It’s Time to Separate the Pretenders From the Contenders : L.A. Games: Several South Bay teams still have a chance of winning a championship when competition resumes Saturday.

Surprises and some expected performances punctuated the opening rounds of the 24th L.A. Watts Summer Games, but this weekend will reveal more about the upstarts and contenders among South Bay entries.

The Games resume Saturday with quarterfinal, semifinal and final play. Most championships will be contested Sunday afternoon.

The surprising winners included the North Torrance High football team and the Bishop Montgomery girls’ basketball squad. Living up to expectations were the Westchester and Carson boys’ basketball teams and the Peninsula and Morningside girls’ squads. Other favorites that advanced include the Carson football team and the Peninsula girls’ soccer squad.

The fourth-seeded Morningside boys’ basketball team, last season’s Southern Section III-A Division runner-up, was eliminated last weekend.

Last season, the North football team finished 2-8 under first-year Coach Joe Austin, who took over the Saxons after coaching South Torrance for 17 years. It was a frustrating campaign for the veteran coach.

But with junior quarterback Frank Ramirez, who passed for 1,350 yards on the junior varsity team last year, and receivers Dean Halverson, Shannon Bray and Jason Jassman leading the way, the Saxons won four games in last weekend’s opening rounds. Other standouts, Austin said, are running backs Jose Gomez, Chi Lam and Jason Neal and offensive tackles Mike Thomas (6-3, 246) and Harout Barsoumian.

Last weekend, North defeated Kennedy, Centennial, San Marino and Culver City. But the Saxons have to play L.A. City 4-A champion Carson at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at El Camino. Beverly Hills takes on Canyon of Canyon Country in the other semifinal, with the championship game following at 1 p.m.

“The kids are hustling real well, catching the ball real well and everybody is doing their part and contributing,” Austin said. “On defense, it’s the same.”

Austin said by Saturday afternoon he’ll know more about his club.

“I love the chance to see how we’ll do against a City champion,” he said. “I think that if we keep working hard, good things will happen for us.”

Top-seeded Westchester had a first-round bye, then cruised to two easy basketball victories Sunday. The Comets will get a better indication where they stand Saturday when they meet Verbum Dei at 9 a.m. in El Camino’s south gym. Carson, which lost to Westchester in last season’s City 4-A semifinals, faces St. Monica at 10 a.m. at El Camino.

Westchester’s 6-foot-8 center, LeRoi O’Brien, has graduated, but four other starters and a handful of experienced reserves return for the 1990-91 City champs.

Foremost is All-City point guard James Gray, who, at 6-3, is quick, versatile and athletic. Lorenzo Ball, Lavalle Ball and 6-9 Marty Cotwright are trying to fill O’Brien’s spot. Walter Walker and Jason Sanders have played well in spurts this summer.

But Westchester Coach Ed Azzam was not overly impressed with last weekend’s victories over Yucaipa and Anaheim Western. He doesn’t put much stock in summer competition.

“We have three main goals,” he said. “We want to play hard, we want to play together as a team and we want to have some fun.”

Peninsula, a newly formed school incorporating students from Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills and Miraleste, lived up to its top seeding in girls’ basketball with victories over Arroyo, Artesia and Channel Islands. Last season, Coach Wendell Yoshida guided Palos Verdes to Southern Section and state titles, and the team has all five starters returning.

Saturday at Locke High, Peninsula plays Gahr at 9 a.m., with Morningside, which handed Palos Verdes one of its two 1990-91 losses, taking on Long Beach Poly in another quarterfinal at 10. The championship game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday at El Camino.

On their way to a loss in the State Division I final, the Lady Monarchs captured a fourth consecutive Southern Section title last season. All-America candidate Janet Davis, a 6-4 center, and forward Tina Thompson lead Morningside, the Games’ fourth-seeded team.

“Janet is one of the nation’s best players and Tina is a rising star,” said Morningside Coach Ron Randle, who is starting his second season. “But we’re still trying to pull it all together and find the right combination.”

Randle expects 5-10 Tamika Kirby to step forward and is looking for contributions from Kamisha Pruett, Asa Edwards, Patrice Burnett and LaRhonda Sims.

“We’ll probably play an upbeat style with a lot of running and defensive pressure,” he said. “In that regard, it’s no different from past Morningside teams. But I also expect there will be a lot of learning going on.”

In another quarterfinal game, Bishop Montgomery plays Chino at noon at Locke.

In girls’ soccer Saturday, Peninsula takes on Chaminade at 9 a.m. at El Camino, with Bishop Montgomery playing Burroughs at 10:30. The final will be played Sunday at 3 p.m.

THIS WEEKEND’S SCHEDULE

South Bay Participants

Boys’ basketball--Saturday at El Camino College, south gym: Westchester vs. Verbum Dei, 9 a.m.; Carson vs. St. Monica, 10 a.m. Quarterfinals at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Sunday at El Camino College north gym: semifinals at 11 a.m. and noon. Championship at 3 p.m.

Girls’ basketball--Saturday at Locke High: Palos Verdes vs. Gahr, 9 a.m.; Morningside vs. Long Beach Poly, 10 a.m.

Sunday at El Camino College, north gym: semifinals at 9 and 10 a.m. Championship at 1:30 p.m.

Football--Saturday at El Camino College: semifinals: Beverly Hills vs. Canyon of Canyon Country, 9 a.m.; Carson vs. North Torrance, 10:15 p.m. Championship at 1 p.m.

Baseball--Saturday at Redondo High: Westchester vs. Chatsworth, noon. Semifinal at 3 p.m.

Sunday at El Camino College: Championship at noon.

Girls’ soccer--Saturday at El Camino College: Chaminade vs. Peninsula, 9 a.m.; Burroughs vs. Bishop Montgomery, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday: semifinals at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Championship at 3 p.m.

Softball--Saturday at El Camino College): quarterfinals: Hemet vs. Mary Star, 9 a.m.; San Pedro vs. West Torrance, 11 a.m.; Pasadena Poly vs. Torrance, 1 p.m.; Peninsula vs. Hoover, 3 p.m.

Sunday: semifinals at 9 and 11 a.m. Championship at 1:30 p.m.