El Modena football too strong for El Dorado in North Hills clash

• October 21, 2023

PLACENTIA — The El Modena football team is clicking at the right time.

The Vanguards posted their most impressive win of the season Friday night, rolling to a 38-10 victory against El Dorado in a North Hills League game at Valencia High.

Quarterback Xzavior Guess led the charge, completing 27 of 33 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns. Guess rushed for two other scores.

Brodie Hitchens contributed 118 rushing yards on 14 carries and a touchdown, and Deron Taylor and Troy Parker each had over 100 yards receiving for El Modena (5-4, 2-0), which can clinch an outright league title with a win against Canyon next week.

Defensively, the Vanguards limited the Golden Hawks (4-5, 1-1 ) to one touchdown while intercepting three second-half passes.

“We’re clicking and executing well on both sides of the ball,” El Modena coach Matt Mitchell said. “We’re hitting our stride at the right time.”

El Modena received the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards on seven plays, taking a 7-0 lead on a 5-yard run by Hitchens. Christian Tafua set up the score with receptions of 23 and 12 yards.

After stopping El Dorado on downs, the Vanguards quickly capitalized. Hitchens ran 45 yards to the 5-yard line and Guess weaved into the end zone on the next play for a 14-0 lead.

The Golden Hawks had to convert a fourth-and-5 on their next possession to keep the drive alive and they later settled for a 27-yard field goal by Devin Coleman to cut the lead to 14-3 with 57 seconds left in the first quarter.

El Dorado then forced a three-and-out by El Modena, got the ball back near midfield and scored on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Nate Bento to Vincent Tapia, trimming the deficit to 14-10 with 10:25 remaining in the first half.

That was as close as the Golden Hawks would get, however.

The Vanguards followed with an 11-play, 76-yard drive that was capped by Guess’s 2-yard touchdown run that extended the lead to 21-10 with 6:28 left in the half.

El Modena appeared to add to the lead when Guess scored on a 11-yard run with 1:17 left in the half, but the Vanguards were penalized for holding and unsportsmanlike conduct, backing them up to the 35 and they ultimately had to punt.

After intercepting a pass on El Dorado’s opening drive of the second half, the Vanguards had another touchdown called back on a penalty, but they didn’t let those points slips away, as Guess found Tafua for a 22-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 28-10 with 8:18 left in the third quarter.

The Vanguards quickly got the ball back and Guess continued to have plenty of time to scour the field and find open receivers. He hit Taylor over the middle for a 33-yard touchdown pass to make it 35-10 with 3:47 remaining in the third.

“The corners kept on bailing, leaving the hitches that we kept on running wide open,” Guess said. “Might as well keep taking that and not forcing nothing, so we just kept taking what they were giving us.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Mission Viejo football shuts out Tesoro in South Coast League

• October 21, 2023

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – Mission Viejo improved its chances for securing a berth into the CIF Southern Section football playoffs with a 36-0 win over Tesoro on Friday in a South Coast League game at Tesoro High.

The Diablos improved to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in league. They lost to San Clemente 20-10 last week in their league opener.

Mission Viejo, No. 7 in the Orange County Top 25, will play at No. 17 Capistrano Valley next Friday, the final week of the regular season and the league finale.

Tesoro (5-4, 1-1), No. 13 in the county rankings, will play at No. 5 San Clemente on Friday, Oct. 27.

CIF Southern Section football playoff brackets will be released Oct. 29.

Mission Viejo would likely play in CIF-SS Division 2. Tesoro, also still in the running for a playoff berth, might be in Division 4 if the Titans get in.

Teams will be placed in playoff divisions at the end of the regular season according to the Calpreps ratings.

It is Mission Viejo’s third shutout of the season. The Diablos blanked Highland 58-0 and Hawaii’s Kamehameha 34-0 in nonleague games last month.

Mission Viejo junior quarterback Draiden Trudeau threw two touchdown passes. Sophomore quarterback Luke Fahey, who shared equal time at the position with Trudeau as they have all season, also threw two touchdown passes.

Diablos junior receiver/cornerback Dijon Lee had a touchdown reception and returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown. Lee (6-3, 180) has scholarship offers from many schools including Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA and USC.

Mission Viejo sophomore receiver Vance Spafford caught two touchdown passes to give him 11 touchdown receptions this season.

Lee said the Diablos needed Friday’s win after the previous week’s loss to San Clemente.

“We played real hard today,” said Lee who returned an interception for a touchdown against Tesoro last season. “Started off slow but when we came out after halftime and sped it up and scored three touchdowns.”

Diablos sophomore safety Zachary Foeldi had two interceptions in the first half. One was erased by a Mission Viejo penalty. The one that counted led to Michael Salgado-Medina’s 42-yard field goal halfway through the first quarter to give the Diablos a 3-0 lead.

Tesoro had a chance to tie the game four minutes into the second quarter. Titans kicker Lance Guerrero’s 43-yard field goal attempt had the distance but was slightly wide to the right.

On the next play at the Mission Viejo 20-yard line Fahey launched a perfectly-place pass to Spafford who made the catch at the Tesoro 39-yard line. Spafford tried to outrun the Tesoro defender, figured he would not do so, and stopped at the 10-yard line before cutting inside to angle his way into the end zone. The point-after kick attempt was no good, leaving Mission Viejo with the 9-0 lead that the Diablos would take into the second half.

Trudeau connected with Cash Semonza for a 13-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The point-after kick attempt missed, so the Diablos lead was 15-0. Lee scored on his 19-yard interception return – he cut in front of the receiver to snag the ball and a few strides later was in the end zone – early in the fourth quarter for a 22-0 lead.

Lee scored on a 6-yard pass from Trudeau a few minutes later Fahey threw a short pass to Spafford who flashed into the end zone for a touchdown and a 36-0 lead with 1:41 to go.

Mission Viejo’s Jeron Jones and Trey Tolmaire also had interceptions.

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​ Orange County Register 

Servite football knocks off Santa Margarita for critical, and emotional, league victory

• October 21, 2023

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NORWALK — Servite’s football players took the field Friday with the memory of a fallen classmate in their hearts.

The Friars left Cerritos College with their biggest victory of the season.

Quarterback Leo Hannan threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half and running back Quaid Carr scored twice in the second half to lead Servite past Santa Margarita 50-42 in an explosive Trinity League game.

Servite (5-4, 1-3), ranked sixth in Orange County, boosted its playoff chances by claiming a fifth victory to ensure that it will finish with at least a .500 record, a key component for receiving an at-large berth.

The Friars also recorded their first Trinity League win since 2021 as they played for fallen classmate and former teammate Jack Kennedy. The senior died suddenly this past week, the school stated Friday.

Servite honored Kennedy with a moment of silence before kickoff. Most of the team then prayed in the end zone after marching onto the field.

“This game was dedicated to him and I think we definitely pulled out a great win,” said senior running back Johnny Merrill, who counted Kennedy as one of his best friends. “We stood together as a team even through this tough week.”

“I’ve had my moments (of struggle),” Merrill added, “but football is a great outlet to leave it all out on the field. Kind of get your anger out, get your emotion out.”

Santa Margarita (5-4, 1-3), ranked third in the county, secured its fifth victory last week to ensure that it will finish with at least a .500 record.

Hannan passed for a season-high 338 yards to help Servite hold off the Eagles’ and Trent Mosley, who scored four touchdowns and had 11 catches for 219 yards.

The teams combined for 1,008 yards of offense. Servite outgained Santa Margarita 513-495.

“Our offense is super sweet,” said Hannan, who completed 20 of 27 passes and tossed touchdowns to four different players. “We get better every game. We’re peaking at a good time.”

Servite grabbed a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter as Hannan lofted a third-and-9 pass for a 68-yard strike to Ethan Naudin. The score arrived after an interception at the 1-yard line by Friars senior safety Beau Jako.

Santa Margarita responded early in the second period with a 48-yard touchdown burst by running back Skylar Lendsey.

But Hannan kept Servite’s offense revving. He threw a 20-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tight end Aidan O’Callaghan.

The junior then capitalized on a botched Santa Margarita punt. One play after the Friars took over at the Eagles 15 following a high snap and miskick, Hannan threw a touchdown to Quinn Rosenkranz as Servite opened a 22-7 with 5:16 left in the opening half.

The teams then traded scores before intermission.

Lendsey scored on a 10-yard TD run after the Eagles received a 54-yard kickoff return from Mosley. Lendsey rushed for 140 yards.

But Servite answered with a 78-yard scoring drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Camren Hughes to Jacob Trevizu.

Santa Margarita started the second half well, driving for a 2-yard touchdown by Mosley to trim the Friars’ lead to 29-21.

Servite’s offense, however, continued to roll. The Friars march 92 yards to take a 36-21 lead on a 5-yard scoring run by Quaid Carr.

The teams traded scores later in the third.  Mosley scored his 22nd touchdown of the season on a 4-yard run but Hannan kept Servite in control by throwing a 31-yard TD to Carr. The score came after Santa Margarita narrowly missed recovering an onside kick.

Servite’s defense made the first stop of the second half as cornerback Tristin Ordaz broke up a third-down pass intended for Mosley. The Friars promptly drove for a 1-yard touchdown run by O’Callaghan on a third-and-goal for a 50-28 lead.

Next week on Oct. 27, Servite closes out the Trinity League by playing host to JSerra at Cerritos College while Santa Margarita takes on Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium.

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​ Orange County Register 

High school football: All of the scores from Friday’s games, Oct. 20

• October 21, 2023

A complete list of the scores from the CIF Southern Section and L.A. City Section football games played Friday, Oct. 20.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

CIF-SS

ALMONT LEAGUE

Schurr 64, Keppel 0

ANGELUS LEAGUE

Loyola 36, Paraclete 7

Cathedral 28, St. Paul 21

BASELINE LEAGUE

Rancho Cucamonga 36, Damien 35

Upland 45, Chino Hills 21

BAY LEAGUE

Palos Verdes 34, Culver City 31

Mira Costa 35, Peninsula 15

BIG WEST — LOWER LEAGUE

Great Oak 42, Corona Santiago 21

Riverside King 30, Temecula Valley 0

Murrieta Mesa 49, Corona 0

CAMINO REAL LEAGUE

Bishop Montgomery 47, Verbum Dei 0

CANYON LEAGUE

Moorpark 38, Camarillo 14

Newbury Park 38, Oak Park 0

CHANNEL LEAGUE

Ventura 56, Channel Islands 0

Oxnard 22, San Marcos 20

Oxnard Pacifica 28, Rio Mesa 3

CITRUS 4 LEAGUE

Colony 31, Los Osos 13

CITRUS BELT LEAGUE

Beaumont 59, Redlands 0

CITRUS COAST LEAGUE

Santa Paula 31, Nordhoff 13

COTTONWOOD LEAGUE

Whittier Christian 35, Santa Rosa Academy 8

DEL REY LEAGUE

St. Pius X-St. Matthias 35, St. Genevieve 7

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Tustin 49, Garden Grove Pacifica 0

La Palma Kennedy 41, Placentia Valencia 17

FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Valencia 37, Hart 7

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Rancho Alamitos 21, Westminster La Quinta 14

GATEWAY LEAGUE

Downey 49, Mayfair 14

Dominguez 32, Norwalk 30

GOLD COAST LEAGUE

Brentwood 34, Rio Hondo Prep 13

GOLDEN LEAGUE

Highland 67, Palmdale 13

HACIENDA LEAGUE

Diamond Bar 35, Walnut 12

INLAND VALLEY LEAGUE

Rancho Christian 42, Canyon Springs 0

IRONWOOD LEAGUE

Village Christian 30, Heritage Christian 14

IVY LEAGUE

Elsinore 42, Riverside North 27

Rancho Verde 37, Heritage 7

MARMONTE LEAGUE

Bishop Diego 28, Westlake 21

St. Bonaventure 42, Calabasas 21

MESQUITE LEAGUE

Linfield Christian 44, Western Christian 31

MID-CITIES LEAGUE

Bellflower 16, Lynwood 10

Gahr 32, Paramount 6

MIRAMONTE LEAGUE

La Puente 24, Ganesha 21

MISSION LEAGUE

Notre Dame 42, Alemany 6

Bishop Amat 35, Chaminade 17

Sierra Canyon 35, Serra 28

MISSION VALLEY LEAGUE

Rosemead 39, Gabrielino 20

MOJAVE RIVER LEAGUE

Oak Hills 35, Sultana 24

MONTVIEW LEAGUE

Duarte 34, Azusa 0

MOORE LEAGUE

Long Beach Poly 50, Compton 6

MOUNTAIN VALLEY LEAGUE

Rubidoux 37, Indian Springs 20

Miller 28, San Bernardino 14

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

El Modena 38, El Dorado 10

Esperanza 34, Anaheim Canyon 27

OCEAN LEAGUE

Hawthorne 48, Beverly Hills 6

Inglewood 27, Leuzinger 23

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

St. Margaret’s 42, Saddleback 3

PAC 4 LEAGUE

Laguna Beach 50, Godinez 7

Westminster 28, Ocean View 0

PACIFIC—UPPER LEAGUE

Burbank Burroughs 28, Crescenta Valley 7

PACIFIC HILLS LEAGUE

Dana Hills 52, Portola 14

PIONEER LEAGUE

North Torrance 21, Lawndale 12

South Torrance 28, El Segundo 0.

Torrance 30, West Torrance 13

RIO HONDO LEAGUE

South Pasadena 34, La Canada 27

SAN ANDREAS LEAGUE

Rim of the World 20, Carter 17

SAN ANTONIO LEAGUE

Don Lugo 41, West Covina 40

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Aliso Niguel 35, El Toro 14

Trabuco Hills 24, San Juan Hills 17

SKYLINE LEAGUE

Arroyo Valley 30, Colton 26

San Gorgonio 27, Fontana 21

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Mission Viejo 36, Tesoro 0

San Clemente 35, Capistrano Valley 18

SUNKIST LEAGUE

Eisenhower 31, Summit 22

SUNSET LEAGUE

Newport Harbor 21, Corona del Mar 20

Los Alamitos 63, Huntington Beach 13

TRINITY LEAGUE

St. John Bosco 42, JSerra 20

VALLE VISTA LEAGUE

Northview 48, Los Altos 13

San Dimas, Diamond Ranch

NONLEAGUE

Grace Brethren 63, Desert Chapel 12

L.A. CITY

CENTRAL LEAGUE

Roybal 47, Belmont 6

Bernstein 50, Contreras 19

EAST VALLEY LEAGUE

Arleta 41, North Hollywood 15

Verdugo Hills 19, Monroe 0

EASTERN LEAGUE

Garfield 42, Legacy 7

Los Angeles Roosevelt 46, South Gate 20

EXPOSITION LEAGUE

Manual Arts 38, Jefferson 6

SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Los Angeles 32, Rivera 8

WEST VALLEY LEAGUE

Birmingham 43, Cleveland 6

Granada Hills 30, El Camino Real 2

WESTERN LEAGUE

Palisades 28, Venice 24

8-MAN

CIF-SS

Faith Baptist 52, Lancaster Baptist 13

Hillcrest Christian 28, Cornerstone Christian 11

Chadwick 40, Windward 26

Malibu 53, Entrepreneur 13

L.A. CITY

New Designs University Park 54, Animo Robinson 48

Fulton 80, Valley Oaks CES 6

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​ Orange County Register 

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