Prep Rally: What to watch for in 2024

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. I’m back from vacation. 2024 has arrived, so why not look ahead and get excited about what’s to come.

Looking at 2024

Transfers will be key to figuring out which teams will rise to the top in high school football this fall. Perennial powers St. John Bosco and Mater Dei must replace starting quarterbacks and fill lots of other positions.

Defensive end Richard Wesley of Sierra Canyon made huge impact as a freshman.

(Craig Weston)

Corona Centennial is poised to make a breakthrough title run, something that hasn’t happened since 2015, with returning quarterback Husan Longstreet, lots of receivers and defensive players. Mission Viejo was impressive at the end of 2023 and if its players stay out of the transfer portal, the Diablos are in position to make lots of noise. Sierra Canyon had lots of promising underclassmen, as did Orange Lutheran. Let’s see how the portal shakes out.

Basketball is shaping up as very competitive, and it’s going to be very challenging to settle on an eight-team Open Division bracket. The Trinity League looks strongest with St. John Bosco, JSerra and Mater Dei. Coming up in the Mission League will be clashes featuring Harvard-Westlake vs. Sierra Canyon and Harvard-Westlake vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Corona Centennial’s reign as league champs could be in serious jeopardy with the rise of Eastvale Roosevelt. The two face off Tuesday at Centennial. And watch out for Etiwanda and Damien in the Baseline League.

Probably the toughest projection will be figuring out which team finishes No. 1 in City Section basketball. It has never been more wide open. It could be the year a non-powerhouse programs rises up and wins it all. Or the usual, with Birmingham and King/Drew getting so much better in January under their terrific head coaches.

In girls’ basketball, Etiwanda and Sierra Canyon remain the teams to beat, with Mater Dei, Sage Hill and Bishop Montgomery hoping for an upset. Birmingham is the team to beat in the City Section.

In soccer, Santa Margarita is a dominant team in girls’ Division 1. For the boys, Servite, Loyola, Cathedral, Mira Costa and Long Beach Millikan have all had moments early on. In the City Section, Birmingham, El Camino Real and Marquez look strong for boys. El Camino Real, Palisades and Cleveland could be tops in girls.

In baseball, Corona is loaded for a title run in a deep Division 1 field. The Panthers have pitching, hitting and defense. The only problem is on a given day when the playoffs begin, they could lose to one of the outstanding pitchers still around. There are so many top teams, including JSerra, Harvard-Westlake, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Orange Lutheran, La Mirada, Calabasas, Huntington Beach, Westlake and more.

In softball, Garden Grove Pacifica and Norco look strong.

In track and field, Rodrick Pleasant has left for Oregon, opening up the sprints for someone to take over. There were lots of young, fast runners last season. Let’s see who has worked hard in the off season. The distance runners should be outstanding for boys and girls. Of course, let’s see who can beat Ventura’s Sadie Engelhardt in any race.

In lacrosse, watch out for Loyola. The Cubs were loaded with promising freshmen a year ago.

Here’s my prediction column for 2024.

Transfer tracker returns

Franklin junior quarterback Eduardo Cuevas has left for Cantwell-Sacred Heart.

(Nick Koza)

Did you miss me? The high school football transfer tracker is back for 2024.

The new spring semester in January is motivation for some players to switch schools, particularly quarterbacks.

Here’s a look at those who have already confirmed they are leaving their old schools and starting anew. It will be updated all the way up to the start of the 2024 season in August.

Basketball rewind

Mater Dei’s Brannon Martinsen gets excited. He scored 19 points in win over St. John Bosco.

(Craig Weston)

Trinity League play began with a bang in 2024.

Mater Dei completed a two-game sweep of JSerra and St. John Bosco. Here’s the report.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame is 17-0 and has big Mission League games this month with Harvard-Westlake and Sierra Canyon.

Eastvale Roosevelt and Corona Centennial have a showdown Tuesday at Centennial that should decide who gets to host the first Big VIII League championship tournament.

Among top performances as 2023 ended, Jason Crowe Jr. of Lynwood had a 50-point performance in Las Vegas. Alijah Arenas had a 42-point effort against Saugus, 45 points against Burroughs and 44 against Sierra Pacifica. Colton Perez of Bonita scored 42 points against Colony.

Freshman Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian continued to show why she is the best player in California from the class of 2027, getting 55 points, 10 assists and 10 steals while making 11 threes in a game in Arizona.

Jose Valdovinos of Santa Paula scored 44 points against Santa Maria, the second-best in school history. Forty-eight points is the record. Mazi Mosley of St. Francis turned in a 49-point performance against Pilibos. There was a 42-point effort from Seshsha Henderson of Oak Park against Chatsworth.

Gardena coach Ernie Carr with 6-11 Promise Madubugwu.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Gardena has the tallest player in the City Section who’s getting to learn from veteran coach Ernie Carr. Here’s a report.

Here’s this week’s Los Angeles Times top 25 rankings.

Freshman phenom

Freshman guard Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian scored 55 points in a game this season.

(Craig Weston)

Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian is the next great girls’ basketball standout from California.

Here’s a report on how at 5 feet 4 she has become a dominant player.

Soccer

Steven Ramos of Birmingham (left) faces pressure from El Camino Real’s Mekhi Celifie.

(Craig Weston)

El Camino Real and Birmingham had their first match of the season, with Birmingham coming out on top 3-2 thanks to two goals on free kicks by Steven Ramos.

Here’s a report on how Ramos worked on his free kicks in the offseason, developing a unique curve to his kicks.

Marquez won in a shootout over Fremont to decide the championship at the South East Winter Classic in boys’ soccer.

Fremont striker Franklin Orellena dribbles between Luis Viera and Edgar Auscencio of Marquez in the South East Winter Classic final.

Here’s the report.

San Clemente is still undefeated in boys. Santa Margarita is 6-1-1 in girls.

Hart tradition

Tyler Glasnow’s trade to the Dodgers and decision to sign a contract extension means he’ll get to play in the stadium he grew up dreaming of playing in.

Hart has been successful through the years producing major leaguers. Glasnow was asked about the Santa Clarita Valley.

“I think the whole area eats, sleeps and breathes baseball,” he said during an interview on Access Dodgers.

Notes . . .

Jake Goossen-Brown has left Hueneme to become the football coach at Hart, where his retired coach from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Kevin Rooney, lives nearby. Don’t be surprised to see Rooney drop by, as will former Hart coach Mike Herrington. . . .

Matt Villasenor is the new football coach at Nogales. . . .

La Mirada will unveil its new baseball stadium on March. 8. “Gonna be amazing,” said coach Jimmy Zurn, whose team used an alternative field last season. . . . .

Pitcher Austin Duarte of Anaheim Canyon has committed to Cal Poly Pomona.

From the archives: Coleman Shelton

Los Angeles Rams lineman Coleman Shelton (65).

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

Former Loyola High and Washington offensive lineman Coleman Shelton has been a consistent, dependable blocker for the Rams this season.

Here’s a note from 2012 going into his senior year at Loyola with a hint of what was to come.

Here’s a story about Shelton providing leadership for the Rams.

Recommendations

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on former Hart High pitcher Tyler Glasnow coming home to pitch for the Dodgers.

From the Washington Post, a story on how race, politics, culture and money are shaping which kids abandon tackle football.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on how quarterback Erik Kramer inspired a sportswriter.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the rise of Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the NBA.

From the 562.org, a story on a high school basketball coach who quit because had enough of parents.

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