Long Beach Poly Draws Near Title
Long Beach Poly put itself in position to win its second Moore League boys’ soccer title -- and first since 1999 -- with a 2-1 victory over visiting Long Beach Cabrillo on Wednesday.
Matthew Kromminga headed in a pass from Alex Tocco with six minutes left to cap the Jackrabbits’ victory. They had tied the score, 1-1, in the 63rd minute when Elder Aguilera headed in a pass from Tocco.
Poly (14-4-2, 8-2-1 in league) can clinch the title with a victory in its regular-season finale at Lakewood on Friday.
Cabrillo (20-4-1, 8-3), which could have clinched its first league title in any sport with a victory, took a 1-0 lead five minutes into the second half when Freddy Tapia got past two defenders and tapped a right-footed shot past onrushing goalkeeper Nate Smith.
Tapia was issued a red card late in the game after he tackled Poly’s Tomer Knoweiki from behind. As a result, he will have to sit out Cabrillo’s game against Compton today.
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Newhall Hart can finish with a perfect Foothill League record with a victory today at Valencia, but the Indians’ shutout streak ended at eight with a 2-1 victory over Saugus on Tuesday.
Hart (17-5-2, 9-0), behind junior goalkeeper Jose Esquivel, had shut out its previous eight opponents in league play, but Saugus (12-7-2, 5-3-1) scored five minutes into the game at College of the Canyons.
Coach Robert Ciccone said his team had fun with the scoreless streak but added that the defensive players felt some pressure.
“They scored right away,” Ciccone said of Saugus. “So I said to the guys, ‘OK, it’s over. Now the pressure’s off. Let’s keep having fun.’ ”
-- John Ortega
Boys’ Basketball
It’s a reversal of roles for South Coast League foes Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley, ranked No. 12 in the Southland by The Times, and No. 17 Lake Forest El Toro in the final week of the regular season.
Capistrano Valley (23-2, 8-1) began the week needing only one victory to clinch the league title outright. The Cougars did not get it Tuesday night, losing, 57-49, to No. 18 Mission Viejo (21-4, 7-2). Another loss tonight to visiting El Toro (20-5, 7-2) could create a three-way tie atop the league for the second year in a row.
Last year, El Toro needed only one win in its final two games to claim the league title outright but lost to Mission Viejo and Capistrano Valley. The Chargers managed only a first-round playoff victory before losing to Los Alamitos.
“It’s exactly like last year,” Capistrano Valley Coach Brian Mulligan said. “Unfortunately, by losing those last two games, El Toro set itself up for a bad playoff run. That’s what we need to be most aware of.”
El Toro will be without guard Darryl Best for tonight’s game. The three-year varsity starter was ruled academically ineligible this week.
Other key Southland games tonight:
* No. 22 Calabasas (22-3, 10-0) plays Thousand Oaks (19-6, 9-1) at Simi Valley High for the Marmonte League championship.
* Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach Marina and Anaheim Esperanza each are 7-2 in the Sunset League. Los Alamitos plays at Marina, and Esperanza plays host to Fountain Valley (0-9 in league).
* Fontana (16-6, 7-2) can earn a share of the Citrus Belt League title if it defeats host Fontana Miller (20-4, 8-1).
When Santa Ana Mater Dei lost, 56-53, to Santa Margarita in a Serra League game Tuesday night, it marked the Monarchs’ first league loss since 1998 and only their seventh in 22 years, Coach Gary McKnight said.
The Monarchs (20-4, 4-1) must defeat Bellflower St. John Bosco (16-11, 1-4) tonight at Concordia University in Irvine or risk ending their streak of 15 consecutive league titles.
McKnight said 7-1 freshman Alex Jacobson would be eligible to play tonight. He transferred to Mater Dei after playing 22 games for St. John Bosco. He averaged 4.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots for the Braves.
-- Dan Arritt
Girls’ Basketball
Valencia’s Kelley Tarver no doubt will be motivated tonight as the Vikings (20-4, 8-1 in league) try to gain a share of the Foothill League title by defeating visiting Hart (23-1, 9-0), ranked No. 7 in the Southland by The Times. The Indians have clinched a share of their third consecutive league title.
When they played last, Tarver had 21 points but made only five of 14 free throws, and with five seconds remaining watched Hart’s Ashlee Trebilcock make a basket from five feet for a 64-62 victory. Trebilcock scored 34 points, a career high.
Brea Olinda (20-5, 9-0), ranked No. 5, has clinched a share of its 23rd consecutive league title but is looking to run its state-record consecutive league victory total to 183 at home tonight against Century League rival Placentia El Dorado (23-2, 8-1), ranked No. 24.
In their last meeting, Brea won by its closest margin during the streak, 49-46.
Other key Southland games tonight:
* In the Ivy League, No. 10 Riverside North (23-3, 9-0), paced by Amanda DeCoud and Danielle Harbor, plays at No. 12 Moreno Valley Canyon Springs (20-4, 8-1). Brandi Jones-Fitzgerald and Jennifer Risper lead the Cougars.
* Redlands East Valley (17-9, 8-1), which is coming off a school-record scoring performance in its 82-45 victory over Fontana, plays at Rialto Eisenhower (19-7, 8-1). Eisenhower is the two-time defending Citrus Belt League champion.
-- Martin Henderson