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To say Taft of Woodland Hills is not the best team in the region would be just flat out wrong.

The Toreadors, who went 27-5 a year ago and lost to Westchester of Los Angeles in the City Section championship are ranked No. 9 in the preseason USA Today Super 25 poll.

Taft returns sophomore point guard Landon Drew, son former NBA player Larry Drew and welcomes mnay new faces, sure to make an immediate impact.

USC-bound wing Bryce Jones, Texas-bound De'Andre Daniels, sophomore forward Brandon Perry and seniors Mark Jackson and Jordan Gathers are five transfers ready to help Taft get back to the Galen Center.

Spencer Dinwiddie, Pierson Williams, Sam Natt, Khiry Williams, Stephen Maxwell and George Idehan aren't too bad either.

Taft's biggest test will come Feb. 6 when it faces St. Patrick's (New Jersey) in the featured game of the Nike Mater Dei Extravaganza.

Transfers Christian Holden from Rosamond and Dushon Carter from Renaissance Academy of La Canada are still not cleared to play basketball at El Camino Real this season.

Practice has already begun but more paperwork needs to come through before any decisions on the two players can be made.

Asst. athletic director Vinnie Orlando said he thinks Holden will probably get cleared and Carter is trying for a hardship.

Stay tuned...............

Ryan Moore, an asst. coach at Simi Valley and former head coach at Oaks Christian of Westlake Village is one of four finalists for the Santa Clara of Oxnard job.

Moore guided Oaks Chr. to a semifinal appearance and has been one of the top asst.'s in the region for the past six years.

Stay tuned.................

Six local teams will participate in this years MaxPreps.com Holiday Classic.

75 teams will converge upon San Diego playing at five different venues.

Taft, Simi Valley, Campbell Hall, Flintridge Prep, Van Nuys and tiny Community Charter are entered from the area.

Schedules will be realeased shortly.

Stay tuned......

2009 San Fernando Valley Invitational
Dec. 18-23

All first-round games Friday Dec. 18

Games at Crespi High
Crespi vs. Poly-Sun Valley, 7 p.m.
Knight vs. Burroughs, 4 p.m.
L.A. Jordan vs. Moorpark, 5:30 p.m.
University-Los Angeles vs. Ribet Academy, 8:30 p.m.

Games at Kennedy High
Montclair Prep vs. Santiago-Corona, 8:30 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. West Ranch, 5:30 p.m.
Kennedy vs. Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.
Palisades vs. Verdugo Hills, 4 p.m.

Games at Alemany High
El Camino Real vs. Newbury Park, 7 p.m.
Burbank vs. Reseda, 4 p.m.
Alemany vs. Beverly Hills, 5:30 p.m.
Hart vs. Grant, 8:30 p.m.

Games at Granada Hills High
Chaminade vs. North Hollywood, 7 p.m.
Westlake vs. Sierra Canyon, 5:30 p.m.
Granada Hills vs. Milken Community, 2:30 p.m.
Golden Valley vs. Lancaster, 4 p.m.

www.sfvtournament.org

twitter.com/dnpreps

2009 Chaminade Christmas Classic

Dec. 26-30

All first-round games on Friday Sat. Dec. 26

Chaminade vs. Northridge Academy, 9 a.m.
San Fernando vs. Newbury Park, 10:30 a.m.
Eastside vs. Burbank, 12 p.m.
Golden Valley vs. Granada Hills, 1:30 p.m.

Valencia vs. St. Bonaventure, 3 p.m.
Lancaster vs. Monroe, 4:30 p.m.
Kennedy vs. Montclair Prep, 6 p.m.
Menlo vs. Calabasas, 7:30 p.m.

Campbell Hall High School
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
2009

Monday:
6:00 pm Poly vs. Hoover
7:30 pm Campbell Hall vs. Canoga Park

Tuesday:
5:00 pm Canoga Park vs. Hoover
6:30 pm Buckley vs. University
8:00 pm Monroe vs. Calabasas

Wednesday:
5:00 pm Calabasas vs. University
6:30 pm Buckley vs. Monroe
8:00 pm Campbell Hall vs. Poly

Thursday:
4:30 pm Poly vs. Canoga Park
6:00 pm CAMPBELL HALL GIRLS GAME
7:30 pm Campbell Hall vs. Hoover

Friday:
6:00 pm University vs. Monroe
7:30 pm Buckley vs. Calabasas

Saturday:
12:30 pm 4th Place Pool A vs. 4th Place Pool B
2:00 pm 3rd Place Pool A vs. 3rd Place Pool B
3:30 pm 2nd Place Pool A vs. 2nd Place Pool B

6:30 pm 1st Place Pool A vs. 1st Place Pool B

Home team is first team listed and will wear white.

Pool A Pool B
Campbell Hall Buckley
Canoga Park Calabasas
Hoover (Glendale) Monroe
Poly (Sun Valley) University

Austin McBroom, a multi-purpose back and return specialist for Campbell Hall of North Hollywood, has scored 15 touchdowns, including four in a 45-7 victory Friday over Marshall of Pasadena.

Also a top basketball player, McBroom has a secret weapon - enhanced Peripheral vision thanks to a special daily vision program.

"It's this eye-testing program that trains your eyes and gives you better peripheral vision," coach Russell Gordon said. "I think Austin is one of the top kick returners in the state, and it's because of his great vision and lateral movement. I know having better peripheral vision is really helping him."

-- Gerry Gittelson

2009 Westchester Tournament

King-Drew vs. Westchester, Mon. Nov. 30 7:30 p.m.
Peninsula vs. Reseda, Mon. Nov. 30 3 p.m.
Crenshaw vs. Birmingham, Mon. Nov. 30 4:30 p.m.
Compton Centannial vs. West Torrance, Mon. Nov. 30 6 p.m.

Taft vs. Carson, Tue. Dec. 1 7:30 p.m.
Morningside vs. Windward, Tue. Dec. 1 3 p.m.
Leuzinger vs. Community Charter, Tue. Dec. 1 4:30 p.m.
Washington vs. Horizon-San Diego, Tue. Dec. 1 6 p.m.

2009 Providence High tournament
101 fwy. exit at Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA.

First round action Thursday Dec. 3

Providence of Burbank vs. Port of Los Angeles, 3 p.m.
Pilibos of Hollywood vs. St. Genevieve of Panorama City, 4:30 p.m.
San Marino vs. Oakwood of North Hollywood, 6 p.m.
Holy Martyrs of Encino vs. Waverly of Pasadena, 7:30 p.m.