By Steve Ramirez, Staff Writer
Neither Bonita nor Los Altos high schools have won a CIF-Southern Section girls volleyball championship. For one of them, that changes today.
The Bearcats and Conquerors, who have battled for supremacy in the Miramonte League in recent years, take that rivalry to the elite stage when they square off at 10 a.m. for the Division 3AA title at Cypress College. To continue, click thread

"I'm very confident that my players will play with their hearts. This is a big moment for us and even though we have beaten Los Altos twice we can't take them lightly."

Especially when Bonita's success over the Conquerors is what's driven the Los Altos players to advance to the school's first divisional championship game in 22 years.

"We're very excited," said Los Altos coach Jaime Ornelas, whose Conquerors after finishing second in the Miramonte League have responded with playoff sweeps over Oak Hill, La Quinta, Santa Ynez and Warren. "The girls are more focused than I've ever seen them. They have tunnel vision toward this (match and reaching the finals against Bonita).

"They're very motivated. No one believed in them at first, but they just kept pushing and have come this far and they are not looking back."

But they will be eying a very talented Bonita team, which is the No. 2 seed after being ranked in the division Top 10 all season.

The Bearcats (18-6) have one of the top front lines in the area with senior outside hitters Allie LaPierre, who has 390 kills, and Katie Kirby, who has 286. Junior setter Ashley Maxfelt, who has 827 assists, is also one of the area's top passers.

"They are very consistent," Ornelas said. "A lot of what they do has to do with their setter. She is magic with the ball.

"We'll see how we can compete."

Los Altos (29-8), which was a division runner-up in 1977 and '75, will counter with solid options across the court.

The Conquerors are led by senior outside hitter/opposite Meagan Macias, who has 130 kills, and junior middle blocker/outside hitter Jazmen Russel, who has 114. But Los Altos, keyed by setter Erica Chavez (237 assists), also gets scoring production from junior opposite Katherine Nazaroff and senior middle blocker Susanna Beliakoff.

"Our team needs to focus on the the things that we do well," Contreras said. "We have to control what goes on on our side of the court."

Bonita has done a good job of that during the postseason, reaching the school's first final with victories over Silverado, Maranatha and Palm Springs, with only Maranatha winning a game.

"My girls believe they can compete with Bonita, if they bring their `A' game," Ornelas said. "It's going to be a great battle. I know my girls are excited to get a third chance (against Bonita) and maybe the third time will be the charm."

steve.ramirez@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2296

Southeast Division
No. 1 Charter Oak (10-1) at West Covina (7-4)
No. 4 Burbank (9-2) at California (8-2-1)
No. 3 Schurr (9-1-1) at Diamond Ranch (5-6)
No. 2 South Hills (9-2) at Crescenta Valley (8-3)

Mid-Valley Division
No. 1 Monrovia (11-0) at Paraclete (7-4)
Baldwin Park (9-2) at Whittier Christian (8-3)
San Marino (9-2) at No. 3 Azusa (10-1)
Cerritos Valley Christian (8-3) at No. 2 San Dimas (10-1)

Friday's Results
Pac-5 Division
Bishop Amat 28, Mater Dei 21 -- Sophomore Rio Ruiz caught a 40-yard touchdown from Jerry McClanahan with 38 seconds left, giving the Lancers their second win over Mater Dei in the playoffs since 1962. They will be at Lakewood in the quarterfinals.
Central Division
Rancho Cucamonga 27, Glendora 14 -- The Tartans fell behind early and never recovered, losing to the defending champions.
Upland 30, Damien 6 -- When you rush for 15 yards total and seven of those yards come in the final moments, you won't win a lot of games. QB Guillen sacked five times. Just too much Upland.
Mid-Valley Division
Monrovia 40, South El Monte 7 -- Exactly what you expected from the No. 1 Cats, but now they get defending champion Paraclete on the road.
Paraclete 45, La Puente 0 -- Those doubting how difficult the Spirits are once the playoffs arrive only need to look at this score.
Baldwin Park 38, Gladstone 17 -- The Gladiators made a game of it for a while, but the Braves were too much in the end.
Whittier Christian 27, Arroyo 24 -- I don't know if you call it a shocker, but it does go to show how difficult the Olympic League is this year.
San Marino 42, Rosemead 20 --I'm going to keep a close eye on these Titans. Any team with defensive coach Mike Mooney associated with it has a pretty good chance.
San Dimas 48, Workman 6 -- Way too much firepower from the No. 2 Saints. I don't see anything stopping their trip to the finals.
Southeast Division
Charter Oak 20, Muir 19 -- Shocked is the appropriate word. I should have known not to underestimate the Mighty Mustangs. They had a two-point conversion chance to knock off the defending champions. Incredible.
West Covina 40, San Gabriel 14 -- With all these Southeast scares, the Bulldogs take care of business, host Charter Oak next.
California 55, Rowland 27 -- The Condors are the team everyone should look out for how. That's a lot of points against the Raiders' D.
South Hills 28, Bonita 21 -- It wasn't as close a scare as Charter Oak, but pretty darn close. The Huskies blew a 21 point lead as the Bearcats tied it in the fourth quarter, but the Huskies found a way to advance

For quarter updates of tonight's games, click thread

But that's when McClanahan and Ruiz went to work.

Starting on their own 26 with 1:06 left, McLanahan threw a 19-yard pass to Ruiz, then another 15-yard pass to Ruiz again, setting up the 40-yard touchdown completion and just their second victory over Mater Dei in the playoffs, and first since 1962 -- nearly half a century.

"It took a while to get those two going, but they were ready for it (the drive)," Bishop Amat coach Steve Hagerty said. "Sometimes the moment can bring out the worst in you, but the best wait for the moment to bring out the best in them. Jerry and Rio are incredible competitors, it was those two in the end."

Wittek threw for 247 yards and standout junior receiver Victor Blackwell had 10 receptions for 123 yards, but it wasn't enough as the Monarchs finished 6-5.

McLanhan had another big night, throwing for 196 yards while junior Jay Anderson rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns. But Ruiz, just a sophomore, was clutch, finishing with eight receptions for 118 yards and an interception as the Lancers improved to 9-1 and will face fourth-seed Lakewood, a 41-17 winner over Newport Harbor, on the road in the quarterfinals next week.

"I have a lot of confidence in Jerry, and he has confidence in me," Ruiz said. "He called a fade and I fought to come down with it. It's incredible, we're so proud we're moving on to the next round."

Bishop Amat had a number of goals entering the season, and scribbled on a board as they walked out of their locker room was goal number six, practicing on Thanksgiving.

"There's only one goal left," Hagerty said. "That's to win the whole thing. Again, just like other times this season our guys didn't quit, they kept fighting. It seems like we're saying that all the time, but that's what they're, a bunch of fighters."

Mater Dei opened the second half, marching 80-yards on ten plays, finishing with Corbin Anderson's two-yard touchdown run, and tying the game on Wittek's two-point conversion pass to AJ Roth, making it 14-14 with 6:46 to go in the third.

Following a three-and-out, the Lancers caught a huge break when Mater Dei's Tyler Meglan fumbled the punt, and Martin Sandoval pounced on it for the Lancers, giving them the ball at the Monarchs 35 with 4:32 left in the third quarter.

After a couple of penalties, McClanahan faced a third-and-18, and connected with Zachary Shay for a 19-yard completion to the Monarchs 23. Eight straight Anderson runs ended with a one-yard touchdown and 21-14 lead with ten seconds left in the third quarter.

Box
Mater Dei 0 6 8 7 -- 21
Bishop Amat 0 14 7 7 -- 28
Scoring
BA: Jay Anderson 11 run (Alexander Ragsdale kick)
BA: Anderson 47 run (Ragsdale kick)
MD: Victor Blackwell 11 pass Max Wittek (kick failed)
MD: Corbin Anderson 2 run (AJ Roth from Wittek)
BA: Anderson 1 run (Ragsdale kick)
MD: Max Wittek 1 run (kick good)
BA: Rio Ruiz 40 pass from Jerry McClanahan (Ragsdale kick)

Records: Bishop Amat 9-1; Notre Dame 6-4
[TAG1]fred.robledo@sgvn.com
626-962-8811, Ext. 2161

For quarter updates of tonight's games, click thread

Breaking News: Whittier prep editor Roger Murray told me he has it on good authority that Michael Ball is practicing for Rowland and will play Friday against California after breaking his collarbone a month ago. He got this from his CalHi sources.

Bishop Amat defensive players Daniel Kane, left, and Davis Cazaris, the heart and soul Lancers' vaunted defense. (SGVN/Staff photo by Watchara Phomicinda)

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
LA PUENTE - Notre Dame quarterback Ryan Kasdorf had a simple explanation for Bishop Amat's 31-14 victory over the Knights last week that gave the Lancers a piece of the Serra League title. It also sums up what makes the Bishop Amat defense so special. It is led by a pair of seniors in defensive lineman Daniel Kane and hard-hitting safety Davis Cazares. The Lancers are allowing just 17 points a game, quite an accomplishment considering the opponents they line up against each week. To continue, click thread

It's something that could have been repeated after just about every Lancers game, with the exception of their lone loss at Crespi, 38-25.

"It's not about who we got on the field, it's about us playing together as a unit," the normally soft-spoken Kane said. "When we don't play as a unit, like against Crespi, you see what happens. But when we're together as one, we can accomplish just about anything."

Mater Dei (6-4) should expect more of the same when it visits the Lancers (9-1) in the first round of the Pac-5 Division playoffs on Friday at Kiefer Stadium, where the Lancers are 10-0 since coach Steve Hagerty took over.

"We don't have a bunch of flashy players," Cazares said. "But we're solid. If we outhit and outhustle you, the rest takes care of itself."

After losing defensive standouts Sheldon Price and Isaiah Bowens, now at UCLA, and Brent Seals, who walked on at Stanford, Hagerty wondered how his undersized no-name defense would do.

Go through just about any scouting service, and you won't find Bishop Amat defensive players at the top of any recruiting list.

It's something Hagerty discussed with former Lancers head coach Mark Paredes, who phoned to congratulate Hagerty on their first league title since 2002.

"We both agreed that this team reminds us of the 1988 team (that reached the championship and lost)," Hagerty said. "Our defense was really good. I could tell you who played, but I don't think anybody that year went anywhere on an athletic scholarship."

The 1988 team followed the much-heralded 1987 team with Mazio Royster that lost in the second round, and the 1986 team with Eric Bienemy that also lost in the second round. That left the Lancers thin on returning marquee players in 1988.

"I remember losing those guys (Royster and Bienemy) and a bunch of other good players and thinking, 'what are we going to do now that all those guys are gone?'" Hagerty said. "And that year ('88) we end up playing Fountain Valley for the championship.

"This team has a lot of similarities to that one, a bunch of kids that work hard and work together," Hagerty said. "This team has what a lot of teams have that win, they care about each other. When you care about each other you have the ability to accomplish just about anything."

At the center of it all is Cazares, a thinking-man's safety who doesn't mind getting in a someone's face. Teammates respect him enough to deliver his message.

"Davis will go over to a player and say, 'if you don't get over to the (bleeping) middle, I'm going to put my foot up your (butt). He won't embarrass you, he will do it a quiet personal way so that you get the message," Hagerty said. "He reminds me a lot of his father Mark (who also played at Bishop Amat). He's a very devoted and focused young man. His instincts on the field are as big a part of his success as anything. He reads well, it's all the things you teach kids, but some kids get it and care about it, where others don't think it's such a big deal.

"Davis takes it and absorbs it. His dad has trained him to be focused, that's why he doesn't miss a lot of reads, that's what allows him as a safety to be where he needs to be. He's religious about that kind of stuff and he has earned a tremendous amount of respect from his teammates because of it.

Kane is the leader in the trenches. He hardly ever says a word, but his teammates get the message, too.

"I think our players watch him work and are inspired by the way he works," Hagerty said of Kane. "I can't tell you how many other coaches have come up to me and said `That guy (Kane) is a stud.' They rave about him."

"He wrestled (last year) and lost about 20 pounds. He's about 255 and is faster, stronger and just better. He has completely devoted himself to being the best player he can be.
"It's amazing how that kind of quiet leadership can come through so loud on team where people love to talk."

Much of the defense success also is attributed to defensive coach Mike DiFiori, the former Lancers head coach who describes Cazares and Kane as the heart of the team's character.

"They anchor both ends," DiFiori said. "It's nice when you have a guy in the middle (Kane) that can take care of two or three gaps, and then Davis in the back making sure everyone is aligned correctly.

"Those two make everyone accountable for their effort because they bring that effort every second. They're always going 190 miles per hour. Nobody will listen to you or react to you if you don't follow through yourself. They just get it, they really do."

fred.robledo@sgvn.com (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2161

Upland, which lost in the division finals last season to Rancho Cucamonga, is 8-2. The Highlanders tied Rancho Cucamonga for third place in the Baseline League but lost the tiebreaker and enter the postseason at the division's lone wild-card team.

Gano is not buying it. He knows what Upland did last season and the tradition Salter has built, which includes winning a division title earlier this decade.

It's this year's team that has him worried the most.

"They are quick on defense, and they'll come after you," Gano said. "They also play with a lot of emotion, so our guys are going to have to be ready."

Damien, which began the season 1-5, comes into the contest on a roll. The Spartans, led by running back Phillip Sainz and quarterback James Guillen, have won four consecutive games to earn a share of the Sierra League title.

"I think our kids just bought into what we kept telling them," Gano said. "They believe in themselves and are playing good football. I couldn't ask for anything more."

Damien will be without senior wide receiver Ryne Morrison, who bruised his kidney in last week's victory over Chino and is out for the season.

"It's a big loss for us. We have to use kids who do not have a lot of playing time," Gano said. They just have to step up."

The L.A. Times' Ben Bolch Makes his Mater Dei-Bishop Amat prediction: Wrote Bolch: Bishop Amat coach Steve Hagerty said Mater Dei receiver Victor Blackwell could "single-handedly" beat the Lancers, but the Monarchs have been inconsistent for most of the season and their signature victory over Corona Centennial came two months ago. Plus, Bishop Amat's defense made Sherman Oaks Notre Dame standout Ryan Kasdorf look like an average high school quarterback last week. That's no small feat. Prediction: Bishop Amat 35, Mater Dei 24.

This is last year's team

The CIF-SS office just announced that the Bonita-Los Altos rematch in the Division 3AA finals at Cypress College will be at 10 a.m.
Bonita, playing in its first divisional championship match, advanced with a sweep over Palm Springs. It was the Bearcats second appearance in the semifinals in the past three seasons.
Los Altos, which last appeared in the finals in 1977, advanced with a sweep over Warren. The Conquerors were also runner-up in 1975.
Bonita, which won the Miramonte League, won both regular-season matchups, winning in three games on Oct. 8 and in four on Oct. 24.

Charter Oak (9-1) is the defending Southeast Division champion and No. 1 seed, but don't expect Muir (4-6), which started 0-5 and needed to win its last three game to make the playoffs as the fourth place team from the Pacific League to be intimated when they visit the Chargers in the first round on Friday. Muir has played one of the toughest schedules in the division, losing to Southern Section powers Oaks Christian and Venice.
In the Pacific League they lost three games, though just by a combined 11 points, which included a 29-28 loss to fourth-seed Burbank.
"It's another team, they're not the team of old, that's a good thing for us," Muir coach Ken Howard said of Charter Oak. "We don't mind getting them because now they have all the pressure. They have everything to lose and we have nothing to lose. We have been struggling in the playoffs the last couple years and they won a championship. We're not going to worry about it, we're going to show up and give them our best shot."

I know this is a rivalry and things tend to get personal, but please think before you send, this is a good time for these teams, these schools, let them enjoy it by keeping the banter fun and spirited.

Los Altos players celebrate after advancing to the finals for the first
time since 1977.

CIF-Southern Section
Tuesday's semifinals
Division 3AA
Los Altos def. Warren, 25-22, 25-19, 25-18 - Jazmen Russell had 11 kills and Meagan Macias nine and the Conquerors advanced to the Division 3AA finals to face rival Bonita. Los Altos will be playing for its first divisional title. The Conquerors were runner up in 1975 and '77.
Jazmen Russell: "When we lost to Bonita (on Oct. 27), it made us want to keep winning and play them again in the CIF finals. We want to beat them in the finals. We've been working hard ever since."
Susanna Beliakoff: This is such a great accomplishment for us. We worked really, really hard this whole time. Getting this far is a blessing for us. It's a team effort, and that's what makes it special."
Coach Jaime Ornelas: It's expected to be point for point at this level (of the playoffs). I put in a few subs to get my bigger servers in there. They did fabulous.
"(Popoff) was amazing. My bench did a lot for me. They came in and did what we needed."

Bonita players celebrate after advancing to the CIF-SS finals.

Bonita def. Palm Springs, 25-15, 25-14, 25-16 - Allie LaPierre had 16 kills and Katie Kirby 11 to lead the Bearcats. Bonita, which was in the semifinals for the second time in three years, is in the finals for the first time.
Allie LaPierre: I am just so excited. We made history. We just wanted to stay focused and play each point like it was 0-0."
Katie Kirby: "Tonight was revenge for two years ago,"
Coach Adriana Contreras: "I'm just so absolutely proud. We did a great job covering balls and we spread the ball around. Everyone played a role tonight."