OCVarsity Baseball Dugout: Quarterfinals preview

Steve Fryer and Carlos Arias travel to Pacifica to preview the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Can the Mariners knock off defending champ Mission Viejo? Will Esperanza beat Mater Dei again?

OCVarsity Softball Dugout: Quarterfinals madness

 

Carlos Arias and Steve Fryer travel to Pacifica to preview the quarterfinals. Can the Mariners beat No. 1 ranked Santiago of Corona? Does Edison have enough to beat Orange Lutheran?

Marina loads the bases, but Esperanza hangs on

The Aztecs went into Huntington Beach and shut out Marina 2-0, in the second round of the Division I playoffs. Kevin Viers knocked in a run in the 4th with a triple.

OCVarsity Top 10: Tricky hop and walk-off!

Highlights include a walk-off playoff win, a tricky hop fielded cleanly, a volleyball spike, diving catches, and more!

Lakers grind out win over Thunder in Game 3

 

The Lakers rallied to defeat the Thunder 99-96 to take Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. Highlights and interviews with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Blake, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant.

OCVarsity Softball Dugout: Mission Viejo ready for playoffs

Carlos Arias and Steve Fryer travel to Mission Viejo to preview the first round of the playoffs.

• Can the Mission Viejo softball team one-up the baseball team and deliver a championship of their own?
• Which player thinks she can be better than county legend Toni Mascarenas?
• Who has the edge in the Marina vs. Etiwanda matchup?
• Will Yorba Linda upset Esperanza?

Interviews with Taylor McQuillin, Alyssa Palomino, Toni Mascarenas, and Troy Ybarra.

OCVarsity Baseball Dugout: Domingo Ayala invades Mission Viejo

Steve Fryer and Carlos Arias travel to Mission Viejo to preview the playoffs. Also, Domingo Ayala makes a special appearance.

OCVarsity Top 10: Clutch home run and lacrosse championships

Highlights include a go-ahead two-run home run in the 7th, a lacrosse championship, an amazing leaping catch, a massive volleyball kill, and more!

Pacifica stuns Cypress in 7th with two-run HR

Cypress led Pacifica 1-0 in the top of the 7th, until the Mariners’ Max Bethell launched a two-run home run into left center.

Pacifica went on to defeat Cypress 2-1 to take the Empire League championship, for the second time in four years.

OCVarsity Softball Dugout: Avengers unite for Sunset showdown

 

Carlos Arias and Steve Fryer travel to Los Alamitos to preview the Sunset League championship against Edison.

Also, which member of the Avengers would make the best softball player?

OCVarsity Baseball Dugout: League championships up for grabs

 

Steve Fryer and Carlos Arias visit Los Alamitos to preview the final game of the regular season. League championships are on the line across the county.

• Pacifica and Cypress in the Empire League
• Trabuco Hills plays Mission Viejo in Sea View League.
• What’s the status of El Toro’s Brashears?

Lakers late rally falls short

The Lakers mounted a late rally, sparked by a number of clutch 3-pointers by Kobe Bryant, but were unable to catch the more energized Denver Nuggets.

Denver took Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals 102-99.

OCVarsity Top 10: No-hitter, walk-offs, and 15 K performance

Highlights include Beckman’s James Kaprielian throwing another no-hitter, a walk-off grand slam, a 15 strkeout performance, the Battle of the Bay, and more!

First-time starter propels Sonora past La Habra

Behind first-time starter Andrew Piraino, Sonora shut out La Habra 2-0.

Piraino was aided by multiple outstanding plays, while holding the Highlanders to only four hits.

This is a must-see video for web gems junkies, including a diving catch in centerfield, and two remarkable plays by La Habra’s third baseman Chad Ferreira.

Lakers hold off Nuggets in Game 2 win

The Lakers held off a late rally by the Nuggets to take Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals, 104-100.
Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 38 points, and used not one but two Dirk Nowitzki like one-legged fadeaway shots that channeled his inner Dirk Nowitzki.
“I actually improved his move,” joked Bryant. “I can shoot mine from the 3-point line. He can’t do that.”
Andrew Bynum was a rebound shy of a double double. He finished with 27 points, but was in a sour mood after the game.
“I just left a lot out there,” Bynum said. “I can do better. I want to be perfect.”
Finally, Ramon Sessions was so upset that he was called for a foul against the Nuggets’ Corey Brewer, that he crumpled to the ground, but it wasn’t all bad.
“It was a tough call to make at that speed,” Sessions said. “But he missed the first one, so it was a good foul.”
The Lakers hit the road to face the Nuggets in Game 3 on Friday.