Valley Athletes Contribute to L.A.’s Five Gold Medals

Five Los Angeles teams loaded with Valley athletes won gold medals at the Maccabi Youth Games in Detroit last weekend.

The boys’ soccer team defeated Mexico, 1-0, in the gold-medal match, with Ben Taub from Agoura High scoring the winning goal. Itzik Rappaport of Calabasas scored nine goals in the tournament. Goalie Zach Slobin of Taft had shutouts in all seven games.

The girls’ soccer team defeated Mid Island (N.Y.), 2-1, in a shootout to win the gold. Shannon DeVos of Chatsworth scored 10 goals.

The L.A. baseball team, made up of 13- and 14-year-olds, took the gold with a 10-4 victory over Baltimore.

Steve Moss of Sherman Oaks hit five home runs in the tournament and finished with a .625 batting average (10 for 16). Jason Brown of Hart and Jesse Michel of Calabasas each hit four home runs. The team hit 22 home runs in six games.

The 15-16 baseball team also won the gold medal behind Grant High pitcher Michael Marble, who went 2-0 and hit two home runs.

The softball team took the gold medal, beating Long Beach, 2-1, in the final.

Eden Mann of Agoura won two gold medals in girls’ track, winning the 100 and 200 meters in the 15-16 age group.