DAY IN SPORTS: ST. FRANCIS BOYS WIN TOURNEY.

Byline: Daily News

St. Francis High of La Canada's boys' soccer team wasn't the best team representing the Mission League, let alone California, when it arrived in Tampa, Fla., for the Admiral Invitational.

After five consecutive victories, all against ranked teams from Florida, the Golden Knights left the Ed Radice Sports Complex as one of the best teams in the country.

St. Francis scored three second-half goals Wednesday, including two in the final nine minutes, to post a 4-3 victory against Gaither of Tampa (11-2-2) - the top-ranked team in Florida Class 5A - in the Elite Division championship game. Clark Sanchez-Figueras scored two goals and assisted on another, and Jason Castillo scored a goal in the final minute of the first half on an assist from Chris Hertz for St. Francis (8-2-2), which was overshadowed by league rival Loyola of Los Angeles - the top-ranked team in the nation, according to Student Sports - until Tuesday's semifinals.

That's when Loyola (9-2-1), which had outscored its previous three tournament opponents 14-1, lost to Gaither 4-1 in a shootout after the teams played to a 1-1 tie. St. Francis advanced to the final with a 2-1 victory over Seminole of Sanford, Fla., on goals from Sanchez-Figueras and Jeff Buddenbohn.

The Golden Knights won their pool with a 3-2 victory over Alonso of Tampa, a 3-1 win against Manatee of Bradenton, Fla., and a 4-3 triumph on penalty kicks after playing Satellite of Satellite Beach, Fla., to a 2-2 tie.

-Erik Boal

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

NIKE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

--Sylmar 44, La Jolla Country Day 40: LaShay Fears scored 16 points and Seyram Gbewonyo added 11 points, 12 rebounds and four steals as Sylmar (5-3) rallied to beat the defending Southern California Div. IV champions in Chandler, Ariz.

Fears, bound for UC Santa Barbara, had been slumping the past three games, scoring only 20 points.

``She needed to be more assertive and look to score more and not just pass it off,'' Sylmar coach Michelle Chevalier said.

``She's a great passer, but we need her to score.''

Gbewonyo contributed another steady effort. The senior guard has scored 12, 16, 13 and 16 in her past four games.

--Royal 77, Canyon of Anaheim 36: Kelly Winther scored 18 points with six assists, five steals and five rebounds in three quarters for Royal of Simi Valley, which plays Yosemite of Oakhurst today in the Blue Division's fifth-place game.

-Ramona Shelburne

BOYS' BASKETBALL

MISSION PREP TOURNAMENT

--Calabasas 62, Plantation 57: Drew Housman scored 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting from field, 5 of 9 from behind the 3-point arc and 6 of 9 from the free-throw line as Calabasas (7-3) beat Plantation (Fla.) in a fifth-place game in San Luis Obispo.

Housman, who averaged 24 points per game during the tournament, added five assists and three steals Wednesday.

LOCAL NOTES

FOOTBALL

--College commitment: College of the Canyons receiver Tyrell Smith has committed to San Diego State. Smith, a JC Grid-Wire second-team All-American, finished his sophomore season with 97 catches for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Smith concluded his career with 141 receptions for 2,318 yards and 23 touchdowns, all program records for COC, which became the first JC football team to finish a season 14-0 following its 39-32 victory in the Dec. 11 state championship game against City College of San Francisco.

GIRLS' TENNIS

--College commitment: Campbell Hall of North Hollywood senior Lauren Shearer has committed to Columbia. Shearer, a three-year varsity player, finished the season with a 36-1 set record for the Vikings (19-1), who won their second consecutive Southern Section Div. III championship with a 12-6 victory Nov. 22 over Brentwood.

Shearer is the fourth player from Campbell Hall's 2003 championship team, which finished 21-0, to commit to a Division I college program. Daron Moore (Tennessee) and Cheyenne Reveche (Utah) signed last season.

-Erik Boal