Stick start the Chargers’ game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Herbert should get this week and next week’s bye week off to rest and rehabilitate.

Lock him in the athletic trainer’s room, if you must. Allowing him to play against the Chiefs could be viewed as borderline medical malpractice.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was correct to pull him from this past Sunday’s game before Herbert did further damage to his ankle. As it was, Herbert had a difficult time walking in the second half, planting his right foot to throw and dodging the Steelers’ heavy pressure, especially late in the third quarter.

Postgame X-rays were negative, but further testing is expected this week.

Herbert is “a beast” and “a warrior,” as Harbaugh said Sunday. No one is doubting those descriptions of the Chargers’ quarterback, who has earned every penny of the five-year, $262.5-million contract extension he signed last year. Herbert has been down this perilous road before and he’s survived to tell the tale.

But only just barely, and with plenty of scars to show for it.

Two years ago, he suffered fractured rib cartilage in a Week 2 loss to Kansas City. He insisted on playing the next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars and looked sore and stiff and insisted on playing to the end of a 38-10 loss. That was a different regime but the same determined Herbert.

“My responsibility as a quarterback is to give everything I can to this team, to my teammates, and I feel like I did that,” Herbert said Sunday after appearing at his postgame session with reporters with his bum ankle encased in a cumbersome gray walking boot. “I pushed myself.”

Yes, and now it’s the time for Herbert to heal.

It’s a long season. Let’s not make it longer by allowing his injury to linger and jeopardize further games down the road. The Chargers are 2-1 going into Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, and who’s to say that a well-prepared Heinicke or Stick coupled with a stingy defense can’t pull off an upset?

INJURIES (PART 2)

Joe Alt, a rookie right tackle, suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s game against the Steelers and is expected to be sidelined for the Chargers’ Week 4 game against the Chiefs, according to an ESPN report that cited an unnamed source. Alt played all 46 offensive snaps against Pittsburgh.

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“Joe’s been incredible,” Harbaugh said of Alt, the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft in April who has started his pro career against the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and the Steelers T.J. Watt. “It’s like he’s been playing for five or six years, like a six-year vet. He’s gone right out of the chute against some of the best in the game.”

Additionally, the Chargers also could be without standout left tackle Rashawn Slater, who injured his pectoral muscle Sunday. Trey Pipkins III shifted to left tackle from right guard after Slater was injured and Jamaree Salyer came off the bench to take Pipkins’ spot at right guard.

We’ll learn more about their O-line plans Wednesday.

WHAT COMES NEXT

The Chargers (2-1) face the Chiefs (3-0) on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, 1:25 p.m..

​ Orange County Register