Upland tops Tesoro with strong, tough effort in Division 2 boys volleyball final

• May 14, 2023

NORWALK — Upland boys volleyball coach Scott Robertson wasn’t sure how his team would respond to being in the CIF-SS Division 2 final Saturday at Cerritos College.

A year ago, the team had not responded well to the bright lights and big game environment of the finals.

But Saturday, the Highlanders shook off an opening-set loss and defeated Tesoro in four sets, 19-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-23, to win the school’s first section title in boys volleyball.

Upland (28-4) took down the defending Division 2 champions while learning a few things from last year’s loss to Royal in the Division 3 final.

“We shook off the scary part of being in the Southern Section finals,” Robertson said. “Like last year, we weren’t ready to play. This year we didn’t look ready in the first set, but I could tell we were just tight and once we loosened up I knew we were gonna be OK.”

AJ Contreras had a team-high 19 kills and Isaiah Vogel added 17 kills for Upland.

“Our pins have carried us all season and our setter (Aiden DuFour) put them in the right spots to be successful,” Robertson said.

DuFour finished with 37 assists for Upland.

Before the start of the second set Contreras pleaded with the Highlanders supporters to make some noise. The crowd responded.

“The crowd factor played a big role in the game,” Contreras said.

“We really had to prove ourselves, we lost some big pieces (from last year) and heard from teams that we aren’t the same, but this game helped us prove that we are, and that we’re better.”

Tesoro outside hitter Kaumana Carreira had 15 kills and opposite Nathan Draper finished with 10.

The No. 3 seed Titans (21-6) were unable to generate consistent attacks in the second and third sets, while Upland applied pressure at the net and also got powerful serves from Kai Vogel, who collected a pair of aces.

Tesoro battled in the fourth set and nearly forced a fifth with the score tied 23-23, but Isaiah Vogel was able to get the final two points and clinch the championship celebration.

“We just happened to get in the right rotations, and get key serves at the right time,” Robertson said. “Our boys just figured out a way to gut it out.”

“Taking out Tesoro, a top-ranked team, Redondo, Los Alamitos, I mean, we went through the gauntlet to get here,” he added, “so I’m proud of their desire, their hustle and their heart.”

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J.D. Martinez homers early as Dodgers outlast Padres

• May 14, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers and San Diego Padres will meet Sunday for the sixth time in the last nine days. Each game has been decided by three runs or less, including the Dodgers’ 4-2 win Saturday before an announced crowd of 51,334 at Dodger Stadium.

J.D. Martinez had the big hit early against Joe Musgrove (1-1), a three-run home run in the first inning. More than stockpiling wins against an emerging rival, Martinez believes the Dodgers’ fourth win in five tries against the Padres bodes well for the future.

“As far as our preparation, the way we get ready, it’s another team,” Martinez said. “Obviously the fans get into it. There’s more energy out there. You can feel it. Especially when we were in San Diego, I feel like it was really rowdy for a bit. It’s cool though. I love it.

“I’m a firm believer, seeing it in ‘18 when we (the Boston Red Sox) played the Yankees, it was insane ― a World Series-type atmosphere every game. These kind of environments where it’s rowdy, it’s loud, a lot of pressure, prepares you for the playoffs, you know?”

The playoffs felt like a distant concern before the Dodgers won 12 of their last 14 games, pulling 10 games over .500 (25-15) and claiming a firm grasp on the National League West. They now lead the third-place Padres (19-21) by six games in the division.

The Dodgers’ recent run has coincided with the team getting healthy in the case of Martinez, who returned Friday after spending 15 games on the injured list recovering from a back injury, and catcher Will Smith, who missed 13 games following a concussion. Another five players ― Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips, and Caleb Ferguson ― entered and exited the paternity list.

Now that the roster is healthy and properly paternalized, the Dodgers’ depth is flexing its muscles. A sweep would give the Dodgers three sweeps in their last three series at home, for a total of nine consecutive wins at Dodger Stadium.

“We’ve done the work to put ourselves in this spot right now,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve got a chance to go for the jugular.”

Julio Urías (5-3) pitched seven strong innings in his second consecutive start against the Padres. The left-hander allowed solo home runs to Juan Soto and Ha-Seong Kim in the first two innings, when Dodger Stadium was mostly bathed in sunlight for the afternoon contest. He allowed only one hit the rest of the way, striking out four batters and walking none.

Urías also helped himself in the sixth inning with his glove.

With one out, Manny Machado reached base on a throwing error by third baseman Max Muncy. Juan Soto hit a slow tapper between the pitcher’s mound and first base, perfectly placed to give the Padres their first hit since the home run by Kim.

The next batter, Xander Bogaerts, hit a hard ground ball back to the mound that Urías did well simply to field cleanly. He then spun to second base and threw quickly enough to start a 1-4-3 double play ― ending the inning and preserving the Dodgers’ 4-2 lead.

“I needed it,” Urías said in Spanish.

Urías finished the seventh inning by striking out Kim on his 86th and final pitch. Evan Phillips pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Brusdar Graterol got two quick outs in the ninth, then allowed consecutive singles to Xander Bogaerts and Nelson Cruz to extend the inning.

With left-handed hitter Jake Cronenworth representing the winning run, Roberts summoned southpaw Caleb Ferguson from the bullpen to record the final out. Ferguson struck out Cronenworth, earning his first save since the 2018 season.

Freeman had two of the Dodgers’ eight hits. Martinez followed first-inning singles by Freeman and Muncy with a 407-foot blast to left field, his fifth home run of the season.

The veteran DH said he’s feeling more comfortable now after straining to make a strong impression early in his new surroundings. Having a deep and healthy lineup around him ― at last ― has made that easier.

“At the beginning I felt like I was pressing a little bit, trying to do too much,” Martinez said. “We’ve got a good enough team, I don’t have to do anything, really. Just do what I know how to do. If it’s me that night, it’s me. If it’s the other eight hitters it’s the other eight hitters. Our lineup’s really potent.”

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Dodgers seem to have their closer situation sorted out

• May 14, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― All the Dodgers’ bullpen needed was time ― and three trips to the delivery room.

Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol and Caleb Ferguson teamed up to close out the final two innings of the Dodgers’ 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Each became a father in the last month, then returned from the birth of their child to assume a high-leverage relief role in a much-improved Dodger bullpen.

Now, manager Dave Roberts said, “We feel that any one of those guys can finish a game, can close a game.”

Saturday it was Ferguson’s turn, but only after Graterol started the ninth inning and allowed a pair of two-out singles. The first, an infield single by Xander Bogaerts, was initially called the third out of the inning after third baseman Max Muncy made a bare-handed pickup and throw across the infield. But the call was overturned after the Padres challenged the “out” call at first base, and both teams stayed on the field.

The next batter, Nelson Cruz, hit a clean single to the outfield to bring up Jake Cronenworth, a left-handed hitter. Rather than let the right-handed Graterol continue, Roberts was ready to bring in Ferguson to optimize the left-on-left matchup.

Ferguson struck out Cronenworth to end the game, his first save of the season ― and his first in any season since 2018.

Phillips recorded a five-out save ― he induced a double-play groundout to end the eighth inning, then threw 10 more pitches in a 1-2-3 ninth ― to close out Friday’s win. It was Phillips’ team-leading seventh save of the season, but Roberts demonstrated Saturday that the Dodgers do not have a designated closer.

For now, that’s OK. The Dodgers are a top-10 team in ERA in the eighth and ninth innings this season, and they seem to have their bullpen pecking order sorted out.

“To be able to perform at any point, where we feel helps our ball club, is huge back there,” Roberts said. “That’s a credit to all of those guys.”

SYNDERGAARD UPDATE

Noah Syndergaard threw a bullpen session Saturday afternoon to test the cut on his right index finger. He threw approximately 50 pitches without any apparent concern for the injury, a good omen for the veteran right-hander.

If Syndergaard is cleared by the Dodgers’ training staff, he will start against the Minnesota Twins on Monday, six days after the cut broke open in Milwaukee and Syndergaard could not contain the bleeding. He exited that game after one inning.

Manager Dave Roberts explained that Syndergaard did not use a Dermabond adhesive to close the cut on his finger prior to the game in Milwaukee because “we thought we were out of the woods.” Syndergaard did use the Dermabond adhesive during his bullpen session and will do so if he starts Monday.

The Dodgers were granted permission by Major League Baseball to apply Dermabond, which is technically a “foreign substance,” to Syndergaard’s pitching hand.

If Syndergaard is unable to pitch Monday, the Dodgers are expected to recall Gavin Stone from Triple-A. Stone is scheduled to pitch Sunday for Oklahoma City.

MUNCY ‘SCUFFLING’

Muncy is still under the weather, Roberts said, despite having played in 13 of the Dodgers’ last 14 games. He has just 2 hits in his last 26 at-bats, dropping his batting average to .203.

“He’s been scuffling,” Roberts said. “Physically, he’s better. There’s this chest cough he can’t get past but he’s doing all right. He’s hanging in there.”

Muncy has seen his OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage fall from 1.152, among the highest in baseball, to .871 since April 28.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin 0-1, 1.93) vs. San Diego (LHP Ryan Weathers, 1-1, 2.50), 1:10 p.m., Sunday, SportsNet LA, 570 AM

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Angels give up late lead, lose to Guardians

• May 14, 2023

CLEVELAND — All Angels Manager Phil Nevin could do was watch from the dugout and hope one of his pitchers could take him to the bottom of the ninth.

The Angels had a comfy four-run lead in the eighth inning of Saturday’s game against the Guardians, and Nevin opted to keep reliever Andrew Wantz on the mound after he recorded all three outs in the seventh inning. Nevin wanted another inning from Wantz, who hadn’t pitched in four days and was one of the most refreshed relievers in the Angels’ bullpen.

That decision, however, proved costly for the Angels.

Wantz surrendered four-straight singles before reliever Ryan Tepera allowed two home runs in a disastrous eighth inning of their 8-6 loss at Progressive Field. Nevin hoped to bring closer Carlos Estévez in for the ninth inning for a save opportunity, but he never had a chance to call him due to the wreckage from the bullpen.

“(Wantz) probably just got a little tired,” Nevin said. “With four straight hits, you’ve got to stop the bleeding and find some more outs. Tep’s been in those situations before, but it just didn’t work out this time.”

Tepera allowed a three-run home run from Josh Naylor to give the Guardians the lead and Andrés Giménez added a solo home run two at-bats later for insurance.

The Angels’ ugly eighth inning wiped out the positives they had built in the previous innings, such as the splendid season debut from left fielder Mickey Moniak on his 25th birthday, a quality game from the defense and a smooth outing from starter Reid Detmers.

Moniak, in particular, was a standout player despite the loss. Called up Friday from Triple-A Salt Lake, he led off the game with a home run and was the Angels’ top generator on offense, going 3 for 4 with three runs, two stolen bases and a walk. He also scored runs in the third and seventh innings.

“It felt good,” Moniak said. “Main focus ever since coming into spring training was to try to help the team win, and it felt like I did that today. That’s just baseball, and it didn’t fall in our favor, but it felt good to be back here and get my feet wet.”

Neto contributed two big plays with his glove, which he applied on Guardians second baseman José Ramírez for a quick tag on a big pickoff attempt that went for an out in the fourth inning.

He also made a sliding, juggling catch in shallow left field on shortstop Andrés Giménez in the seventh inning. He then immediately rose to his feet and fired the ball back to first base to double up right fielder Gabrial Arias, who ran too far to second base and wasn’t anticipating Neto to secure the catch.

Another big defensive moment was when Hunter Renfroe threw out Amed Rosario with a laser from right field in the first inning. Renfroe caught a flyout and unleashed the ball to Anthony Rendon at third base to cut down Rosario on his attempt to tag up from second.

The double-play ended an inning where the Guardians had runners on second and third with one out.

“That was probably our cleanest defensive game of the year,” Nevin said. “We played a really good defensive game.”

Detmers helped the Angels sail through the first five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three batters.

All of that work, though, was wasted when Nevin’s hopes to reach the bottom of the ninth came undone.

“Got to find guys to get the outs to get to Estey, really,” Nevin said.

The Angels also replaced third baseman Anthony Rendon in the sixth inning after he left with left groin tightness. Nevin said Rendon told him “I don’t think I could move to get a ball right now” when Nevin was on the mound to replace Detmers in the sixth inning.

Rendon, whom Nevin said was already scheduled for an off-day in the third game of the series, will be re-evaluated Sunday.

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Crean Lutheran boys lacrosse loses to Santa Monica in OT in Division 3 final

• May 14, 2023

DOWNEY — The Crean Lutheran boys lacrosse team took a 13-game winning streak into the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championship game Saturday at Downey High.

The Saints had rolled through the playoffs, winning by scores of 15-3, 16-3, 14-6 and 18-7 to reach the finals.

But things were different Saturday, as they battled No. 1 seed Santa Monica in a tight contest from start to finish and eventually lost 9-8 in overtime.

Three minutes into the overtime period, senior attack Joaquin Nava had the ball behind the net and passed to a cutting Ozgood Hawkins, who scored the winning goal for Santa Monica (17-6).

Jordan Warners and AJ Bevacqua each scored twice for Crean Lutheran.

Saints sophomore Brody Wallace had two assists with a goal. One of his assists was to Bevacqua who scored as time expired in the first half to give the Saints a 4-3 lead.

“I love coaching these kids, it’s a tremendous group,” Crean Lutheran coach Will McMinn said. “They gave it everything they had and the chips didn’t fall.”

Hawkins, a sophomore, had seven points Saturday (four goals, three assists) to give him a team-high 117 points this season.

The story of the game was the excellent play of the two goalies: Luke Beteag of Crean Lutheran (21-3) and Jasper Ford of Santa Monica.

“He’s a great presence in the net and when the defense has a miscue, he’s there to stop it,” Santa Monica coach James Phelan said. “Their goalie (Beteag) was stopping us countless times and made some point blank saves. He played his butt off today.”

Beteag had 14 saves for the Saints and Ford had 16 for Santa Monica.

Nava had two goals for the Vikings and so did Noah Zucker.

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Photos: Early Saturday performers at Pasadena’s ‘Just Like Heaven’ festival

• May 14, 2023

Just Like Heaven festival returned to the grassy grounds of the golf course at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, May 13, gathering for a day 20 bands that got their start in the aughts.

Brookside at the Rose Bowl, as the golf course turned festival field is known, is truly a lovely setting for festivals such as Just Like Heaven and Cruel World, the ‘80s-focused fest that takes place here Saturday, May 20.

“I’d like to thank all the golfers for letting us have a festival here,” said Joseph Mount midway his band Metronomy’s set Saturday afternoon.

“I always had the impression golfers were uptight, stuffy,” the singer-guitarist of the English electronic dance-rock band continued. “But they’re cool aren’t they?”

Fans flocked to two different stages early in the day to catch sets by disparate bands from the American electronic rock band the Faint to the avant-garde Swedish rock of Fever Ray.

Later in the day bigger names including headliners the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, M-83 and Empire of the Sun were set to close out the day.

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Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks, Sunday, May 14, 2023

• May 14, 2023

The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

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Teagan O’Dell sets national record as Santa Margarita swimming sweeps CIF state titles

• May 14, 2023

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FRESNO — Neon orange nail polish. Pink-colored eye black. Earrings to complement her gold swim cap. And plenty of games and cheering with teammates.

Santa Margarita’s Teagan O’Dell came to the CIF State swimming championships ready to have fun, and of course, race fast.

For the 16-year-old, fun and racing work together like her stroke in the water.

And Saturday, that combination performed like never before.

The sophomore broke the national high school record of Olympian Torri Huske in the 200-yard individual medley by almost half-a-second to highlight the meet at Clovis West High.

Santa Margarita became the first school in the seven-year history of the meet to sweep the boys and girls team titles. It was the girls’ fourth consecutive crown and the first for the boys.

But when it came it individual performances, there was no doubt who ruled the pool.

“Teagan O’Dell is probably one of the most capable female athletes in Orange County history,” Northwood coach Alex Nieto said. “It’s nice to see her smiling.”

O’Dell paced Orange County’s swift fleet by also setting county and state records in the 50 freestyle and lowering her county and state records in the 100 backstroke.

She accomplished it all, she said, by focusing on having fun.

“At high school meets, I feel like cheering is more fun than swimming sometimes,” O’Dell said with a laugh. “When the team energy is there, everyone just improves. There’s a phrase, ‘When you’re having fun, (kids) swim fast.’ “

O’Dell became the fastest high school girl in history in the 200 IM. She completed her pursuit of the record by blazing a time of 1 minute, 53.38 seconds, breaking Huske’s 2021 record of 1:53.73 for Yorktown High in Virginia.

O’Dell started well in the butterfly leg but made her move on the 2020 Olympian’s record by splitting 26.94 in the backstroke and 33.61 in the breaststroke. She then pushed to the finish, splitting 27.45 in the freestyle.

Her final three splits were all faster than Huske’s last three splits.

“I wanted that record pretty bad,” said O’Dell, who challenged the mark last week at the CIF-SS Championships. “I honestly had no idea where I was at (time wise). … I didn’t at all want to second-guess myself so just put my head down and tried to go as fast as I could.”

O’Dell’s time broke the national age-group record for the 15-16 division by more than half-a-second. Her record-setting efforts were just starting.

She led off the 200 freestyle relay with a lifetime-best and meet-record 22.40, breaking Lindsey Engel’s 2013 county record in the 50 free of 22.53.

O’Dell capped her meet by winning the 100 backstroke in a state and county record of 50.96, which sliced almost two-tenths off her lifetime-best.

Santa Margarita had two other individual champions and won two relays en route to scoring 223 points, which outdistanced runner-up Campolindo (143).

Senior Asia Kozan won the 200 free with a season-best 1:46.02. Her sister, Justina, set the meet record in 2022.

Sophomore Gracyn Aquino claimed the 50 free in 22.84 and used her long and graceful stroke to anchor the 200 (1:30.90) and 400 (3:22.62) free relays to victories. The 200 free team of O’Dell, Chloe Stinson, Asia Kozan and Aquino broke the Eagles’ state record from prelims.

Santa Margarita’s boys began their record-setting pursuits Saturday by capturing the 200 medley relay in an Orange County and state record 1:29.01.

The team of Humberto Najera, Nathan Wu, Daniel Verdolaga and Ramon Jiang sliced about three-tenths of a second off their record from the section finals.

The Eagles didn’t win another relay or individual event but used their depth to score 202 points, which outdistanced runner-up Loyola at 168.5.

Najera placed second in the 200 IM (1:46.24) and 100 back (47.83).

“Just an amazing season for the kids,” Santa Margarita co-coach Rich Blanc said. “We told the guys a couple weeks ago, no matter what happens … this is the best team in school history but it’s nice to have a (state) title now to punctuate that.”

Northwood’s boys placed fourth with 125 points, best among SoCal public schools. The Timberwolves set school records in all three relays, including a time of 3:00.52 as it finished third in the 400.

San Juan Hills’ David Schmitt defended his title in the 100 butterfly by again outdueling Long Beach Poly’s Colin Geer. The Harvard-bound Schmitt touched in 46.49, just off his county record but about two-tenths of a second in front of the Michigan-bound Geer.

But it didn’t take setting a record to stand out Saturday.

Loyola star Rex Maurer sweep the 200 (1:33.84) and 500 (4:16.17) freestyles to cap his stellar career. He set the national record in the 500 free last week with a 4:12.70.

Mission Viejo’s Alexis Unter dropped more than 22 seconds from her entry time to win her heat of the girls Paralympic 100 free.

Villa Park freshman Lucy Flynn placed 14th in the 500 free (4:58.99), a consolation final she qualified for by winning a swim-off for during prelims Friday. Yes, she won a rare swim-off in the 500, and even lowered her time in the second race.

“That was intense,” Flynn said of the swim-off. “Today kind of hurt but yesterday, dropping two seconds within half an hour, was awesome.”

In the state diving competition Thursday, Cypress junior Isabella Chen won the girls 1-meter title with a state-record score of 546.95. She edged the record of 538.75 set by El Toro’s Savannah Stocker in 2019.

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