Childress, Bozeman Get Final Prep Victory

Josh Childress of Lakewood Mayfair High and Cedric Bozeman of Santa Ana Mater Dei capped their high school basketball careers Wednesday night by participating in the McDonald’s All-American game at Cameron Indoor Stadium at Durham, N.C.

Childress, a 6-foot-6 forward who will attend Stanford, made three of six shots, two of three free throws and finished with eight points as the West team defeated the East, 131-125. Bozeman, a 6-6 guard who will attend UCLA, also scored eight points, on four-of-nine shooting, for the West.

Compton Dominguez center Tyson Chandler was selected for the game but did not participate. Chandler, expected to bypass college and make himself eligible for the NBA draft, is recovering from a severely sprained ankle suffered in the regional semifinal of the state tournament.

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Bozeman, Chandler, Errick Craven of Torrance Bishop Montgomery, Isaiah Fox of Santa Monica Crossroads, Tim Drisdom of Santa Ana Calvary Chapel and Kenton Paulino of Fremont will be honored April 6 at the annual John Wooden Award dinner at the Biltmore Hotel.

The players, recognized for outstanding play, will receive their awards before dinner. The winner of the Wooden Award, presented annually to the top college basketball player, will be announced in a ceremony later in the evening.

Details: (213) 630-5255.

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All-Southern Section teams, selected by the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Assn., were announced Tuesday for the 10 boys’ and girls’ divisions.

Center Kirk Snyder and guard Sheldon Pace, who led Upland to its first title, were selected I-AAA co-players of the year. Other boys’ players of the year: Division I-AA--Kyle Bechler, Glendora; I-A--Cedric Bozeman, Mater Dei, and Jamaal Williams, Corona Centennial; II-AA--Tyson Chandler, Dominguez; II-A--Josh Childress, Mayfair, and Dijon Thompson, Redondo Union; III--Errick and Derrick Craven, Bishop Montgomery; IV-AA--Andrew Moore and Kingsley Anyanwu, Encino Crespi; IV-A--Isaiah Fox, Crossroads; V-AA--Tim Drisdom, Downey Calvary Chapel, and Keilon Fortune, Malibu Kilpatrick; V-A--Chris Alexander, Price.

Girls’ players of the year are: I-AAA--Sade Gatewood, Lynwood; I-AA--Rachel Woodward, Murrieta Valley; I-A--Veronica Johns-Richardson, Troy and Courtney Young, Ventura Buena; II-AA--Jackie Lord, Brea Olinda, and Orchid Ryan, North Torrance; II-A--Lauren Ervin, Lakewood Artesia; III--Noelle Quinn, Bishop Montgomery; IV-AA--Karena Bonds, Morro Bay; IV-A--Alexis Kendricks, Playa del Rey St. Bernard; V-AA--Eshaya Murphy, Montclair Prep; V-A--Amber Cunningham, Pilgrim.

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Locke shortstop Harold Holbert is one of 16 baseball players from City Section schools who will leave today for Puerto Rico to take part in the RBI (Returning Baseball to Innercities) Caribbean Series with teams from Miami and Puerto Rico.

The series, which ends Sunday, is being held in conjunction with the major league opener between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers in Puerto Rico.

Last summer, Los Angeles won the RBI World Series at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Los Angeles team’s air fare is being paid for by Dodger pitcher Kevin Brown.

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Maytal Shvartz, who led Woodland Hills El Camino Real to its first City Section girls’ soccer title, was named City player of the year.

Other All-City selections: Elena Alvarenga of Hamilton; Kelly Baird (San Pedro); Andrea Hill (Westchester); Tricia Arosemena and Lindsey Redlin (Chatsworth); Kori McLaughlin and Mimi Shvartz (El Camino Real); Jessie Steinberg and Hypatia Runice (Granada Hills); Krystal Bernal (Kennedy); and Angela Veliz (Reseda Cleveland).

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Manhattan Beach Mira Costa defended its title in the United High School Hockey League with a 7-6 victory over Thousand Oaks last Saturday at Staples Center.

Junior Kyle Fukumoto scored the game-winning goal on a power play with 1:30 to play.

Robert Earl scored three goals and had two assists for Mira Costa, which finished with a 15-0-1 record.

Thousand Oaks finished 14-1-1.

Twenty-nine schools participated in the second-year league, co-sponsored by the Kings and United Airlines.