Hail the Champions! : Four Area High Schools Win CIF Titles

DOUBLE CELEBRATION AT VALLEY CHRISTIAN

Girls Rebound for 1A Basketball Crown

NOTE--Valley Christian High School girls basketball coach Eleanor Dykstra has taken the Lady Crusaders into post season action five times in the past 10 yars. Valley Christian’s last Southern Section title came in 1982. Courtside experts insist that the title won last week with a 37-25 victory at the Long Beach Arena over San Dimas will not be the last for the school. The Lady Crusaders are expected to be the top-ranked team in pre-season balloting next year because all five starters return. Only one senior graduates from a playoff roster of 15 girls.

16-Year Soccer Drought Ends

NOTE--Now in his 19th season as soccer coach at Valley Christian High School, Fred Wind last won a CIF soccer title in 1969. The school has made 14 trips since into post season action.

LAKEWOOD BOYS TAKE 3A SOCCER CROWN

NOTE--The Lakewood High School boys soccer team went into its final regular season match of the year against Wilson High School with an unbeaten 34-0 record in Moore League play. But the Bruins nipped the Lancers, 1-0, and suddenly No. 4 Lakewood was thrust into the Southern Section playoffs as a league runner-up. Looking back, Lancer Coach Mike Flynn credits the Wilson loss in creating the incentive for his team to regroup and win the Southern Section 3A title.

AS EXPECTED, COMPTON GIRLS GO 26-0

NOTE--What’s left for the preseason favorite to do other than go out and win it all? That’s the problem that presented itself to the Lady Babes of Compton High School and their coach, Carolyn Montgomery. And that’s exactly what the school did. Ranked seventh nationally, Compton never let down and was rarely threatened all season.