Angel City FC falls to OL Reign on late goal in NWSL quarterfinal

• October 21, 2023

By SUSIE RANTZ The Associated Press

SEATTLE — Angel City FC’s remarkable turnaround season came to an end Friday night.

Veronica Latsko scored on a header in the 87th minute to give OL Reign a 1-0 victory over Angel City in a National Women’s Soccer League quarterfinal.

Phoebe McClernon whipped a cross into the box and Latsk soared above Angel City’s Paige Nielsen and M.A. Vignola to score from close range at Seattle’s Lumen Field, giving the Reign its first playoff victory since 2015.

The Reign will head to San Diego to take on the top-seeded Wave in a semifinal match on Nov. 5.

The loss was just the second in 15 games for Angel City under interim coach Becki Tweed, who in June took over a team that was buried near the bottom of the standings and led them to the fifth seed in the 12-team league and their first postseason berth. Playing their fourth game in 18 days, Angel City finally ran out of steam in the final minutes.

The first half was a defensive battle, as two teams squaring off for the fifth time this season combined for just five shots – the fewest in any half of a postseason match in NWSL history.

The Reign took control in the second half. Latsko had a shot ping off the post, and Megan Rapinoe – playing in her final home game after 11 seasons with the Reign – had a hard shot saved in the 53rd minute.

Angel City was held to just one shot in the second half.

“It was difficult. I mean, obviously two really well-organized teams, two teams in form, couldn’t really break each other down. A few chances on either side,” said Rapinoe, a two-time World Cup champion and FIFA World Player of the Year who announced in June that this would be her final season. “But I felt like once the second half started, we started to gain that momentum. It was just a matter of time – took a little bit longer than we would have liked, but eventually got it in the end.”

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The game also marked the return of Rose Lavelle in the 64th minute, who had been out with a knee injury since Sept. 3. Just minutes before Latsko’s goal, Lavelle forced Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson to push her shot from distance out for a corner kick.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

St. John Bosco football clinches share of Trinity League title by defeating JSerra

• October 21, 2023

St. John Bosco football clinched at least a share of its first Trinity League title since 2018 by defeating JSerra 42-20 in a hard-fought road game in San Juan Capistrano Friday night.

The Braves improved to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the Trinity League. St. John Bosco will play Orange Lutheran (5-4, 2-2) at Orange Coast College on Oct. 27.

Bosco led 21-10 at halftime and 28-13 heading into the fourth quarter. The Braves scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to pull away to a 42-20 win.

Bosco started the game on offense and led 7-0 midway through the first quarter. However, Bosco trailed JSerra 9-7 early in the second quarter.

Braves senior quarterback Caleb Sanchez responded to the adversity by throwing a touchdown pass to senior receiver Stacy Dobbins, which gave Bosco a 14-10 lead. Sanchez threw another touchdown pass to senior receiver Tommy Maher, which extended Bosco’s lead to 21-10 before halftime.

JSerra (4-5, 1-3) added a field goal early in the second half, which cut Bosco’s lead to 21-13 with 5:29 left in the third quarter. Bosco recovered a muffed punt by JSerra. Bosco senior running back Chauncey Sylvester Jr.’s touchdown run put the Braves up 28-13 with 3:24 left in the third.

JSerra was in a position to make the content a one-score game again but the Lions fumbled a few yards from the end zone. Notre Dame linebacker commit Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa hauled in the fumble recovery.

Sanchez threw another touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Madden Williams, which extended the Braves lead to 35-13 with 9:57 left in the fourth.

Friday’s win was Bosco coach Jason Negro’s 200th career victory, according to Cal-Hi Sports.

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​ Orange County Register 

Photos: High school football action from Friday’s Week 9 games

• October 21, 2023

The Southern California News Group has photos from the biggest high school football games Friday, Oct. 20.

Take a look at the great plays and exciting moments from the Week 9 games.

​ Orange County Register 

NLCS: Thomas’ homer, Moreno’s decisive hit help D-backs top Phillies, even series

• October 21, 2023

By DAVID BRANDT AP Baseball Writer

PHOENIX — Alek Thomas hit a tying, two-run homer in a three-run eighth inning, Gabriel Moreno followed with a go-ahead single and the Arizona Diamondbacks stunned the Philadelphia Phillies with a 6-5 victory on Friday night that tied the National League Championship Series at two games apiece.

Arizona trailed 5-2 before Orion Kerkering’s bases-loaded walk to Christian Walker with two outs in the seventh.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled leading off the eighth against Craig Kimbrel, who gave up Ketel Marte’s game-ending single in Game 3. Thomas, pinch-hitting for Emmanuel Rivera with one out, sent a full-count fastball splashing into the right-center field swimming pool to tie the score at 5-5 as a sellout crowd of 47,806 at Chase Field roared.

Marte singled with two outs, Corbin Carroll was hit by a pitch and José Alvarado relieved. Moreno laced a single to left-center to drive in the go-ahead run for Arizona.

Kyle Schwarber, whose fourth-inning homer sparked Philadelphia’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit, doubled with two outs in the ninth off Paul Sewald, Arizona’s eighth pitcher. Sewald struck out Trea Turner for his fifth save of the postseason.

Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday night.

Houston earlier scored three times in the ninth to win, 5-4, at Texas and take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series. It was the first time in major league history two teams rallied to win postseason games on the same day after trailing by two runs or more in the eighth inning or later.

Arizona, in the postseason for the first time since 2017, lost the first two games of the series at Citizens Bank Park. The Diamondbacks built a two-run lead against the defending NL champions on run-scoring singles by Rivera in the second and Moreno in the third.

Schwarber’s homer was his fourth of this postseason and the 19th of his postseason career, passing Reggie Jackson for most among left-handed batters,

Brandon Marsh’s two-out RBI double tied the score in the fifth, and the Phillies opened a 4-2 lead in the sixth after three straight walks by rookie lefty Andrew Saalfrank.

Alec Bohm followed with a chopper down the third-base line off Ryan Thompson. Rivera gloved the ball with a backhand grab that took him into foul territory and made an off-balance throw home from near the coach’s box. The ball short-hopped Gabriel Moreno and bounced off the catcher as two runs scored, one on the hit and one on the throwing error.

Trea Turner added a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.

WEB GEM

Gurriel saved a potential extra-base hit in the second with a leaping catch at the left field wall after a drive by J.T. Realmuto.

ARIZONA ICONS

Former Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Three-time NBA All-Star Devin Booker was also in attendance, drawing a large cheer when he was pictured on the video board.

KEEPING IT COOL

The retractable roof at Chase Field was closed for Game 4 after temperatures spiked to a record 104 in Phoenix on Friday afternoon. The temperature at game time – 5:07 p.m. PT – was 102 outside, but it was a pleasant 76 in the climate-controlled ballpark.

The roof has been open at Chase Field just once this postseason. That was for Game 3 of the NL Division Series, when the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers, 4-2, on Oct. 11 for a three-game sweep.

UP NEXT

Philadelphia RHP Zach Wheeler (2-0, 2.37 ERA postseason) starts Saturday night against RHP Zac Gallen (2-1, 4.96 ERA).

More to come on this story.

ALEK THOMAS TIES IT! #NLCS pic.twitter.com/bucXC3XFMz

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

GABRIEL MORENO FOR THE LEAD! #NLCS pic.twitter.com/yD808xZeyq

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

All knotted up in the #NLCS. pic.twitter.com/inj5occVCw

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

LA Kings’ Anze Kopitar asks $37M for Manhattan Beach home with high-tech pool

• October 21, 2023

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar has listed his modern smart home on a pedestrian-only road in Manhattan Beach for $37 million.

Sited on a double lot, the 7,604-square-foot residence has a main house and a separate guest house for a total of seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. There’s a disappearing pool and spa powered by AKVO Spiralift technology.

The floors lift and lower at the touch of a button to create a courtyard terrace for entertaining or adjust the pool and spa depth without displacing any water. A Lynx kitchen with a pizza oven and two barbecues adds to outdoor amenities.

Records show the two-time Stanley Cup winner and his wife, Ines, bought two neighboring homes in November 2014 for a combined $10 million. The couple replaced the dated structures with this luxury beach compound in 2018.

Now it claims the all-time highest list price in Manhattan Beach.

Tall hedges offer privacy from prying eyes while ocean views abound from different vantage points, including the main house’s two upstairs patios designed for barbeques and relaxing by the outdoor fireplace on dual suspended swing sofas.

The interior has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and dedicated rooms for movie watching, exercise and office work.

Other amenities include a gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, climate-controlled wine storage and a four-stop elevator.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom guest house has a rooftop deck, plus a poolside bathroom with a shower.

There’s parking for five cars.

Solar panels, Tesla Power Walls and Lutron automatic shades contribute to the efficiency of the home.

June Emerson of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty has the listing.

Slovenia-born Kopitar, 36, captains the LA Kings. The 6-foot-3-inch center got his start with the club in 2007 and is considered “an idol for everybody. An icon,” teammate Kevin Fiala said in a press conference as reported Oct. 20 by the Southern California News Group.

By Oct. 21, he will have become the team’s leader in games played when the Kings take on the Boston Bruins at Crypto.com Arena.

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​ Orange County Register 

Death of motorcyclist who fled Anaheim police ruled an accident

• October 21, 2023

The in-custody death of a 36-year-old motorcyclist who fled from Anaheim police and later crashed in August was determined to have been accidental and caused from internal injuries sustained in the wreck, according to a critical incident video released by police on Friday, Oct. 20.

On Aug. 17, Clinton Agapinan was riding a motorcycle near Haster Street and Katella Avenue when a nearby patrol car spotted him commit a traffic violation and attempted to perform a traffic stop, Anaheim Police Sgt. Jacob Gallacher said in the video. Police did not specify what the traffic violation was.

Agapinan fled from police, who did not continue their pursuit of the motorcycle, Gallacher said.

A police helicopter called in to locate the suspect spotted the motorcycle about 30 seconds later after it had crashed at the intersection of Katella and State College Boulevard.

Police found Agapinan lying on the curb and attempted to provide medical aid until paramedics arrived, Gallacher said. A handgun was discovered inside his waistband while officers attempted to assist him.

Police did not initially handcuff Agapinan but after refusing to listen to officers’ orders he was handcuffed, according to body-worn camera footage shown in the video.

The handcuffs were later removed, along with his motorcycle helmet, after authorities noticed his health deteriorating and officers unable to find a pulse, Gallacher said.

Agapinan was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

An autopsy conducted by the coroner’s office found that he had suffered from a punctured lung, perforated liver and a lacerated vein caused by blunt force trauma sustained in the crash, Gallacher said. The coroner’s office said the death was accidental.

The department’s Major Incident Review Team and Internal Affairs will continue to investigate the crash to ensure officers followed protocol, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is continuing its independent investigation.

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​ Orange County Register 

National Preparedness Month: Here are the counties with the highest risk

• October 21, 2023

October is National Preparedness Month, so we look at where natural hazards are most likely to occur in the nation and offer a few tips on getting yourself ready.

The map is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and shows each county’s rating for disaster potential. Most of California’s counties are in the highest ranking mostly due to high fire, earthquake, severe storm and flood risk.

Natural hazards are defined as environmental phenomena that have the potential to impact societies and the human environment. These should not be confused with other types of hazards, such as human-caused hazards. For example, a flood resulting from changes in river flows is a natural hazard, whereas flooding due to a dam failure is considered a human-caused disaster and therefore excluded from the National Risk Index.

Calculating the risk index

Risk index scores are calculated using an equation that combines scores for expected annual loss due to natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience.

Risk index scores are presented as a composite score for all 18 hazard types, as well as individual scores for each hazard type.

The 18 natural hazards included in the National Risk Index are:

Avalanche

Coastal flooding

Cold wave

Drought

Earthquake

Hail

Heatwave

Hurricane

Ice storm

Landslide

Lightning

Riverine flooding

Strong wind

Tornado

Tsunami

Volcanic activity

Wildfire

Winter weather

Natural hazards and natural disasters are related but are not the same. A natural hazard is the threat of an event that will likely have a negative impact. A natural disaster is the negative impact following an actual occurrence of a natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community.

California is prone to various disasters, most notably those from excessive rain (flooding and other storm damage), fires, and earthquakes.

A few skills to learn

Learn to use a fire extinguisher.

Know how to shut off utilities.

Gas: If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and get everyone out quickly. Turn off the gas, using the outside main valve, if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home.

Caution: If you turn off the gas for any reason, a qualified professional must turn it back on. NEVER attempt to turn the gas back on yourself.

Water: Water quickly becomes a precious resource following many disasters. It is vital that all household members learn how to shut off the water at the main house valve.

Electricity: Locate your electrical circuit box. For your safety, always shut off all the individual circuits before shutting off the main circuit.

Learn more at Ready.gov

emergencykits.com

Redcross.org

sustain.com

Sources: ReadyOC, FEMA, Redcross.org

Compiled by former Focus page editor Charles Apple and Kurt Snibbe, SCNG

​ Orange County Register 

ALCS: Jose Altuve’s 3-run homer in 9th gives Astros 3-2 series lead after benches clear

• October 21, 2023

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Houston Astros, after getting into another bench-clearing scuffle with the Texas Rangers, rallied for a 5-4 victory in a wild and testy Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday.

After winning all three games at rival Texas, the defending champion Astros head home to Houston needing one win to reach a third consecutive World Series. They lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven playoff going into Game 6 on Sunday night.

“We’ve done it so many times. We never give up until the last out,” Altuve said.

Adolis García punctuated his towering three-run homer in the sixth with a slow trot and an empathic spike of his bat after watching the ball clear the wall to give Texas a 4-2 lead.

When the slugger came to bat again with a runner on first in the eighth, Bryan Abreu hit García on the left arm with a pitch. An angry García immediately turned to get in the face of catcher Martín Maldonado – the two also jawed nose-to-nose when García touched home plate after his grand slam in Houston on July 26.

Both benches and bullpens cleared, although it didn’t appear any punches were thrown as the teams grabbed hold of each other near home plate. Once things settled down, García, Abreu and Astros manager Dusty Baker had been ejected during a delay that lasted almost 12 minutes.

After the game, umpire crew chief James Hoye told a pool reporter Abreu was ejected for throwing with intent, and García was tossed for being the aggressor in the situation.

“The guy hits a three-run homer; the next time up he gets smoked there,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “I’d be upset, too, if I was Doli. But like I said, it just took too long to get things back in order, that’s what was frustrating me.”

Rangers closer José Leclerc gave up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Yainer Diaz and walked pinch-hitter Jon Singleton at the bottom of the lineup to begin the Houston ninth. Altuve then pulled an 0-and-1 changeup over the left field fence, just beyond the glove of a leaping Evan Carter.

It was the 26th career postseason homer for Altuve, second in major league history behind Manny Ramirez (29). The 5-foot-6 star second baseman was playing in his 101st postseason game – all with the Astros.

“Number one, he wants to be up there. Number two, he’s got a high concentration level – because that’s what it takes in big moments like that, is concentration, desire, and relaxation all encompassed into one,” Baker said. “This dude is one of the baddest dudes I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some greats.”

García connected off three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, who took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth before Corey Seager doubled, Carter singled and García homered in a span of three pitches.

Nathaniel Lowe also went deep for the wild-card Rangers, tying it 1-all in the fifth.

Ryan Pressly pitched two scoreless innings for the win after replacing Abreu following his ejection. Pressly gave up consecutive singles to start the bottom of the ninth before retiring the top three batters in Texas’ lineup. Marcus Semien lined out to shortstop, Seager flied out to deep center and Carter struck out to end it.

Alex Bregman homered early for Houston, which is in its seventh straight ALCS and is trying to get to its fifth World Series in that span.

The AL West champion Astros are 40-45 this year at Minute Maid Park, including 1-3 in the postseason. But they are 5-0 on the road and have won 19 of their past 22 games away from home overall.

Houston went 9-1 at Globe Life Field this season, winning its last eight in a row while outscoring Texas 79-36 during that span.

García, the Cuban slugger known as El Bombi, took a couple of slow steps out of the batter’s box after connecting and was about halfway down the baseline when the ball landed in the first row of seats a few feet beyond the left-center wall. It was his fourth homer this postseason.

That go-ahead homer in the 42nd inning of this series was the first time the home team took the lead at any point through the first five games.

Houston took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when José Abreu reached out to hit a 79 mph curveball from starter Jordan Montgomery and the sharply hit ball took a tough hop off Seager at shortstop for an RBI single.

Josh Sborz entered with the bases loaded and one out but prevented further damage with the help of a diving play by Semien at second base.

Verlander retired 13 of his first 15 batters in his 21st postseason start for Houston until Lowe went the opposite way for a 380-foot homer to left field. The 40-year-old right-hander allowed four runs and six hits over 5⅔ innings.

ROOF CLOSED

A day after the retractable roof at Globe Life Park was open during a game for the first time since May 21, it was closed again on a sunny afternoon. The temperature outside at first pitch was 91 degrees. It was 74 inside with the roof closed.

UP NEXT

All-Star pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Framber Valdez will start Game 6, the same matchup as Game 2 when the Rangers won, 5-4. Eovaldi struck out nine and allowed three runs in six innings to win Monday. Valdez had six strikeouts in 2⅔ innings, but he allowed five runs (four earned).

JOSE ALTUVE FOR THE LEAD!! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/uUlrRc9b5f

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

The @Astros head back home with a series lead! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/DYVM3FnrDH

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

Alex Bregman is in awe of Jose Altuve. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/1tOJKW7MjW

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023

Breg-Man on the Moon: This ball was up, up, and away. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/kyaUxoFxvc

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2023

This is what 110 Texas-sized decibels sounds like. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/SAtmrtAv2F

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2023

​ Orange County Register