HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS : Louisville Press Takes Toll on Palos Verdes

Andrea Knapp scored a game-high 22 points and had 12 rebounds to lead Louisville to a 54-39 win over Palos Verdes in a Southern Section 3-A quarterfinal Saturday night at Miraleste High.

Louisville led, 14-9, at the end of the first quarter and maintained a modest lead throughout but was unable to put Palos Verdes away until the closing minutes.

Louisville (23-3) used a full-court press the entire game and limited Palos Verdes guard Susie O’Grady, the Bay League Player of the Year, to four points. Tina Kohler, who scored six points, and Nancy Robinson handled the task of guarding O’Grady.

Louisville’s press also prevented Palos Verdes, which had two 6-3 players on its front line, from setting up its half-court offense. Palos Verdes center Heather Burge had 15 points but her twin sister Heidi, a forward, was held to seven.

Lynn Flanigan, a senior guard, scored 17 points for Louisville.

Louisville advanced to a Tuesday semifinal game against Mission Viejo, a 58-55 winner over Fontana on Saturday.

WRESTLING

El Camino Real’s Karl Hasz won the 130-pound class in the City Section championships, but he did it the hard way.

Hasz suffered a mild concussion in his first match of the day when he landed on his head. He was taken to West Hills Hospital, where doctors told him to go home and rest and forget about wrestling for a while.

But Hasz defied doctors’ orders, returned to El Camino Real High and beat Canoga Park’s Edward Bevans, whom he lost to in the Valley League championships last Saturday. He then decisioned Franklin’s Russel Ruiz, 11-3, in the championship match.

“I had the attitude to go out and beat up the other person,” Hasz said. “That is the attitude you have to have.”

Senior Jonas Robledo of San Fernando nearly took an unwanted detour, too. Robledo was trailing his opponent, El Camino Real’s Jason Walker, in the 102-pound class when a frightening thought entered his mind.

“I thought, ‘How can I let my coach down and how can I let my teammates down?’ ” Robledo said.

With that in mind, Robledo came back and forced an overtime by scoring a near fall in the waning seconds. He then won a 5-2 decision in overtime to propel San Fernando to the City championship.

San Fernando narrowly defeated defending champion El Camino Real, 138-133.

Robledo said he felt indebted to his coach and team because they welcomed him back three weeks ago after he had quit in January.

“I was having problems with different pressures when I quit,” Robledo said. “It was really selfish of me.”

Other champions: Oscar Gonzalez (Poly), 98 pounds; David Yzaguirre (San Fernando), 105; George Montero (Franklin), 119; Morris Biggers (Canoga Park), 126; Alfred Orozco (Poly), 138; Dubwana Clark (San Fernando), 145; Mike Flores (Birmingham), 154; Mario Varella (San Fernando), 165; Tak Odana, (Canoga Park), 175; Paul Hasson (El Camino Real), 191; LaMonte Simmons (Canoga Park), heavyweight.