The Oxford Academy Lady Patriots Girls Basketball competed in the Ocean View Hawk Holiday Classic Tournament this past week.This tournament featured some of Orange County’s best basketball programs and was set to be a good test for the Lady Patriots who were riding momentum after finishing in second place in the Oxford tournament the prior week. Oxford was paired up to compete versus Dana Hills, El Toro, Irvine, and El Modena, large high schools that average having over 2,300 students, which is more than three times the size of Oxford Academy in Cypress. In the four games played in the Hawk Holiday Classic, Oxford finished 2-2 and placed 4thout of 10 teams in their division.The Lady Patriots had a strong showing proving they can compete against these larger schools.In fact, even in the two games Oxford lost, the team held a lead going into the 4thquarter. In the first game, Oxford stumbled versus Dana Hills as Oxford couldn’t hold onto a nine-point 3rdquarter lead and eventually fell to the Dolphins by a score of 62-56.Maddie Bloom from Dana Hills scored 33 points to lead the Dolphins to victory.Dana Hills would go undefeated in the tournament and win their division. Oxford bounced back in the second game with a victory over a strong El Toro team, which ended up being the Chargers only loss in the Ocean View tournament.The game was tight the whole way through and Oxford maintained a 39-38 lead at the end of the third quarter, before taking control of the game in the fourth quarter and finishing off the Chargers 61-55. Austyn Masuno had 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the team and the Patriots also got nice scoring contributions from Jocelyn Lopez (10), Sophia Chan (8), Angie Gagnon (8), and Nicia De Santos (7). The 3rdgame on Friday night was against a tough Irvine High squad who possessed a big front court featuring two 6’0” forwards. After being tied at halftime, Oxford was able to pull away with solid defense, consistent free throw shooting, and controlling the boards.The Lady Patriots were 12 of 15 on free throws, and Masuno and Jocelyn Lopez dominated the boards and collected 14 second-half rebounds between them. Lopez was a catalyst in the 4th quarter scoring 7 of Oxford’s final 13 points to clinch the game for the Lady Patriots, 49-42. Guard Mylee Madrazo scored 12 points, Angie Gagnon chipped in 6 points, and Sophia Chan contributed a balanced stat line of 9 points, 3 rebounds 3 assists and 5 steals. The final game was a matchup between Oxford and El Modena. The first three quarters were dominated by Oxford as the Lady Patriots led 50-37. But the patriots got into foul trouble.In the 4thquarter, El Modena turned the game around and took a 64-60 lead with 10 seconds left in the game. Oxford miraculously managed to comeback and actually tied the score at 64-64. But that was short lived as El Modena was fouled with three seconds and was able to convert one of two free throws to seal a 65-64 victory for the Vanguards. “We are a young team and we showed in this tournament that Oxford can successfully compete against these larger schools.I am proud of the team’s progress so far and we will just continue to work hard andget better throughout the season,” Patriot Coach David Clifton said. Oxford Tournament Top Performers Over the four game tournament, Oxford averaged scoring over 59 points a game.Austyn Masuno was named the team’s MVP, while Sophia Chan earned honorable mention.Masuno averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals per game while Chan averaged 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.Additional scoring came from Forward Jocelyn Lopez (10) who also averaged 6 rebounds per game, Angie Gagnon (8), Mylee Madrazo (6), Nicea De Santos (6), and Ashleigh Perez (3). Oxford Academy is now 5-3 on the season and will be competing in the Liberty Christian Tournament this week.The tournament will be the Lady Patriots final tune up before entering Academy League play Jan. 4.

The Los Alamitos High girls basketball team made a solid run in the South Coast Tournament, reaching the championship game before falling short to Mater Dei for the title, 58-41, on Saturday at University High. Just getting to the title game is such a high-quality field of teams shows a lot of potential for a Griffin team that head coach Rich Alvarez admits is still trying to find an offensive rhythm. The Griffins reached the title game by holding opponents to no more than 37 points. “We’ve been focusing on defense first,” Alvarez said. While the defense was key, it was a big three-point shot that finally propelled them to the title game. With the score tied at 33-33, senior guard Brianna Flynn drained a three-pointer from the right angle that lifted the Griffins to a 36-33 victory over Woodbridge in the semifinals on Friday night. The Griffins led 26-23 at the end of the third, but the Warriors went on a 9-2 run to take a 32-28 lead a little more than two minutes left in the game. Miranda Ta’Amu was fouled while driving for a layup and made both free throws to pull the Griffins within 32-30. After a defensive stop, senior guard Dani Iwami hit a three pointer to tie the game at 33-33, with 1:08 left in the game. The Griffins again made a defensive stop to gain possession, which set up the game-winner by Flynn. Against Woodbridge, senior center Sarah Hermann led the offense with 10 points and Iwami had nine. Flynn finished with seven and sophomore guard jade Galloway added six. Iwami, Flynn and Hermann are returning starters and the Griffins have seven returners all together from a team that went 22-7 last year, won the Sunset League title and reached the CIF-SS quarterfinals. They have the potential and their sights set on defending their league title and making another strong run in the CIF-SS playoffs. In the South Coast quarterfinals, Iwami had 18 points to lead the way in a 41-37 win over Tesoro. In their opener, it was Hermann who led the way with 15 points in a 53-35 win over Trabuco Hills. Ta’Amu added 11. In the finals against Mater Dei, Flynn had 21 points, but the offense struggled in the second and third quarters, as Mater Dei took the title with a 58-41 win. The Griffins are back in action this week at the Ocean View High Hawk Holiday Classic. They opened on Tuesday (past our deadline) against Mira Costa and will face Trabuco Hills on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Los Alamitos boys soccer coach Donovan Martinez knows that the season is long and tough. But at least the Griffins got off to a good start with a 2-0 win over Warren High in their first game of the Aliso Cup Tournament, on Monday at Los Alamitos High. The Griffins had goals by senior Kevin Herring and freshman Louie Arellano in the first half and the defense kept Warren out of the net to hold on for the lead. Ryan Ayale had assists on both goals. Warren was a solid test for the Griffins to start the season. The Bears won 21 games last year and were the San Gabriel Valley League champions. They are a program that consistently fields solid teams that play a physical style of soccer. “We were able to match that physicality,” Martinez said. But the game could have easily been a different story. Both teams had opportunities that they failed to capitalize on and the Bears had some strong attacks that just missed the mark. Griffin goalie Alec Lazar made several big saves to help preserve the shutout. The Griffins certainly have potential, but with five freshmen on varsity, they are a young team and Martinez is expecting a long learning curve as the young players learn to play varsity level soccer. “We have a long way to go,” Martinez said. Martinez said there is plenty of talent on the team and they have a core of experienced players who should provide some stability to the younger players. Herring has a lot of speed and will give the Griffins a scoring threat against most defenses. Another senior, Julian Guerrero, will help shore up the midfield and defensive line. His presence on the back line against Warren was pivotal in holding off the Warren offense. Guerrero could also see a lot of time at midfield, where he can have more of an impact on both ends of the field. The Griffins finished third in the Sunset League last year, two wins behind Huntington Beach and Edison and just one win ahead of Fountain Valley. The Sunset League is traditionally a tough and balanced league and if the Griffins are to compete for a league title down the stretch, it will depend on how they develop through the first half of the season. For Martinez and his staff, that will require them to make sure the players are ready to play. “We just have to be physically and mentally prepared,” Martinez said. The Griffins will play at Santa Margarita High on Friday in another Aliso Cup game and again on Saturday against teams to be determined.

Oxford Academy had established itself as an elite academic institution, but the school is also making strides in athletics as well. This year the Oxford girls basketball team could be ready to make a jump to the next level in league play.
Last year the girl’s team finished 6-18 and in sixth place in the Academy League, but the Patriots have higher ambitions this year.
The Patriots have their sights set on challenging for a league title and the return of several key players and new coaches has the team optimistic about the upcoming season.
Head Coach David Clifton is the school’s long-time athletic director and softball coach. He is assisted by Chris Masuno and trainer Jake Nungaray.
The Patriots return several key players from last year’s squad, including All-Academy League sophomore Sophia Chan.
Other key returners include Ashleigh Perez, Celine Tran, Diana Inguito, Jocelyn Lopez, Nicia Desantos, Serena Ing, and Stephanie Cha, who will add depth to the team.
The team should also get a boost from incoming freshmen Austyn Masuno (6’1’ Center), Mylee Madrazo (5’3” Guard), and Angie Gagnon (5’4” Guard).  These newcomers were the nucleus of a squad that dominated the Anahiem Jr. High 8th grade league in 2015 to bring Oxford its first Jr. High championship ever.   “All three freshman players should have an impact immediately,” Clifton said.
The Academy League schedule for the Patriots will start on Jan 4, but there are opportunities to see the squad in action before league play begins.  Oxford Academy opens play on Nov. 30 vs. Orange High at 3 p.m. in the Oxford Academy Varsity Tournament which runs Monday thru Saturday, Nov. 30 through Dec. 5.  There will be 16 teams competing in the tournament including local schools Cypress, Pacifica, and Garden Grove.
There will be four games a day starting at 3 p.m.

Los Alamitos girls volleyball team fought back from a big deficit, but came up just short, in a CIF-SS Division 1AA playoff game on Thursday at Los Alamitos High.
The Griffins took the first set, but the third-seeded Mustangs rallied to win the match, 26-28, 25-17, 25-13, 27-25, to advance to the quarterfinals. Los Alamitos had entered the playoffs as the third place team out of the Sunset League and had defeated Moore League No. 1 team Lakewood in the first round on the road.
Against Mira Costa, the Griffins carried the momentum into the first set, but after taking that set, the Mustangs grabbed the advantage in set two. The pivotal third set also started with the Mustangs on a run that had them leading 7-0 before the Griffins could get their bearings.
But after losing the third set and again falling behind in the fourth, the Griffins refused to give in. They trailed 7-2 before beginning to chip away at the Mustang lead.
“They had every reason to quit and they kept fighting and fighting and kept chipping away,” Huber said.
When setter Julia Patterson made a block for a point, the Mustang lead was cut to 12-9. A Mira Costa misplay made it 12-10, but the Mustangs regrouped to extend their lead to 17-11. From there the Griffins mounted another rally Taylor Cochrane and Natalie Rojes had consecutive kills that cut the Mustang lead to 19-16.
Later, Mira Costa led 22-19, but the Griffins went on a 4-0 run to take the lead. A net violation on Mira Costa made it 22-20 and consecutive ace serves by Patterson tied the set at 22-22. The Griffins would take the lead, 23-22 on a Mustang hit that sailed long.
Mira Costa would get to set point, 24-23, but Cochrane answered with a kill down the line to tie it at 24-24. However, the Mustangs would eventually close out the match, after a Los Al kill attempt sailed long. Still, Huber had no complaints after his team’s effort.
“To get down like we did and to still have a chance, I’m really proud of the way they fought,” Huber said.
After taking third in the Sunset League, the Griffins (19-12) were able to defeat Moore League co-champion Lakewood, 25-20, 26-24, 22-25, 25-15, in the first round.
Patterson led the Griffin attack with 34 assists and  six ace serves. Cochrane led the team with 11 kills, sophomore Mackenzie Smith had eight kills and senior Sarah Tuioti-Mariner added seven kills. It had been an up and down season for the Griffins, but Huber was pleased with the way they dealt with the challenge.
“To have the showing that they did, especially emotionally, showed a lot about their character, not volleyball-wise but the type of kids that they are,” Huber said.

Despite a strong start, the Cypress boys water polo team could not hold down Ocean View, as the Centurions fell in a CIF-SS Division 6 playoff match, 10-7, last week at Ocean View High.
The Centurions scored the first goal and would end the first quarter trailing just 2-1, but Ocean View went on a 4-1 run in the second quarter and were able to keep the Centurions at bay down the stretch.
Six different players scored for Cypress, led by two goal by senior Ripken Saldana. Sooho Choi, Ben Navarro , Garrett Potter, Alberto Cortes and Nolen Verdun each scored a goal.
Early in the third, the Centurions would fall behind 7-3, but respond with a run of their own to cut into the Seahawk lead. Cortes would score his goal at the 3:30 mark of the third to cut the lead to 7-4.
After a Seahawk goal,  Saldana would answer with just four seconds left in the quarter to again trim the lead to just three goals, at 8-5. Opening the fourth, Saldana would get his second goal at the 5:45 to cut the lead to 8-6.
Twenty seconds later, Potter would add his goal to cut the lead to 8-7. The Centruion defense held the Seahawk offense scoreless for about five-and-a-half minutes until the Seahawks were able to find the back of the net with 3:31 left in the match to push the lead back to 9-7. The Ocean View defense then held off Cypress to secure the victory.
Cypress ended the season with a 17-7 overall record and took third in the Empire League with a 3-2 mark. It was a solid season for a team that was bringing up a lot of young players to the varsity level.
“This year’s team was a very coachable team, taking to instruction and advice very well,” Head Coach Darren Sandvig said.
The team was led by senior co-captains Choi and Verdun, but had several young players step into significant roles, including a few freshmen. One was freshman Potter, who moved into the vital two-meter position. His development in that spot could bode well for the next few years of Cypress water polo.
“They meshed well and had a great rapport with each other,” Sandvig said. “Altogether, it was a fun season of play.”

A rough first quarter proved to be too much for the Los Alamitos High boys water polo team to overcome, as they fell to Corona del Mar, 13-4, in a CIF-SS Division 1 playoff game on Nov. 11 at Corona del Mar High.
The Griffins were able to move the ball and pressure the Sea King defense, but could not convert and the Sea Kings had some counterattacks that help them build an 8-1 lead early in the second quarter.
The Griffins knew the Sea Kings had a defense that could press and keep offenses backed up. Head Coach Brent Danna said his team worked the ball well to set up opportunities, but couldn’t capitalize. Sea King goalie Matt Moran had nine saves and made some strong Griffin shots.
“The offense I thought was running well and it did what we wanted it to do, we just couldn’t put our shots away,” Danna said.
Both teams were scoreless in the third, as the Griffins got to within 9-3 at 5:03 of the fourth.
But that would be as close as they would get. Paul Carey had two goals for the Griffins, while Adam Lott and PJ Desoto each added one.
“I’m proud of the effort and intensity, we knew we had a tough game on our hands, we just had to execute and we didn’t execute,” Danna said.
The Griffins had entered the playoffs as the third place team in the Sunset League. Danna said he knows they have the talent to be a contender for a CIF title and the returning players will work hard in the offseason to come back strong next year.
“We’re going to train and work the next nine months so we can come back next August ready to compete in the Sunset League and make a run at CIF,” Danna said.

Despite a strong start, the Cypress boys water polo team could not hold down Ocean View, as the Centurions fell in a CIF-SS Division 6 playoff match, 10-7, last week at Ocean View High. The Centurions scored the first goal and would end the first quarter trailing just 2-1, but Ocean View went on a 4-1 run in the second quarter and were able to keep the Centurions at bay down the stretch. Six different players scored for Cypress, led by two goal by senior Ripken Saldana. Sooho Choi, Ben Navarro , Garrett Potter, Alberto Cortes and Nolen Verdun each scored a goal. Early in the third, the Centurions would fall behind 7-3, but respond with a run of their own to cut into the Seahawk lead. Cortes would score his goal at the 3:30 mark of the third to cut the lead to 7-4. After a Seahawk goal, Saldana would answer with just four seconds left in the quarter to again trim the lead to just three goals, at 8-5. Opening the fourth, Saldana would get his second goal at the 5:45 to cut the lead to 8-6. Twenty seconds later, Potter would add his goal to cut the lead to 8-7. The Centruion defense held the Seahawk offense scoreless for about five-and-a-half minutes until the Seahawks were able to find the back of the net with 3:31 left in the match to push the lead back to 9-7. The Ocean View defense then held off Cypress to secure the victory. Cypress ended the season with a17-7 overall record and took third in the Empire League with a 3-2 mark. It was a solid season for a team that was bringing up a lot of young players to the varsity level. “This year’s team was a very coachable team, taking to instruction and advice very well,” Head Coach Darren Sandvig said. The team was led by senior co-captains Choi and Verdun, but had several young players step into significant roles, including a few freshmen. One was freshman Potter, who moved into the vital two-meter position. His development in that spot could bode well for the next few years of Cypress water polo. “They meshed well and had a great rapport with each other,” Sandvig said.“Altogether, it was a fun season of play.”

Lacrosse is on fire as the hottest upcoming sport in Southern California, and Los Alamitos/South Bay Leverage Lacrosse has captured the crown jewel in “Box” lacrosse.  The Leverage Black Boys Middle School club team recently captured the box championship with a 14-10 win over the Dragons of Santa Monica. Leverage rallied after being down six goals to dominate the final moments of the game, scoring three goals in less than three minutes to capture the coveted title. Leverage Black finished their season undefeated.
Box lacrosse is played on indoor hockey rinks, and the exciting, high-speed game of play, which originated in Canada, is growing in popularity among players in Orange County.  Leverage Lacrosse is coached by Chris Jewett, head coach of Los Alamitos High School, and Jesse Cox, varsity defensive coordinator of Los Alamitos High School.
For those interested in learning more about playing lacrosse, Leverage is hosting free “Try Lacrosse” clinics.
Date: Sunday, Nov. 15
Location: Los Alamitos High School, Grass Fields. 3591 Cerritos Ave., in Los Alamitos.
Boys: 10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m., in grades 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. From 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m., grades 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th will be playing.
To register, please visit online at www.leveragelacrosse.com/try-lacrosse/