Page 5 February 9, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD Championship Saturday Crowns Hockey Champs Story and Photos by Gregg McMullin Championship Saturday crowned the El Segundo In-Line Hockey Association champions in the Mite, Squirt and Pee-Wee Divisions. The champions in each division received individual trophies while the runners-up took home medals. This year, the winning team’s name will be engraved on the El Segundo Cup--a replica of the Stanley Cup. In the Mite Division, the Red Rockets and Fantastic Beasts met in one of the day’s most exciting games. The Fantastic Beasts advanced to the championship game with the help of Brayden Vanick and Carlin Craver who each scored goals in their team’s 2-1 win over the Werewolves. The Red Rockets advanced by defeating the Ghostbusters 7-5 in a game that was much in doubt until the final minute. The championship game was a contest that would be knotted 3-3 in regulation and went into a sudden death overtime period. The Fantastic Beasts’ Brayden Vanek’s goal nine minutes into the extra period gave his team the 4-3 championship win. This game had lots of energy on both ends of the rink in each half. In front of a standing-room-only crowd, the Red Rockets and Fantastic Beasts traded goals early on. Jayden Lyles gave the Fantastic Beasts a 2-1 lead, and with 1:50 remaining in the first half Gavin Vanek extended the lead to 3-1. Each team had plenty of opportunities to score, but the goalies were stellar. Lucas Bryant of the Red Rockets turned back nine shots on goal and Sam Morales of the Fantastic Beasts made eight saves just in the first half. Great defensive work by Hawk Sanders and Jordan Lyles helped the Fantastic Beasts stop the scoring threats. The Red Rockets had their own defensive stalwart players including Hayden Song, Alexandria Taylor and Ayden Loiacano. Early in the second half the Red Rockets’ Mickey Lambert and Blake Romo each had shots on goal that were wide or stopped. But with 12:30 remaining in regulation, Ayden Loiacano scooted one into the back of the net to pull the Red Rockets closer at 3-2. That goal ignited an intensity in each team. With the Red Rockets trailing by one, they continued their assault on their opponent’s Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at Davis & DeRosa Physical Therapy, Inc. THE PRACTICE SPECIALIZES IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR: Chronic Neck and Back Pain Pre and Post Surgical Rehabilitation Sports Injuries Work Injuries Neurological Disorders Foot and Ankle Disorders (including orthotics) Osteoporosis and other Age Related Disorders Balance and Vestibular Disorders Injury Prevention Troy Davis Owner, PT, DPT • Chris DeRosa Owner, PT, OCS Leo Valenzuela, PT, DPT • Lianne Nakazaki, PT, DPT • Garret Wong, PT, DPT Rachael D’Angelo, PT, DPT • Tami Chang, PT 325 Main Street El Segundo, CA 90245 310.648.3167 www.davisandderosa.com La La Land Adds Some Magic By Adam Serrao It’s hard to believe that subtracting Kobe Bryant from a professional basketball team would make that team better. Though they haven’t improved much, the Los Angeles Lakers amassed as many wins from the beginning of the season through the month of January as they had throughout their entire campaign last year. Subtracting a basketball star isn’t always the answer. After a 49-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks over three weeks ago--The franchise’s worst loss in history—the part owner and President of the Lakers Jeanie Buss knew that something had to be done. That’s when she turned to Magic. No, not David Copperfield or Criss Angel. Buss turned to former Laker great Magic Johnson to dish out another assist, and in doing so signaled that huge changes are on the horizon for a basketball club that is and has been in obvious dire need. It was announced last Thursday that Hall of Fame point guard and Laker legend Johnson will return to the organization that drafted him and gave him his start to assist team executive Jeanie Buss in “all areas of basketball” as an advisor. The Lakers can use all of the advising that they can get, but the addition of Johnson to the front office is particularly interesting for a variety of reasons. Not only is Magic a familiar face that young players in the league will most certainly look up to, but his re-addition to the franchise more than likely means that some serious spring cleaning will be taking place this year once Punxsutawney Phil’s [Jackson] shadow finally goes away. Needless to say, both Buss and Johnson are excited for the ex-NBA great to return to the league. “We are thrilled and honored to add Magic’s expertise and abilities, and I look forward to working alongside him,” Buss said in a statement announcing the five-time NBA champion and three-time NBA MVP’s return. Jeanie might be the only person in the Lakers’ front office looking forward to working with Magic, though. Whatever General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Buss have been doing lately has clearly not been working. Not only had the team lost 21 of their past 28 games dating back to last week after starting the season out at 10-10, but the Lakers have been one of the absolute worst teams in the entire league for close to five years. Jeanie has made it clear that she refuses to take being the laughingstock of the league and ruining a name that her father, Jerry Buss, worked so tirelessly to etch into NBA lore. In 2014, Jim Buss publicly said that he would step down from his post if the team wasn’t a Sports Shorts El Segundo Pop Warner Jr. Pee Wee 2017 JAMZ National Champions! The El Segundo Pop Warner Jr. Pee Wee Squad was in Las Vegas last month and came back with a major win. This was the first season for the Jr. Pee Wee squad and for some of these girls their first time cheering. Abby Cabrera, Charli Pages, Dallas Silva, Hailey Perez, Kadyn Pennix, Liya Hart, Mariah Delgado, Mia Wiacek and Tori Ray: Congratulations on your hard work and dedication! Photo Provided by Kristi Zeman. • The Pony Team’s Alex Kehl takes a pass and races for the net. Follow Us on Twitter @heraldpub See Hockey Champs, page 15 See La La Land, page 6
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