CITY SECTION: WEST VALLEY PACKED WITH TALENT.Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer A look at the City Section teams: WEST VALLEY The West Valley is clearly the top City Section league in the area, boasting three teams - Cleveland, Chatsworth and Taft - with sufficient talent to win the championship, plus up-and-comers Granada Hills and Birmingham. Cleveland lost standout shooting guard The Shooting guard (SG), also known as the two or off guard,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. Kent Dennis to the University of West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. , but the Cavaliers compensate with a deep, talented club featuring impressive newcomer Anthony Davis Anthony Davis can refer to:
Davis, a defensive stopper, is quick enough the stay with guards on the perimeter, and strong enough to defend in the paint. ``He's a real diamond,'' Cleveland coach James Morris There have been several people named James Morris:
The Cavaliers also have improving forward Larry Knox (6-3), shooter deluxe Quenton Harvey, four players in the 6-5 range and a bench that extends nine or 10 deep. Chatsworth has a top player in forward Ronald Ruffin, plus Thaddis Bosley, a transfer from Taft. Granada Hills has three returning starters in point guard Ryan Hicks, forward Walter Burch, and power forward Midwin Francis. Jorge Price (6-6, 240) and Gene Nubla are up from the junior varsity team For the American rock band, see . In sports, usually at the high school and college levels, members of a team who are not the main players in a competition (such as a football or basketball game) are called junior varsity players. . ``I think we're going to be competitive,'' Highlanders coach Lou Cicciari said. ``We're kind of a no-name type of team. Last year was a rebuilding season, but I knew we were gearing up to this season.'' Taft may surprise, despite the loss of Bosley - now at Chatsworth - and Cecil Brown, who left for Canoga Park. ``We're pretty optimistic. I like our team and our attitude,'' coach Mark Drucker said. He should be, considering he he has one of the best freshmen in the area in electrifying e·lec·tri·fy tr.v. e·lec·tri·fied, e·lec·tri·fy·ing, e·lec·tri·fies 1. To produce electric charge on or in (a conductor). 2. a. guard Steve Smith, a 6-3 leaper who needs only to refine his skills to make an immediate impact. The Toreadors backcourt is solid with Ronald Gray and Derrick McCoy. Crespi transfer Gregg Guenther Gregg Guenther, Jr. (born January 29, 1982 in Calabasas, CA) is a National Football League tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals. College career Guenther played basketball and football at the University of Southern California. , a 6-8 forward, adds size and great hands. Birmingham returns all but one key player, and it welcomes back Mshak Ghazarain, a starting guard last year until he hurt his ankle. Ghazarain, who didn't play in a league game, will provide scoring and leadership. ``When he went down, that really hurt us,'' said Patriot coach Al Bennett, who also adds 6-6 forward Haig Tatian, a Lebanese junior national team member. El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
SUNSET SIX If the West Valley is the best league, then Canoga Park is the best team, no matter how much coach Ralph Tuner tries to downplay what he's got. The Hunters, who should easily win the Sunset Six League, have intriguing newcomer Leon Usher, a speedy 5-8 sophomore point guard from Belize. Usher provides outstanding ball-handling, a skill Canoga Park hasn't had in a few years. ``We're going back to the way we used to play, a lot of pressing and running,'' Turner said. ``We want to get the ball and get up the court. We can do that now that we have ball-handlers.'' The trick will be getting everybody to play together, a potential problem considering all the talent on hand. The Hunters brought in outstanding guard Cecil Brown, a transfer from Taft, and return forward Jamie Harris Jamie Harris is a Welsh professional footballer currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Dunfermline Athletic. Jamie began his football career at hometown club Swansea City in 1996. , a potential star. There is speed and depth with Dante Witherspoon, Jon Townsend, Mike Henderson, Tony Moore and Sterling Stegall. The Hunters won't waste time finding out about themselves, opening with perennial City power Fremont at home, then facing national power Fresno Washington Union the following day in a tournament in Fresno. The next day, the Hunters face either Fremont again or Crossroads, another power. ``Hopefully we can get it rolling, even if we don't win up in Fresno, it's a place where we can come together,'' Turner said. ``But sometimes I sit on the side and look at our schedule and say: `What did I do?' '' There is no clear-cut second-place team behind Canoga Park, although North Hollywood was impressive over the summer. The Huskies will be small but athletic. The top returning scorers are Dominic Johnson Dominic Johnson (born October 31 1975) is an active Saint Lucian athlete competing in the pole vault. He is a former decathlete. His personal best result is 5.70 metres, achieved in 2000. This is the current Saint Lucian record. (10 points per game) and Eric Roller (8 ppg, 8 rebounds). Poly, the defending City Division champions, must overcome a lack of size and the departure of Steve Smith, James Smith, James, American political leader Smith, James, c.1719–1806, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Ireland. He settled in Pennsylvania in his youth and practiced law at York. Word and coach Jay Werner. ``We'll make up for our size in different ways,'' new coach Brad Katz said. He means with speed, most notably Mike Mgdesyan, John Parks, Sef Vargas and Julius Roberts. Grant lost electrifying guard Gilbert Arenas, a freshman starter at the University of Arizona (body, education) University of Arizona - The University was founded in 1885 as a Land Grant institution with a three-fold mission of teaching, research and public service. . He's impossible to replace, but the Lancers lanc·er n. 1. A cavalryman armed with a lance. 2. A member of a regiment originally armed with lances. 3. lancers (used with a sing. verb) a. A kind of quadrille. b. are bigger then they've been in the past, and point guard Ryan Logan has made dramatic improvements. VALLEY MISSION LEAGUE Sylmar is young but loaded with talent. The Spartans are a year away from potential greatness, but they have enough to win the Valley Mission League right now. Their best player is John Valdez, a reserve guard a year ago who steps into a more prominent role. Valdez is a deadly shooter who will benefit from playing quarterback on the football team. ``I expect him to have a great season, but more importantly, he expects the same thing for himself,'' Sylmar coach Bort Escoto said. Valdez is surrounded by talent. Ernest Williams is a 6-3 swingman swing·man n. Basketball A team member who can play effectively in two different positions, especially forward and guard. who can defend, handle the ball and shoot. Junior George O'Garro, a 6-6 forward, had a terrific year on the junior varsity team and should be an impact player the next two years. Escoto is extremely high on newcomer Jeff Morse, a 6-5 forward who didn't play basketball last year. Morse reminds Escoto of former Simi Valley standout Rafael Berumen. Kennedy is inexperienced - returning only G/F G/F Girl Friend G/F Ground Ball/Fly Ball Ratio (baseball; used for batters and pitchers) Dax Grooms and G Max Chacon. ``We can be competitive if the team learns to play together,'' coach Kevin Kanemura said. Monroe isn't very big, but the Vikings are disciplined and play good defense. Robert Palofax, a first team All-League selection, returns at point guard. San Fernando has the biggest player in the area in 7-2 Marcos Luna, but he isn't expected to play much. The scoring load falls to Jose Montes mon·tes n. Plural of mons. (19 points, eight rebounds) and Maike Hernandez (17 points, five assists). Van Nuys is rebuilding. Lloyd Taylor, a senior small forward, is expected to do well for first-year coach Noel Williams. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Transfer Cecil Brown, right, gives Canoga Park a talented backcourt with fellow guard Leon Usher. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion