Sportstars
Mater Dei girls basketball team survives significant test against Fairmont Prep in CIF-Southern Section Open Division playoffs; Etiwanda, Ontario Christian, Sierra Canyon also victorious
Mater Dei didn’t need a reminder of the challenges presented by competing in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls basketball playoffs prior to their showdown against Etiwanda, but just in case the third-seeded Monarchs felt like they hadn’t been a battle-tested group in clutch situations in recent weeks, No.... Read more
Gabby Alexson scores golden goal in second sudden-death overtime period to lead Newport Harbor back to CIF-Southern Section Open Division final following 12-11 pool-play victory against Orange Lutheran
COSTA MESA – Before the final CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls water polo pool-play match even reached the opening sprint Tuesday night, fans of both Newport Harbor and Orange Lutheran were standing and cheering in the Orange Coast College bleachers upon learning just moments earlier that Oaks Christian had... Read more
Oaks Christian girls water polo team completes inspiring comeback to knock off top-seeded Mater Dei, advance to CIF-Southern Section Open Division final
SANTA ANA – Mia Fabros wasn’t going to be denied. Makena Bygrave didn’t back down from the challenge. Nicole O’Neill couldn’t pass up the opportunity. And Alex Stoddard wouldn’t let one of the most impressive rallies in CIF-Southern Section girls water polo playoff history by Oaks Christian be upstaged... Read more
Addie Deal gets McDonald’s All-American jersey, 2,000 career points and lifts Mater Dei to third win this season against Windward in CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls basketball playoffs
SANTA ANA – It was going to be a tough act to follow for Addie Deal following an extended pre-game ceremony Saturday night to present the McDonald’s All-American with an honorary jersey to celebrate her selection for the April 1 event at the Barclays Center in New York. It... Read more
Orange Lutheran girls water polo team finds another gear against Long Beach Wilson in Open Division pool-play victory; Mater Dei also wins
ORANGE – Four first-quarter goals by Allison Cohen, including a pair of 5-meter penalty shots, weren’t enough for Orange Lutheran to deliver an early knockout punch Wednesday night against Long Beach Wilson in their CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls water polo showdown. So, the Lancers decided to unleash their... Read more
Ontario Christian secures top seed for first time in CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls basketball playoffs, Etiwanda pursuing back-to-back championships
For the first time in school history, Ontario Christian received the top seed in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls basketball playoffs, seeking the program’s first championship since winning the Division 1-A crown in 1980. The Knights (25-1) – the top-ranked team in the country – headline the eight-team... Read more
Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran girls water polo teams earn top two seeds in Southern Section Open Division playoffs
Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran received the top two seeds in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls water polo playoffs, which will be contested for the first time this season using a pool-play format for the eight-team competition, following a single-elimination bracket the past three years. Pool-play matches are... Read more
Etiwanda’s Grace Knox and Aliyahna “Puff” Morris join Mater Dei’s Addie Deal as California selections for McDonald’s All-American girls basketball game
Etiwanda High teammates Grace Knox and Aliyahna “Puff” Morris, along with Mater Dei standout Addie Deal were among the 24 athletes selected to compete April 1 in the McDonald’s All-American girls basketball game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Deal, an Iowa commit, is the seventh female athlete... Read more
Kyla Pranajaya, Jailynn Robinson come up with clutch blocks against Mater Dei to lift Orange Lutheran girls water polo team to third consecutive Trinity League title
SANTA ANA – Even for a program that had won back-to-back Trinity League girls water polo titles and consecutive CIF-Southern Section Open Division championships, Orange Lutheran High showcased a significant amount of pride Tuesday night in its regular-season finale against top-ranked Mater Dei. With the Monarchs winning their previous... Read more
Kirra Pantaleon steps up late to lead Mater Dei girls water polo team to Newport Invite title with 14-12 overtime victory against Orange Lutheran
SANTA ANA – If there was any athlete on the Mater Dei High roster who felt most comfortable competing in the pool at the Tom DeLong and Jim Brumm Aquatics Center at Foothill High, it was Kirra Pantaleon. And if there was any competitor in the Monarchs’ lineup who... Read more
Mater Dei girls basketball team responds with inspiring effort following Kaeli Wynn injury in victory against Rancho Christian; Ontario Christian rolls again
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – Mater Dei continued its unbeaten run in January with an 82-43 victory Saturday night in the Public vs. Private girls basketball showcase at Los Osos High. But the Monarchs might have endured the biggest loss of their season in the process, with junior standout Kaeli Wynn... Read more
Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei girls water polo teams win respective pools in impressive fashion at Newport Invite
SANTA ANA – Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei already have a Trinity League showdown scheduled Tuesday in a significant postseason tuneup for both programs. But two of the country’s top girls water polo teams could add another showdown to their rivalry Saturday after each group completed pool-play competition unbeaten... Read more