Taylor Ward injury adds a frightening moment to Angels’ loss

• July 30, 2023

TORONTO —A couple hours after the Angels saw Taylor Ward on the ground with blood dripping from his face, their thoughts were still with their teammate.

Ward was hit in the face by a pitch, requiring attention from multiple trainers and a trip to the hospital, casting a pall over what became the Angels’ 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon.

“Anytime anybody gets hit, especially in the face, the first thing you think about is his health and that he’s OK,” Angels first baseman Mike Moustakas said. “Obviously it didn’t really look very good. Hopefully, we get some good news here in a little bit. We’re all praying for him.”

The Angels had no immediate word on the results of tests Ward was undergoing.

It was yet another blow to a team that has dealt with one injury after another all season. The Angels are already without injured outfielders Mike Trout and Jo Adell, infielders Brandon Drury, Zach Neto, Anthony Rendon and Gio Urshela and catchers Logan O’Hoppe and Max Stassi.

Simply losing Ward’s bat from the middle of the lineup hurt them in a practical sense, but losing him in the way they did could not have helped from an emotional standpoint.

Moustakas, who was in the on-deck circle when Ward was hit in the fifth inning, conceded that it’s difficult to remain at the same level mentally after seeing something like that.

“It’s hard, man,” Moustakas said. “Anytime you see anybody get hit, especially like that, it’s hard, but it’s something we had to do. Obviously we didn’t come back and win like we would have hoped. But right now the game’s over. All we can think about is if ‘Wardo’ is gonna be OK or not. That’s where all of our heads are at. All we’re doing is thinking about him and sending him love and positive vibes and hoping everything’s gonna be OK.”

Ironically, the moment that Ward got hit was the most productive moment of the game for the Angels’ offense.

The bases were loaded when Ward was hit, pushing home the first run of the game. There was still only one out, so the Angels had a chance to break the game open. Moustakas then struck out and Matt Thaiss hit a popout.

Reid Detmers then took the mound and gave up a two-run homer to Santiago Espinal. Detmers got one more out and then he was pulled after 91 pitches.

The Angels had a shot to get those runs right back in the sixth, but they left the bases loaded. They also left them loaded in the second inning.

The Angels were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position, after going 0 for 7 on Friday night.

“We just didn’t get that big hit,” said Angels manager Phil Nevin, who watched the game upstairs because he was serving a one-game suspension for his actions toward the umpires after the game Friday. “I think the approach is good. The at-bats are good. We’ve swung the bats so well since the break really. You’re bound to have some down days. I think that’s just what’s what happened. They scored more than we did.”

The offensive outage came just as the Angels arrived in Toronto for a showdown series against one of the teams ahead of them in the wild-card race. The Angels scored two runs in the first two games, losing both and dropping five games behind Toronto. The Houston Astros are 4½ games ahead of the Angels, pending the outcome of their game Saturday.

The Angels will try to avoid the sweep Sunday, almost certainly without Ward in the middle of the lineup.

“We’re a resilient bunch,” Moustakas said. “Minus what happened to ‘Wardo’ today, you never want that to happen to anybody in any sport. It’s just something very unfortunate. But we’re gonna close the book on today. Keep thinking about ‘Wardo’ and sending him love, and come back tomorrow and try to win a game.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Gang robbed cars along Angeles Crest Highway at least twice before murders, police say

• July 30, 2023

A street gang robbed multiple drivers parked along the Angeles Crest Highway in the days before the group allegedly killed a 32-year-old man who had stopped off with his passenger to enjoy a scenic overlook, according to authorities.

Detectives from the Pasadena Police Department are now confident they can tie that same gang to “murders and other violent crimes that have occurred in Los Angeles County over the last week.” The department announced the arrest of six members of the gang on Wednesday, July 26, but ended up only bringing robbery charges against three of them. The others were released Friday.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office alleges Luis Ventura, 23, of Los Angeles used a firearm to rob Jessie Munoz, the man killed in the Angeles National Forest, and a female passenger, who was uninjured during the attack.

Two other suspects — Wendy Cerritos, 20, and Rossel Josue Hernandez, 21, both of Los Angeles — were charged with four and two counts of robbery, respectively, in connection with “robberies that occurred on Angeles Crest Highway the week preceding Munoz’s murder,” according to Pasadena police. Those robberies, which involved four different victims, occurred on July 18 and July 20.

No one has been charged with Munoz’s murder, but the robbery charges give Pasadena’s Robbery/Homicide Unit more time to compile the larger case in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, as state law requires suspects to be charged or released within 48 hours of their arrest.

“RHU detectives are actively piecing together the elements and evidence related to the homicide of Jesse Munoz and working with LASD Homicide to ensure those responsible for the violence receive justice,” a spokesperson wrote in a press release.

The homicide case is expected to be reviewed by prosecutors this weekend and additional charges could be filed on Monday.

Pasadena is coordinating with sheriff’s detectives in an effort to tie the same gang members to a double homicide in Rancho Palos Verdes that occurred two days after the Angeles Crest Highway slaying. In the that case, three males allegedly approached a Subaru owned by Jorge Ramos, 36, as it was parked in a lot overlooking Pelican Cove. The men opened fire on Ramos, killing him and his passenger, TaylorRaven Whittaker, 26.

A four suspect, believed to be a woman, waited nearby as the getaway driver, sheriff’s Detective Ray Lugo told the Los Angeles Times.

The Sheriff’s Department will file its case separately with the District Attorney’s Office, though the cases still could be combined at a later date.

Pasadena identified the suspects and their vehicle through the use of an undisclosed technology, according to police. The department’s SWAT team, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and the LAPD, arrested the original six suspects late Tuesday, July 25 after using helicopters to tail them across Los Angeles County.

Police boxed in the car in Panorama City and ordered the suspects out, one at a time, at gunpoint. Key News Network posted a recording of the arrest on YouTube.

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​ Orange County Register 

Working like a dog in Laguna Woods

• July 30, 2023

To many of us, puppies are irresistible, and the energetic little yellow lab jumping happily at a visitor is no exception.

“No jumping,” commands Penny Gordon. “No jumping,” the Laguna Woods Village resident repeats, sternly but gently, in her role as the dog’s trainer or, specifically, puppy raiser.

Responding to his noble name, Newcastle, the little guy obeys. After all, he is in uniform: He’s wearing a green and white harness that identifies him as a guide dog for the blind in training.

When Gordon retired from nursing two years ago, she wanted to continue life in the spirit of her career.

“I still wanted to do something good for someone else in need,” she said.

After some deliberation and online research, she contacted Laguna Niguel Puppy Raisers, deciding that helping to raise puppies to be future guide dogs for the vision-impaired fit with her goal of helping others.

It wasn’t too far off a choice: David Gordon, her husband of 22 years, is blind. He has had the help of several guide dogs, and now Dewey, a calmly alert German shepherd, lies protectively at his feet.

At the same time, Dewey patiently puts up with Newcastle nuzzling his older, temporary bro.

“They are bonded already,” Penny Gordon said.

Puppy Raisers are volunteers who teach puppies basic obedience, house behavior and socialization. After Gordon contacted the Laguna Niguel branch of Puppy Raisers, the organization did research of their own, found her to be a fit foster mom and paired her with Newcastle.

“First I had to prove myself by puppy-sitting five other puppies and showing that I was patient and a good dog handler before getting Newcastle,” Gordon said. “Not having a fenced-in yard but only a patio was not a deal breaker.”

The group’s goal is to get puppies ready to graduate to Guide Dogs for the Blind, a school founded in 1942 to assist World War II veterans who had lost their sight. Today the school has two campuses, in San Raphael, California, and in Boring, Oregon.

Gordon got Newcastle when he was just two months old. Now he is about seven months old.

“I watch him grow and mature, having gone through his terrible twos and now his teenage years, which begin around six to seven months,” she said. “I will have him for six more months.”

Gordon takes Newcastle everywhere she goes – to grocery stores, offices, even restaurants – where he must learn to behave properly. Newcastle can romp by the creek, but he’s not allowed to do his doggie business there. That gets done at home. There’s also no petting by passers-by.

“They have to concentrate on their job, but when he’s got his gear on, he acts his part already,” Gordon said.

There’s one drawback to raising puppies, Gordon noted: You get attached to the four-legged youngsters.

At age 14 months or perhaps a bit later, Newcastle will leave to start his next phase of training, on the campus of Guide Dogs for the Blind, either in San Raphael or Boring, to prepare to be placed with the visually impaired.

Jeanne Valenti, a leader at Laguna Niguel Puppy Raisers, said that once Newcastle settles at one of the campuses, he will begin his training as a guide dog for the blind. Coming from an as yet untested litter, he will also be neutered.

Should he not make the cut as a guide dog, he might have a future as a service dog for the hearing impaired or a diabetic’s companion trained to smell if a patient is in danger of experiencing sugar shock. He could also become a service dog for someone suffering from PTSD.

“All dogs are free to their recipients,” said Valenti, who has raised service puppies for 17 years. “Guide dogs for the blind are the cream of the crop, since they have to guide blind people through potentially hazardous settings like traffic.”

David Gordon summed up his reaction to his wife’s first experience as a puppy raiser: “I was a little apprehensive at first,” he said, “but it’s turning out to be a lot of fun – a great experience.”

Laguna Niguel Puppy Raisers is a nonprofit organization staffed by volunteers. To join the ranks of puppy raisers, call Valenti at 949-280-5464 or email jeanneandthepuppy@gmail.com. For more information, visit gdblagunaniguelpuppyraisers.com.

New job for new working dog

Laguna Woods Globe readers last read about Moby, a blond Labrador, in March 2022, when he was being raised by Village resident Penny Flaherty.

The youngster was working hard to learn basic obedience, house manners and socialization so that he would be ready for training at the Guide Dogs for the Blind school.

Now Moby has finished that training, and he’s landed his first job – in a vegan bakery in Beaverton, Oregon. Moby will be helping out Carina Comer, the visually impaired owner of Carina’s Bakery.

Flaherty, meanwhile, is raising a new dog, a somewhat older lab named Ian.

– By Anita Gosch

​ Orange County Register 

Teen recaptured after escaping from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall during brawl with staff

• July 30, 2023

Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall remained on lockdown a day after a teenager managed to briefly escape during a fight that involved 13 detainees, according to the Probation Department.

The 18-year-old slipped out of the secure facility amid the fighting, but was immediately apprehended by members of the Probation Department’s Special Enforcement Operations unit. Officials asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to book the young man as an adult in light of his age.

The other 12 youths have been placed in individual rooms “under one-on-one supervision,” according to a statement released by the probation department.

“No serious injuries to youth or staff were reported during the incident, and a subsequent headcount found all 273 youth at the facility present and accounted for,” the statement read.

The fight began around 8 p.m. Friday, July 28, when seven youths assaulted staff and broke an exterior door attached to their living area. They then broke the window of a second unit, allowing six others to join them on the facility grounds. The oldest climbed a wall and escaped onto an adjacent golf course, according to the probation department.

Police officers from Downey, South Gate and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to assist with what the probation officials called a “major disturbance.” Footage captured by NBC 4 showed police in riot gear and vehicles surrounding the facility with spotlights trained on the walls.

The Downey Police Department, which originally warned neighbors to stay inside with doors and windows locked, issued an update around 9:30 p.m. stating that the “facility has been secured and there is no threat to the public.”

In response to the episode, interim Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa has ordered that a probation department bureau chief be present during every shift at Los Padrinos and has temporarily reinstated the use of oleoresin capsicum spray (OC spray), a type of pepper spray, that the department has been saying it would phase out for years. Officials originally touted that OC spray would not be used in Los Padrinos at all.

Viera Rosa said it would only be used until the facility is stabilized, and that he would revisit the decision in a few days.

“Any time you move a large number of youths, especially to a new facility as we have in the last week or two, there is a potential for problems and we plan for those,” Viera Rosa said in a statement. “But Friday night’s disturbance was an emergency that required an immediate and strong response. I’m thankful that no youth were seriously hurt, and with the help of other law enforcement agencies, we were able to re-establish order.”

Viera Rosa is bringing on Michael Minor, a private security consultant and former director of the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation’s Division of Juvenile Justice, to work with staff to stabilize operations at Los Padrinos, according to the department.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes Downey, offered her thanks to the “law enforcement officers who responded and got this situation under control quickly.”

“We need to understand exactly what happened last night at Los Padrinos,” Hahn said. “I expect our interim Chief Probation Officer to get to the bottom of what went wrong and make assurances to the Board of Supervisors and the City of Downey that this is not going to happen again.”

Sean Garcia-Leys, a member of the county Probation Oversight Commission and executive director of the Peace and Justice Law Center, wasn’t surprised by the incident. The department has struggled with an unending staffing crisis for more than a year, and though the consolidation at Los Padrinos was meant to help with that, early signs suggest Los Padrinos is facing the same problems that led to the shutdown of Los Angeles County’s other two juvenile halls.

“This is the inevitable result of confining too many youth compared to the number of staff the department has available,” Garcia-Leys said. “We need to confine fewer youth so the staff we have can do their jobs well.”

The incident is the latest in a string of failures since Los Padrinos reopened two weeks ago. The Probation Department had scrambled for months to prepare Los Padrinos for the 274 predisposition youth who needed to be relocated to it due to state’s forced closure of Barry J. Nidorf in Sylmar and Central near downtown Los Angeles over poor conditions. The move was pulled off without incident over the course of five days starting on July 14 and it seemed the department would get a fresh start.

Yet, almost immediately, problems emerged.

The department found an unattended firearm in an area accessible only to staff on July 21. It is illegal to bring a firearm into a juvenile facility, even for those who can carry weapons legally outside of it.

The Los Angeles County Office of Inspector General observed searches of the youth and their personal belongings during the transfers, but noted that “there was no indication that individual staff or their boxes coming from either CJH or BJNJH were searched in the move to LPJH,” according to a July 26 report to the Board of Supervisors.

“Following the discovery of the firearm, the entire LPJH facility was searched by Probation Department Special Enforcement Operations officers and no other contraband was found,” wrote Max Huntsman, the inspector general. “While the firearm may not have been brought to LPJH during the move, its discovery and the lack of screening of staff and staff belongings raises continuing concerns regarding the introduction of contraband into the County’s juvenile facilities.”

That matter is still under investigation by an outside law enforcement agency, according to officials.

Then, the next day, parents and other guests attending visitation day experienced uncomfortable conditions. The air conditioning had died and the fresh paint on the walls dripped in the heat. Garcia-Leys, who inspected the facility that day, described a strong smell of mildew and said the youth complained to him of bug infestations. One displayed multiple bites on his face.

At the time, youth appeared increasingly agitated by the new environment and the lack of activities available to them compared to the older juvenile halls, he said.

“There was really nothing for them to do besides pace,” he said.

Garcia-Leys said he noticed signs of drug use among some of the youth, another indication the department is still failing to prevent contraband from entering the facility.

Following the hectic week, the Probation Department announced a new superintendent for Los Padrinos at 5 p.m. on a Sunday and stated it would be transitioning the prior leadership of the juvenile hall to “other areas of the department” the next day.

The Board of State and Community Corrections, the regulatory body that shut down Nidorf and Central, is expected to begin inspections at Los Padrinos in August to determine if that facility should be allowed to continue housing youth. The state board previously gave the green light for Los Padrinos to reopen following a series of pre-inspections.

The process to determine the suitability of the facility is more thorough and could take months to complete. If the Probation Department fails those inspections and is unable to submit a plan to fix the deficiencies, Los Angeles County could find itself facing yet another shutdown by the end of this year.

Related links

Early troubles plague newly reopened Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
State orders LA County to close juvenile halls within 60 days
LA County finishes moving juvenile halls to Downey ahead of state shutdown
ACLU condemns LA County plan to reopen Los Padrinos, assign reserve deputies to troubled juvenile halls
State orders LA County to close juvenile halls within 60 days

​ Orange County Register 

Chargers’ connections serve them well in training camp

• July 30, 2023

COSTA MESA — It’s all about connections, as Chargers veterans Keenan Allen and Eric Kendricks said after Day 3 of training camp Saturday at Jack Hammett Sports Complex. Allen has a well-established one with quarterback Justin Herbert. Kendricks is developing one with linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr.

Allen, a wide receiver, is in his 11th NFL training camp, all with the Chargers, and his fourth as one of Herbert’s top targets. Kendricks, a linebacker, is in his first camp with the Chargers after spending eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings following a stellar collegiate career at UCLA.

Allen clicked almost immediately with Herbert, the Chargers’ first-round draft pick in 2020. It’s not as if they actually can read each other’s mind, but it often appears they know what the other is thinking as a play or a drill unfolds on the field, the result of endless hours of practice.

“Just putting on a clinic,” Allen said of Herbert’s growth after a standout career at the University of Oregon. “He’s not really missing. He’s not missing passes. He’s able to see things at the line of scrimmage now with his check calls and he can kind of see the defense and get into his own play.

“He’s growing a lot.”

Kendricks was social media friends with Murray before they became teammates, forging a bond over a shared love of cars. Their friendship has only grown since Kendricks signed with the Chargers during the offseason after departing Minnesota, the only NFL home he had known.

“He likes cars,’ Kendricks said. “I love cars. We’re Instagram friends because of cars not really necessarily because we’re linebackers. Now we’re teammates. The sky’s the limit (for Murray). I don’t really think I’ve seen a linebacker that is built like him and capable of doing the things he can do behind the ball.

“He’s very versatile.”

There’s also a mentorship that goes along with being a veteran playing alongside a younger, less-experienced player. Allen, 31, developed his relationships with his fellow wide receivers, including first-round draft pick Quentin Johnston, easily and without hesitation. The same went for Kendricks, also 31.

Allen and Kendricks are each working under new coordinators this season, but that has only been a positive, as far as the Chargers are concerned. Kellen Moore took over as offensive coordinator from Joe Lombardi during the offseason and Derrick Ansley took over from Renaldo Hill as defensive coordinator.

“Quarterback, obviously,” Allen said, referring to Moore’s position while with the Dallas Cowboys and collegiately at Boise State.. “He’s a guy who understands the game. He’s player friendly, so he coaches to us and not really what he’s used to or what it was or something like that. He lets us be free. Justin is a pass downfield guy, so if that’s what he wants to do, then that’s what we’re going to do.”

Asked about the bond between Allen and Herbert, Chargers coach Brandon Staley said, “There’s just that unspoken chemistry on the field that you need, based on all of the different things that you’re going to see, little things that you can’t see from 10,000 feet, but when you’re out there, and it’s moving fast, you have to have that special connection.

“That anticipation and that trust, they have all of that. You need it. I think what’s been good is Justin has developed that trust with a lot more players now, too. He has that same trust for several other guys now, too, and I think that’s going to make us even more challenging to defend.”

Staley referred to Kendricks as “a total stud.”

“There are a lot of things I like about Eric Kendricks,” Staley said. “You see them every single day. They’re little things, they’re big things. He’s calm and you need that out there in the middle. He has full command. He can see the game. He’s a complete player at linebacker.”

CAMP UPDATES

Cornerback J.C. Jackson participated in only a handful of team drills as Staley and the athletic training staff continued to monitor his activity in the opening days of camp. Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury Oct. 23. …

Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III was held out of the latter portion of practice for what Staley said were precautionary reasons. Staley didn’t elaborate. …

Center Corey Linsley didn’t attend practice to be with his wife, Anna, who is expecting. …

The Chargers signed linebackers Blake Lynch and Tyreek Maddox-Williams.

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​ Orange County Register 

Galaxy down another player for Leagues Cup match with Vancouver

• July 30, 2023

In a season complicated by injuries, the Galaxy will have to deal with another one.

Midfielder Gastón Brugman, who has worn the captain’s armband for the majority of the season, left Wednesday’s Leagues Cup game with an apparent left leg injury. On Friday, Galaxy coach Greg Vanney confirmed that Brugman had suffered a meniscus tear and will undergo surgery early next week.

“Another non-contact moment, which we unfortunately lose an important player,” Vanney said. “It’s a bit of how things are going. We feel for him. Hopefully when they get in there, the news will be not a complete tear.

Brugman’s injury is the third big blow for the Galaxy, following Javier “Chicharito” Herandez’s ACL injury and Martin Caceres’ knee injury. Both are finished for the season.

Brugman joined the Galaxy last summer and immediately settled into an important role in the midfield.

Uri Rosell came on as a substitute replacing Brugman in Wednesday’s loss to Club Leon. Mark Delgado, who missed Wednesday’s game with a high ankle sprain, is still considered questionable.

“He was involved in most of training today (Friday),” Vanney said of Delgado. “He had a moment here or there where you could tell he was testing things out, he’s certainly progressing in the right direction.”

Midfield options are limited as the Galaxy heads into Sunday’s Leagues Cup game against Vancouver (6 p.m., Apple TV+) with likely only Riqui Puig in his normal starting role. The winner of the game advances to next week’s Round of 32.

“In the short term, internally we have step up,” Vanney said. “I thought Uri (Rosell) came on and had a solid performance. He’s a guy who has a lot of experience in our league and he certainly knows how to play the defensive midfield position. He had some little injury issues early in the season and he didn’t see a ton of time, but I thought he showed some experience when he came on. He’s an option.

“It’s one of these scenarios where for sure in the short term it’s just the next guy has to step in and fulfill the responsibilities of the position, but in the way that that player plays the position. He doesn’t need to be Gastón, he doesn’t need to do anything other than just be himself and trust the system and trust what we’re doing and be themselves.”

One thing Vanney doesn’t want to see is Puig having to change his role.

“I think he’s done a nice job of finding a balance over this stretch of games of when to come down and pick up the ball, when to try to start an attack, when to stay high and pick up the ball finish an attack,” Vanney said. “I think he’s found a nice rhythm inside of that. One of the things I will look for him is to help to continue to evolve as a leader inside of the group. He’s a young guy, but everybody looks to him as a key guy on our team. And now with Javy down, with Martin down, with Gastón down, it’s also going to be about picking up some of the leadership presence inside of the group and I’ve seen that at times over the last few games where Riqui is trying to bring the group along.

“That would be the piece, I would love for him to find another level inside of that just to try to support and bring the group forward from a leadership, emotional perspective.”

Vancouver at Galaxy

When: 6 p.m. Sunday

Where: Dignity Health Sports Park

How to watch: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)

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​ Orange County Register 

Layshia Clarendon feels at home with the Sparks

• July 30, 2023

TORRANCE — After a 10-game sample size, it goes without saying the Sparks are better with veteran guard Layshia Clarendon in the starting lineup.

“I would say, your dreams will come true,” Clarendon began when asked for a message to a younger Layshia. “You will have a lot of heartache within this game, but it will all be worth it and to always know that you’re valuable no matter what happens.”

The Sparks are 6-4 when Clarendon starts. Without Clarendon, the Sparks have gone 3-11.

“We missed her for 14 games. Certainly, you can feel it when we didn’t have her and you feel the difference when we do have Layshia on the court,” Sparks first-year head coach Curt Miller said.

Clarendon, a San Bernardino native, grew up going to Sparks games, traveling more than 60 miles each way. Ten years later, the 5-foot-9 Cajon High graduate is finally playing at home in Southern California for the first time in their professional basketball career.

However, the journey to get back to Los Angeles as a pro has been arduous.

“I’ve been a starter in this league. I’ve been a bench player in this league. I’ve been an All-Star,” Clarendon said. “I’ve been out for one year, so I just know every single role in this league and I know how valuable they are and I know how hard each and every one is. None of the roles are easy. People think starting is easy. People think, ‘Oh, you’re on the bench.’ There’s pressure and there’s difficulty to every single role in this league. It’s how can you perform consistently through them all.”

The 32-year-old Clarendon is the definition of a veteran point guard, having played for six of the 12 WNBA teams.

But for the first time in their career, Clarendon has taken on a new challenge of playing out of position as the Sparks’ starting small forward. They’re averaging 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game, shooting an above-career average 35.2% from 3, while playing a near-career high 27.3 minutes per game.

“It’s putting yourself in position to win games and doing those little things,” Clarendon said. “Being in the right spot defensively, the energy that I bring, the tenacity that I bring that I’m not going to get punked out on the court. That’s the level of fierceness that I bring to the team that I play with and it’s hard to win in this league, every night you have to work extremely hard to try and win games in this league.”

Meanwhile, Clarendon was one of several players hit by a rash of injuries and illnesses this season. Before being sidelined for what was supposed to be four to six weeks with a partial tear of the right plantar fascia, the Sparks were 4-2 with Clarendon as a starter. At the team’s training facility Saturday at El Camino College in Torrance, Clarendon explained the journey of hard work and dedication it took to return to action in four weeks.

“My timeline went really well,” they said. “I did everything I could possibly do from nutrition, acupuncture, massage, sleeping, meditation, just to try and give your body the best possibility to recover. I take a lot of that stuff seriously and some of it’s luck when you come back. Perfect timeline, no hiccups, credit to myself and the medical staff for my body healing.”

“She brings us a toughness,” Miller began. “High basketball IQ player, so she understands and takes things from the film room and executes it onto the floor in game time … she gives us a real general that way. Her versatility has helped us. The other night against Indiana, Jordin (Canada) was tired chasing Kelsey Mitchell around as much as she did defensively that we were able to move Jordin off the ball and get a little bit of rest and put Layshia at the point guard. Her versatility to guard and play wing, but also get the point guard position and move Jordin around, that versatility is so important for us.”

As a junior, Clarendon led Cajon to a 2008 CIF Southern Section title. As a senior, the all-state selection was named Inland Empire girls basketball player of the year by the San Bernandino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and Riverside Press-Enterprise in 2009. Clarendon went on to star at Cal and was selected ninth overall in the 2013 draft by the Indiana Fever, later earning an All-Star nod with the Atlanta Dream in 2017.

Now she’s home – or close to it.

“Fourth of July, I got to drive to San Bernardino and see my dad,” Clarendon said. “That’s something that I haven’t got to do for 10 years of my whole career. I’ve always lived so far.”

“I think any time there’s comfortability, it’s great for players,” Miller explained. “Her family is here now with her. She feels like she’s got a home. She was searching, didn’t play last year in the league, was searching for a home. I just think there’s comfortability this year with L.A.. She knows that she has a spot here and she’s thriving here.”

Stewart and Liberty come to town

The Sparks (9-15) will host the New York Liberty (18-6) on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena, with a supreme motivation for the teams to play well in front of a national audience on ESPN.

“The focus is us and what we need to do,” Miller said when asked about Sunday’s matchup against New York. “There’s certainly discussion points about New York that it will be their third game in four days coming off a tough schedule of games, so we understand that we could catch them with some jet lag. But at the same time, Courtney (Vandersloot) didn’t play (Friday night) and she’ll energize them back at the point guard position. They’ll want to step back up to the plate after their (88-83 loss at home to the Minnesota Lynx).

“But really our focus (at Saturday’s practice) was more about us, what we think we can accomplish against their defense, what our attack looks like and then what our defensive approach is against them.”

New York forward Breanna Stewart, a five-time All-Star, two-time WNBA champion and the 2018 WNBA MVP, is averaging 23.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks in her sixth season in the league.

The Sparks also have another former MVP to contend with Sundy. Jonquel Jones, who played for Miller with the Connecticut Sun, is averaging 16.2 points and 12.0 rebounds in six games after the All-Star break.

“JJ has been great since the All-Star break, looks like her MVP self,” Miller said. “She’s a rebounding monster. She’s arguably the best, if not one of the best, offensive rebounders in the game.”

Miller said his team, facing New York for the first time, will have to be in the proper positions to defend the 3-point line. New York is attempting nearly 30 3-pointers per game while shooting a league-leading 37.7% from beyond the arc. In fact, 36.6% of New York’s points come from 3-pointers.

Every game matters for the Sparks, who are currently ninth in the standings and battling the Chicago Sky (9-15) for the last playoff spot.

Meanwhile, Clarendon knows what it is going to take to win during the team’s two-game homestand against New York on Sunday and Tuesday.

“It’s going to take grit and toughness and fierceness that, at the end of the day, X’s and O’s won’t matter. That can’t win the game for you, it’s going to take a level of, ‘Are you willing to go out there and punch them in the face?”’ Clarendon said with a chuckle. “Figuratively obviously.”

NEW YORK AT SPARKS

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV: ESPN

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​ Orange County Register 

US Open of Surfing goes full throttle on opening day

• July 30, 2023

The Wallex US Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico got off to a roaring start in Huntington Beach on Saturday, July 29, bringing big beach crowds to soak in the scene.

In the water, surfers battled it out on opening day in front of fans who laid out towels and beach chairs to watch the show. Others meandered through the festival area, checking out the sponsor booths and lining up to win free gear.

Competitors kicked off the action early in the morning for the first heats of the nine-day event. Long Beach surfer Nolan Rapoza, who grew up surfing Huntington Beach, took first place in his heat with a score of 12.10 (out of 20) to move to the next round.

“Every competitor in that heat was really good. Any of us could have won that heat,” he said. “Competing at home is definitely nerve-wracking, the family showed up to watch me so I didn’t want to disappoint. But I’m extremely excited to make that heat.”

The US Open of Surfing is the premiere event in California for up-and-coming surfers like Rapoza, a contest he grew up watching every time it came to town.

Waves showed up for the first day, the best swell in months, he said.

“There’s definitely waves out there, hopefully it stays that way for the rest of the contest,” he said.

Another big draw this year was the high-flying daredevil action of freestyle motocross riders launching into the air as part of a Nitro Circus exhibition, Full Throttle FMX. Crowds let out cheers, with phones out recording the action, as the riders did flips and tricks high in the sky with the ocean as the backdrop.

Nitro Circus, headquartered in Costa Mesa, is kicking off a 20th anniversary tour Oct. 28 in Anaheim and the US Open appearance is just a taste of what fans can expect later in the year, said Ricky Melnik, general manager of Nitro Circus.

“This is our backyard,” he said.

Eight riders will be showcasing their skills during the next two exhibitions, Sunday, July 30, and Aug. 5, including Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, Axell Hodges, Patrick Evans, Jarryd McNeil, Beau Bamburg, Keith Sayers and Brian McCarty and female rider Vicki Golden.

Just like the surfers, the moto riders have different moves, or “whips,” they are known for doing on the jumps. The riders are just coming off the X Games, held recently in Ventura.

“Introducing it to a whole new crowd is amazing,” Melnik said of the crowd that gathered in Huntington Beach.

The moto freestyle riders launched from a 75-foot-long ramp, hurling their bikes and bodies over a school bus to the cheers of the crowds.

The show was the reason Angie Mora, of Corona, made the trek down to Surf City. She’s a regular at the shows and races typically held inland.

“It’s definitely attracting a different crowd, like me,” she said. “I usually go to Supercross and stuff like that, so this is right up my alley. I’m just excited to see how big it gets. If it sticks, do they keep it?”

Christopher Kasurto, 12, patiently waited for a photo op and was able to nab a shot with Hodges. His family came from Redlands to spend his sister Giuliana’s 10th birthday at the event.

“It’s cool, the kids love it,” said his father Chris Kasurto. “This is cool to come out to see it live here and give inspiration to future moto-crossers. The tricks they do are crazy.”

Hodges, of Encinitas, said performing on the beach is “unreal.”

“Performing in the summer, it’s super hot so this is probably the best location you can ride in California right now,” he said, with the water just steps away. “The ocean view is nice. The best part is the breeze.”

Longboard surfers took to the water in the afternoon, the first stop of the WSL’s World Longboard Tour, bringing an old-school style of surfing to the event.

“This is a lot of fun. It’s the first time really sitting and enjoying, it’s been great,” said Darren Reilly, who was hanging out with his family on the sand watching the longboard action. “We were here last year, it looked a little bigger. But this has been fun.”

San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto spent the day, his 25th birthday, signing autographs for fans who lined up to meet the surfer who will be competing for a world championship down at Lower Trestles for the World Surf League’s Final 5 in September and was recently been named a member of Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Around the festival area, crowds filled in through the day despite cool, overcast skies, lining up at booths to play games for free swag, checking out products and buying gear from retailers on the sand. Food trucks were lined up for beachgoers to grab grub.

It has been a few years since San Pedro resident Sammy Razevich has been to the event. This year, he brought his 14-year-old daughter, Kalia. It seemed mellower than past years, he said, but he liked the set up and hopes there will be more vendors later in the week.

“But so far, I like it,” he said. “It’s a cool set up.”

Sheryl Uribe, 46, was in from Chino Hills to check the US Open off her bucket list, she said.

Uribe waited in a long line to toss balls into empty Cup Noodle containers, a game set up to win lip balms and other free swag from the company, which is open of many sponsors. But to get a prize, she had to get all three balls in and walked away empty handed.

Already, she got a free organic juice and a drink Koozie from the 805 Beer booth.

“I think it’s relaxing and nice and has good energy,” she said of this year’s event. “We were admiring the waves, they look so perfect.”

Roberto “Chuy” Madrigal, who is being inducted as “local hero” into the Surfing Walk of Fame on Thursday, Aug. 3, said he misses the free hot dogs, hamburgers and skate presence Vans had on the sand the past decade.

Madrigal helped create the US Open back in 1994 and has seen many changes over the years.

“It went from a giant thing to a more mellow event, which is OK,” he said while looking out at the festival area as crowds filled in.

But one thing that never changes?

“We always have surf.”

​ Orange County Register