Dos Pueblos Takes Advantage of Oxnard

The scoreboard read Visitors 78, Home 76, at the end of Wednesday’s Channel League basketball game between Dos Pueblos and host Oxnard. Yet Oxnard Coach Henry Lobo didn’t seem to believe what he saw after the Chargers’ Ryan Holbrook made a three-point shot as time expired.

“Now you know why they are the defending Channel League champions,� Lobo said about Dos Pueblos. “You don’t give the defending Channel League champs an opportunity to beat you because they will and they did.�

Oxnard (11-6, 5-2 in league play) had taken a 74-69 lead with 20.6 seconds left on a pair of Jeff Fouchey free throws, but the Yellowjackets made only two of four free throws after that.

SOCCER

Return celebration: La Canada boys’ soccer Coach Lou Bilowitz got his 200th high school coaching victory Wednesday with the Spartans’ 3-1 Rio Hondo League triumph over Monrovia.

The real celebration was over the unexpected return of sophomore midfielder Bryan Jackson, a member of the U.S. under-17 national team. Injured in La Canada’s first game and possibly out for the season, Jackson scored a goal and had an assist in his return. His comeback should help spark what has been a comparatively dismal season for the Spartans (6-4-1).

“I’ve never had a team lose four games in a season,� said Bilowitz, who is 200-18-25 in 11 high school seasons. “But three of them were by a goal and Bryan would have made a huge difference.�

WRESTLING

Tough competition: The fifth San Fernando wrestling tournament, officially titled the Sam De John Classic after the school’s former longtime coach, is scheduled for Saturday and will include 16 teams.

The best City Section teams, as well as Southern Section power Highland, are entered. The tournament in previous years has been a good indicator of how the City finals will unfold.

De John, who retired in 1990 and moved to Oxford, Miss., is credited with launching the San Fernando program, as well as several area youth groups.

Among De John’s former wrestlers is Mike Young, Highland wrestling coach. During the 1970s, De John coached Anthony Davis, a standout running back at San Fernando and USC.

Highland’s Stuart Young, the coach’s son, and John Garfinkel are closing in on the school record of 184 career victories, set by Roland Aldabert, a 1997 graduate.