Hart, Valencia fall in quarters

It looked so promising early. But as fast as Christian Lopes leadoff home run cleared the left field wall, Valencia's ship sunk even faster. In a season where the Vikings exceeded everyone else's expectations, their last game of the season was an aberration. The end result, a 13-2 blowout at the hands of Simi Valley. The Vikings couldn't field. They had four errors. "When you make four errors against a team like this you're not ...

Valencia tennis players compete in CIF doubles

Valencia High tennis players Jack Zapala and Tyler Gottshall competed in the CIF-Southern Section round of 16 on Friday. The duo competed amongst all divisions in the southern section at the Seal Beach Tennis Club.

Deja-Vu-again

It's starting to look familiar. The 2007 CIF-Southern Section Division I champion Valencia Vikings softball team is one step closer to another championship. The Vikings advanced to the semifinals with a shut-out defeat over Corona 5-0 at Valhalla field.

Throwing stars

With the amount of success the Saugus High School girls cross country team has enjoyed over the last couple of years (two straight state titles), translating into further success with runners on the track and field team, the school's athletic identity has been its running program.

Valencia Volleyball advances

The top-seeded Valencia Vikings advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division II Championship with a four game victory over Dos Pueblos, 25-16, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19. The Vikings improve to 34-2 with the victory.

Don't fence me in: Hart falls

Somebody had to go home. For the third straight year at Newhall Park, either Hart (25-5) or Norco would move on in the Southern Section Division I Playoffs. The other team would pack its bags for the offseason. The first seven innings weren't enough to decide a winner Thursday afternoon, but Norco (29-5) finally broke through in the first extra frame, scoring in the top of the eighth and coming away with a 1-0 win ...

Southern Section baseball preview

Valencia vs. Simi Valley The last time the Vikings got to the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division I playoffs was in 2003. This year's team, which finished No. 2 behind Hart in the Foothill League, has advanced to the quarters this year and will face No. 4 Simi Valley on the Pioneers home field today at 3:15 p.m. This is not the first meeting for the two ball clubs. The Vikings (22-7) lost to ...

Locals prepare for track masters competition

The 2008 Track and Field Masters meet will be held Friday in Cerritos and the Foothill League will see some of its top athletes competing.

Local softball teams prepare for CIF quarterfinals

Hart vs. Norco For Hart's softball team, the desire for a CIF-Southern Section Division I championship title is evident. The Indian's continue their trek to the finals but will have to get by a formidable Norco team in today's quarterfinals game at home. The two teams have quite a history, both recording wins against each other, as the Cougars defeated Hart in the second round of playoff action three years ago and last year Hart ...

4-0 pattern develops

It was a battle of the mound in Tuesday's second round playoff match-up between Valencia and Lakewood, with the Vikings shutting out the Lancers 4-0.

Hart's two towers

If you look back at the last two deep playoff runs for Hart baseball, the reason for much of the success has been the team's pitching. In 1999, Hart had a dominant pair of pitchers in Jamie Shields and Justin Wiley that led the Indians to the CIF-Southern Section Division II title.

Motivation no problem for three local golfers

DESERT HOT SPRINGS - There is a ton of motivation going forward for three local prep golfers after Monday's CIF-Southern Section Individual Final at Mission Lakes Country Club in Desert Hot Springs. One consistently stellar golfer tied for first place, but couldn't take the title in a playoff.

Bittersweet year

• Four two years, Josh Corralles battled to become a pitcher that colleges wanted. Now he's facing an even bigger challenge.

SC Christian's postseason ends

For Santa Clarita Christian's baseball team it was a test of tenacity when it faced Notre Dame in the first round of postseason action on Friday.

Vikes get past Oxnard

When you lose just five games all year, being down 3-0 can seem foreign. But the defending CIF Champion Valencia softball team has seen it all before. The Vikings (25-5-1) rallied and walked off with a 4-3 win over Oxnard (16-12), on a walk-off sacrifice fly Friday afternoon.

Valencia baseball wins CIF-SS Division I wild card

The bats may be coming around just in time for Valencia Vikings baseball. Patient and effective hitting put Valencia in front early and an A.J. Balta grand slam put the game out of reach as the Vikings beat the Westlake Warriors 11-2 on Tuesday in a CIF-Southern Section Division I wild-card matchup at Valencia High School. "We saw the pitches we wanted and we hit them," said Balta, who started for the first time in ...

All locals miss cut at CIF golf playoffs

There's one word for it - shock.

Valencia tennis caps it off in the quarters

One break of serve here, another tough bounce there, and that was enough to prevent the Valencia Vikings boys tennis team from moving on in the postseason.

Softball CIF brackets released, six SCV teams in

Coming into the 2013 softball season, there was a lot of hope within the Santa Clarita Valley that come playoff time, a Foothill League team could make a run.

6 area baseball teams make postseason

For one of the most competitive baseball seasons in Santa Clarita Valley prep history, the area gets no rewards in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.

Experiment a success for West Ranch lacrosse

The West Ranch Wildcats boys lacrosse team couldn't have dreamt of a more dramatic ending to its inaugural season.

Usuals get it done at CIF track and field prelims

Golden Valley, Saugus and Canyon were the three clear frontrunners throughout the Foothill League track and field season.

Abbey Weitzeil steals the show at CIF swim finals

As soon as Abbey Weitzeil touched the wall in the 100-yard freestyle for her second individual CIF title of the day, the Saugus sophomore spun around to check the results on the board.

Hart boys tennis falls to San Marino in rout

For the Hart Indians boys tennis team, the cause was rather simple.

Valencia tennis moves to quarters for first time since 2008

The Valencia Vikings continue on. For the first time since 2008 - when Valencia advanced to the quarterfinals of CIF-Southern Section Division I - the Vikings have made it past the second round. This time around, the Vikings play in Division II, and on Friday afternoon Valencia defeated the Temple City Rams 12-6 at Temple City High School. "The guys are stoked. They were really happy," said Valencia head coach Annie Kellogg. "I still had ...

Hart baseball misses out on playoffs for first time since 1986

Prep softball roundup: Hart softball sends Canyon home early

Weitzeil leads Foothill pack at CIF swim prelims

The champions: West Ranch baseball wins back to back titles

As soon as the ball reached the glove of West Ranch Wildcats first baseman Jordan Benty for the second out of a game-ending double play, the Wildcats came storming out of the dugout, dog piling in front of the mound in celebration.

The surprise champion: SCCS baseball wins Heritage League