Norwalk beats La Mirada, setting up Mayfair showdown
La Mirada’s Jael Arreguin (11) tries to steal the ball from Norwalk’s Amanda Rangel (12) and Destiny Quintero (11) in their league girls basketball game at La Mirada High School on Friday. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
High School Sports Roundup
LA MIRADA – With only one week to go in the regular season, the Norwalk High School girls basketball team kept pace with first-place Mayfair, Friday (Jan. 21), with a 57-11 Suburban League win over host La Mirada.
Norwalk also defeated Bellflower, 63-36, on Tuesday to improve to 13-9 overall and 2-1 in league.
La Mirada falls to 2-8 overall and 0-2 with the loss to Norwalk.
Norwalk, which has finished second to Mayfair the last three seasons, last won a league title in 2012-13, when it was 20-9, 11-1 and advanced to the second round of CIF playoffs.
The Lancers will have a showdown with Mayfair tonight Friday (Jan. 28) and Norwalk sixth-year Girls Basketball coach Ashley Baclaan knew of the importance of the game. “We always look forward to this Friday and its goals and are able to compete with a high-level team.”
Baclaan was proud of her teams’ defensive effort in the win over La Mirada.
“The girls executed out plays what we were asking and were solid on the defensive end,” she said.
Baclaan pointed out some of her key players that performed well Friday – senior guard Denise Cortez, senior guard Katrina Slaughter and senior guard Makayla Moore, and one of her younger point guards, sophomore Keilani Ganancial, who is “stepping up as a leader, even though she’s a sophomore.”
Top scorers Cortez and Ganancial “are great teammates,” added Baclaan. “Earlier in the season they were trying to find their shots.”
Asked how her season was going, Baclaan said, “The season is going pretty well and just trying to go day by day.”
Leading the way for the Lancers was Slaughter with 15 points (1 3PFGM), followed by Cortez with nine points (1 3PFGM). Moore added eight points.
“We did good (Friday) and could have had some better plays,” Cortez said. “We work together as a team and have bonded together.
“I’m looking forward to the playoffs and trying to win CIF.”
The remaining scoring for Norwalk was: junior guard Amanda Rangel (6 pts), Ganancial, 5 pts. (1 3PFGM), junior guard Leilani Juan and senior center Nia Johnson with four points each, along with three players with two each – senior forward Destiny Quintero, junior forward Areli Gonzalez and senior forward Marleen Esquivel.
Scoring for La Mirada was: freshman Nayeli Tamayo (4 pts.), freshman Jael Arreguin (3 pts.) and Aryanna Correa and Ortiz with two points each.
Said Arreguin of the game: “It was definitely not the best game we ever had, but I really appreciated the team giving it their all. We made some bad plays, but we came back and tried to make up for it.
“I love the friendship we all have. I love them with all of my heart. I pride myself on my defense and had some good blocks.”
In the game, Norwalk led 16-0 after the first quarter and another 15 points in the second quarter to lead, 31-4, at the half.
The third quarter was led by nine points from Slaughter, as the Lancers outscored La Mirada, 22-2.
“I just hope we get to finish our season,” said Baclaan, of the ongoing pandemic that keeps postponing games this season throughout the CIF-Southern Section. “In the case of the shutdowns and Covid protocols ever since last year, it’s just one day at a time.
La Mirada coach Vicky Luong talked of teams’ effort and their young team.
“The girls tried hard,” Luong said. “We have a lot of freshmen on the team and they’re a new team and they gave it their all. We tried our best.”
Luong was asked what brings her team closer and she added, “Probably the energy that some of these girls bring to the team.”
Even though it’s been a rough start for the Lady Matadores, Luong is looking for improvement for her young team. “Just to see how much they improve from the beginning of the year,” she added. “Some of them are barely starting out in basketball and making it on the team from JV.”
A bright spot for the La Mirada team is the shiny, new gymnasium that finally has been completed after major renovation.
“It is wonderful to be back on campus,” said La Mirada Athletic Director Christine Mead, of the long wait to be in the renovated gym. “There are so many exciting new features in the gym; (including) a weight room and a boys and girls team room.
“We also have beautiful new wall paper of some of La Mirada’s best athletes over the years in the foyer. The wait was long and sometimes difficult, but it is so nice to be able to host a game again.”
Glenn Girls, Boys Wrestling win League titles
John Glenn’s Diego Lopez, who wrestles in the 152-weight class, recently won his match at Pioneer high school with a pin to help the team win the league title. (File photo by Keith Durflinger)
It was a double-dual championship win for the John Glenn Wrestling program, Tuesday (Jan. 25).
The Glenn girls won, 42-15, as did the Glenn boys, dominating the match with a 66-18 victory.
Both of Glenn’s teams won their fourth consecutive titles in the 605 League.
Prior to their moving over to the 605 League, both teams won an identical 21 Suburban League titles over the years.
Highlighting the boys dual against Pioneer, the Titans won the first match and final two matches of the night for their 18 points.
In between, JG collected wins in 11 consecutive matches (6 by Pioneer byes), which included pins by five Eagles wrestlers – Emmanuel Enriquez (1st period, 1:26), Daniel Altamirano (2nd period, 3:15), Diego Lopez (1st period, 1:27), Ben Sanchez (1st period, 1:11) and Alex Valdez (1st period, 1:41).
Coach Monico Enriquez commented on some of his top wrestlers: “Ben Sanchez, a junior, has stepped up and filled in the 160 Lb. weight class. Ben has two pins in league.”
“Daniel Altamirano is building so much confidence in his first year of wrestling. Daniel also has two pins in league.”
“Emmanuel Enriquez and Freddie Valdivia have done a tremendous job leading this team. Freddie was part of our 2019 CIF Championship run. His experience and leadership during this stretch has been integral to our success.”
“Jacob Enriquez, in his freshman year, has already made huge contributions by securing two pins against Artesia and Cerritos.”
Coach Enriquez ended with his thoughts on the victory over Cerritos.
“I think the win over Cerritos was a big turning point in our season. It showed the growth and maturation of this team.”
In the girls dual match, Pioneer actually had two pins and a win by decision to John Glenn’s one pin. However, the Titans had six forfeits, which amounted to 36 JG points.
In the 133 Lb. weight class, Trinity Escobar of Glenn had the fastest pin of the match, which came at 31.9 of the first period.
This was the last dual match and the teams will head to the CIF-Southern Section Dual Championships Saturday (Jan. 29) at Western High.