Prep teams tune-up for Bay League races
Jacquise Bates led Redondo to a 66-54 victory over rival Mira Costa to take seventh place in the Sea Hawk Classic tournament. Bates recorded a game-high 19 points for Redondo. Photo
After tournaments provided high school coaches a fair assessment of their teams, Mira Costa and Redondo will face non-league opponents this week in a final tune-up before races for a Bay League title begin next week.
In a rare pre-league meeting, the boys basketball teams from Mira Costa and Redondo faced each other in the 7th-place game of the Redondo Sea Hawk Classic.
Led by Jacquise Bates’ 19 points, Redondo held off its Bay League rival for a 66-54 victory in the 17th annual event. Brian Frew added 15 points and nine rebounds, Martyre Demarco had 15 points and six assists and Derek Diale scored 11 points including three 3-pointers. Mwelu Mataya turned in a strong performance on the boards with 11 rebounds for the Sea Hawks.
Mira Costa standouts Thomas Johnson and Elliott Ozer each scored 13 points and Cole Feister added 12 in the losing effort.
Bishop Montgomery won the Sea Hawk Classic with an 80-68 victory over Washington.
Both teams won their opening-round contests before dropping two straight. Host Redondo opened tournament play with a 63-52 win over Hawthorne behind Bates’ 26-point performance. Demarco added 15 points in the victory.
The Sea Hawks then fell to finalist Washington 53-46 despite Biale’s 19 points and Demarco’s 12. In a defensive battle, Chief Sealth (Seattle, WA) defeated Redondo 47-44 in the third round.
Mira Costa’s Elliott Ozer drives against defenders Brian Frew and Mwelu Mataya to score two of his 13 points against rival Redondo. Photo
Mira Costa opened with a 72-63 win over Servite. Ozer scored a team-high 26 points while Johnson recorded 20 points, 16 rebounds and five blocked shots.
The Mustangs continued to get strong performances from Ozer (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Johnson (18 points, 19 rebounds) along with Cooper Pugnale (13 points, six rebounds) but it wasn’t enough to defeat eventual champion Bishop Montgomery as the Mustangs fell to the Knights 70-64.
Mira Costa dropped its third game with a 65-59 loss to Cleveland. Ozer and Johnson each had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Feister added 16 points.
Mira Costa will square off again Friday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. when the Mustangs host the Sea Hawks in the first of two Bay League contests.
Redondo will play its final non-league game before entering league competition when Coach Tom Maier’s squad travels to face a talented North Torrance team Friday at 7: 30 p.m. The Sea Hawks begin Bay League play Tuesday at Peninsula in a 7:30 p.m. contest.
Led by 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard Reese Morgan, Peninsula is ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division 2A and is coming off two tournament championships. Morgan scored 32 points to help the Panthers captured the Palm Springs Tournament with a 51-49 win over the host team. Peninsula later won the San Pedro Pirate Shootout with a 72-53 win over South Torrance.
Mira Costa hosts Santa Monica Friday at 7:30 p.m. before playing at West Tuesday in the league opener for both teams. West is led by returners Rashad Cobb and Kieran O’Shaughnessy.
Palos Verdes is ranked 11th in the Division 4AA poll. The Sea Kings lost to Hazard, KY 70-49 in the Silver Bracket final of the Las Vegas Tournament.
Defending Bay League champion Leuzinger is in a rebuilding year with a new head coach and five first-year starters.
Girls Basketball
Mira Costa and Redondo enter their final week of non-league action after competing in the Beverly Hills Tournament during the winter break.
Mira Costa reached the 5th-place game only to fall to Canyon/Canyon Country 48-34. Four-year starting guard Kylie Nakamine had a team-high 12 points along with five rebounds and four steals to lead the Mustangs. All-tournament selection Joelle Herron added eight points and eight rebounds and Camille Mills contributed seven points and four rebounds.
Herron and Nakamine led the team throughout the tournament beginning with a 58-44 victory over Valencia when Herron recorded 20 points and 13 rebounds and Nakamine had 14 points.
The Mustangs advanced, defeating St. Bernard 52-42 behind the strong inside play of Herron (21 points, 15 rebounds) and quickness of Nakamine (21 points, nine steals).
After a 41-32 loss to Troy, Mira Costa rebounded to defeat Ventura 51-38 when Nakamine scored 16 points, Herron had nine points and 12 rebounds and Mills added seven points, nine rebounds and five steals.
Previously, Mira Costa reached the 5th-place game of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions where the Mustangs were edged by Chaminade 55-51.
Ranked No. 10 in the latest CIF Division 1AA poll, Redondo reached the 11th-place game in the Beverly Hills Tournament but fell to Norco 42-32. Michelle Lowery recorded seven points and seven rebounds and Shayna Stuart added seven points but all-tournament selection Rachel Scarlett was limited to four points in the loss.
Redondo began the tournament with a stellar defensive performance, defeating Marymount 53-8 behind Scarlett’s 12 points and Stuarts 10 points. The Sea Hawks fell to Troy 41-36 but came from 14 points down to defeat St. Bernard 68-63 in overtime. Scarlett and Annie Park each scored 13 points in the dramatic victory.
Redondo will face two formidable opponents before league play begins. The Sea Hawks play at Gahr (No. 13, Div. 3AA) Thursday at 7 p.m. before hosting Edison, the top-ranked team in Division 1A, Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Sea Hawks open Bay League competition Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Peninsula. The Panthers reached the Green Division final of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.
Mira Costa also concludes its pre-league schedule with a tough opponent, hosting Bishop Montgomery (No. 1, Div. 4AA) Thursday at 7 p.m. The Mustangs travel to West Tuesday for a 6 p.m. league opener before hosting rival Redondo Friday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.
West is ranked No. 10 in Division 3AA and Palos Verdes holds the No. 5 spot in Division 3A.
Boys Soccer
Mira Costa is ranked No. 9 in the CIF Division 1 poll and opens Bay League competition Tuesday at defending league champion West in a 3 p.m. contest.
With seven returning starters, Redondo aims to make a run for the league title. The Sea Hawks host three-time defending Pioneer League champion North Torrance Friday at 3 p.m. before travelling to Peninsula Tuesday for a 3 p.m. league opener for both teams.
Girls Soccer
Led by senior goalkeeper Dana Eisenhauer, Mira Costa begins its run for a Bay League title Tuesday when the Mustangs host West Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Redondo is a talent-laden team that will host Peninsula Tuesday at 3 p.m. Led by Samantha Witteman, the Sea Hawks will have a good idea of where they stand after facing the Panthers who are ranked No. 8 in Division 2.
Bay League favorite Palos Verdes is ranked No. 2 in the latest Division 2 poll.
Girls Water Polo
Mira Costa has a final tune-up with Santa Monica Friday before hosting West Monday at 3 p.m. The Mustangs then travel to rival Palos Verdes for a 3 p.m. showdown on Wednesday.
Redondo will compete in the Western Tournament Thursday-Saturday before beginning Bay League action at Peninsula Monday in a 3 p.m. contest. The Sea Hawks will host West Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Wrestling
Mira Costa and Redondo will compete in the Santa Fe Scuffle on Saturday before vying in their first league duals meets of the season.
Mira Costa will grapple with West while Redondo will host West. Both meets are slated for Thursday at 3 p.m. ER