Prep Rally: New stars shine at the Arcadia Invitational

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. The Class of 2027 spoke loudly at the Arcadia Invitational. As did All-American Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura.

New stars

Class of 2027 sprinters Benjamin Harris of Long Beach Poly (left) and Demare Dezeurn of Alemany made huge impact at Arcadia Invitational.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Benjamin Harris of Long Beach Poly, a freshman, won the 100 meters at Saturday’s Arcadia Invitational in a wind-aided 10.38 seconds. Imagine what he might be running during his senior season in 2027. In third place was another freshman, Demare Dezeurn of Bishop Alemany, who ran 10.43. They figure to be facing off for four years of great running.

Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura did her usual splendid job creating excitement at the stadium full of track and field fans, setting a meet record of 4:34.31 in the girls’ mile. She broke her own record set as a freshman.

Deshawn Banks of Birmingham continued his remarkable rise in the high jump. At this time last season, he was a basketball player. Then he went out to learn the high jump and won the City championship. Now he’s the Arcadia Invitational champion after clearing 6-9.

Here’s a report from the Arcadia Invitational.

Triple jump extraordinaire

Karson Gordon from Texas won the triple jump at 50-8 at Arcadia Invitational. He’s headed to UCLA.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

The No. 1 high school triple jumper in America, Karson Gordon, came to town on Saturday to attend UCLA’s spring football practice in the morning. He’s committed to UCLA to play quarterback. Then in the evening, he went 50-8 to win the triple jump at the Arcadia Invitational.

Here’s a profile on a teenager who set the national scholastic record with a mark of 53-1.5 at the Texas Relays.

Midseason report

Seth Hernandez hit two home runs on Thursday to power Corona into the Boras Classic championship game.

(Nick Koza)

It’s midseason in high school baseball, so let’s take a look at trends and impact players.

No one has been better than Seth Hernandez of Corona, a junior who’s a two-way player. As a pitcher, he’s throwing 97 mph fastball. As a hitter, he had three home runs during last week’s Boras Classic.

There’s the Grindlinger brothers at Huntington Beach, Trent and Jared.

Here’s a look at midseason report.

Baseball rewind

Mater Dei players celebrate after winning the Boras Classic Southern California Division with upset of Corona.

(Nick Koza)

What a week it was for Mater Dei. The Monarchs won consecutive 11-inning night games, then stunned No. 1 Corona 5-3 in the championship game of the Southern California division of the Boras Classic. Sophomore Jackson Campbell came through with 5 2/3 innings scoreless relief.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame won the National Classic behind Levi Sterling, who threw a shutout to beat El Dorado in the final.

It’s been about 30 years since Taft pulled off what it did in West Valley League play, getting a pair of complete games from Elijah Gaviola and Anthony Ruggier to beat El Camino Real, 1-0, and Cleveland, 1-0.

Cypress coach John Weber is one win away from career victory No. 400. Garden Grove Pacifica coach Mike Caira nearing victory No. 300. He’s three wins away.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

The National High School Baseball Invitational will take place this week in Cary, N.C. Corona, Harvard-Westlake, Orange Lutheran and Huntington Beach are the local teams entered.

Softball

Granada Hills is not only the best softball team in the City Section but one of the best in Southern California. At 15-1, the Highlanders went 4-0 this past week, with wins over Chatsworth, Cleveland, La Habra and JSerra. Granada Hills has hit 17 home runs. Jocelyn Jimenez, a junior, is batting .559 with 33 hits and 18 RBIs.

Norco is 16-3 and 4-0 in the Big VIII League.

Rylee McCoy of Oaks Christian went six for six in a doubleheader sweep of Oxnard.

Whittier California is 19-3 and 7-0 in the Del Rio League. Sophomore Hailey Chavolla has hit five home runs.

Here’s last week’s top 20 rankings.

Volleyball

Loyola traveled to Arizona and won the Brophy Invitational. Sean Kelly was named tourney MVP.

At the Chatsworth Invitational, Burbank Burroughs defeated the host Chancellors in the Gold Division final 2-1.

Loyola and Newport Harbor remained tied for No. 1 in the Southern Section rankings. Here’s the link.

Clippers seeking jerseys

When the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome opens in August, there will be a special exhibit displaying high school basketball jerseys from schools across California.

More than 1,200 have been sent to the Clippers, who want to reach 1,400.

Here’s the link to participate.

Notes . . .

Peninsula junior tennis star Krisha Mahendran has committed to USC. . . .

San Clemente linebacker Matai Tagoa’i has committed to USC. . . .

Harvard-Westlake guard Trent Perry has asked for his letter of intent release from USC after coach Andy Enfield left for Southern Methodist and will re-open his college recruiting. USC remains under consideration. . . .

USC football has picked up a commitment from Upland defensive back Trestin Castro. . . .

In the McDonald’s All-American girls’ basketball game, Etiwanda’s Kennedy Smith scored 15 points for the West in a loss to the East. . . .

Former Pasadena and Lakers star Michael Cooper was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame. . . .

Former Harvard-Westlake basketball player Jon Jaques is the new head coach at Cornell. . . .

Ron Gueringer is the new football coach at Citrus Hill. He has been head coach at Crespi, Corona and San Gorgonio. . . .

From the archives: Maya Brady

UCLA shortstop Maya Brady.

(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

Maya Brady has the famous last name, being the niece of Tom Brady. But she has more than earned her right to be considered among the world’s best softball players. First she was a star at Oaks Christian and now at UCLA, where she recently hit her 62nd career home run and had her eighth game of two or more home runs.

The senior was the Pac-12 player of the year last season. At Oaks Christian, she hit .558 her senior year. This season, she leads UCLA in hitting with a .385 average, nine home runs and 36 RBIs.

Here’s a 2019 story on Brady and her famous uncle.

Recommendations

From Footballscoop.com, a story on a high school football coach who got into trouble with an off-season tackling drill.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on LaVar Ball giving his opinion on injuries to his two NBA sons.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on what NBA scouts think of Bronny James.

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