Santa Margarita Upsets Mater Dei

Santa Margarita ended a nine-game losing streak against Santa Ana Mater Dei on Tuesday night, defeating the Monarchs, 56-53, in a Serra League boys’ basketball game at Santa Margarita.

The Eagles, ranked No. 15 in the Southland by The Times, forced No. 3 Mater Dei to miss eight of 10 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter while they rallied from a five-point deficit. Santa Margarita (22-2, 4-1) can earn at least a share of the league title with a victory over Anaheim Servite on Thursday.

Tyler Smith provided the offense down the stretch for Santa Margarita, scoring 12 of his game-high 21 points in the final quarter. His driving reverse layup with 1 minute 7 seconds remaining gave the Eagles a 55-53 lead.

Mater Dei point guard Mike Gerrity then committed one of the Monarchs’ 13 turnovers, spinning into the lane against a wall of defenders and losing the ball with 35 seconds left.

Santa Margarita had a chance to secure the victory at the line, but missed three of four free throws in the final 23 seconds.

Mater Dei (20-4, 4-1) couldn’t take advantage, however, missing two three-point attempts on its final two possessions.

The victory was Santa Margarita’s first over Mater Dei since the championship game of the Orange tournament in 1998.

“It was our turn tonight,” Coach Jerry DeBusk said.

Mater Dei, which made only three of 16 three-point attempts in a 16-point loss to the nation’s top-ranked team, Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy on Friday in Trenton, N.J., made only two of 16 against Santa Margarita and missed 34 of 49 shots overall.

Dan Arritt

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The City Section’s Rules Committee rejected a hardship appeal from Sylmar, which has to forfeit six Valley Mission League boys’ basketball victories because senior guard Joe Dickson was left off the school eligibility form.

Sylmar officials are expected to appeal the decision to an appeals panel on Friday.

Eric Sondheimer

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A Stanford volleyball recruit may not be able to play for the Cardinal after he was left partially paralyzed when fans stormed the court to celebrate his basketball team’s victory.

Joe Kay, who also plays basketball for Tucson (Ariz.) High, was trampled when about 200 people charged onto the court to celebrate a victory over the defending regional champion Friday night.

Kay, 18, suffered a stroke. Doctors believe his neck was twisted in a manner that tore his left carotid artery, leaving him speechless, with his right side paralyzed.

“We’re not completely sure he knows the extent of what might be in front of him,” said his mother, Suzanne Rabe, a law professor at the University of Arizona.

Kay remained in serious condition Tuesday at University Medical Center, where he has been hospitalized since the game.

Stanford officials have assured Kay’s parents that his admission will remain open for a few years and his scholarship honored regardless of his ability to play.

Kay can answer questions, speak in short sentences and is responsive, but much of his speech remains garbled and unintelligible, his parents said.

Doctors are uncertain about Kay’s prognosis.

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Boys’ Soccer

Long Beach Cabrillo will be without Coach Pat Noyes when it plays at Long Beach Poly at 3 p.m. today in a game that could clinch the school’s first Moore League title in any sport.

Noyes will be serving the second game of a two-game suspension after being issued his second red card of the season in a contest at Long Beach Millikan on Jan. 30.

A coach or player who receives a red card is automatically suspended for the following game, but Southern Section rules require a two-game suspension for a second red-card violation.

Jorge Polanco, the junior varsity coach, will replace Noyes today.

Cabrillo (20-3-1, 8-2 in league), the No. 9-ranked team in the Southland by The Times, would clinch its first league title with a victory in today’s game.

But a win by Poly (13-4-2, 7-2-1) would give the Jackrabbits a one-point lead in the standings with one game remaining in league play.

Poly defeated Cabrillo, 1-0, in the first round of league play.

John Ortega

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Wrestling

Palmdale Highland will have a new opponent to contend with at the Southern Section Division VI dual-meet championships beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at Covina Charter Oak.

The Bulldogs, Golden League champions and defending division champions, will face a challenge from Encino Crespi, which went undefeated in league to win its second consecutive Mission league title.

The Celts, in only their fourth year of wrestling, have no seniors on their roster.

They are led by Luis Munoz (112 pounds), Martin Ciccolini (130), Sean Ellis (140), Joshua Morgan (189), Sione Fua (heavyweight) and Lamar Reed (135).

Each won at the league dual meet on Saturday, and Reed was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Rafer Weigel

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Track and Field

Coaches Don Norford of Long Beach Poly, Terry Kennedy of Long Beach Wilson and Charles Leathers of Riverside North will be among the featured speakers at a two-day speed clinic at USC on Saturday and Sunday.

Although Norford, Kennedy and Leathers are known for their expertise in training sprinters and hurdlers, the clinic is designed to help improve the speed of athletes in all sports.

Information: (310) 578-0092.

-- John Ortega