Title Games Could Move to Carson Site

The Southern Section is negotiating with the Home Depot Center to move some or all of its major football championships to the new sports facility in Carson.

Assistant Commissioner Rob Wigod said he hopes to make a decision within two weeks. The other option is to remain at Edison Field, where the section has held at least one championship playoff game in all but four years since 1985.

“There are lots of factors to consider,” Wigod said. “We want to make the best choice for everybody. We want to try to give as many teams and programs as possible a chance to play in a nice venue.”

Wigod said it’s unlikely the section would split championships between the two facilities. The package would most likely include Division I and II semifinals, in addition to championship contests.

“I wouldn’t just move one game there,” he said.

Paul McLeod

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Hesperia Sultana’s chances of winning a mythical national title in girls’ cross-country most likely ended when the Sultans placed third in the Division II race of the Stanford Invitational on Saturday.

Sultana was the No. 4-ranked team in the nation entering the meet, but its finish behind unranked Pleasant Hill College Park and No. 20 Reno could drop the Sultans from the top 25 for the first time this season.

Not that Sultana Coach John Mahr is upset about that possibility.

“There was a fair amount of pressure,” Mahr said about the high ranking. “We didn’t necessarily mind it, but perhaps this [loss] will put us back down to a place where we can really concentrate on what we need to do. And that’s win another state title.”

Sultana won the state Division II title last year with a performance that crushed the previous team-time course record at Woodward Park in Fresno and vaulted the Sultans to third in the final national rankings.

-- John Ortega