Lady Sea Hawks host Battle at the Beach
Redondo hosts the Battle at the Beach tournament this week after defeating Long Beach Jordan 42-37 in a consolation game of the Inglewood City of Champions tournament. Michelle Lowery scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Shayna Stuart added eight points, six rebounds and three blocks for the Sea Hawks, who opened Pool 1 play of its tournament with games against Santa Fe and Serra.
Center Joelle Herron led Mira Costa to the Gold Bracket championship of the Inglewood City of Champions Tournament. File photo
Redondo (4-2) jumped out to a good start, defeating Santa Fe 52-39 Monday with a balanced attack. Stuart and Annie Park each had 11 points and Inara Nyingifa scored nine points for the Sea Hawks.
Competing in Pool 2 are Beverly Hills, Bishop Montgomery and Vista Del Lago. Pool 3 consists of Inglewood, Millikan and West. Santa Monica, South and Peninsula make up Pool 4.
The first place team from each pool advances to the Gold Bracket, runners-up compete in the Silver Bracket and third-place finishers go to the Bronze Bracket.
Championship games are scheduled for Saturday with the Bronze Bracket at 1:30 p.m. followed by the Silver at 4:30 p.m. and the Gold at 7:30 p.m.
Mira Costa (4-0) defeated Peninsula 55-48 Thursday in the Gold Bracket championship game of the Inglewood City of Champions Tournament. Joelle Herron led the way, scoring 19 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter.
Kylie Nakamine added 16 points and Ashley Reese had 11 for the Mustangs.
Mira Costa beat South 48-33 in the semifinals behind Herron’s 28 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. Nakamine had eight points, seven steals and four assists.
The Mustangs compete in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions beginning Monday, Dec. 20.
Boys Basketball
In the Mira Costa Pacific Shores Tournament, the host Mustangs fell to Brentwood 77-72 in a consolation game. Elliott Ozer scored 35 points and was named to the all-tournament team, but it wasn’t enough for Mira Costa (2-2) who was helped by nine points each by Cole Feaster and Thomas Johnson.
After defeating Banning 73-47 to open the tournament and it season, Mira Costa fell to Culver City 82-62 in pool play. Elliott Ozer had 25 points and seven rebounds while Thomas Johnson added 11 points and 10 rebounds. Cooper Pugnale had eight points, Max Watson and Cole Feaster added seven apiece.
The Mustangs then beat Torrance 58-49 behind the strong inside play from the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Johnson at the forward position. Johnson tallied 17 points, gathered 16 rebounds and blocked five shots. Ozer added 12 points and nine rebounds.
Culver City captured the tournament title with a thrilling 62-61 overtime victory over Narbonne.
Mira Costa will play at Palm Desert at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in a non-league contest before beginning action in the Palos Verdes Hilltop Classic tournament Tuesday with a game against Newport Harbor.
The Mustangs continue pool play against South on Thursday, Dec. 16 and Gardena the following day.
Redondo (2-2) rebounded from losses in its first two games to even its record. Competing in the Redondo Pacific Shores Tournament, the Sea Hawks opened their season with a 60-47 loss to Mayfair followed by a 72-56 defeat at the hands of Gardena.
Jacquise Bates helped get Redondo on track, scoring 20 points in a 63-47 victory over Lynwood. Chris Fernandez added 11 points and Mwelu Mataya scored 10 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Sea Hawks.
Redondo advanced to knock off Dominguez 70-66 in overtime, taking 13th place in the highly competitive tournament. Once again, bates was the team’s high scorer with 24 points. Martyre Demarco tallied 23 points, including four 3-pointers, and Fernandez recorded 14 points for the Sea Hawks.
Long Beach Poly was crowned tournament champion after defeating Compton 63-47 in the title game.
Redondo is slated to play in the Las Vegas Classic beginning Monday, Dec. 20 prior to hosting the Sea Hawk Classic tournament on Monday, Dec. 27.
Girls Cross Country
Despite battling a wet track, 40-degree weather and gusty winds, Mira Costa improved on its 17th finish in 2009, placing 14th at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, OR. With 326 points, the Mustangs were only one behind CIF Division I state champion Great Oak.
After capturing all three Bay League meets, the CIF Division II Southern Section and State Championships, senior Savannah Pio finished 65th with a time of 20 minutes, 11.8 seconds just behind teammate Kelli Sugimoto, who placed 62nd at 20:11.3. Sugimoto improved last year’s finish when she placed 84th as a sophomore.
Other Mira Costa runners to finish in the field of 199 were Aryn Foland (119th, 20:53), Shannon Hagedorn (137th, 21:07) and Vivien Cherrette (141st, 21:11.8).
Bay League rival Rebecca Mehra, of Palos Verdes, placed 49th with a time of 19:58.1.
Girls Tennis
Mira Costa sophomore Maegan Manasse lost her first match of the season, a 7-6 (4), 6-2 defeat to top-seeded Mayo Hibi of Woodbridge. Hibi is ranked as the second-top freshman in the country.
The loss ended Manasse’s winning streak at 68 matches. ER
Jaycee Baldus scores Redondo’s first goal in its new pool but it wasn’t enough for the Sea Hawks who fell to Chadwick 11-4 in the venue’s inaugural contest. Photo