DaVonte Young, who was the Pacific Coast League's player of the year last season as a freshman running back at Irvine, is now at his third school in five months.
Young began classes this week at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).
Young had left Irvine for Tustin last April, but the Southern Section ruled in June that he would be athletically ineligible for this school year because he was making the move for athletic reasons.
He applied for a hardship waiver earlier this month to attend Tustin, but that was never heard. The Orange County Register has reported that Young moved to Lakewood to live with his mother. He grew up in that area. The newspaper cited Samuel Crawford, who had been Young's guardian earlier this summer.
“They are going to make a decision as to what is best for DaVonte for his schooling and the rest of his career,” Crawford told the Register. “It's better for him to be relocated with his mother.”
Young rushed for 1,612 yards and 20 touchdowns as a freshman, and his move to Tustin signaled a move to a program that was run-oriented and could boast former NFL running back Deshaun Foster as an alumnus.
His decision to leave Tustin for another school would seem to validate the Southern Section's initial ruling that it was athletically motivated. Young himself tried to justify the move at the time by playing the academia card: “Tustin is a higher competition and I will get the special attention I need in the classroom there.” Either that is no longer important or Bosco can also provide the attention in the classroom that Irvine and Tustin could not.
However, the Academic Performance Index indicates Irvine is a better bet academically, with a 2009 score of 863, to Tustin's 735. Let's face it, that's not even close.
Young is a talented athlete, but this has really painted an unflattering picture of the athlete. Wouldn't Bosco be impressive if it should hold out Young for a game or two – he reportedly had a disciplinary action pending against him at the time of his transfer to Tustin – just to prove the point that educators are in this together?
“We're going through the necessary steps and paperwork that has to be sent to Tustin and Irvine to gain CIF eligibility,” first-year coach Jason Negro said. “Once it's completed by both high schools, we'll turn it in and see what the fate is at that point.
“At some point his story will come out, and it will clear up any misconceptions or misunderstandings people have about this student athlete and his situation.”
If Young is granted eligibility this season, he should make Bosco an even bigger threat to Servite-Anaheim, Mater Dei-Santa Ana and Lutheran-Orange in the Trinity League.
Crespi gets a big transfer
Jordan Simmons, one of the Southland's biggest athletes and Dorsey's (Los Angeles) best lineman, has transferred to Crespi (Encino) to play football. In its story the Los Angeles Times listed Simmons as 6-4, 340 – and video seems to support that claim – which would make his growth from a year ago stunning: He was listed on the Dorsey roster last season as 6-3, 270.
“My dad made the decision for me that he wanted better academics to prepare me for college, so I really didn't have no say-so for it, and felt that Crespi was a better school to prepare me for college,” Simmons told the Times.
Said Coach Jon Mack: “His football IQ is outstanding. Everyone knows who he is. He's huge, but what a quality young man.”
A Newport no-show
Cedric Whitaker hasn't told anyone at Newport Harbor where he is, and Coach Jeff Brinkley says it's unlikely that the All-Sunset League running back will return for his senior season. “He was with us during all of spring football,” Brinkley said. “Then he disappeared over the summer. The last I heard he was in Oakland.”
Whitaker had arrived from Oakland to Newport last September. He had never played organized football, but he rushed for 967 yards and eight touchdowns.
“Our thing is we'll win with you or without you, it just might be easier with you,” Brinkley said. “No one is bigger than the program, including me.”
Job security – and then some
Kiki Mendoza should have job security at his new gig, coaching football at Fairmont Prep (Anaheim), that he didn't have at St. John Bosco. Mendoza was hired by Bobby Mendoza, the school's headmaster, who is also Kiki's uncle.
Kiki had coached at Bosco for 12 seasons but was fired after failing to make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, the last four in the Trinity League.
He replaces as head coach Bobby Mendoza – that's right, his nephew – who took on additional responsibilities this year.
All-Pro staffing
Jackie Slater, who played for 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has joined the coaching staff at El Modena (Orange). Slater, who had been an offensive line coach at Saddleback College the past two seasons, has joined first-year head coach Ed Drzanek, who spent last season at as an assistant at St. Margaret's and the previous 20 years at Servite.
Fifth chance
Brent Walker (6-6, 305), an offensive lineman at Norco (Norco, Calif.), has been granted an extra year of eligibility by the Southern Section. According to the Riverside Press Enterprise, Walker missed the first semester of his freshman year after undergoing back surgery while living in Ohio.
National reach
No one can say that Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) doesn't have a national reputation. According to the Los Angeles Times, Isaac Kay (6-1, 185), a freshman from Houston, enrolled into school. He was at the Elite Quarterback Academy at DeBartolo Sports University, and the scouting report was this: “Mechanically sound . . . throws with great velocity and is very good on the chalkboard. . . . He has great dropback talent and the size and skills to be one of the future's best.”
Title IX issue
The Los Angeles City section is requiring its schools to schedule more night games for its girls' basketball teams and provide them an opportunity to play in the evening. The edict came down after complaints from parents, presumably those who work and are unable to get to afternoon games. Boys' games are generally played at night, and the goal is for the girls to play a night game for every night game the boys play.
Commissioner's Cup
Loyola and Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood) have been named winners of the 2000-10 Southern Section Commissioner's Cup, which is based on points award for excellence in the section playoffs across all sports.
Loyola was the boys' winner for the second consecutive season with 19 points, finishing ahead of Mater Dei (Santa Ana) (16 points). El Segundo and Servite (Anaheim) tied for third place. Loyola won titles in volleyball and track and field, and took second in water polo and swimming. Loyola has won four of the last eight Cup titles.
Harvard-Westlake was the girls' winner. It won championships in girls' basketball, cross country and soccer, was a runner-up in track and field to earn 18 points. Chadwick and St. Margaret's tied for second with 12 points.
Points were awarded based on a championship (5 points), runner-up or second-place performance (3 points), semifinal appearance or third-place performance (2 points), and fourth-place finish (1 point).
On the road (again and again)
El Camino Real (Woodland Hills) will play home games on the road this season, instead of at Pierce College, while the field on its campus is being switched to artificial surface. The target date for a true home game is Oct. 29 against Cleveland (Reseda). It will remain the home team in its opener on Sept. 3 against Hart (Newhall) at Birmingham High. Previously scheduled home games will instead by played at Palisades and Canoga Park.
Commitments
Lorenzo Devers, a linebacker at Orange Lutheran, has committed to Nevada to play football. . . . Michael Sparling, a defensive back at La Habra, has committed to Southern Methodist. . . . Blair Holliday a receiver at Oaks Christian, has committed to Duke. . . . Aaron Davis, a linebacker at Los Alamitos, has committed to Washington.. . . Ben Wysocki, an offensive lineman at Los Alamitos, has committed to UCLA. . . . Rahim Cassell, a linebacker at Lakewood, has committed to Florida. . . .
K.C. Caudill of Brea Olinda has committed to Boston College to play men's basketball. He had committed to Arizona State as a sophomore. He averaged 17.5 points and 12 rebounds as a junior. . . . Basketball player De Andre Daniels, who has exhausted his eligibility at Taft (Woodland Hills), has reportedly decommitted from Texas. . . Gelaun Wheelwright, a guard at Centennial (Corona), had his scholarship offer to play basketball at USC pulled by the university after it determined he had not made improvement needed in several areas.
Rouric Bridgewater, a third baseman at Diamond Ranch (Pomona), has committed to Arizona State.
Chelsea Anaya, a third baseman/outfielder, has committed to New Mexico to play softball.
Coaching news
For the second time in two years, Chris Printz has resigned as boys' basketball coach at Golden Valley (Santa Clarita), citing family reasons. This time his decision will apparently stick: He will be an assistant to Christian Aurand at Simi Valley.
Nick Hauselman has been named the new boys basketball coach at Birmingham (Lake Balboa, Calif.). He replaced Jarvis Turner, who resigned to become coach at Beverly Hills.
Donald Furnald has been named baseball coach at Etiwanda. A physical education teacher on campus and assistant the past four seasons, he replaced Shane Moses, who resigned after nine seasons.
Amanda Bentley has been named the athletic director at Fontana.
College bound
Adam Plutko of Glendora, a sixth round draft choice of the Houston Astros, has reportedly turned down a $1 million signing bonus and will instead enroll at UCLA. He will be joined there by another pitcher, Zack Weiss, from Irvine Northwood, who was chosen in the 10th round. . . . Dylan Covey of Maranatha-Pasadena, after being chosen in the first round by Milwaukee, will instead attend University of San Diego. He had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and reportedly said that college baseball was more conducive to adjusting to a new lifestyle. . . . Jesus Valdez, a pitcher from Hueneme who was drafted in the fifth round by the Angels, has enrolled at Oxnard College instead of Arizona, thereby making himself eligible for the draft in 2011.
The transfers among you
Shaquille Shelton, a running back expeted to help Taft-Woodland Hills challenge for a City Section title, has checked out, Coach Matt Kerstetter told the Daily News, with the likelikood of transferring to Crenshaw or Culver City for his senior year. The new starter is junior Dimitray Lewis. . . . Michael Sheridan has transferred from Lancaster to Highland for his senior season. Sheridan was one of the top multipurpose backs in the Golden League last season. . . .
Michael Avery, who began his prep basketball career at Crespi, has returned for his junior season. He played last year at Montverde Academy in Florida. . . . Basketball players Michael and Marqueze Coleman of Dorsey have transferred to Alemany-Mission Hills. . . C.J. Blackwell (6-5), who was born in Los Angeles but played at Peachtree Ridge-Suwanee High in Georgia, has enrolled at Taft for his senior season. He led Gwinnett County in rebounding as a sophomore, and scored 35 points in a playoff game in his final game as a junior.
Mustangs hit hard
Senior lineman Carlos Vasquez of Costa Mesa has been diagnosed with leukemia, according to coach Jeremy Osso. While Vasquez deals with his treatment, he should take comfort from another lineman who beat cancer.
Two years ago, Luke Gane of Edison was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, but after missing his junior season he came back and started on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Chargers, who were undefeated before losing to Servite in the Pac-5 championship.
All-Star notes
Derrick Taylor of Taft-Woodland Hills and Reggie Morris Jr. of St. Bernard-Playa de Rey have been named coaches for the Boost Mobile Elite 24 all-star games in Venice Beach on Aug. 27-28. . . . .
Helmet manufacturer sued
The family of Edward Acuna, a defensive lineman for Garey-Pomona who suffered a permanent brain injury in a game last season, has sued helmet manufacturer Riddell for defective equipment, alleging that the company provided a helmet type that is not as sturdy in the front of the helmet as it is on the sides and back, and that padding there is insufficient, but could have been fixed. The family alleges in the suit that Acuna will never be an independent member of society.
Martin Henderson began covering Southland preps in 1993 for the Los Angeles Times. He contributes to the Orange County Register, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and San Bernardino Sun, and offers up motorsports opinions at Racescribe.com. You can reach him at
southlandpreps@yahoo.com
.
