Page 4 April 18, 2013 Joe’s Sports How the Mighty Has Fallen Hawthorne Routs By Adam Serrao injury like this would keep him from playingis the quintessential competitor and only anA broken wrist, a sprained ankle, hip and Culver City, Morningside finger, right knee surgery, a torn ligament for Bryant, now it will.So, how bad is it? Well, Bryant’s injuryanother 48 minutes tomorrow. Unfortunatelyelbow bursitis, right shoulder surgery, anothersprained ankle, a back injury, an injured index in his shooting wrist and a torn ligament in was described as a “complete rupture” by By Joe Snyder his pinky are all injuries that Kobe Bryant Vitti. “It’s gone,” Vitti said. “So, it has to be Hawthorne High’s softball team is off to a has had to deal with throughout his 17-year sewn back together.” Bryant crumbled to the good start in the Ocean League after rolling NBA career. Certainly no injury has been as floor with just over three minutes remaining over Culver City and Morningside last week crucial or as debilitating as the one that the in the game in which he had previously at home. On April 9, the Cougars downed five-time champ and 15-time All-Star suffered played every single second. His 32 points, the Centaurs 9-3. Last Thursday, Hawthorne last Friday night in the fourth quarter against including back-to-back three-pointers to crushed the Monarchs 16-1. the Golden State Warriors, however. Though tie the game, were what saved the Lakers’ Against Morningside, the Cougars (2-0 in the Lakers won the game and kept hope alive night and quite possibly their entire season. league) spotted the Monarchs a run in the in this year’s playoff chase, they were forced “I was just hoping it wasn’t what I knew top of the first inning and then dominated the to continue on their run for a championship it was,” Bryant said. “I’ve never really had remainder of the game starting with seven without their best player for the first time in to deal with something like this. It’s a new runs in the bottom of the inning. Hawthorne what has been his long and illustrious career. experience for me.” When asked what his added back-to-back four-run innings in the With news dropping that Kobe will now be next steps were going to be, Bryant simply bottom of the second and third and added one out six to nine months following surgery to stated, “MRI, surgery and then recovery.” in the fourth in a game that ended after five repair his torn Achilles tendon in his left leg, The MRI and surgery are both out of the innings due to the 10-run-plus mercy rule. there is now some question as to whether or way, but now Kobe will have to recover The Cougars had a balanced offensive not Kobe will ever be able to return to the while doing something that he is truly not attack, led by Alexis Delich and Carrie Staples Center floor at all. used to doing--watching from the sidelines. Ludman who each went three for three and Kobe Bryant is one of the most polarizing Now that Kobe has become a glorified coach drove in three runs. Delich also scored two athletes of all time. Whether you love on the bench until he is fully recovered, an runs and Ludman added one. Redondo batter during last Friday’s Bay League baseball game. him or hate him, there is no doubting his opportunity has opened for Howard to getLeuzinger High pitcher Shawn Ansari lets ball go toward a Espie Villafan was three for four, drove in Photo by Joe Snyder. unquestionable threshold for pain and his the 30, 40 or even 50 touches a game that two runs and scored twice. Fine Prescott, also undying attitude to help his team win, whatever he has been looking for should he stay in a standout on the Cougars’ girls’ basketball and will host the Normans in their fourth the cost may be. The cost, this time, is his L.A past the end of this season. If the Lakers team that placed second in the Ocean League Ocean League game today at 3:15 p.m. season and quite possibly his career. “I made made the playoffs (and if Kobe doesn’t return and made the CIF-Southern Section Division Morningside will travel to Santa Monica for a move that I’ve made a million times, and for the start of next season), Steve Nash will IIIAA playoffs, was two for two with two another 3:15 p.m. league game next Tuesday. it just popped,” Bryant somberly said of his become the primary ball-handler and will look RBIs and two runs scored. Miranda Aguilar The Sentinels (0-1 in Ocean play) hosted now torn Achilles. “I can’t walk. I tried to more like that guy that we saw scrambling also went two for two with two RBI’s and Santa Monica last Tuesday and will visit the maybe put pressure on my heel, but there was around with the rock in his Phoenix days. one run. Ludman pitched three innings and Vikings today at 3:15 p.m. Inglewood is at nothing there.” It was a devastating blow to Statistically, the team is better on defense struck out all nine batters. Ludman and home against Culver City next Tuesday at both Kobe and a Laker squad that has been without Kobe in the game. Furthermore, Villafan, who pitched two innings, combined the same time. dealing with injuries all season long. Perhaps Laker fans everywhere can now almost rest for a two-hitter. REDONDO OVERWHELMS Lakers’ longtime trainer Gary Vitti put it best assured that Kobe’s plans to retire after next Against Culver City, the Cougars led 6-3 LEUZINGER in what seemed to be his monologue: “If you season will certainly crumble and his career before breaking the game open with three Having problems in the rugged Bay League look at our season, it’s been a nightmare. will now be extended an additional year or runs in the bottom of the sixth. Senior Delich for several years and being shorthanded We had a player come in with a surgery, two. In the meantime, however, the Lakers was three for three, drove in two runs and due to a rash of academic ineligibilities is which was Dwight Howard. Then we had should now become Dwight Howard’s team- scored three. Freshman Alysha Casillas was already proving too much for Leuzinger Steve Nash break his leg. Then we had Steve -something that the center was looking for two for three with one RBI and Miranda High’s baseball team as it began the Bay Blake have an abdominal surgery. Then we before he hesitantly agreed to come to Los Aguilar drove in two runs. Junior Ellis Marin League with two games against Redondo had Jordan Hill with a hip surgery. Then we Angeles in the first place. It can be his own went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three earned last week. At Leuzinger on April 10, the had Metta with a knee surgery. We also had team where he can shine and show how good runs and five hits, while striking out two Olympians were humiliated by the Sea Dwight with a torn labrum in his shoulder. of a player he actually is. An injury to a key batters and walking one. Hawks 18-1. At Redondo last Friday night, Antawn Jamison will have surgery after the player of the team is never good, let alone LAWNDALE FALLS TO WEST it was a complete nightmare for Leuzinger season is over on his wrist. So when you try if it’s Kobe Bryant. Kobe’s injury, however, Lawndale High’s softball team played in a 34-0 thrashing. Both were five-inning to look at the whys, it’s bad luck.” It was a might just be the driving force that helps a non-league game at West Torrance and mercy rule games. nightmare filled with nothing but bad luck keep Dwight Howard in Los Angeles as a fell 11-2 last Saturday. The Cardinals visit The Olympians had one run in their first indeed, and as of this writing, the Lakers Laker for many years to come. Torrance at Wilson Park Friday at 3:30 p.m. game when Cesar Carpio scored after Jose had to try to put it together with Kobe doing In the blink of an eye, everything changed COUGARS GET SWEPT Campos was hit by a pitch with the bases nothing more but coaching from the sideline. for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles BY SANTA MONICA loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning. When you try to answer the question Lakers. The Lakers will, of course, go on Hawthorne High’s baseball team started Last Friday, Redondo scored 11 runs apiece that Vitti was asked, however, there quickly as an organization and hopefully remain a the Ocean League at 0-2 after losses to Santa in the first two innings and continued to becomes a number of possible answers. Why? successful one at that, but Kobe may never Monica last week. At Hawthorne on April pour it on from there. Why did Kobe Bryant sustain this injury so be the same. As Bryant said himself though, 9, the Cougars fell to the Vikings 4-1. Last Currently, Leuzinger has only 10 players late in the season and at such a crucial time “One day, the beginning of a new career Thursday, Hawthorne lost at Santa Monica on its roster, just one above the minimum for the Lakers? Well, after 54,051 minutes, journey will commence. Today is NOT that 5-1. Keying the Cougars at Hawthorne was starting nine. Things won’t get any easier over 1,200 games and 17 years in the National day.” There is no quit inside of number 24. Javier Martinez, who had a hit and drove as the Olympians have two games this week Basketball Association, Kobe’s body has LeBron James may have said it best: “If in a run. against Mira Costa, who many observers worn down. While on the verge of missing there’s anybody and I mean anybody who The Cougars mustered just two hits in feel will be this year’s Bay League favorite. the playoffs, Bryant was forcing himself to can come back from that injury, it would be their loss at Santa Monica on Thursday. After visiting the Mustangs on Wednesday, play 48 minutes per game, every game, in him.” Father Time eventually catches up to Andrew Banuelos drove in a run with a hit Leuzinger hosts Mira Costa Friday at 3:15 order to try to push his team over the top everybody, but he hasn’t met Kobe Bryant and Johnny Marquez had the other hit for p.m. The Olympians then are at home and into the postseason. Some people want just yet. While the injury is severe and could Hawthorne. With the losses, Hawthorne fell against Palos Verdes next Wednesday at to blame the coach for playing Kobe too keep Bryant away from the court for almost to 11-6-1 overall. the same time. many minutes, but truth is that when it came a year, he will be back. The last thing that The Cougars continue the rigid start SENTS COMPETE IN down to it, Kobe wouldn’t have let Mike Kobe Bean Bryant would ever do is let an of league with a two-game series against P.V. INVITATIONAL D’Antoni take him out of the game. Kobe injury end his career. • Culver City this week. After visiting the Inglewood High’s boys’ and girls’ track Centaurs on Tuesday, Hawthorne will host and field teams had a few good showings Culver today at 3:15 p.m. The Cougars will in last Saturday’s First Annual Palos Verdes visit Beverly Hills at La Cienega Park next Invitational at P.V. High. In the girls’ “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost Tuesday at the same time. 200-meter dash, Jamilah Grate finished in MORNINGSIDE DOWNS second place with a time of 24.68 seconds, almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the INGLEWOOD just .04 of a second shy of winner Kirstin game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and an 8-2 Ocean League win at cross-town rival For the boys, Eddie Reyes had a third over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”Hamlin of Redondo (24.64).Morningside High’s baseball team scored Inglewood last Thursday. The Monarchs (1-0 place finish in the 200 at 23.21 and fourth ~ Michael Jordan in league) visited Beverly Hills on Tuesday in the 100, clocking 11.71. •
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