Orange County football Top 25: Los Alamitos, Capistrano Valley rise in Week 10 poll

• October 28, 2024

ORANGE COUNTY FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLL

Notable this week: Edison remains at No. 8 after losing to No. 2 Mission Viejo. … Los Alamitos climbs back into the Top 10 after a 28-27 win over San Clemente in the Alpha League. … La Habra moves up again after pushing its winning streak to eight games with a 27-7 win over Laguna Hills. … Capistrano Valley rises to No. 16 after a win over El Modena.

Daryus Dixson #8 of Mater Dei recovers a fumble in the first half of a game against St. John Bosco on Oct. 25, 2024 in Santa Anna CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)

1. Mater Dei 7-0 (75 points)

The Monarchs walloped St. John Bosco 59-14. Quarterback Dash Beierly threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns and still has not thrown an interception this season. CJ Lavender had an interception and caused a fumble. Mater Dei concludes the regular season against Orange Lutheran on Friday at Santa Ana Stadium.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Mission Viejo 9-0 (72)

The Diablos beat Edison 49-24 in an Alpha League game to clinch a share of the championship of the new four-team league. They are averaging 43 points a game this season. Mission Viejo finishes the regular season with a league home game against Los Alamitos on Friday.

Previous ranking: 2

3. Orange Lutheran 7-2 (69)

The Lancers dominated in a 38-0 Trinity League win over Servite. Kamryn Shingleton provided 83 of 156 yards rushing for Orange Lutheran. Wallace Filemu had eight total tackles for a defense that limited Servite’s Quaid Carr to 24 yards on 12 carries. Orange Lutheran plays Mater Dei on Friday.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Servite 6-3 (66)

The good news for the Friars was that senior quarterback Leo Hannan returned to action. The bad news was that Servite got shut out in a 38-0 loss to Orange Lutheran. Servite finishes the regular season with a Trinity League game against Santa Margarita on Friday at Trabuco Hills High.

Previous ranking: 4

5. JSerra 6-3 (63)

The Lions beat Santa Margarita in a close Trinity League game 35-33. JSerra linebacker Madden Faraimo was in on 12 tackles. JSerra plays at St. John Bosco in a league game Friday.

Previous ranking: 5

6. Santa Margarita 3-6 (60)

Trent Mosley, in his first game back after being sidelined by a foot injury, was spectacular, making 13 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown but the Eagles lost to JSerra 35-33 in a Trinity League game with a wild finish. Santa Margarita plays Servite on Friday.

Previous ranking: 6

San Juan Hills quarterback Timmy Herr avoids a tackle to take the ball in for a touchdown against Villa Park in a Bravo League football game in Orange on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

7. San Juan Hills 8-1 (57)

Elijah Ayala rushed for 147 yards, including two long touchdown runs, on only seven carries for the Stallions in a 42-10 win over Villa Park in a Bravo League game. San Juan Hills plays at Tesoro on Friday before going into the playoffs in Division 2.

Previous ranking: 7

8. Edison 6-3 (53)

The Chargers lost to Mission Viejo 49-24 in an Alpha League game. That ended Edison’s winning streak at six games. The Chargers’ previous two losses were both by one point.

Previous ranking: 8

9. Los Alamitos 5-4 (50)

The Griffins return to the Top 10 after a 28-27 win over San Clemente that ended their three-game losing streak. Lenny Ibarra rushed for three touchdowns and Tron Baker had seven receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. Los Alamitos concludes the regular season with an Alpha League game at Mission Viejo on Friday.

Previous ranking: 11

10. Yorba Linda 8-1 (48)

The Mustangs are 3-1 in the Bravo League after a 42-17 win over Newport Harbor. Cole Nerio rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Yorba Linda will be in Division 2 in the CIF-SS playoffs.

Previous ranking: 9

11. San Clemente 4-5 (46)

Previous ranking: 10

12. Tustin 8-1 (42)

Previous ranking: 12

13. La Habra 8-1 (38)

Previous ranking: 14

14. Villa Park 6-3 (35)

Previous ranking: 13

15. Crean Lutheran 7-2 (34)

Previous ranking: 16

16. Capistrano Valley 8-1 (30)

Previous ranking: 20

17. El Modena 7-2 (27)

Previous ranking: 15

18. Newport Harbor 3-6 (26)

Previous ranking: 17

19. Corona del Mar 4-5 (21)

Previous ranking: 18

20. Huntington Beach 5-4 (17)

Previous ranking: 19

21. Trabuco Hills 5-4 (16)

Previous ranking: 21

22. Foothill 5-4 (12)

Previous ranking: 23

23. Troy 8-1 (8)

Previous ranking: 25

24. Tesoro 3-6 (5)

Previous ranking: 22

25. Laguna Beach 8-1 (2)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Also receiving votes: Aliso Niguel 6-3 (1); Brea Olinda 9-0 (1); Dana Hills 8-1 (1).

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

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​ Orange County Register 

Some foods are medicine, some poison. Know which is which to improve your health

• October 28, 2024

Is what you are eating giving you cancer? Is it worsening symptoms of depression?

Researchers at Florida universities are working to understand how diet and disease are intertwined.

“Our food is making us sick,” Dr. J. Scott Angle, a University of Florida agriculture expert, told the audience at a Food is Medicine Symposium at Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. “The U.S. is spending a lot of money trying to cure disease caused by poor food quality.”

Everything from high blood pressure to diabetes to cancers to depression are being linked to what people put in their bodies. Research is underway to determine how food can help prevent and possibly treat disease.

Dr. J. Scott Angle of the University of Florida speaks during the Food is Medicine event at the Dorothy Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center in Oakland Park on Wednesday. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

The biggest culprits contributing to the most common illnesses are processed foods made with added sugar or flour (like breads, baked goods, cereals, and pasta), animal fats, processed meats like bacon and salami, and butter.

Fruits and vegetables can help prevent disease; five servings a day is recommended. However, most people don’t achieve that recommendation.

“In the diet of the average American, there are not a lot of fruits and vegetables,” said Justin Minnerly, professor of Health Sciences at Palm Beach Atlantic University and co-owner of health cafe Inika Foods in Wilton Manors. Minnerly, who also spoke at the Food is Medicine Symposium at Holy Cross Health, said studies show nearly 60% of calories in most Americans’ diets are from ultra-processed foods, adding that many people don’t recognize what that category includes. “People understand that sugar is bad for you, but they don’t appreciate that flour in pasta and breads is just as bad for you.”

“Food is both a medicine and poison depending, on what you eat,” Minnerly said.

Along with telling Americans what to avoid, researchers are going deeper to learn which foods can be medicine. Some of the findings:

Lentil beans contain high levels of fiber, which impedes cancer growth.
Orange peels inhibit the production of harmful chemicals associated with cardiovascular disease.
The velvet bean’s leaf extracts and seeds show promise for treating Parkinson’s disease.
Almonds, whose skins are rich in polyphenol antioxidants, can lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.
Mushrooms have a prebiotic power that can reduce gut inflammation.

At UF, medical professionals and agriculture experts are joining together to learn how to produce more foods that could prevent and potentially cure diseases. “This conversation does not happen often anywhere in the world, but in Florida, we are beginning to have these conversations,” said Angle, University of Florida senior vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources.

UF scientists are using gene-editing to grow strawberries and blueberries with a higher antioxidant content. They also are growing lettuce and broccoli in a way that will give those vegetables more nutritional value. And they are feeding nutrients to fish to boost the Omega-3 fatty acids in their tissues and reduce inflammation for humans who consume the fish.

Dr. Christoper Gunter, chair and professor of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, said a statistic that caught his attention is that 50% of U.S. adults are suffering from diabetes, either diagnosed or undiagnosed. “That is an eye-opening statistic,” he said.

Gunter said he and other UF scientists want to make each blueberry eaten count more and to extend the shelf life of crops to give more people access to foods that help fight disease.

“Right now, the percentage of adults who meet that five-servings-a-day recommendation of fruits and vegetables is around 10%, so we have such an enormous distance to go,” Gunter said.

At universities across the country, research also is underway on food as medicine for mental health disorders. Several studies have indicated that following a ketogenic diet with meals low in carbohydrates, high in fats, and adequate in protein may increase the circulation of the substances that transmit neurons, potentially improving symptoms of depression. While early studies are showing promise, mental health experts say more research is needed.

South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

Decorative pumpkins and squash may be edible but that’s not the whole story

• October 28, 2024

Q. I see all sorts of fancy pumpkins and winter squash in the stores right now. I know that many people only use them for decoration, but I was wondering if they are edible.

Most of the pumpkins and squash that you see in the store are edible. We’ve found out the hard way that edible does not automatically mean good tasting. (Someday, I will write about our unfortunate experience with black radishes.)

Pumpkins that are sold for carving are generally thin-walled, fibrous, and not good for eating. We tried baking several and found them to be very stringy. After running the flesh through a food mill, we were left with about a cup of puree and a bucket of stringy, yucky stuff.

Pie pumpkins, presumably better-suited for cooking, were not much better. They are thin-walled and less fibrous, but each pumpkin yielded very little pulp.

Hubbard squash is a large, football-shaped blue-gray winter squash. Its flesh is sweet and tastes like a high-quality pumpkin. Canned pumpkin puree usually consists of a mix of pumpkin, butternut squash, and Hubbard squash.

Little Gem is similar to Hubbard, except it is much smaller, teardrop-shaped, and golden orange. These are about the size of a softball.

Jarrahdale originated in Australia and is a very attractive blue-gray color with bright orange flesh. It is somewhat blocky with deep ridges. This is one of our favorites due to its sweet, nutty flavor, thick walls, and excellent keeping ability. 

Queensland Blue is another pretty blue pumpkin, similar to Jarrahdale but with shallow ribs. The relatively smooth exterior makes it easy to peel, which is convenient if you want to cut the flesh into cubes for roasting.

Rouge V’if D’Etampes, sometimes called “Cinderella”, is a bright red-orange color with a flat, round shape. These pumpkins can get relatively large, but they are also good for eating.

Cinderella is generally smaller than Rouge V’if D’Etampes and is round, flat, and deeply ridged. The rind is a dusty, muted orange color (almost tan) and the walls are thick. This beauty is a good keeper and is delicious.

If you want to cut a thick-walled pumpkin in half for roasting or baking, you may have noticed that it can be a challenge. Trying to push a pointy, sharp knife into one of these pumpkins can be hazardous. Instead, use a cleaver and rubber mallet to split the squash. Once there’s a break in the wall, you can gradually lengthen the split until there’s enough space to pry it apart with your fingers. This is safer than potentially stabbing yourself with a chef’s knife and more convenient than breaking out the reciprocating saw.

If you try cooking any of these squashes and find out that they are either not sweet or too fibrous, you can always feed it to your dog. Remember, there’s no difference between edible and good-tasting if you’re a dog.

Los Angeles County

[email protected]; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

[email protected]; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

[email protected]; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

[email protected]; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu

​ Orange County Register 

Chargers review: Is Mike Williams the answer to creating an offensive identity?

• October 28, 2024

Did the Chargers finally establish an offensive identity during their 26-8 victory Sunday over the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium? Or are they still shy of meeting their own expectations after improving their record to 4-3 this season? Here’s what we learned, what we heard and what comes next:

DEADLINE CHATTER

Coach Jim Harbaugh referred a question Sunday about the upcoming trade deadline to General Manager Joe Hortiz, but it was a fair question for each of them to address. Clearly, the Chargers could use another experienced, skilled target for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Mike Williams, a former Chargers wide receiver who has fallen out of favor with the New York Jets, might be available before next Tuesday’s deadline. Williams, Derius Davis, Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey and Joshua Palmer could provide Herbert with plenty of options for the season’s second half.

Add veteran DJ Chark, who hasn’t played this season because of injuries, and Williams, who played seven standout seasons with the Chargers before he was jettisoned in a cost-cutting move in the offseason, to the mix and Herbert could have a formidable selection of targets moving forward.

Williams has recovered from a knee injury suffered in Week 3 last season, but he has started only two of eight games for the Jets, and he has only 11 receptions on 19 targets with zero touchdowns. He was on the field for 36 of 62 snaps, but wasn’t targeted once Sunday against the New England Patriots.

Newly acquired wide receiver Davante Adams has assumed the role Williams seemed to have secured after signing with the Jets. Adams, who was traded Oct. 15 from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Jets, caught four passes on six targets for 54 yards in New York’s 25-22 loss to the Patriots.

Asked about the upcoming trade deadline, Harbaugh said simply on Sunday, “That’s a Joe Hortiz question. I know he’s always, he’s got our back, he’s got our front, he’s got both sides, front, back and sides. I know he is always going to be doing whatever he can to help our team.”

In other words, stay tuned.

Something could be in the works by Tuesday.

Hortiz seems much more willing to alter the roster, as evidenced by a flurry of moves during the closing days of training camp. He is unlike his predecessor, Tom Telesco, who was inactive at the trade deadline in recent seasons. Hortiz indicated earlier this month he would be on the lookout for potential deals.

“I think we’ll always be listening and looking,” Hortiz said Oct. 2. “Again, it’s the right opportunity that makes sense for our roster and for the future and for our right now and for the future. You’ve got to evaluate all opportunities for a short-term and immediate impact and then the long-term impact.”

BOSA’S BACK

As expected, outside linebacker Joey Bosa’s participation was limited Sunday. He said as much going into the game. In the end, he played 20 out of 71 total defensive snaps, or 27%, in his return to the field after sitting out the past three games because of a hip injury sustained in Week 3.

Actually, he might as well have been sidelined for the past four games because he was injured on the very first defensive play in the Chargers’ loss Sept. 22 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was not credited with a tackle against the Saints, but it was enough to have rejoined the lineup.

The Chargers have made do with a pass-rushing rotation of Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree in Bosa’s absence, and they have been one of the many reasons the defense is the NFL’s stingiest through eight weeks. The Chargers have given up a league-low 13 points per game.

Bosa played only nine games last season and five in 2022 because of injuries.

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“I feel like I’ve been letting my team down by missing these games,” Bosa said last week in his first public comments since he was injured. “Letting everybody down. Letting coaches down. Letting the organization down. Letting myself down and it just (stinks) how these years have gone, the last few years.”

WHAT COMES NEXT

The Chargers (4-3) travel to Cleveland to face the Browns (2-6) on Sunday. The Chargers have won two of three and might have a three-game winning streak if not for a clunker of a loss to the Cardinals on Oct. 21. The Browns rallied behind Jameis Winston to upset the Baltimore Ravens this past Sunday.

​ Orange County Register 

Norms is opening its first out-of-state restaurant this week in Las Vegas

• October 28, 2024

Norms Restaurants is opening its first first diner outside of California in Las Vegas.

The restaurant is at 3605 W. Charleston Blvd., west of the 15 Freeway and four to six miles from major casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. It will also be the first Norms location with a full bar, according to a news release from the Bellflower-based chain.

The soft opening will be at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, according to Norms website and social media posts. The first 75 customers can get a free cheeseburger value combo.

But there will be a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Nov. 9, according to a news release.

Festivities will include a Hotcake Eating Championship and dining deals for guests who arrive between 10 a.m. and noon on that date, the news release said.

Norms was founded in 1949 and is marking its 75th anniversary this year with a “throwback menu.” It has 23 locations in Southern California.

The chain is known for 24-hour dining, its breakfast menu and its steaks.

Location: 4605 W Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas

Information: norms.com

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​ Orange County Register 

World Series Game 3: Dodgers at Yankees, lineups, starting pitchers, TV info

• October 28, 2024

DODGERS AT YANKEES

When: Today (Monday), 5:08 p.m.

Where: Yankee Stadium

TV: FOX (Ch. 11), 570 AM

THE LINEUPS

Here is the Dodgers’ starting lineup for tonight … with Ohtani right where he usually is.

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH

2. Mookie Betts, RF

3. Freddie Freeman, 1B

4. Teoscar Hernandez, LF

5. Max Muncy, 3B

6. Will Smith, C

7. Gavin Lux, 2B

8. Kiké Hernandez, CF

9. Tommy Edman, SS

and here is the Yankees’ starting lineup …

1. Gleyber Torres, 2B

2. Juan Soto, RF

3. Aaron Judge, CF

4. Giancarlo Stanton, DH

5. Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B

6. Anthony Volpe, SS

7. Anthony Rizzo, 1B

8. Jose Trevino, C

9. Alex Verdugo, LF

THE PITCHERS

DODGERS RHP WALKER BUEHLER (1-6, 5.38 ERA)

Vs. Yankees: Never faced them before

At Yankee Stadium: Never pitched there before

Postseason history: 3-4, 3.25 ERA (17 games, 88⅔ innings, 107 Ks)

Last outing (NLCS Game 3): 4 innings, 0 runs, 3 hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks

Loves to face: Trent Grisham, 4 for 19 (.211), 2 HRs, 2 RBIs, 4 Ks

Hates to face: Jazz Chisholm, 3 for 5 (.600), 1 double, 1 RBI, 2 Ks

YANKEES RHP CLARKE SCHMIDT (5-5, 2.85 ERA)

Vs. Dodgers: Never faced them before

At Yankee Stadium: 8-10, 4.10 ERA (41 games, 158 innings, 155 Ks)

Postseason history: 0-2, 5.40 ERA (5 games, 11⅔ innings, 7 Ks)

Last outing (ALCS Game 3): 4⅔ innings, 2 runs, 5 hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks

Loves to face: Kiké Hernandez, 1 for 7 (.143), 3 Ks

Hates to face: None

UP NEXT

Game 4: Dodgers (TBA) at Yankees (RHP Luis Gil, 15-7, 3.50 ERA), Tuesday, 5:08 p.m., Fox (Ch. 11), 570 AM

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​ Orange County Register 

OCVarsity’s girls flag football Top 10 rankings, Oct. 28

• October 28, 2024

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

OCVarsity’s Top 10 rankings

(Records through Oct. 27)

1. Newport Harbor (23-2): The No. 2 seeded Sailors will ride a 22-game winning streak into their Division 1 quarterfinal against visiting Dos Pueblos on Tuesday.

2. Orange Lutheran (20-2): Makena Cook passed for 250 yards and five TDs in a 44-12 victory against Roosevelt in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs.

3. Huntington Beach (20-7): The third-seeded Oilers and QB Roxie Shaia play at Ventura in the Division 1 quarterfinals on Tuesday. Shaia passed for 221 yards and four TDs in a 29-21 win against Western Christian in the first round,

4. Santa Margarita (19-5): Madi Lam passed for 218 yards and five TDs in a 34-14 win against San Marcos in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs.

5. Corona del Mar (18-9): The Sea Kings knocked off previously undefeated St. Joseph 20-13 to advance to Tuesday’s quarterfinal against No. 1 seed Orange Lutheran.

6. Canyon (17-2): The Comanches ride a 13-game winning streak into the Division 1 quarterfinals against Santa Margarita on Tuesday. Sophomore Caroline Hicks caught two TDs and grabbed three INTs in an upset of No. 4 seed JSerra in the first round.

7. JSerra (20-7): The Trinity League co-champion fell to Canyon 19-14 in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs.

8. Aliso Niguel (24-5): The South Coast League champion lost at Dos Pueblos 33-6 in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs.

9. Woodbridge (21-6): The Pacific Coast League champion blanked Royal and Warren to reach the Division 2 quarterfinals Tuesday against league rival Northwood.

10. Edison (15-13): The Chargers have won eight straight to reach the Division 2 quarterfinals against upstart El Toro on Tuesday. Edison’s late-season surge started in the Sunset League, arguably the toughest league in the county.

Also considered: Trabuco Hills (15-3)

Please send feedback on the girls flag football rankings to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram

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​ Orange County Register 

David Harris, star of NYC cult classic ‘The Warriors,’ dead at 75

• October 28, 2024

David Harris, who played gang member Cochise in the 1979 film “The Warriors,” is dead at 75.

Harris’ daughter told the New York Times her father died from cancer. The New York City native attended the Manhattan School of Performing Arts before pursuing a career that included a role in the 1980 Robert Redford vehicle “Brubaker” and TV appearances on “The White Shadow,” “Hill Street Blues” and “Cop Rock.”

But he said in interviews it was his part as the shirtless, leather-vest wearings, turquoise adorned, gang-banging Cochise for which he would be remembered throughout his career.

“The film has found an audience generation after generation after generation,” Harris said in an interview posted online in 2019.

He claimed he had no idea the movie about a street gang having to fight its way from the Bronx to Coney Island over the course of a violent night would have such staying power. Harris said he was the last gang member cast in the film that was shot over the course of six months in the streets of New York City and included actual street gang members.

“We had a lot of fun,” he said in a 2014 interview. “It was just amazing.”

Harris is survived by his daughter, mom, sister, two brothers and a pair of grandchildren, according to the Times’ Sunday obituary. He reportedly died Friday in New York City.

​ Orange County Register