Westchester Appeals to CIF on Sanctions

Attorneys representing Westchester and ineligible player Amir Johnson have filed appeals to the California Interscholastic Federation state office in a last-ditch attempt to overturn City Section sanctions against the school’s state-champion boys’ basketball team.

The sanctions include Westchester’s being banned from the playoffs this season.

A ruling by the state office is expected before the regular season ends Feb. 13, attorneys said. The City Section playoff pairings are to be determined the following day.

“We understand that the state CIF office will be able to turn this around quickly enough to provide us with meaningful relief should they rule in our favor,” said Lamar Baker, an attorney for the Santa Monica firm of Strumwasser and Woocher, which is representing Westchester.

Baker said he is working on the appeal pro bono. Michael Strumwasser, a partner in the law firm, is a Westchester graduate.

Charles McLurkin, an attorney representing Johnson, said he is “looking to have a decision from the CIF no later than Wednesday.”

A City Section rules committee banned Westchester from the playoffs for one year because an assistant coach allegedly recruited Johnson, a 6-foot-9 junior center, from Los Angeles Verbum Dei last summer.

Johnson was banned from practice and interscholastic play for one year for allegedly giving false testimony at a Dec. 16 hearing, and Westchester assistant coach Marlon Morton was barred from coaching at any City Section school for one year.

Johnson and Morton have denied the allegations, which are largely based on eyewitness testimony from two Verbum Dei administrators.

The sanctions were upheld by a City Section appeals panel after a hearing Jan. 16.

Westchester (20-2), the two-time defending state Division I champion, is ranked No. 1 in the Southland by The Times.

Rob Fernas

*

Glendora won its first 24 games this season, but a loss tonight to visiting Diamond Bar (14-9, 5-2) could drop the Tartans into second place in the Sierra League.

Glendora (24-1, 6-1) lost to Chino Hills Ayala, 54-52, on Wednesday night, falling into a first-place tie with the Bulldogs (18-6, 6-1).

The Tartans, ranked No. 18 in the Southland by The Times, defeated Ayala by 26 points on Jan. 14 but were playing their first league game Wednesday without Justin Sapp, an all-league junior guard who was ruled academically ineligible last week. Sapp was averaging 16.5 points, second-best on the team.

Downey (19-5, 6-1) can move into a first-place tie in the San Gabriel Valley League if it upsets No. 4 Compton Dominguez (19-5, 7-0) tonight, but the Vikings will be without 6-foot-6 senior center Murshon Moore, who broke his left leg in a 72-55 victory over Paramount on Wednesday.

Dan Arritt

*

Boys’ Soccer

Huntington Beach Edison, ranked No. 3 in the Southland by The Times, could post a perfect 10-0 record in Sunset League play with victories over visiting Anaheim Esperanza today and fifth-ranked Fountain Valley on Wednesday.

The Chargers (19-1, 8-0) clinched their first Sunset League title since 1990 with a 4-1 victory over Huntington Beach Marina on Wednesday.

Esperanza (19-3-2, 5-2-1) lost to Edison, 1-0, in the first round of league play. But the No. 5 Aztecs are 3-0-1 since then and have outscored their opponents by a 12-2 margin during that stretch.

Anaheim Servite goalkeeper Mike Lefonts will sit out the rest of the regular season because of a hand injury, but Friar Coach Mike Lussier is hopeful he can return to the lineup during the Southern Section playoffs that begin Feb. 18.

Lefonts, a senior who posted a school-record 16 shutouts last season, sustained a broken bone in the index finger of his right hand during a Serra League game against Santa Ana Mater Dei on Jan. 28.

John Ortega

*

Girls’ Soccer

Woodland Hills Louisville (11-6-5, 6-1-1) picked up an important 1-0 road victory at North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake (11-5, 6-1) on Jan. 17. Three weeks later, the Wolverines are out for revenge -- and control of the Mission League -- as the top two teams battle today at 5 p.m. at Crespi.

Reigning league champion Harvard-Westlake has given up only one goal in league play this season, coming in the final five minutes in its loss to Louisville. The Royals were upset, 1-0, by Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Wednesday. Harvard-Westlake probably will be without its leading scorer, Jamie Artsis, because of a knee injury suffered in a collision with the Notre Dame goalkeeper.

Arroyo Grande (21-0, 10-0) is off to its best start ever, dominating the Pac-5 league and shaping up as one of the favorites in the Division III playoffs. The Eagles, who have outscored their opposition, 74-1, this season, visit Atascadero today at 4 p.m.

-- Elia Powers