Page 4 December 31, 2015 Year Brings in Variety of Accomplishments for Local Athletes By Joe Snyder As the year 2015 comes to a close at midnight tonight, local athletic teams will look back at their success along with some struggles as well. There were the big accomplishments and some of “What it could have been.” Some Lawndale High sports are an example. It starts with its experienced boys’ basketball team that had won the Ocean League championship the previous year but, this past season, had to settle to tie for second place with Santa Monica, behind champion Beverly Hills that won the CIFSouthern Section Division IIIAA crown. In early March in the CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA championship game against Canyon High from Anaheim at the Honda Center in Anaheim, the Cardinals appeared to be headed for their first CIF-Southern Section title in basketball and the second for any team sport; the other being by their football team in 1966. Lawndale appeared to be well on its way with a 28-point (64-36) midway in the third quarter and was still ahead by 22 (69-47) after three periods. Throughout the season, the Cardinals had some fourth quarter problems but this was something. The Comanches rallied to tie the game at 82 at regulation. The contest went into two overtimes before Canyon came out on top 103-98. Lawndale also advanced to the final of the Southern California Regional Division II final before losing to eventual CIF-State Division II champion La Mirada 49-40 at the Long Beach State Pyramid. Current University of Southern California freshman 6-foot-10 center Chimeze Metu was the big spark for Lawndale. Also in the winter, Lawndale shared the Ocean boys’ soccer title with El Segundo, then went on to stun Pioneer League champion and second seed West Torrance in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoffs. The Cardinals fell in the quarterfinals to La Mirada. Leuzinger captured the Pioneer League boys’ basketball title. The Olympians, who were in their final season with head coach Ali Parvez who stepped down after the 2014-15 season, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Morningside’s Arkel Lord gets past South Torrance defenders to shoot a basket during Saturday’s San Pedro Pirate Shootout game. Photo by Joe Snyder. Morningside High’s Charles Akanno attempts a basket in last Saturday’s San Pedro Pirate Shootout first round action against South Torrance. The Monarchs defeated the Spartans 78-59. Photo by Joe Snyder. Southern Section Division IIIAA playoffs. Inglewood finished second, behind Redondo, in the Bay League but owned a stunning 57-54 home win over the Sea Hawks, pinning them their first league loss in three seasons. The Sentinels lost in the second round of the Southern Section Division IAA playoffs to Eastvale Roosevelt. Lawndale boys enjoyed a good track and field season behind Bryant Perkinson who won the Ocean League triple jump champion and advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division III final. He leaped over 46 feet. The Lennox 11-13-year-old Little League Morningside High’s Charles Wright goes for a basket in Saturday’s San Pedro Pirate Shootout play against South Torrance. The Monarchs finished the tournament Wednesday and host Middle College High in non-league Monday. Photo by Joe Snyder. baseball team won the District 37 and Section 4, and Southern California titles only to fall short in the Western Regionals. The fall certainly brought good success but “What it would have been” for the Lawndale High football team. The Cardinals were 10-2 on the field but an ineligible player who had a falsified address on his paper work after transferring to Lawndale from Los Angeles Fairfax, caused Lawndale to forfeit four of its victories dropping the Cards to 6-6. The Cardinals, who would have won their Ocean League crown since 1975, ended up tied for second place with El Segundo and Hawthorne. After Lawndale’s 45-0 rout of the rival Cougars in their league finale, Lawndale made the playoffs and ended up routing host Ventura Buena 40-7 in the first round before running into top seed Calabasas at home on November 20. The injury ravaged Cardinals were unable to keep up with the Coyotes in a 33-7 loss. Calabasas would go on to roll over Bay League teams Redondo (41-17) in the semifinals and Palos Verdes (42-3) to win the Southern Section Western Division championship. The Coyotes fell to host Citrus Valley High in Perris in the Southern California Regional Bowl Game. Quarterback Chris Murray and Perkinson keyed Lawndale. Hawthorne had its best Ocean League showing since its 2004 title team with a 3-2 record but due to just 16 berths in the six-league Western Division, the Cougars, who were 3-7 overall, were left out of the playoffs. Leuzinger also had a third place finish in the Pioneer but its 4-6 overall record was not good enough. So far, Lawndale’s girls’ basketball team is doing well after capturing the Redondo Battle at the Beach Tournament Gold Division by edging Torrance 37-34 on December 5. The Lady Cardinals are seeking their first Ocean League crown. Leuzinger’s boys are under first year head coach Arturo Jones, who worked with former Olympian, now at Redondo, head mentor Reggie Morris, Jr. for the past 10 seasons at Leuzinger, St. Bernard and Redondo. The Olympians are currently 5-7 overall. Morningside Wins at San Pedro: Morningside High’s boys’ basketball team won the opening round of the San Pedro Pirate Shootout with a 78-59 victory over South Torrance last Saturday. Brandon Anyanwu led the Monarchs with a game-high 19 points, followed by Charles Wright with 17 and Charles Akanno with 10. Jordan Tang led the Spartans with 10 points. Morningside resumed play in the classic that ended Wednesday. The Monarchs host CIF-L.A. City Section school Middle College on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. •
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