Valencia boys soccer: Stuck in the middle

It's a simple question with no simple answer. What does make this year's Valencia Vikings boys soccer team so much better than the ones before? After a long, thoughtful pause, junior midfielder Colton Morgan finally offers his response. "I don't know," he says. "The way that we play together, the way that everybody does what they're supposed to do, that's what leads to our success." It's a fair explanation, but probably an incomplete one. Sure, ...

Prep girls basketball: Viking response

Valencia Vikings power forward Sandra Ikeora was in the doghouse early at Valencia High Saturday night in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IAA playoffs.

Prep girls basketball: Cents turn to their D

The Saugus Centurions girls basketball team knew the Sultana Sultans of Hesperia would want to send the ball inside in their first round CIF-Southern Section Division IIA playoff game on Saturday night at Sultana High School.

Prep girls hoops: The Cowboys’ three spree

Led by Kali Vittallo, the No. 6 seeded Canyon Cowboys girls basketball team defeated the Channel Islands Raiders 75-44 in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA playoffs Saturday at Canyon High School.

Prep girls hoops: A star strikes the Wildcats

PALMDALE – Everyone in the gym knew who the West Ranch Wildcats girls basketball team needed to stop.

Prep boys soccer: One final save

It was only fitting. After the West Ranch Wildcats boys soccer team played to a scoreless draw with the visiting North Torrance Saxons that sent their CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoff game to penalty kicks, goalkeeper Alex Manzo once again came through in the clutch. Manzo's diving save to his left of Keiichi Taira's penalty kick clinched the Wildcats' 0-0 (2-1 penalty kicks) victory. "I knew we were up in the last shot. I was ...

Prep boys hoops: Cents’ season closed

The Saugus Centurions boys basketball team kept things close through the first half against the host Redlands East Valley Wildcats in their first-round CIF-Southern Section Division IIA playoff game on Friday night at Redlands East Valley High School.

Prep boys hoops: Good memory

Two years ago, West Ranch boys basketball was eliminated from the postseason by eventual CIF division champion Ventura.

Prep boys soccer: Vikes make quick work

The strength of Valencia Vikings boys soccer all season has been the team's ability to hold onto leads, no matter the opponent.

Prep boys hoops: Hart’s end of the road

TORRANCE - For Hart Indians boys basketball, it's wait till next year. Hart was simply outsized and was relegated to a jump-shooting team in its 64-55 loss to West Torrance High on Friday in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IIIAAA playoffs at West High. With most of its team expected to return next season, including star guards Lewis Stallworth and Myles Franklin, and two undefeated lower level teams, the Foothill League's second-place ...

Prep boys soccer: Hart makes it two for two

Two playoff games and two impressive victories this week has the Hart Indians boys soccer team looking like it is peaking at the right time.

Prep boys hoops: Arriving in time

The Valencia Vikings boys basketball team started the Foothill League season fast, then spun out to a 2-5 record in its last seven games.

Prep boys hoops: Canyon can’t cash in

Canyon Cowboys boys basketball had its chance to take the upper hand. But once the host Lawndale Cardinals got into a rhythm, Canyon didn't have enough time to rally in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA playoffs. And after a 73-63 loss to Lawndale on Friday night at Lawndale High, time ran out on the Cowboys' season. "The defense got off balance, missed shots that we would normally make and (Lawndale) got ...

Prep boys hoops: Trinity moves to quarters

Trinity Classical Academy Knights boys basketball continued their winning ways on Friday evening at East Rancho Dominguez Park, defeating the Hope Centre Lions 48-40 to advance to the third round of the CIF-Southern Section Division VI playoffs.

Prep girls soccer: The game tilts to SCCS

Santa Clarita Christian Cardinals girls soccer senior Colette Blake said the first half of her team's game with Rolling Hills Prep of San Pedro on Thursday felt like it was being played on a tilt.

Valencia football's Davis Pitner: Finding his way on the line

Saugus' Charles Dulac: A message of acceptance

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of stories in which The Signal recognizes high school athletes whose greatest achievements go well beyond the playing field.

Hart's Kailie Kennedy: Listening to those in need

The summer heat on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona is intense.

Golden Valley's Tyshon Thompson: A golden child growing up

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of stories in which The Signal recognizes high school athletes whose greatest achievements go well beyond the playing field.

Canyon's Apsay offered scholarship by Colorado

Canyon senior quarterback Cade Apsay received his second scholarship offer this week and again it was a Pac-12 school.

Canyon's Amoni Henderson: It’s better to laugh than cry

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories in which The Signal recognizes high school athletes whose greatest achievements go well beyond the playing field.

Hart football takes center stage at passing tourney

Valencia High School may have been the location of a four-team passing tournament on Wednesday, but Hart seemed to be right at home on the Vikings' football field.

Pete Calzia: Coach com-Pete

In October, Pete Calzia's heart was out of his chest while a doctor was installing a new aortic valve into the longtime teacher and ultra-competitive coach.

Former Golden Valley baseball coach hired at Cleveland High

Scott Drootin, who announced his resignation as head baseball coach at Golden Valley High on May 20, has been hired by Cleveland High in Reseda for the same position.

SCV track and field season ends at state finals

Somehow it was fitting that the last three remaining locals of the high school track and field season were all distance runners from Saugus High School, a perrenial power in distance races.

Three Saugus runners left at CIF state track meet

The intensity of the track and field competition continued to whittle down the list Santa Clarita Valley athletes still alive in the postseason.

Hart's Davis Koppenhaver picks up two collegiate offers

Another member of the Hart High football team has received national attention this week, as wide receiver Davis Koppenhaver received two collegiate offers.

Saugus track's Rodrigo Ornelas: Determined to be the best

Even now, he still thinks about second place.

Around the SCV: Canyon hires new swim coach; Ensing named to prestigious v-ball team

The Canyon High swim team will have a new head coach next season, as the school hired Daniel Neswald to take over for the departed Steve Himes, co-athletic director Scott Arnold confirmed.

Valencia track's Olivia Pear: On a different stage

It was Olivia Pear's goal all along to miss her high school graduation. Last fall, when it came time for seniors at Valencia High to order their caps, gowns and tassels for the ceremony, Pear astutely noticed that her school's graduation date fell on the same night as the CIF-Southern Section Track and Field Masters Meet. Pear decided to purchase the cap and gown anyway. But while 694 of her Valencia classmates walked across the ...