NEWS FLASH : Jason Collins Undergoes Second Surgery on Knee

Former Harvard-Westlake High center Jason Collins, a freshman at Stanford, underwent his second knee surgery last week to remove a cyst and smooth out cartilage in his right knee.

Collins will be sidelined six to eight weeks. He is redshirting this season after undergoing surgery in December.

FOOTBALL

Players charged: Two Pierce College football players were charged with first-degree robbery during an arraignment Wednesday at Van Nuys Municipal Court.

Leonardo Hayward, 18, and Lonnel Black, 19, both former football players at Taft High, were arrested last Friday in Canoga Park along with three other teenagers in connection with a home invasion robbery. Hayward and Black are being held at West Valley Jail, according to Det. Bob Johansen. Bail was set last week at $50,000 each.

Pierce football Coach Bill Norton said Thursday the players would be suspended from the team pending further investigation.

SOCCER

Awaiting word: The Birmingham High boys’ soccer team will not hear until this morning from the City Section regarding an appeal of the Braves’ 2-1 playoff loss Wednesday to Roosevelt.

Birmingham protested the outcome because Roosevelt’s head coach was ejected by referees with the score tied, 1-1.

Birmingham Coach Jose Freire said referees told him the match would be halted according to section rules and the Braves would receive a forfeit victory. Freire said after the Braves left the field, officials changed the ruling to a yellow card and asked them to return. Birmingham played the rest of the match under protest and lost in sudden-death overtime.

HONORS

On hold: The announcement of winners of the CIF Arco AM/PM high school Scholar Athlete of the Year awards were postponed from Thursday to March 2, the CIF announced.