No Holiday on a Busy Sports Scene

High school students are looking forward to winter break, but there will be no break in the winter sports schedule.

The next two weeks offer some of the best tournaments of the year in wrestling, boys’ and girls’ basketball, girls’ water polo and boys’ and girls’ soccer.

Here is a look at some of the events worth seeing between shopping trips, holiday parties and visits with family and friends.

WRESTLING

WEST COAST CLASSIC

Friday and Saturday at Rosemead High: It’s difficult to say who will be more fatigued when this 36-team tournament ends--the wrestlers or the nine officials.

The 15th annual tournament features the double-elimination format used at the state championships, so each of the officials will work about 100 matches during an event that concludes with championship matches starting about 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Thirty wrestlers who placed at the state championships last year are among the competitors.

Montebello Schurr is the defending champion.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

BEST IN THE WEST TOURNAMENT

Dec. 27-30 at Long Beach State: In the past, basketball junkies would be advised to get in their cars or on a plane and head to Las Vegas for the Reebok Holiday Classic or to San Diego for the Nike Invitational Championships.

But this year, Las Vegas has not drawn the nationally prominent programs it has in the past. And while San Diego still has its attractions, it would be wise to stay local and catch as many games as possible at this 32-team tournament.

Host Lakewood Artesia is in one bracket with Clovis West, Torrance Bishop Montgomery and Long Beach Jordan, among others.

The other bracket features Compton Dominguez, Long Beach Poly, Upland, Fontana, Compton Centennial and Chino Hills Ayala.

Last year, most anticipated a Dominguez-Artesia matchup in the final, but Marlon Parmer and Verbum Dei spoiled those plans by beating Artesia in the semifinals.

If Dominguez and Artesia reach the final this year, it might be moved from the West gym to the Pyramid.

PACIFIC OPEN

Dec. 20-23 at Washington High: It lacks the profile of the Best of the West and tournaments at suburban high schools, but the cozy eight-team event offers City Section fans a nice glimpse at several teams that could contend for league championships.

Defending City champion Manual Arts leads a field that also includes Washington, Jordan, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Hollywood, Gardena and, from the Southern Section, Hawthorne.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

SANTA BARBARA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Friday-Tuesday at UC Santa Barbara: Thirteen of USA Today’s preseason top 16 teams in the nation, including No. 1 Harbor City Narbonne and No. 12 Ventura Buena, are in the National Championship division of a tournament that keeps growing larger and more competitive each year.

This was the tournament that last year vaulted Chino Don Lugo’s Diana Taurasi to national prominence when she won four consecutive games with last-second shots.

Sixty-four teams are competing for titles in four divisions.

AYALA TOURNAMENT

Dec. 27-31 at Chino Hills Ayala High: Powerful Ayala hosts a tournament that might not have the national scope of Santa Barbara, but includes many of the best teams in the Southland, including Ayala, Lynwood, Don Lugo and Narbonne.

GIRLS’ WATER POLO

REDLANDS WINTER CLASSIC

Today-Saturday at University of Redlands: Tournament organizers had to turn away 18 teams interested in participating in the fourth annual 12-team tournament, so the event might be expanded to a 32-team competition next year.

Redlands, Riverside J.W. North and Riverside Arlington are some of the top teams in this year’s field.

The championship game will be played Saturday at 1:50 p.m.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

EXCALIBUR TOURNAMENT

Dec. 27-29 at Santa Ana Foothill High: College coaches will flock to see defending Southern Section champions Alta Loma, Irvine Woodbridge, Newhall Hart, Santa Margarita and Chaminade and others in the 32-team bracket.

Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley is the defending champion.

BOYS’ SOCCER

MARINA TOURNAMENT

Dec. 27-29 at Huntington Beach Marina High: This is also a 32-team tournament that annually draws college coaches to see some of the strongest teams in the Southern Section.

Anaheim Esperanza defeated South Torrance in last year’s final.

Times staff writer Melanie Neff contributed to this story.