Girls soccer preview: Orange County preseason Top 10

• November 11, 2023

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ORANGE COUNTY PRESEASON TOP 10

1. Santa Margarita: The reigning CIF-SS and CIF SoCal Regional champion returns high-scoring forward Faith George but the challenge will be retooling its backline after graduation. The Eagles, however, have the depth to field another strong defense.

2. Los Alamitos: The Griffins, the Division 1 runner-up last season, look strong again in the midfield and backline. The key will be developing offense from their returning depth and freshman Jurnee Molett.

3. Mater Dei: The Monarchs have “something to prove,” coach Matty West said after finishing as the Trinity League runner-up last season and falling to Los Alamitos in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs. Mater Dei has the players to bounce back, including several college-committed seniors.

4. Villa Park: The Spartans will be young with two seniors but have been bolstered by a few newcomers. Look for transfer Shea Gonzalez and freshman Evangeline Barrera to make an impact. Barrera has gained experienced in Mexico’s national system.

GIRLS SOCCER PREVIEW: OC Preseason Top 10 || Top 10 Players to Watch || Preseason notebook

5. JSerra: The Lions were young last season but still finished third in the Trinity League and reached the first round of the Division 1 playoffs. They’ll look to take a step forward with 13 upperclassmen returners.

6. Huntington Beach: The Surf League contender will feature one of the best offensive squads in the county with the return of recent USC signee Jaiden Anderson and sophomore Sienna McAthy. If the Oilers’ backline plays well, watch out.

7. Newport Harbor: The Surf League is one of the county’s toughest groups but don’t forget about the Sailors. They’re loaded with athleticism and college commitments.

8. San Clemente: Jennie Mann takes the coaching reins for the defending South Coast League champion. The Tritons will count on several seniors and juniors stepping into larger roles.

9. San Juan Hills: The Stallions graduated a strong senior class but remain South Coast League contenders. They’re led by recent UC San Diego signee Eva Anderson, who led the team in scoring last season and has played for the Puerto Rico national team.

10. Troy: The reigning Freeway League champion is heavy on returners as it moves to Division 1. The Warriors feature players with international experience in Ariana Markey (Philippines) and Kaia Villanueva (Guam) and a top defender in Arizona commit Zoe Mendiola.

Also considered: Pacifica.

Please send girls soccer news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy 

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​ Orange County Register 

Girls soccer preview: Orange County Top 10 players to watch

• November 11, 2023

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TOP 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jaiden Anderson, Huntington Beach, Sr., forward

The recent USC signee might be the county’s most athletic player with her combination of size and speed. The reigning Surf League MVP netted 29 goals last season.

Faith George, Santa Margarita, Sr., forward

The reigning Orange County player of the year and recent USC signee is an elite finisher, especially in pressure situations. The Trinity League MVP scored 26 goals last season to help lead the Eagles to CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF SoCal regional titles.

Avarie Gonzalez, Los Alamitos, So., GK

The acrobatic goalie is already a co-captain as a sophomore. She earned second-team All-County honors last season in helping the Griffins finish as the Division 1 and SoCal Regional runner-up.

Los Alamitos’ goalkeeper Avarie Gonzalez blocks a shot in the first half of a CIF Southern California Regional Division I championship game against Santa Margarita, March 4, 2023.(Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)

Sadie Hoch, Newport Harbor, Sr., midfielder

The Surf League is loaded with talented midfielders. Count Hoch, a Texas commit, as one of the best.

GIRLS SOCCER PREVIEW: OC Preseason Top 10 || Top 10 Players to Watch || Preseason notebook

Molly MacMillan, Santa Margarita, Sr., midfielder

The recent Texas signee returns as a key player for the reigning Division 1 and SoCal Regional champion. She earned first-team All-County honors last season.

Peyton Marinos, JSerra, So., forward

The speedy striker with a booming kick burst onto the scene last season. Look for her to remain a force.

Daphne Nakfoor, JSerra, Sr., goalie

There are several up-and-coming goalies in the county but the UCLA-committed Nakfoor is definitely one to remember.

Isis Salazar, Ocean View, Sr., forward

The multi-talented Salazar, who kicked extra-points during football, returns after scoring 45 goals last season. She is the reigning Golden West League MVP.

Peyton Trayer, Santa Margarita, So., GK

The first-team All-County selection is coming back from injury. When healthy, she’s tough to beat. The reigning CIF-SS Division 1 player of the year blocked three shots in penalty kicks against Los Alamitos last season in the finals.

Viviana Zacarias, Los Alamitos, Jr., midfielder

Zacarias, a Colorado commit and co-captain, is one of the county’s most dynamic playmakers. She is a dangerous scorer and passer.

Please send girls soccer news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy 

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​ Orange County Register 

Girls soccer preview: Santa Margarita willing to work hard to sweep titles again

• November 11, 2023

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Santa Margarita’s motivation for the girls soccer season that begins Monday emerged early in the fall with the sounds that bounced off the walls during the team’s weight training sessions.

“Our trainer will say, ‘Give me two claps!’ and we (clap) as a team, and it echoes in the room,” defender Bella Gissendanner said. “It’s awesome. We have great energy in the weight room. We got music going and everyone is pushing it hard. We got to build that muscle for this year.”

GIRLS SOCCER PREVIEW: OC Preseason Top 10 || Top 10 Players to Watch || Preseason notebook

Those two claps could be for back-to-back championships.

That’s precisely what Santa Margarita is aiming for this winter.

The Eagles swept the CIF Southern Section and CIF Southern California Regional championships last season in Division 1. And judging by their offseason workouts, they’re hungry for another sweep.

“I think we’re going to be more hard-working this year,” said senior forward Faith George, the reigning Orange County player of the year. “Now we know what it takes to win and I want to go back-to-back.

“For us,” she added, “the biggest goal this year is just going to be, ‘Let’s be the hard-working team in all of California and let’s win through our hard work.’ … especially if we want to win a national championship.”

Santa Margarita soccer player Faith George in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

While the Eagles’ internal expectations are high, the players know they will need to fend off challengers. Mater Dei and JSerra loom in the Trinity League and Los Alamitos — Santa Margarita’s playoff rival last season — looks strong again.

“We have to be even harder-working than last year knowing that the target is on our back,” All-County goalie Peyton Trayer said. “We have to keep pushing because everyone is going to be out to beat us.”

Santa Margarita returns several key contributors from a team that went 22-2-1 last season.

The frontline will again feature George, who signed with USC this week, and sophomore Jastel David. Senior forward Sydney Osborn is not expected to play, Coach Craig Bull said.

The midfield will be anchored by Texas signee Molly MacMillan, a senior who played in the middle last season.

The biggest question mark is the backline, where the Eagles will feature two new center backs. The candidates for those spots, Bull said, include seniors Gissendanner, Kaylee McKeehan, Charlotte Memoly, Ruby Casey and Ireland Regan.

Bull and his players are confident they will find the right mix. Their focus remains on staying motivated and hard working.

“We’ve been focusing on staying humble,” said Gissendanner, an Idaho signee. “And knowing that just because of what we did last year doesn’t guarantee anything for this year. We got to go in and keep working. We’re grinding.”

NOTES

The Best in the West Classic is scheduled for Dec. 9-16. The top group includes host Newport Harbor, San Juan Hills, Huntington Beach, JSerra, Los Alamitos and Pacifica. …

Woodbridge, a team to watch in the Pacific Coast League, will be boosted by addition of senior Milan Heisdorf, a UC Irvine commit who hasn’t been playing high school soccer. She was a standout on the Warriors’ flag football team in the fall.

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​ Orange County Register 

Corona del Mar student suspended for saying ‘Free Palestine’

• November 11, 2023

A Corona del Mar Middle and High School student was suspended this week, allegedly for saying remarks deemed to be threatening, such as “Free Palestine,” to a classmate, according to social media posts circulating Friday.

Newport-Mesa Unified Assistant Superintendent Kerrie Torres confirmed the student was suspended for three days from classroom instruction starting on Nov. 13.

Torres and other district employees reached Friday evening said they could not go into further details about what caused the suspension.

But a social media post that purports to be from the student’s aunt included a photo of a letter signed by Principal Jacob Haley that said: “(The student) said threatening remarks to a young lady in class. He said ‘Free Palestine.’” Those social media posts also detailed previous tensions that occurred between the student and others at school.

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Corona del Mar High was the site of vandalism last month after swastikas were drawn on a locker.

Newport-Mesa Unified supports students’ free speech, but it “will not tolerate hateful speech in our schools, especially not hate speech that incites others to engage in negative behavior,” said Annette Franco, a district spokesperson, in an emailed statement Friday evening.

“We have an obligation to maintain a safe learning environment while respecting students’ rights to speak on issues,” the statement said. “We take our obligations to students seriously, and because of this, there is an expectation for students to engage in respectful dialogue for change, not hateful speech that is directed toward a specific student population.”

The suspended student’s family could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

In the case of the reported vandalism last month, school officials said they alerted police who were investigating the incident. There was no indication from either district employees or the social media posts Friday that the suspended student was involved in the vandalism.

Franco said last month that the vandalism and an increase in digital hate speech prompted the school to form an interfaith council made up of students, parents, community members and local religious leaders to discuss the incident and encourage positive dialogue around culturally sensitive issues going forward.

Corona del Mar is a public middle and high school in Newport Beach.

​ Orange County Register 

Spider season: Here are a few things you may not know about them

• November 11, 2023

Does whatever a spider can

What was an itsy-bitsy spider spinning webs a few months ago is now a large, fully-grown exterminator helping keep the pest population under control.

Is it peak spider season? Not necessarily, because there are usually more spiders in the spring after they hatch their eggs. By September to November they are fully grown, easier to find and make larger webs.

Some spidey facts

The world is home to about 50,000 species of spiders.

Almost all are venomous but only a few can harm you. According to the Burke Museum in Seattle, only 25 have venom that can cause harm to humans. So just 1/20 of 1% of spiders are dangerous to humans.

According to the University of Kentucky, spiders don’t have a jaw and teeth like many animals, they have chelicerae – external structures that work somewhat like a jaw. Spiders use their chelicerae to hold prey in place while they inject it with venom.

Instead of chewing their food with mandibles, spiders will first spit enzymes either on or in their prey to liquefy it. They then eat the prey by sucking in the juices created by the enzymes with their mouth parts, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

They all make silk, but they don’t all make webs. About half the species catch prey with silky webs, while the others use it to make nests, cocoons or egg sacs.

Many spiders replace their entire web every day. According to science.org a study was conducted in 2018 that discovered that certain spiders’ webs are stronger than steel and if human-size, would be tough enough to snag a jetliner.

UC Irvine has a web page with photos of all the spiders, ticks and mites in Orange County here.

Keeping them out

Even though spiders may help control insect populations, many people have some form of arachnophobia or simply don’t want them inside their homes. As the days cool, spiders might be looking for warmer places to winter.

A few tips

Seal potential entry points like cracks and gaps along the building’s foundation.Keep doors, windows and screens sealed.

Prevent other insects from inhabiting the area by keeping a clean home.

Reduce clutter to limit hiding places.

Use a botanical repellent. Spiders don’t like the scent of lavender.

Source: Hebets Lab, Burke Museum, reconnectwithnature.org, National Space Society, University of Kentucky, earthkind.com, The National Pest Management Association Illustrations by KURT SNIBBE and staff artists

​ Orange County Register 

UFC 295, missing Jon Jones’ star power, elevates light heavyweight title bout

• November 11, 2023

List some of the marquee main events to headline UFC cards at Madison Square Garden – Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre and Daniel Cormier are among the winners – and Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic could have topped them all.

The heavyweight championship clash instead got KO’d.

Jones, on the short list of greatest MMA fighters of all time, tore a pectoral tendon off the bone during training last month. The UFC heavyweight champ needed surgery and was off the card. So was Miocic. The two-time heavyweight champion did not get a replacement fight and will sit out Saturday’s UFC 295 show at Madison Square Garden.

Just as they do on Broadway, UFC called on the understudies.

Now, No. 2 heavyweight contender Sergei Pavlovich fights No. 4 Tom Aspinall for the interim heavyweight championship in a late add to the card. The fight for the vacant light heavyweight title between Jiri Procházka and Alex Pereira was bumped to the main event.

Former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade faces Huntington Beach’s Mackenzie Dern in another key bout on the main card.

What the card lacks in star power just may be made up for in power, period.

Procházka (29-3-1) has 25 knockout wins and Aspinall (13-3) has 10. Pereira (8-2) is a former UFC middleweight champ and looks to become a two-division UFC champion in just his seventh fight for the promotion. Pereira fought in the main event of UFC 281 last November at MSG and defeated Israel Adesanya to claim the 185-pound championship. The Brazilian knockout artist lost the title back to Adesanya in April.

UFC cranked the hype machine to get fans pumped for Saturday in the wake of late shuffle, noting it marked “four of the most thrilling fighters in the planet competing for UFC gold.”

Yet even the fighters are trying to find the thrill in competing at MSG. “At the end of the day, mate, it’s another arena,” Aspinall said.

As for the original main event, the bout could be rescheduled for as early as next summer, depending on Jones’ health.

Jones ended a three-year sabbatical from the UFC in March and the king of the light heavyweights moved up to its highest weight class to choke out Ciryl Gane and win the vacant championship in the main event of UFC 285. Jones said after that fight he wanted Miocic. UFC President Dana White said it would have been “complete disrespect” to offer Miocic an interim title fight. So Aspinall and Pavlovich will slug it out to find out who really is the baddest heavyweight in UFC. Well, you know, except for those other two guys.

Here’s a look at the two major fights on the main card:

Procházka vs. Pereira

Pereira took his time getting to UFC after a successful kickboxing career. The 36-year-old fighter didn’t make his UFC debut until November 2021 and earned the championship match against Adesanya in just his fourth fight. Three matches later, he is back for another title shot and – with a win – would suddenly find himself in the company of the greatest Brazilian fighters in MMA history.

“I don’t know the criteria for calling someone the greatest,” he said through a translator. “I don’t think about it too much. I just do my job.”

He has done it very well.

Procházka won the UFC light heavyweight crown when he submitted Glover Teixeira in June 2022.

Procházka later suffered a shoulder injury that wiped out a scheduled championship rematch and forced him to surrender the title.

“It was the right choice,” Procházka said. “The show must go on. The division must still grow.”

Procházka not only hasn’t fought since last year – he hasn’t lost a fight anywhere since 2015, a span that includes three straight UFC wins.

Pavlovich vs Aspinall

Pavlovich (18-1) is on a six-fight win streak and Aspinall is 6-1 in the UFC. Unlike Miocic, both heavyweights are in their prime and this one could be a slugfest between two fighters getting an unexpected shot at an interim belt.

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Just don’t take a bathroom break during this one.

Pavlovich has had all seven UFC fights, including a loss, end in the first round. Aspinall has made it to the second round just once in his seven UFC fights.

Even if they are just keeping the top of the division warm until Jones returns, this is a chance for each fighter to get on the map and be more than a footnote on the card.

“I’m not the type of guy who is going to fly across the world, sign a contract and show up if I don’t think I’m going to win,” said Aspinall, a British fighter.

UFC 295

When: Saturday

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York

How to watch: Early prelims (3 p.m., ESPN+); prelims (5 p.m., ESPNews); main card (7 p.m., PPV via ESPN+)

​ Orange County Register 

High school football live updates: Friday’s quarterfinal playoff games in Southern California

• November 11, 2023

Looking for live high school football updates? Click here

Follow along tonight, Friday, November 10, as our Southern California News Group reporters provide scores, stats, videos and much more from the sidelines at tonight’s first-round playoff games.

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Tweets by SoCalVarsity https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

You can find local area previews and local schedules here:

Orange County: Preview | Schedule

Riverside and San Bernardino County: Preview | Schedule

San Gabriel Valley: Preview | Schedule

Los Angeles: Preview | Schedule

South Bay: Preview | Schedule

Long Beach: Preview | Schedule

Football

— James H. Williams covers UCLA football (@JHWreporter) September 1, 2023

FRIDAY’S GAMES

CIF-SS QUARTERFINALS

All games start at 7 p.m. unless noted.

DIVISION 1

San Clemente at St. John Bosco

Orange Lutheran at Centennial

Santa Margarita at Sierra Canyon

JSerra vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

DIVISION 2

Murrieta Valley at Rancho Cucamonga

Oaks Christian at Mission Viejo

Los Alamitos at Serra

Long Beach Poly vs. Servite at Cerritos College

DIVISION 3

San Juan Hills at Citrus Valley

Cajon vs. St. Bonaventure at Ventura College

Oak Hills at Warren

Villa Park at Chaminade

DIVISION 4

Loyola at Yorba Linda

Corona del Mar at Santa Barbara

Capistrano Valley at Culver City

La Serna at Trabuco Hills

DIVISION 5

Newbury Park vs. Foothill at Placentia Valencia HS

Bonita at Thousand Oaks

Apple Valley at Western

Orange Vista at San Jacinto

DIVISION 6

Ontario Christian at Huntington Beach

Crean Lutheran at Simi Valley

Murrieta Mesa at La Habra

Cypress at Mira Costa

DIVISION 7

Chino at Mayfair

Agoura at Muir

King at Salesian

El Dorado at Redondo

DIVISION 8

Brentwood at Highland

Covina at Charter Oak

St. Anthony at St. Pius X-St. Matthias

Aliso Niguel at Jurupa Hills

DIVISION 9

Rio Hondo Prep at Orange

Santa Monica at Troy

Los Osos at Kaiser

DIVISION 10

Torrance at Redlands

Elsinore at Hemet

West Covina at Beckman

La Palma Kennedy at Xavier Prep

DIVISION 11

Linfield Christian at Quartz Hill

Palmdale at Ramona

Riverside Poly at Patriot

Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Westminster

DIVISION 12

Coachella Valley at Don Lugo

Cerritos at Western Christian

Arrowhead Christian at Santa Fe

Buena Park at Yucca Valley

DIVISION 13

Walnut vs. Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande HS

San Bernardino at AB Miller

St. Monica at Montclair

Desert Hot Springs at Baldwin Park

DIVISION 14

Artesia at Santa Rosa Academy

Bell Gardens at Ocean View

Hawthorne at El Monte

Whittier Christian at Lynwood

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​ Orange County Register 

Government launches review to determine if VA Loma Linda whistleblowers feel safe

• November 11, 2023

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a comprehensive review of the VA Loma Linda Health Care System amid a congressional investigation into employee complaints alleging widespread retaliation and harassment from supervisors for reporting misconduct.

Since March 2019, the VA’s Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection has received 35 retaliation allegations from VA Loma Linda whistleblowers, the OAWP’s investigation division director, Eric Calhoun, told the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight during a Nov. 2 hearing.

Of those, 11 prompted investigations and five resulted in recommendations for disciplinary action to VA Loma Linda management, Calhoun said.

One disciplinary recommendation from OAWP was fully implemented by management while three weren’t because the employee accused of misconduct had already resigned from the VA. VA Loma Linda officials took no action to enforce the remaining recommendation.

Across-the-board, about 3% of OAWP’s investigations result in discipline, Calhoun said. OAWP is responsible for oversight while management at VA facilities is given discretion in implementing punishment recommendations.

OAWP’s disciplinary statistics are alarming, said Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Hesperia, who is investigating whistleblower complaints at VA Loma Linda along with Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois.

“If only three percent of the time their information results in … disciplinary action being taken … that’s not very reassuring to them (whistleblowers),” he told Calhoun, suggesting it could have a chilling effect on their willingness to come forward with complaints.

OAWP officials will visit VA Loma Linda in December for a “climate review” examining whether the health care system promotes an environment in which whistleblowers feel safe reporting concerns without fear of retaliation, said OAWP Assistant Secretary Bruce Gipe.

Meanwhile, Bost and Obernolte have introduced legislation aimed at strengthening the VA’s ability to hold bad employees accountable.

OAWP received 577 whistleblower retaliation cases in fiscal year 2020 and 736 in fiscal year 2023, according to a Government Accounting Office report published earlier this month. The average length for cases from 2018 through 2022 was 190 days.

Nearly 70% of VA whistleblowers face workplace retaliation such as demotion, reassignment, or termination, according to the GAO. In some instances, whistleblowers enter into a settlement agreement with the VA to resolve the dispute.

Since April, dozens of whistleblowers have contacted the Southern California News Group with allegations of misconduct by VA Loma Linda officials, including that of a grounds supervisor who was promoted after federal investigators repeatedly recommended that he be fired for employee harassment and intimidation.

The mother of former VA Loma Linda Health Care System irrigation technician Ryan Sperry, who died by suicide in 2022 after purportedly enduring more than three years of harassment and retaliation from the grounds supervisor, has filed a $5 million personal injury claim against the government.

In another matter, a confidential 2022 federal report provided to SCNG alleges VA Loma Linda officials mismanaged more than $1 million in patient transportation funding over a three-year period by colluding with ambulance companies through informal “handshake” agreements and unauthorized contracts.

Additionally, several advocacy organizations allege VA Loma Linda is violating the civil liberties of some veterans seeking voluntary mental health evaluations by placing them on involuntary psychiatric holds as a precondition of their transportation to a hospital or treatment facility.

Earlier this month, VA Loma Linda Medical Director Karandeep Sraon, whom many whistleblowers say has done little to address what they perceive as a toxic work environment, sent an email to staff stating he requested the OAWP climate review “to create an atmosphere that promotes open communication, respect and collaboration.”

“The purpose of this review is not to investigate any alleged wrongdoing or individual, nor is it to find fault, but rather to provide us with valuable insights and recommendations on how we can foster an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting concerns without fear of intimidation or retaliation,” Sraon said in the email. “Together, we can build a culture that promotes transparency, accountability and inclusivity.”

Sraon also encouraged employees to participate in a voluntary and anonymous OAWP online survey aimed at improving whistleblower reporting.

The 17-question survey obtained by SCNG asks employees to rank on a scale of 1 to 5 whether they feel free from retaliation for reporting someone to VA Loma Linda supervisors and VA oversight entities such as OAWP, the Office of Inspector General and the Office of Special Counsel.

Several VA Loma Linda whistleblowers, who asked not to be identified because they fear retribution, told SCNG they are suspicious of the survey’s purpose, fearing the results could be used to identify and target them for further retaliation.

“Almost everybody thinks there is something behind the survey and that they (VA Loma Linda management) are using it to try and find out who is talking,” one worker said.

Another employee suggested it’s doubtful the survey results will improve working conditions. “It’s kind of laughable,” the worker said. “Why should we think that it will change anything?”

​ Orange County Register