Austin Reaves makes preseason debut as Lakers defeat Kings again

• October 9, 2026

LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick said his star pairing’s chemistry is “important.” Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves like each other, they enjoy playing together, Redick said Thursday afternoon before the team’s third preseason game.

“He’s a really good basketball player,” Reaves said. “It’s not hard to play alongside really good basketball players that make the game easy for you.”

In a 114-110 preseason victory over the Sacramento Kings – their second win against their Western Conference foes in four days – Doncic and Reaves had their first taste as the leading act at Crypto.com Arena in the post-LeBron James Era. Doncic tallied a team-high 23 points on 6-for-16 shooting in 25 minutes before making his way to the bench alongside Reaves in the third quarter. Reaves finished with 10 points, six rebounds and eight assists in 24 minutes to mark his preseason debut after he sat out the first two games with a tweaked ankle.

“I like where we’re at,” Redick said after the game. “I think getting a bunch of guys more than that 20 to 21 minutes is good for live play. We’ll look to continue to build up in terms of playing time for a lot of these guys over the next two games.”

Center Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 19 points off the bench on 6-for-9 shooting (3 for 6 from 3-point range), while forward Jake LaRavia continued his impressive preseason showing with 17 points – making three 3-pointers.

The 24-year-old Lakers wing, who is in his second season with the team, is shooting 54.5% from behind the arc through three preseason games.

“I think me being intentional before every game and … all the reflection I did this past summer has really helped,” LaRavia said, referencing the offseason process to rework his jump shot and overall mentality.

The Lakers turned the ball over 23 times on Thursday night – but also forced 20-plus turnovers for the third consecutive game – and were comfortably outrebounded 47-38. The rebounding is something Redick noted was “bothering” him as a coach, though the Lakers have also played all three preseason games without new center Walker Kessler on the court.

Kessler jammed his finger before the team’s two-game trip to Northern California, but Redick insisted that the team’s most high-profile offseason acquisition will play during the preseason – they have two games left. Redick said he would check in with Kessler on Friday.

Forward Ziaire Williams didn’t play for the second straight game with what Redick called “soreness,” while guards Dalton Knecht and rookie Cameron Carr didn’t play Thursday with contusions suffered in Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. Guard Collin Sexton and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma – who have undisclosed lower-body injuries – also sat out Thursday.

Redick said he is not worried about Sexton being unable to play in the regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the Warriors.

“Would love to get some news on some people in the next few days and be able to see what we look like at full strength, at least in one of these games,” Redick said. “And just build that rhythm with each other.”

The Lakers’ next preseason game is Tuesday against the Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, then they conclude their exhibition slate next Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets.

​ Orange County Register 

Oct. 9: Earthquake of 3.2 magnitude registered close to Signal Hill in Los Angeles County

• October 9, 2026

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIF. — A preliminary 3.2 magnitude quake shook near Signal Hill, about 1.7 miles north-northeast of Long Beach, on Friday around midnight, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor struck at 12:44 a.m., with its epicenter about 1 mile southwest of Signal Hill and a depth of 8 miles.

Did you feel it?

If you felt the earthquake, you can submit a report via the USGS Felt Report form.

Quakes last week

Four earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or above have been reported in the region over the last week. The largest, measuring 3.5, jolted close to Dana Point on Oct. 5.

The four largest earthquakes nearby in the last week:

• 3.5, southwest of Dana Point on Oct. 5• 2.8, southwest of Dana Point on Oct. 5• 2.7, west-northwest of Fontana on Oct. 8• 2.5, southwest of Dana Point on Oct. 5

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Ana Valley football defeats La Quinta with field goal on final play

• October 9, 2026

GARDEN GROVE — After a pair of winless seasons the past two years, the Santa Ana Valley football team looks primed to earn a spot in the CIF-SS postseason in 2026.

Robert Torres kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to give Santa Ana Valley a 10-7 victory over La Quinta on Thursday at Garden Grove High.

The Falcons (6-2 overall, 4-2 league) are tied for third place in the Tango League with league games remaining against Loara and Century.

There are nine teams in Tango League and the top four will receive guaranteed playoff berths.

For Santa Ana Valley coach Alfredo Macias, the team’s success this season is a product of the hard work the players have put into the program.

“It’s big for us, you know? Like you said, 0-9-1 (last season),” Macias said. “And to come back from that and to just keep fighting all the way through. It’s great, it’s great for the kids. And it’s mostly about the kids and all the hard work they’ve been putting in.

“I love what they do. Stay together. Next play mentality, and they follow through. I’m happy for them.”

The low-scoring game appeared to be headed for overtime when La Quinta tied the score, 7-7, in the fourth quarter on Lelan Latu’s touchdown catch, off a pass from his brother, quarterback Isley Latu.

Lelan Latu picked off Falcons quarterback Angel Garcia on the following possession and the momentum clearly shifted toward the Aztecs.

La Quinta coach Luc Alexander said he thought his team would prevail after the interception, but the Valley defense held strong and kept the score even.

“They were really disciplined tonight on defense,” Alexander said of Valley’s defense. “They’re really stout, too. We had a hard time stringing plays together, but I still thought from 30 yards we’d be able to chip at it. And then we just made a couple huge mistakes.”

The pivotal play came late in the fourth as the Aztecs lined up to punt deep in their own territory.

Punter Khristian Heredia did his best to corral a low snap, but his punt was partially blocked by the Falcons and they took over at the La Quinta 29.

Five plays later, which featured some tough runs by Fernando Dircio, Torres lined up for the potential game-winning attempt.

“I knew our kid Robert (Torres) has a leg, and if we got it inside the 20-25, we practiced this all week,.” Macias said. “You know, in the huddle, I told everybody to take a deep breath, don’t let the moment get too big. We practiced it, snap it, hold it, kick it.”

The Falcons’ lone touchdown of the game came when Garcia found Jason Valencia for a 20-yard TD pass.

The Aztecs (4-3, 3-2) have three league games remaining — against Savanna, Century and Bolsa Grande. They have a solid opportunity to earn a postseason berth.

​ Orange County Register 

Mission Viejo football holds off Yorba Linda in Alpha League thriller

• October 9, 2026

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YORBA LINDA — Mission Viejo’s football team won an important Alpha League game Thursday. Yorba Linda won respect after a controversial nine days.

Mission Viejo’s Jack Junker broke a tie in the fourth quarter with a 73-yard touchdown run with 8:29 left and the Diablos stopped a 2-point conversion attempt with 1:31 remaining to hold on for a 27-26 victory at Yorba Linda High.

Players from Mission Viejo (6-1, 2-0), ranked No. 4 in Orange County, were quick to acknowledge the effort by the No. 14 Mustangs (0-7, 0-2).

Yorba Linda forfeited four wins last week for CIF-SS rule violations. Two days later, the Mustangs suffered their first shutout since 2015 in a 28-0 loss against No. 6 San Clemente.

Yorba Linda shifted the narrative onto the field Thursday.

“The Yorba Linda coaching staff did a phenomenal job. Hats off to them,” Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said. “I thought the offensive lines on both sides were dominating. On to San Clemente.”

Mission Viejo plays at San Clemente (6-0, 1-0) next week on Friday, Oct. 16.

“We’re just got to buckle down as a team and go watch the film,” said Junker, who scored on a 77-yard TD run in the first quarter. “Our whole offensive line had our backs this game.”

Yorba Linda’s Isaiah Trujillo scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 1:31 left in the fourth quarter to cut Mission Viejo’s lead 27-26. The Mustangs quickly signaled their intention to attempt the 2-point conversion to take the lead but the Diablos stuffed a run up the middle.

Yorba Linda sophomore Connor Mackay make a spectacular diving catch for a 42-yard gain to the Diablos 5 to set up Trujillo’s third touchdown run. Sophomore Andrew Churney lofted the pass.

“The power of family is a very big deal to us,” first-year Yorba Linda coach John Domen said. “We were going for (the win) no matter what.”

“The kids fought all game,” he added. “The message was don’t listen to external factors. Focus at practice.”

Both team ran the ball well.

Junker, a San Jose State commit, rushed for a season-high 187 yards on 11 carries.

The senior moved to primarily running back this fall after earning All-County honors at wide receiver in 2025.

He carried the load Thursday in the absence of leading rusher Carson Vandermade. Johnson said Vandermade, another converted running back, would return for the Tritons.

Junker praised left tackle Amaziah Siale and left guard Dylan Felli for clearing him a path on his long scoring runs on zone read plays.

Yorba Linda’s duo of Aiden Gutierrez and Trujillo racked up the yards. Gutierrez rushed for 113 yards and one TD on 22 carries. Trujillo added 82 yards and three scores on 15 carries.

Special teams and extra-points loomed significant.

Mission Viejo’s Kiingbaraka Kizzee blocked an extra-point in the first half.

Caleb Sylvia kicked two field goals, including a 40-yarder early in the second half that opened a 20-12 lead.

After Trujillo scored on a 6-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, offensive lineman Colt Pace jumped on a fumble on the 2-point conversion to tie the score 20-20.

Junker scored on the next play from scrimmage but Yorba Linda kept charging.

“We fought our hearts out against one of the best teams in California,” said Pace, a sophomore. “Continue doing this, we’ll be set.”

Mission Viejo led 17-12 at halftime thanks to a 24-yard field goal by Sylvia on the final play.

The Diablos needed the late kick to cool off Yorba Linda.

Trujillo scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left in second quarter as the Mustangs trimmed Mission Viejo’s lead to 14-12.

The 2-point conversion failed.

Trujillo’s run capped a 50-yard scoring drive after the Mustangs’ defense forced its first punt.

Yorba Linda’s best drive of the first half came earlier in the second quarter. Gutierrez scored on a 7-yard run to punctuate an eight-play, 80-yard scoring march.

The Mustangs ran the ball with Gutierrez and Trujillo on all eight plays.

Mission Viejo blocked the extra-point after the scoring run by Gutierrez.

The Diablos achieved the fast start Johnson wanted.

Junker broke a 77-yard TD run on the second series. Sophomore QB Brett Burnor added a 35-yard touchdown run on a draw play late in the first period for a 14-0 lead.

Next week on Thursday, Oct. 15, Yorba Linda plays host to San Juan Hills (5-1, 1-0) on its Senior Night.

​ Orange County Register 

El Modena football scores late to beat Laguna Beach in Delta League

• October 9, 2026

ORANGE – It was a weird few days for the El Modena football team.

The Vanguards lost last week to Huntington Beach on a late Oilers touchdown that continues to be discussed and disputed. El Modena then had nothing close to a regular practice all week.

El Modena played flat for most of three quarters Thursday before a couple of late big plays got the Vanguards a 21-14 win over Laguna Beach in a Delta League game at El Modena High.

The Vanguards are 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the Delta League. Laguna Beach is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league.

In last week’s 24-21 loss to Huntington Beach, a Huntington Beach touchdown pass in the end zone with 15 seconds left in the game might have bounced on the turf before the Oilers receiver caught the ball. In these social media days, video of the play is readily available and easy to evaluate.

“There’s been a little bit of an emotional hangover from last week,” said El Modena coach Matt Mitchell. “Monday was hot, so we were indoors Monday and didn’t practice normally. Tuesday we went on the grass in the dark behind the stadium, trying to use the stadium lights in the dark and yesterday (Wednesday) it was hot and we tried to practice though that.

“Luckily we got through it and got the ‘W’ tonight.”

El Modena quarterback Ethan Sorenson rushed for 101 yards on eight carries. Hayden Esperanza rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. El Modena’s Mason Romo had four sacks.

El Modena was outplayed by Laguna Beach in the first half and well into the third quarter.

Laguna Beach went into the game with many obstacles.

The Breakers were shorthanded. They suited up only 26 players, an usually small number for a team that is in the Orange County County Top 25. (Laguna Beach is No. 21 this week.) Among the Laguna Beach players unavailable because of injury was senior quarterback Jack Hurst, who suffered a dislocated kneecap last week.

Laguna Beach coach John Shanahan said Hurst, a Foxtrot League co-MVP last season, will be out at least another three weeks.

Freshman Braden Hansen was the Breakers starting quarterback Thursday.  started. Hansen completed 17 of 34 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns with one costly interception. Brady Stringham caught the two touchdown passes and kicked the two extra points.

Hansen threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Stringham in the first quarter that gave the Breakers a 7-0 lead.

El Modena, No. 18 in the county rankings, tied it late in the second quarter on Esperanza’s 25-yard touchdown run. It was 7-7 at halftime.

Laguna Beach took the second half-opening kickoff and drove 79 yards on 11 plays, a drive that consumed 4 minutes and 53 seconds and ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Hansen to Stringham on fourth down. That put the Breakers up, 14-7.

The Breakers took that 14-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Sheehan flashed in front of the intended Laguna Beach receiver on the Laguna Beach sideline, intercepted the pass, twisted out of a couple of tackle attempts and returned the ball for a 28-yard touchdown that tied it, 14-14.

Romo’s third sack, at the Laguna Beach 6-yard line, forced a Breakers punt. A 38-yard pass from Sorenson to Noah Bates set up Esperanza’s 6-yard touchdown run that gave the Vanguards a 21-14 lead, their first lead of the game.

Sacks by Romo and Walker Duff thwarted the Breakers comeback efforts in the final minutes.

El Modena senior Jason Ramos took a tumble in the second quarter and was taken away by ambulance and an EMT crew. Mitchell said he understood that Ramos had a concussion, Ramos’ neck was tweaked on the play, and Ramos was able to move all of his extremities as Ramos was taken to the ambulance.

El Modena plays at home against Troy in a league game on Oct. 16. Troy was 1-0 in league going into this week.

Laguna Beach has a league home game against Dana Hills on Oct. 16. Dana Hills came into this week 6-0 overall and 1-0 in league.

​ Orange County Register 

Fullerton football holds off Canyon’s bid to win the game in final seconds

• October 9, 2026

FULLERTON — The Kappa League football showdown between Canyon and Fullerton on Thursday night came down to a 2-point conversion.

Canyon quarterback Kayden Phillips hit Noah McClary for a 23-yard touchdown with 15 seconds remaining in the game, leaving the Cobras trailing by a point.

The Cobras went for a 2-point conversion to win the game, but the attempt failed and the Red Hawks hung on for a 28-27 victory.

The Red Hawks (5-2, 2-0) scored on long drives, led by the hard-nosed running of Cyrus Aviles, with some spectacular catches by Isaac Garza mixed in.

Most of the scores for the Cobras (5-2, 1-1) came on big plays.

“We knew we wanted to make them (the Cobras) play a physical style of football because we knew they were fast, and we knew that we would have some trouble covering them,” Fullerton coach Nick Karavedas said. “We wanted to try to make them play our type of game.”

Fullerton’s running game was nearly unstoppable in the first half.

Logan Moore’s 2-yard touchdown run capped a 16-play, 94-yard drive that gave the Red Hawks a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

While Moore got the touchdown, running back Cyrus Aviles had 13 carries for 82 yards on the drive and finished with 144 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries.

“Cyrus Aviles is what Fullerton football is all about,” Karavedas said.

Fullerton scored again on a 96-yard drive, with Aviles scoring on a 7-yard run to make the score 14-0.

The key play on that drive was a 34-yard pass from Sergio Andrade to Isaac Garza, who made an excellent catch falling backward with a defender in his face to put the Cobras at the Canyon 15.

A 14-point swing late in the first half got the Cobras back in the game when Kasin Leidholdt scooped up a Fullerton fumble at the Canyon 15 and returned it for an 85-yard touchdown to make the score 14-7 at the half.

The Red Hawks took a 21-7 lead on Logan Moore’s 3-yard touchdown run, but the Cobras came right back on a 73-yard touchdown pass from Phillips to Zack Lachman.

Canyon tied the score on Phillips’ 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

Then the Red Hawks put together another long scoring drive, this one for 80 yards.

In the middle of the drive, Fullerton faced a third-and-8 from the Canyon 47 when Andrade and Garza connected for 32 yards, with Garza having the presence of mind to keep his feet inbounds inches from the left sideline.

That play helped set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Andrade to Garza to give the Red Hawks a 28-21 lead with just under two minutes remaining.

Canyon took over and drove 75 yards for a touchdown. Canyon coach Vinnie Lopez opted to go for the victory with a 2-point conversion attempt.

“I think that is the right call,” Lopez said.

​ Orange County Register 

High school football: Scores from Thursday’s Week 7 games

• October 9, 2026

Scores from the high school football games Thursday, Oct. 8.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

CIF-SS

Alpha League

Mission Viejo 27, Yorba Linda 26

Baseline League

Etiwanda 35, Damien 25

Rancho Cucamonga 21, Chino Hills 9

Delta League

El Modena 21, Laguna Beach 14

Desert Sky League

Victor Valley 41, Granite Hills 17

Golden League

Highland 37, Eastside 0

Hacienda League

Baldwin Park 34, Covina 0

Los Altos 56, South Hills 14

Iota League

Cypress 38, La Palma Kennedy 0

Kappa League

Fullerton 28, Anaheim Canyon 27

Lambda League

Fountain Valley 45, Woodbridge 21

Manzanita League

Silver Valley 42, Nuview Bridge 16

Mid-Cities League

Bellflower 47, California 10

Mojave River League

Apple Valley 21, Oak Hills 7

Hesperia 38, Ridgecrest Burroughs 19

Serrano 48, Sultana 12

River Valley League

Patriot 48, Miller 0

Skyline League

Arroyo Valley 30, Bloomington 8

Carter 40, Indian Springs 0

Fontana 45, San Gorgonio 21

Tango League

Bolsa Grande 37, Garden Grove Santiago 6

Santa Ana Valley 10, Westminster La Quinta 7

Nonleague

Eisenhower 29, Rim of the World 28

Jurupa Hills 60, Kaiser 40

Rialto 21, Grand Terrace 15

Summit 28, Colton 7

​ Orange County Register 

ALDS: Jose Ramirez, Guardians rock White Sox to force a Game 5

• October 9, 2026

By JAY COHEN AP Baseball Writer

CHICAGO — José Ramírez homered and drove in three runs, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-5, on Thursday night to send their American League Division Series to a winner-take-all Game 5.

Pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey also went deep as the Guardians won for the second consecutive day after beginning their postseason with two straight losses at home. Jo Adell hit a two-run single to cap a six-run sixth inning for the AL Central champions.

Cleveland is looking to become the first major league team to come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series since the 2017 New York Yankees accomplished the feat against, well, Cleveland. Teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five postseason series have gone on to win 83 of 93 times.

Game 5 is back in Cleveland on Saturday night.

Chicago’s bullpen – one of its biggest strengths in a surprising season – is suddenly looking very tired. Grant Taylor was hit hard after pitching 5-1/3 scoreless innings over the first two games of the series, allowing four runs and four hits without retiring any of the six batters he faced during Cleveland’s rally in the sixth.

Miguel Vargas homered late for the White Sox, who flopped in their second straight bid to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time since the 1906 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. Sam Antonacci drove in two runs.

Game 2 starter Gavin Williams got the last three outs for Cleveland after Vargas began the ninth with his first postseason homer. It was the first career relief appearance for Williams, who could start Game 5 for the Guardians.

Cleveland trailed 2-0 before rallying in the fifth. Bailey led off with a pinch-hit homer, and Steven Kwan chased Erick Fedde with a one-out single.

Jordan Hicks came in and Ramírez drove a 99.9 mph fastball deep to right-center for just his second homer since Sept. 1, a span of 26 games. The seven-time All-Star had surgery after he broke a bone in his left hand on a swing June 13.

It was Ramírez’s first postseason homer since 2024 and No. 5 overall. He also starred in Game 3, finishing with two hits and two RBIs in Cleveland’s 9-3 victory.

Chicago responded with two runs in the bottom half, sending a charge through the crowd of 39,920. Antonacci was hit by a pitch from Tim Herrin with the bases loaded, and Brenton Doyle made it 4-3 with a sacrifice fly. The White Sox had the bases loaded with two down, but rookie Braden Montgomery struck out swinging against Erik Sabrowski.

Antonacci has been plunked 33 times this year, including a franchise-record 29 in the regular season. The rookie became the first player in postseason history to be hit by a pitch with the bases loaded multiple times in a career, after he was also plunked in the same situation in Game 3.

Anthony Kay started the sixth for Chicago, but the left-hander was replaced by Taylor after Travis Bazzana’s RBI double tied it at 4-4. Bailey greeted Taylor with a run-scoring single, and Cleveland started to pull away.

Walks by Brayan Rocchio and Kwan loaded the bases for Ramírez, who made it 6-4 with an infield single. Chase DeLauter added another run-scoring single before Adell capped the outburst with a liner to right that drove in Kwan and Ramírez.

Adell hit a three-run triple during Cleveland’s Game 3 victory. He has four hits, three walks and six RBIs in the series.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register