Player Recovering From Tumble

The 0-0 score recorded in the boys’ soccer game between Chaminade and Placentia El Dorado highs on Dec. 8 was deceiving. The game lasted only 20 minutes.

After Chaminade midfielder Chad Muir was treated for a serious injury, the game was called because of darkness.

Muir, the Eagles’ captain, leaped to win a ball in the air when an El Dorado player hit him from behind, knocking his legs out from under him.

Muir landed on his neck and within minutes was attended to by paramedics.

Muir was taken to Placentia Linda Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a severe back and neck sprain. He was released the same night.

“I thought it was over. I thought I was paralyzed,” Muir said. “I was scared. I thought I would never walk again. I got a concussion against Crespi last year and this hurt far worse.”

Muir expects to return when the Eagles (3-0-1) compete in the Marina tournament in Huntington Beach in two weeks.

“I’m just happy to be walking,” he said. “I can’t wait to get back and play.”

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Westlake midfielder Lauren Baer has proved she’s an acrobat by doing flip throw-ins. But against Canyon, Baer showed she can act, too.

Setting up to take a direct kick from 30 yards, Baer approached the ball as if she were going to take a shot on goal. But just before her foot hit the ball, she fell to the ground as if she were injured.

With Baer serving as a decoy, midfielder Katie McCurdy ran up and drilled a shot that sailed directly to goalkeeper Lyndsay Taylor, who wasn’t fooled.

“It’s just a reflection of Baer’s personality. She’s a funny kid,” Westlake Coach Frank Marino said. “I was surprised. I didn’t know it was coming.”

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Instead of resting, the El Camino Real boys’ team went climbing and snorkeling before playing in a tournament final in Hawaii.

The Conquistadores, ranked No. 1 in the region by The Times, went in the morning on an hour-long hike to the top of 760-foot Diamond Head Crater in Honolulu.

Then they went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay for three hours. Players Jason Burbidge and Ede Ibekwe scurried out of the water after apparently seeing a shark in an area swimming is forbidden.

“I’ve never seen Ede and Jason run so fast,” said teammate Zach Feldman, who didn’t see the shark. “I think it was their fault. They were swimming way past where they were suppose to.”

The Conquistadores (9-0) didn’t appear tired in the final, defeating Mililani, 2-0, and finishing the Iolani tournament with a 4-0 record.

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In Friday’s game between the Valencia and Lancaster girls’ teams, the unthinkable happened.

No fouls were called.

“I walked up to the [referee] and congratulated him on not calling a single foul,” said Valencia Coach Tony Scalercio. “I think he forgot his whistle at home because he didn’t use it all game. I’ve seen over 1,000 games and I’ve never seen a game where a referee didn’t call one foul.”

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Success hasn’t gone unnoticed at Granada Hills, where the girls’ team is 6-1 and has outscored opponents, 18-4. Much of the credit can be attributed to underclassmen.

The Highlanders start seven freshmen and sophomores, including talented freshmen Jessie Steinberg, Katie Deever and goalkeeper Hypatia Runcie.

Granada Hills opened with a victory over San Pedro, last season’s City Section runner-up, and won the consolation bracket of the El Segundo tournament with a victory over Cerritos Valley Christian.

Their only loss came on an own goal against Notre Dame Academy, 1-0.

“We get along and we all know we have to work hard,” Deever said. “The team’s chemistry is really good.”