Placentia News: The Orange County Register https://www.ocregister.com Get Orange County and California news from Orange County Register Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:44:37 +0000 en-US hourly 30 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.ocregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/cropped-ocr_icon11.jpg?w=32 Placentia News: The Orange County Register https://www.ocregister.com 32 32 126836891 It’s time for league action in Orange County boys basketball https://www.ocregister.com/2026/01/05/its-time-for-league-action-in-orange-county-boys-basketball/ Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:40:51 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11339281&preview=true&preview_id=11339281 Starting this week, league games will dominate the boys basketball schedule until the CIF Southern Section playoffs begin in early February.

The biggest game this week is St. John Bosco at Santa Margarita on Friday at 7 p.m. It is a Trinity League opener for both teams.

St. John Bosco (11-4), led by 6-6 senior Christian Collins, is ranked No. 3 in CIF-SS in the computer rankings.

Santa Margarita (19-2), led by senior guard Kaiden Bailey (Georgia Tech signee), is No. 2 behind top-ranked Sierra Canyon.

In the CalHiSports.com state rankings, Santa Margarita is No. 3 and St. John Bosco is No. 5. Sierra Canyon is No. 1 there, too.

Orange Lutheran (14-5), which is No. 10 in the Orange County rankings, plays at county No. 3 JSerra (13-8) on Friday in another Trinity League opener.

The schedule for Tuesday has some standout league matchups. In the Crestview League, O.C. No. 6 Canyon (11-6) is at No. 2 Crean Lutheran (14-5) and No. 14 La Habra (15-4) is at No. 8 Cypress (14-7).

In the Freeway League on Friday, No. 18 Sonora (15-5) plays at No. 15 El Dorado (16-2).

ORANGE COUNTY NOTES

The first version of the computer rankings that the CIF-SS will use for the creation of the playoff divisions were released last week. The second posting is due this week and the rankings will continue each week through Feb. 2. …

Canyon and No. 17 Esperanza (18-1) play each other in a nonleague game Monday, Jan. 12, at Intuit Dome, the home of the Clippers. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. …

Los Alamitos senior Tyler Lopez was named MVP of the Diamond Division for The Classic at Damien. The Griffins’ Joseph Ojeda and Isaiah Williamson were named to all-tournament. Los Alamitos beat Auburn of Washington in the division final. Canyon, Fairmont Prep and La Habra also were in the Diamond Division. …

Esperanza was the champion of the Bronze Division in The Classic at Damien. …

Calvary Chapel defeated Jurupa Hills 63-61 in the Iron Division final of The Classic. Calvary’s Micah Francisco was named division MVP and the Eagles’ Ephraim Coffin was named all-tournament. …

Los Amigos went 3-1 in the Bronze Division of The Classic at Damien. …

Orange Lutheran went 3-1 and won the consolation championship in the Silver Division at The Classic. Lancers Josh King and Noah Zeola were selected to the all-tournament team. King is averaging 24 points a game. …

Fountain Valley won the championship of the Oxford Academy tournament. Barons senior guard Kenneth Nguyen scored 30 points in a 79-53 win over Pacifica in the championship game. He was the tournament MVP. …

Crean Lutheran 6-11 senior Chadrack Mpoyi was named all-tournament in The Classic at Damien. …

Newport Harbor went 4-0 in the Gold Division of The Coast Classic tournament at Estancia. The division had a round-robin format without a championship game. Newport’s Owen Saukkola was named all-tournament. …

The Coast Classic’s Silver Division was played in the 16-team bracket style. Godinez beat Cabrillo 58-57 in the championship game. Jaiden Torres of Godinez was division MVP. …

Cypress won the Governors Division championship of the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic. Guard Ryan Gov was named division MVP.  He scored 32 points in the Centurions’ 83-73 win over Poway in the division final. …

Zain Majeed is averaging 25 points a game for Mater Dei since becoming eligible Dec. 26. He is a 6-8 junior who transferred from IMG Academy in Florida. …

Not all teams post stats at MaxPreps.com. Of those that do, Brea Olinda senior Logan Severson is the California leader in 3-point baskets with 67 in 19 games.

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11339281 2026-01-05T15:40:51+00:00 2026-01-05T15:41:00+00:00
Orange County boys basketball Top 25: Santa Margarita still on top https://www.ocregister.com/2026/01/05/orange-county-boys-basketball-top-25-santa-margarita-still-on-top/ Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:00:18 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11338986&preview=true&preview_id=11338986 The Orange County boys basketball rankings as of Monday, Jan. 5. The team records are through Sunday, Jan. 4.

Notable this week: Santa Margarita won the championship of the top division in the Desert Holiday Classic. …  Mater Dei went 4-0 in its division of the Desert Holiday Classic. … Los Alamitos won the championship of the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien tournament. … Huntington Beach makes its season debut in the Top 25 … Transfers who had to observe the sit-out period became eligible to play on Dec. 26.

BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

1. Santa Margarita 19-2: The Eagles won the championship of the top division in the Desert Holiday Classic. They also beat Roosevelt and Fairfax. They are home against St. John Bosco (11-4) in a Trinity League opener Friday.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Crean Lutheran 14-5: The Saints lost to Redondo Union in the semifinals of the Platinum Division in The Classic at Damien. They beat Cypress 72-60 in a Crestview League opener.

Previous ranking: 2

3. JSerra 13-8: The Lions lost to Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks in the championship game of the National Division of the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Corona del Mar 16-1: The Sea Kings finished second in its division of the Desert Holiday Classic. They beat Fountain Valley 64-46 in a Sunset League game, the first loss of the season for the Barons.

Previous ranking: 4

Corona del Mar's Luke Mirhashemi (0) looks for an opening as Cypress' Terrence Hoang (12) guards in the second quarter of a North/South Challenge boys basketball game, December 23, 2025, at Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita.(Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Luke Mirhashemi (0) looks for an opening as Cypress’ Terrence Hoang (12) guards in the second quarter of a North/South Challenge boys basketball game, December 23, 2025, at Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)

5. Los Alamitos 8-6: The Griffins won the championship of the Diamond Division in The Classic at Damien. They beat Auburn of Washington 60-53 in the division final.

Previous ranking: 7

6. Canyon 11-6: The Comanches went 2-2 in the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien, then beat Arizona’s No. 3-ranked team Brophy Prep.

Previous ranking: 5

7. Mater Dei 12-7: With their roster improved by recently eligible transfers, the Monarchs won their division of the Desert Holiday Classic.

Previous ranking: 10

8. Cypress 14-7: The Centurions won the championship of the Governors Division in the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, and lost to Crean Lutheran in a Crestview League game.

Previous ranking: 6

Corona del Mar's Luke Mirhashemi (0) tries to block as Cypress' Brennen DeLa Cruz (15) leaps to score in the third quartter of a North/South Challenge boys basketball game, December 23, 2025, at Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita.(Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Luke Mirhashemi (0) tries to block as Cypress’ Brennen DeLa Cruz (15) leaps to score in the third quartter of a North/South Challenge boys basketball game, December 23, 2025, at Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)

9. Fairmont Prep 10-7: The Huskies went 2-2 in the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien.

Previous ranking: 8

10. Orange Lutheran 14-5: The Lancers won the consolation championship in the Silver Division of The Classic at Damien.

Previous ranking: 11

11. Pacifica Christian 13-4

Previous ranking: 9

12. Tesoro 17-3

Previous ranking: 12

13. Servite 15-5

Previous ranking: 17

14. La Habra 15-4

Previous ranking: 14

15. El Dorado 16-3

Previous ranking: 13

16. Edison 14-3

Previous ranking: 15

17. Esperanza 18-1

Previous ranking: 16

18. Sonora 15-5

Previous ranking: 20

19. Fountain Valley 16-1

Previous ranking: 21

20. Newport Harbor 13-4

Previous ranking: 19

21. San Clemente 10-9

Previous ranking: 18

22. Huntington Beach 10-7

Previous ranking: Not ranked

23. Villa Park 12-9

Previous ranking: 24

24. Aliso Niguel 11-8

Previous ranking: 25

25. Woodbridge 12-6

Previous ranking: 23

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11338986 2026-01-05T13:00:18+00:00 2026-01-05T15:44:37+00:00
All-County boys cross country: Aidan Antonio is the OC athlete of the year https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/26/all-county-boys-cross-country-aidan-antonio-is-the-oc-athlete-of-the-year/ Fri, 26 Dec 2025 22:07:09 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11323823&preview=true&preview_id=11323823 ALL-ORANGE COUNTY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM 2025

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Aidan Antonio, Woodbridge, Junior

Woodbridge junior Aidan Antonio signaled what kind of cross country season he would have when he finished first in the Dana Hills Invitational in early September.

The great results kept coming. He finished fifth in the prestigious Woodbridge Invitational, finished first in the Orange County Championships, and won the CIF Southern Section Championships Division 2 race before finishing third in the CIF State finals.

Antonio’s winning time of 14 minutes, 6.4 seconds in the CIF-SS Division 2 final was the second-fastest time of the day among all runners. His third-place time in the CIF State Division II race at Woodward Park in Fresno was 14:50.10, his personal-best time over 5,000 meters.

His winning time of 13:56 in the Orange County Championships was his personal record on a 3-mile course and broke the Irvine Regional Park course record set by three-time Orange County cross country athlete of the year Evan Noonan in 2023 (13:59.4).

Woodbridge also won the boys team championship at the Orange County meet.

Antonio, who qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals, chose his Orange County Championships day as the best day of his junior season.

“Because that gave us the Orange County championships team title,” he said. “And, honestly, it was my best race all season. I felt good the whole race. I was able to close well and I broke Evan Noonan’s record.”

He has impressed Woodbridge coach Bryan Pacheco.

“First of all, he’s obviously a very talented athlete,” Pacheco said. “But what’s impressive about Aidan is his focus. He’s not playing around, he’s not goofing off, and every aspect of what he is doing in the sport – his training, his diet, his sleeping – is highly controlled to optimize his performance.”

Antonio, whose junior year of athletics continues in this spring’s track and field season, gets special enjoyment from being in a very good cross country program. (Woodbridge finished fourth in the CIF-SS Division 2 finals team standings.)

“It’s great having a team like that to run with you,” Antonio said. “The guys are always pushing me to go faster even when they’re behind me. You see them improve and then I’ve got to keep up and keep improving, too.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Dave Luciani, San Clemente

Dave Luciani of San Clemente is the Orange County boys cross country coach of the year.

The Tritons boys team, led by juniors, finished second in the CIF State Championships Division I team standings, behind Redondo Union. San Clemente was second to Beckman in Division 1 in the CIF Southern Section Championships and was third in the Orange County Championships.

Luciani, 45, completed his third season as San Clemente’s head coach. Also a runner himself, Luciani finished 10th in his age group in the Chicago Marathon this year.

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Yohan Anderson, San Clemente, Jr.

Aidan Antonio, Woodbridge, Jr.

Ryan Barris, Beckman, Jr.

Mattheus Dos Santos, San Clemente, Jr.

Toren Habbestad, Yorba Linda, Sr.

Oliver Hunter, Dana Hills, Sr.

Inban Kathiravan, Woodbridge, Sr.

Chase Manning, Tesoro, Sr.

Aiden Morales, JSerra, Sr.

Aidan Zavala, Woodbridge, Sr.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Sebastian Bello, Trabuco Hills, Sr.

Jack Burnett, JSerra, Sr.

Luke Friedl, JSerra, Sr.

Conner Jaurigue, San Clemente, Jr.

Emmanuel Lopez, Servite, Sr.

Jack McDonald, El Dorado, Jr.

Mason Nguyen, Beckman, Sr.

Darin Spragno, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Dresden Taylor, Trabuco Hills, So.

Erik Troester, San Clemente, Jr.

 

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11323823 2025-12-26T14:07:09+00:00 2025-12-26T14:10:43+00:00
All-County girls volleyball: Layli Ostovar is the OC player of the year https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/23/all-county-girls-volleyball-layli-ostovar-is-the-oc-player-of-the-year/ Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:49:50 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11319706&preview=true&preview_id=11319706 ALL-ORANGE COUNTY GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM 2025

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Layli Ostovar, Mater Dei, Senior

Nothing gets the crowd excited at a volleyball match more than a powerful kill shot.

Mater Dei senior Layli Ostovar could provide that, and much more. She was a superb server, passer and defensive player who covered the court like a spider. While most players make a diving dig just to save the ball, Ostovar made diving digs with a purpose – her digs were planned passes to a teammate.

Ostovar, an outside hitter, was a top contributor for the Monarchs as they won the CIF State Open Division championship. Mater Dei lost to Sierra Canyon in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final, then beat Sierra Canyon in the CIF Southern California Regional Open Division final to advance to the state finals.

“Obviously her skills are sensational across the board,” said Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell. “She has no weakness in her game and impacts the game in every way.”

Osotovar might have been at her best in the Monarchs’ biggest match of the season, the CIF State Open Division final against Rocklin. She helped establish Mater Dei as the superior team right away, delivering six kills in the first set won by Mater Dei 25-13. The Monarchs went on to a three-set sweep.

Osotvar finished with a match-high 31 kills in the state final.

She was the Orange County player of the year as a junior in 2024. Her accolades this season include being named MaxPreps.com player of the year. Ostovar also is an American Volleyball Coaches Association and an UnderArmour All-American selection.

It has been quite the journey for Ostovar. She was born with club feet, underwent surgeries to correct the condition, and it was doubtful that she would be able to walk normally.

“I think I’m lucky to be able to play volleyball,” Ostovar said.

She said the highlight of her senior season was sharing the state championships with friends.

“This was the tightest group of girls I’ve been with,” Ostovar said. “We have fun off the court but we know how to lock in when we need to lock in and be serious.”

Ostovar signed with USC, which to her was an obvious destination.

“A lot of USC culture is like Mater Dei culture,” she said. “I thought about how much I love Mater Dei, so why not continue that?”

O’Dell said he will miss Ostovar not just for her volleyball play but also for her personality.

“She gets excited for her teammates when they do well,” O’Dell said. “She cares about everybody on the team.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Alex Griffiths, Cypress

Cypress coach Alex Griffiths is the Orange County girls volleyball coach of the year for the 2025 season.

Griffiths led the Centurions this season to the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championship and to the CIF State Division II championship. They beat Clovis West in the state finals after beating Foothill in the CIF-SS finals. Cypress finished the season 25-10.

Cypress head coach Alex Griffiths holds the Championship plaque as they celebrate their win over Foothill in the CIF-SS Division 3 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday Nov. 8, 2025. Cypress beat Foothill 3-0. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Cypress head coach Alex Griffiths holds the Championship plaque as they celebrate their win over Foothill in the CIF-SS Division 3 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday Nov. 8, 2025. Cypress beat Foothill 3-0. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)

Griffiths said winning the championships required multiple contributions, from assistant coaches Celeste Manliguis, Corey Manliguis and Gus Tuaniga to the Cypress players and beyond.

“The parents were super supportive,” she said. “The families trusted me through the process.”

Griffiths led the Cypress boys volleyball team to a CIF-SS championship in 2017.

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Memphis Burnett, Santa Margarita, Sr.: A key member of the Eagles’ team that won the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship.

Isabella Faro, Cypress, Sr.: The CIF-SS Division 3 player of the year.

Megan Hodges, San Juan Hills, So.: The strong hitter was named to the All-CIF Division 1 team.

Layli Ostovar, Mater Dei, Sr.: She is the Orange County player of the year.

Westley Matavao, Mater Dei, Jr.: The powerful hitter was a great contributor on a Monarchs team that won a state championship.

Ella Olson, Newport Harbor, Jr.: She was All-Sunset League first team.

Elizabeth Park, Crean Lutheran, Sr.: She was a Freeway League co-Most Valuable Player.

Santa Margarita's Ireland Real (15) hugs Memphis Burnett (81) as they celebrate their win over West Ranch in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday Nov. 8, 2025. Santa Margarita defeated West Ranch 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Ireland Real (15) hugs Memphis Burnett (81) as they celebrate their win over West Ranch in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday Nov. 8, 2025. Santa Margarita defeated West Ranch 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)

Ireland Real, Santa Margarita, Jr.: She was the CIF-SS Division 2 player of the year.

Lizzy Robinson, Mater Dei, Jr.: Robinson was selected to the All-CIF Division 1 team.

Sofia Shine, El Dorado, Sr.: Shine shared Freeway League MVP honors.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Catherine Beadles, JSerra, Sr.

Addison Coady, Mater Dei, Sr.

Alexis Link, San Juan Hills, Jr.

Korynn Mayo, Marina, Jr.

Brynn Minter, Los Alamitos, Sr.

Ashton Nelson, San Clemente, Sr.

Marley Robinson, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

Hayden Shanafelt, San Clemente, Sr.

June Stringham, Foothill, So.

Makayla Ziegler, JSerra, Jr.

ALL-COUNTY THIRD TEAM

Talea Berry, Newport Harbor, Sr.

Sam Capinpin, Mater Dei, Sr.

Joy Carney, Capistrano Valley Christian, Sr.

Kaitlyn Herweg, Los Alamitos, Jr.

Kate Jackson, Santa Margarita, Jr.

Haley Langdon, Foothill, Sr.

Sarah McDonald, St. Margaret’s, Jr.

Katherine Nowak, JSerra, Jr.

Brooke Ogden, Tesoro, Jr.

Hannah Schoffstall, Cypress, Sr.

ALL-COUNTY FOURTH TEAM

Ryan Cuenca, San Clemente, Jr.

Ally Fausett, Dana Hills, Sr.

Sofia Dajnowiec, Corona del Mar, Jr.

Brooklyn Jones, Crean Lutheran, Jr.

Emma Kingston, Mater Dei, Jr.

Madeline Lambros, Rosary, Sr.

Kalea Lee, Mater Dei, Jr.

Ella Massoudi, St. Margaret’s, Jr.

Sasha Pugh, Crean Lutheran, Sr.

Sawyer Rupe, Dana Hills, Jr.

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11319706 2025-12-23T13:49:50+00:00 2025-12-23T14:08:14+00:00
Orange County boys basketball Top 25: Cypress in Top 10 after two big wins https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/22/orange-county-boys-basketball-top-25-cypress-in-top-10-after-two-big-wins/ Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:53:00 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11317738&preview=true&preview_id=11317738 BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

Notable this week: Cypress rises from No. 17 last week to No. 6 this week after victories over then-No. 15 San Clemente and No. 4 Fairmont Prep. … Santa Margarita stays on top after close wins over Basha and Bishop Gorman in the Tarkanian Classic tournament in Las Vegas. … Canyon’s young team climbs after a win over rival Villa Park. … Los Alamitos continues its rise after a 20-point win over Torrey Pines. … Corona del Mar and Fountain Valley take undefeated records into this week.

1. Santa Margarita 13-1: The Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the top division of the Tarkanian Classic, the Platinum Division, including a win, 86-79, in overtime over Bishop Gorman. Drew Anderson scored 29 points with 19 rebounds.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Crean Lutheran 9-3: The Saints lost to Sierra Canyon, 69-40, a team widely considered No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section. They play in the top division of The Classic at Damien after Christmas.

Previous ranking: 2

3. JSerra 8-5: The Lions won their first two games in the Tarkanian Classic’s Spalding Division by one-sided scores, 88-60 over Bingham and 70-35 over Mojave.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Corona del Mar 11-0: The undefeated Sea Kings did not play last week. They will play No. 7 Cypress in the Orange County North/South Challenge at Tesoro on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Previous ranking: 5.

5. Canyon 7-3: Often with three freshmen on the court at the same time, Canyon beat Villa Park 65-58 in the Challenge For CHOC showcase at Sonora. They will play in the post-Christmas Classic at Damien’s Diamond Division.

Previous ranking: 9

Mohammed el Baba #0 of Canyon reaches in for the ball against Nate Chung #24 of the Villa Park during a boys basketball game at Sonora High School on December 19, 2025 in La Habra, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Mohammed el Baba #0 of Canyon reaches in for the ball against Nate Chung #24 of the Villa Park during a boys basketball game at Sonora High School on December 19, 2025 in La Habra, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)

6. Cypress 10-4: The Centurions had a great week, with wins of 57-50 over San Clemente and 59-49 over Fairmont Prep. They play Corona del Mar at Tesoro on Tuesday.

Previous ranking: 17

7. Los Alamitos 4-5: The Griffins impressed again with a 73-53 win over Torrey Pines. They continue their rugged schedule by taking on Crean Lutheran at Tesoro on Tuesday.

Previous ranking: 10

8. Fairmont Prep 7-5: The Huskies beat Oak Hills 52-47 and lost to Cypress 59-49. They will play in the Diamond Division of The Classic at Damien after Christmas.

Previous ranking: 4

9. Pacifica Christian 11-2: The Tritons have won eight in a row since a loss to Rolling Hills Prep. They will play in the Silver Division of The Classic at Damien.

Previous ranking: 6

10. Mater Dei 7-5: The Monarchs went 1-1 over the first two days of the Tarkanian Classic. They had an 87-61 win over Coeur d’Alene as Richie Ramirez scored 41 points and Luke Barnett scored 33.

Previous ranking: 7

11. Orange Lutheran 10-4

Previous ranking: 10

12. Tesoro 12-2

Previous ranking: 11

13. El Dorado 11-1

Previous ranking: 12

14. La Habra 11-3

Previous ranking: 13

15. Edison 9-2

Previous ranking: 14

16. Esperanza 13-1

Previous ranking: 16

17. Servite 11-3

Previous ranking: 18

18. San Clemente 6-7

Previous ranking: 15

19. Newport Harbor 9-3

Previous ranking: 19

20. Sonora 10-4

Previous ranking: 21

21. Fountain Valley 11-0

Previous ranking: 22

22. Foothill 5-5

Previous ranking: 20

23. Woodbridge 10-3

Previous ranking: 23

24. Villa Park 10-6

Previous ranking: 24

25. Aliso Niguel 9-5

Previous ranking: 25

 

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11317738 2025-12-22T12:53:00+00:00 2025-12-22T12:53:00+00:00
Orange County boys basketball Top 25: Santa Margarita remains at No. 1 https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/15/orange-county-boys-basketball-top-25-santa-margarita-remains-at-no-1/ Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:35:38 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11306068&preview=true&preview_id=11306068 The Orange County boys basketball rankings as of Monday, Dec. 15. The team records are through Sunday, Dec. 14.

Notable this week: Los Alamitos enters the Top 10 after a 57-50 win over state-ranked Rolling Hills Prep. … Orange Lutheran lost to Cypress 75-66 in the North Orange County Championships. … Corona del Mar (11-0) remains undefeated. … Two teams enter this week’s rankings: Fountain Valley (10-0) at No. 22 and Newport Harbor (8-3) at No. 19. … The Sailors won the Western Showcase tournament last week.

BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

1. Santa Margarita 11-1: The Eagles beat Village Christian and Millikan. Their next game is in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Crean Lutheran 9-2: The Saints beat state-ranked teams Archbishop Riordan and Crespi.

Previous ranking: 3

3. JSerra 6-5: The Lions went 1-2 last week. They are in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas this week.

Previous ranking: 2

4. Fairmont Prep 6-4: The Huskies went 0-3 against some standout competition in the Bosco Classic.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Corona del Mar 11-0: The Sea Kings were 4-0 last week, including an 83-59 win over Villa Park.

Previous ranking: 5

6. Pacifica Christian 9-2: The Tritons went 3-0 in a tournament in Washington state.

Previous ranking: 6

7. Mater Dei 6-4: The Monarchs lost to Corona Centennial in the San Juan Invitational championship game. They are in the Tarkanian Classic this week.

Previous ranking: 8

8. Los Alamitos 3-5: The Griffins beat Rolling Hills Prep, the No. 25 team in last week’s CalHiSports.com state rankings.

Previous ranking: 13

9. Canyon 6-3: Canyon was 3-1 in the North Orange County Championships, finishing with a 65-52 win over Rancho Verde.

Previous ranking: 9

Dean Dohrmann #3 of Canyon gets past King Butler #3 of Norte Vista in the first half. Norte Vista played Canyon in the North Orange County Championship tournament at Sonora High School on December 10, 2025 in La Habra, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Dean Dohrmann #3 of Canyon gets past King Butler #3 of Norte Vista in the first half. Norte Vista played Canyon in the North Orange County Championship tournament at Sonora High School on December 10, 2025 in La Habra, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)

10. Orange Lutheran 8-4: The Lancers beat La Serna and Sonora, lost to Cypress in the North Orange County Championships.

Previous ranking: 7

11. Tesoro 11-2

Previous ranking: 10

12. El Dorado 10-1

Previous ranking: 11

13. La Habra 10-3

Previous ranking: 12

14. Edison 9-2

Previous ranking: 14

15. San Clemente 6-5

Previous ranking: 15

16. Esperanza 12-1

Previous ranking: 16

17. Cypress 8-4

Previous ranking: 18

18. Servite 10-3

Previous ranking: 17

19. Newport Harbor 8-3

Previous ranking: Not ranked

20. Foothill 5-5

Previous ranking: 23

21. Sonora 8-4

Previous ranking: 19

22. Fountain Valley 10-0

Previous ranking: Not ranked

23. Woodbridge 9-3

Previous ranking: 20

24. Villa Park 9-5

Previous ranking: 21

25. Aliso Niguel 8-4

Previous ranking: 22

 

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11306068 2025-12-15T13:35:38+00:00 2025-12-15T14:34:15+00:00
Albano’s Fab 5: Orange County girls basketball standouts last week, Dec. 8 https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/08/albanos-fab-5-orange-county-girls-basketball-standouts-last-week-dec-8/ Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:53:29 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11294427&preview=true&preview_id=11294427 Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now


Dan Albano’s Fab 5 outstanding girls basketball players last week, Dec. 8, 2025:

Sarah Aldeguer, Fairmont Prep, Sr., F

The Princeton-bound Aldeguer averaged 16.5 points and earned all-tournament honors as the Huskies placed fourth at the Troy Classic.

Kate Duarte, Rosary, Sr., F

Duarte tallied 30 points and eight rebounds in a 57-35 victory against Buena Park.

Elle Palmer, Santa Margarita, So., F

Palmer posted 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 51-48 victory in overtime against Villa Park in the finals of the Villa Park-Brea Olinda Winter Shootout. She also earned all-tournament honors.

Kayla Rice, JSerra, Jr., F

Rice averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, and earned all-tournament honors, to help the Lions place second at the Troy Classic.

Delaney Shiring, El Dorado, Sr., G

Shiring averaged 18 points and seven rebounds at the San Marino tournament en route to reaching her 1,000th career point. She also earned all-tournament honors.

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El Dorado beats La Habra to win Gary Raya boys basketball tournament https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/08/el-dorado-beats-la-habra-to-win-gary-raya-boys-basketball-tournament/ Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:03:05 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11293572&preview=true&preview_id=11293572 El Dorado is having a terrific season.

The Golden Hawks are 9-1 after beating La Habra 53-52 in the championship game of the Gary Raya Classic on Saturday at El Dorado High.

Noah Nam’s reverse layup with three seconds remaining provided the winning points.

El Dorado senior forward Noah Barker was named tournament MVP.

La Habra senior guard Acen Jimenez scored a game-high 29 points in the final and became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,776 points. Jimenez signed with Dartmouth.

 

La Habra's Acen Jimenez scored 29 points and established a school record for career points with 1,776 in the process in the championship of the Gary Raya Classic on Saturday at El Dorado High School. The Highlanders were defeated by El Dorado, 53-52. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)
La Habra’s Acen Jimenez scored 29 points and established a school record for career points with 1,776 in the process in the championship of the Gary Raya Classic on Saturday at El Dorado High School. The Highlanders were defeated by El Dorado, 53-52. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)

The tournament is named for the late Gary Raya, who was the El Dorado girls basketball coach.

NOTES

Orange Lutheran senior Josh King scored 28 points and sophomore Noah Zeola scored 24 in the Lancers’ 73-68 overtime victory over Austin Prep Academy of Texas. …

Pacifica Christian won the Meet in the Middle Classic tournament in Bakersfield. The Tritons’ Joaquin Rigdon was the tournament MVP. He had a game-high 29 points in a 67-63 win over Destiny Christian Academy of Sacramento in the championship game. …

Santa Margarita was 2-1 in a series of showcase games in Maryland against Maryland teams. The Eagles beat Bullis 67-58, lost to Bishop McNamara and beat DeMatha 71-54. Santa Margarita’s Kaiden Bailey and Brayden Kyman were all-showcase selections. …

Beckman advanced to the championship game of the Euclid Extravaganza tournament. The Patriots lost to Warren 52-49 in the tournament championship game. …

Corona del Mar beat Tesoro 61-36 in the championship game of the Diablo Inferno tournament. …

The North Orange County Championships tournament this week has 12 teams including Canyon, Cypress, Orange Lutheran and host school Sonora. …

The San Juan Invitational at San Juan Hills and Capistrano Valley Christian includes Corona Centennial and Mater Dei. …

The Western Showcase at Western High has Servite, Trabuco Hills, Yorba Linda and Dana Hills in its 10-team group.

Orange County boys basketball Top 25: Santa Margarita, JSerra in top two spots

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Orange County boys basketball Top 25: Santa Margarita, JSerra in top two spots https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/08/orange-county-boys-basketball-top-25-santa-margarita-jserra-in-top-two-spots/ Mon, 08 Dec 2025 21:54:56 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11293552&preview=true&preview_id=11293552 The Orange County boys basketball rankings as of Monday, Dec. 8. The team records are through Sunday, Dec. 7.

Notable this week: Santa Margarita remains the top-ranked team in the county, having gone 2-1 in a challenging tournament on the road. … Corona del Mar moves up after winning the Diablo Inferno tournament. … El Dorado defeated last week’s No. 8 team, La Habra, in the Gary Raya Classic tournament at El Dorado. … Pacifica Christian also rises after winning a tournament title. … Esperanza climbs into the rankings after a win over Servite, which beat Cypress. … Los Alamitos is 1-5 against a very rugged schedule.

1. Santa Margarita 9-1: The Eagles went 2-1 in the Xavieren Classic tournament in Maryland, concluding with a 71-54 win over legendary DeMatha.

Previous ranking: 1

2. JSerra 5-3: The Lions lost to Crespi, one of the CIF Southern Section’s better teams.

Previous ranking: 2

3. Crean Lutheran 7-1: The Saints extended their winning streak to six games with wins over Farrington of Hawaii, Carlsbad and Village Christian.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Fairmont Prep 5-1: The Huskies did not play last week. They will play in the Bosco Classic at St. John Bosco this week, starting out against Palos Verdes on Tuesday and St. John Bosco on Wednesday.

Previous ranking: 4

5. Corona del Mar 6-0: The Sea Kings won the championship of the Diablo Inferno Invitational.

Previous ranking: 6

6. Pacifica Christian 6-2: The Tritons won the Meet in the Middle Classic at Bakersfield Christian.

7. Orange Lutheran 6-2: The Lancers beat Austin Peace Academy, play in the North Orange County Championships this week at Sonora.

Previous ranking: 7

8. Mater Dei 2-3: The Monarchs did not play last week. They play in the San Juan Hills Invitational this week.

Previous ranking: 5

9. Canyon 3-2: It did not play last week. It is in the North Orange County Championships at Sonora this week.

Previous ranking: 10

10. Tesoro 8-2: The Tritons advanced to the final of the Diablo Inferno tournament and lost to Corona del Mar.

Previous ranking: 13

11. El Dorado 9-1

Previous ranking: 16

12. La Habra 8-2

Previous ranking: 8

13. Los Alamitos 1-5

Previous ranking: 12

14. Edison 6-2

Previous ranking: 15

15. San Clemente 6-3

Previous ranking: 16

16. Esperanza 7-1

Previous ranking: Not ranked

17. Servite 7-2

Previous ranking: 14

18. Cypress 5-3

Previous ranking: 9

19. Sonora 7-1

Previous ranking: 18

20. Woodbridge 8-3

Previous ranking: 20

21. Villa Park 8-3

Previous ranking: 21

22. Aliso Niguel 7-4

Previous ranking:

23: Foothill 3-4

Previous ranking: 23

24. Beckman 7-4

Previous ranking: Not ranked

25. Laguna Hills 5-4

Previous ranking: 24

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Steve Fryer’s Orange County football Top 40 rankings, Dec. 2 https://www.ocregister.com/2025/12/02/steve-fryers-orange-county-football-top-40-rankings-dec-2/ Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:27:51 +0000 https://www.ocregister.com/?p=11283454&preview=true&preview_id=11283454 Here is how I voted this week in the Orange County Top 25, plus teams I consider to be in the Nos. 26-40 range.

1. Santa Margarita 10-3

2. Mater Dei 8-3

3. Mission Viejo 9-2

4. Servite 6-5

5. Orange Lutheran 3-9

6. Los Alamitos 12-2

7. San Clemente 9-5

8. JSerra 3-7

9. Tustin 9-2

10. Yorba Linda 8-3

11. Corona del Mar 9-2

12. San Juan Hills 2-10

13. Edison 7-6

14. Crean Lutheran 10-1

15. Huntington Beach 8-3

16. La Habra 11-3

17. Capistrano Valley 8-3

18. Laguna Beach 9-2

19. Villa Park 7-6

20. Dana Hills 10-2

21. Aliso Niguel 8-4

22. Troy 10-2

23. El Modena 5-6

24. Western 6-6

25. Orange 6-5

26. Tesoro 3-7

27. El Toro 6-5

28. Trabuco Hills 4-6

29. Newport Harbor 3-7

30. Beckman 11-3

31. Fullerton 9-3

32. Brea Olinda 10-4

33. Irvine 9-4

34. Foothill 3-7

35. Pacifica 8-4

36. Marina 6-5

37. El Dorado 4-6

38. Cypress 3-7

39. Portola 6-5

40. Segerstrom 8-3

 

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