From The Community Sports Desk, 3/20/16

From The Community Sports Desk:  To All of our thousands of followers, we welcome you to a new feature that we hope will give you a brief snapshot of recent news making events that we’ve covered, and other events that we’ve been made aware of by our most reliable community sources. Our first installment features the following stories and events: 1) ELAC Women’s Basketball  program; 2) High School Football, Aaron Maldonado/Bishop Amat HS;  3) The Boyle Heights Wolfpack/East Side Lights Out  Youth Football & Speed program; 4) the Urban Youth Football League (UYFL)/Boyle Heights-East L.A. chapter; 5) The East L.A. Athletics  Youth Baseball Team; and 6) Amigas Who Run  5K event.

We sincerely hope you enjoy them and see the positivity and the great energy that’s being generated by our youth, our young adults, our adults 21 + over, plus our dedicated groups of coaches, community sports leaaders and organizers. We stand behind each and every effort designed for everyone to Get Better, while staying and becoming Healthier!! All stories composed by: Rico Cabrera, Sr./Managing Editor, EastLASportsScene.Com

East L.A. College’s “Lady Huskies” Come Up Just Short In Bid To Win Their First-Ever State Women’s Basketball Championship   

        Our game summary will show that ELAC’s Lady Huskies had everything going their way in the first half as they opened up a gradually increasing lead by midway through the 1st quarter. They kept it rolling through the 2nd quarter, and by halftime, they enjoyed a 17  point lead, at (34-17). The Huskies’ defense once again carried the team while the hot shooting hand of Jessica Sanchez (Roosevelt),  the dominant post-play of Anastasia Tsybaeva (Burbank), and the steady floor play of Allissa Gomez (Roosevelt)  all combined for the surprising, and well-earned halftime lead. But, there were still two more quarters of play left to determine the Champion for the 2016 CCCAA Tournament.

The third quarter belonged to Mt. SAC Lady Mounties  as they went into a scoring frenzy, backed up by dominance inside the paint, and in second chance points, as they outscored the Huskies, (22-9). The following numbers reflected the damage done—-9-16 FGs/56.3%, 4-6 FTs/66.7%, and 10 rebounds. The Huskies numbers were far different—3-10 FGs/30%, 3-4 FTs/75%  and 3 rebounds. This proved to be one of the deciding factors in the game, as the lead simply vanished, causing a decisive 4th quarter showdown.

The 4th quarter was close as Mt. SAC extended a slight lead to 6 at the most, only to see ELAC come charging back thanks in part to the overall hustle and penetration drives by #4 Allissa Gomez.  (See photo). With just :35  seconds left in the game, she scored on a drive to the basket and was fouled.  She had chance to tie the game at 54-54,  but her free throw was wide left. Nonetheless, the Huskies got another big break when Brianne Cheatum  was fouled and calmly sank two huge free throws with just :26  seconds, left giving ELAC their final lead of the game at 55-54.  Mt. SAC scored on a close range jump shot with ;17  seconds left and regained the lead at 56-55.  After an immediate :30  second time-out by Mt. SAC, the Huskies began their last possession of the game with their  :17  seconds. Lady Luck couldn’t do much, as their two final shots of the game and the season were just off the mark. Mt. SAC was fouled on the defensive rebound and with :01  second left, their player sank one free throw, moving the final score to 57-55.

With such a large number of freshmen on this year’s team, the groundwork for another strong season in 2016-17  has already been set, and the mood is very optimisitc for Coach Turner, his team, and the “Lady Huskies”  program. It’s now just a matter of the new team gaining game experience for another run at the 2017 CCCAA’s  Final Four! To wrap up the season, we leave it with a huge Congrats to Head Coach, Bruce Turner,  his coaching staff, and of course, all of the players who made it to the school’s record-breaking “Back-To-Back”  Final Four. “Go Lady Huskies!”

Team Photo Credit (Top): ELAC Athletic Department: Action Player Photo Credit: Mt. San Antonio College Sports Media Relations Dept; Team Photo Credit (Bottom): ELAC Athletic Dept.

         In High School  Football News, Bishop Amat’s  Sophomore Defensive Lineman, Aaron Maldonado,  has become one of BYU’s  Southern California targets for their 2018-2019 recruiting class. His uncle, Eddie Vasquez,  informed EastLASportsScene.Com of this after he completed a successful camp held at Fullerton College this past weekend, March 12-13. The well-known and highly reputable Rivals Camp Series  is held each year at this time and with more than (25) D-1  university coaches and recruiters in attendance, Aaron did not dissappoint. Congrats to him for being on the most wanted recruit list of the FBS Independent Brigham Young “Cougars.”  Remember, he’s only going into his junior year next season, and it can be safely predicted, that by his senior year, the list will obviously be much longer.  Keep it going strong Aaron! and Go Lancers!! Photo Credits: Rivals Camp Series  Photographer; and Eddie Vasquez,  Our Lady of Lourdes, Athletic Director. For more information about the school, its academics, and its outstanding sports progams, click here.

         The Boyle Heights Wolfpack-East Side Lights Out Youth Football & Speed Camp  

*(Program Update) There will be NO camap on Easter Sunday, 3/27/16. Camp returns the following Sunday, 4/3/16.

The architect of this successful Boys and Girls youth football camp, Coach Mike Aguilar, continues to move forward and attract more and more of our youth who are interested in learning how to play, and then transitioning into becoming full-fledged football players at the Pop Warner level. Founder/Director, Michael Aguilar  is doing it again with his hard work and commitment to our local kids from the Barrios of our community and areas of the City and County. Here’s a recent group photo taken at the camp plus his detailed informational Flyer on how you as parents or other family members can register your young one or young ones. Remember, it’s aboslutely FREE.

         In addition, we encourage you to stop by Obregon Park  and see Coach Aguilar  with his youth basketball league. (See photo below).  Stay connected with Coach Aguilar if you are a parent who would like to know more about other sports progams in the L.A. County’s Recreation & Parks Department. His phone number and Email are both contained in the large green Flyer above.Photo Credits: Lucy De La O.

Urban Youth Football League (UYFL) Starts 10th Season And Is Seeking New Registrants

     The Boyle Heights and East L.A. Director of the Matt Leinart Foundation’s Urban Youth Football League (UYFL), Coach Cesar Trillo,  is actively seeking new player sign-ups for the community’s curent class. All athletes who want to improve their skills in tackle football and get better prepared for high school football will benefit from the training, coaching, and mentoring under Coach Trillo and his skilled volunteer corps of staffers. The time is now right for current 7th  & 8th  graders to contact Coach Trillo at (323) 353-6571  or by Email at coachcesar.t@gmail.com  for more details.

      At present he has 65  student/athletes who practice each Tuesday & Thursday at Stevenson Middle School from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. His goal is to reach #100.  All newly registered players are requested to bring cleats, but tennis shoes will be acceptable until a pair of cleats are secured. Pictured in the on-field photo taken at the state-of-the-art high school football field at Mater Dei High School  are the red uniformed team members (below) of the UYFL’s Boyle Heights/East L.A. chapter, along with Coach Trillo and his staff. Photo Credits: Courtesy of the Matt Leinart Foundation 

East L.A. “Athletics” On Fundraising Mission

The following is a statement by Team Manager, Pedro Reyes….”The East L.A. Athletics  youth baseball team has been around for over 20 years. Last year the A’s  (12 & under Division) won the World Series  in San Diego  and then won a second World Series  event in Chino Hills.  I am not sure if you understand how difficult this is. Many kids have gone from team-to-team and have never even played in a championship game in a World Series. It is not easy when you are facing many of the best teams in California. These East L.A. boys did it, and they are now going to Hawaii  to face even more serious competition.”

You can play a big part in helping to send them on this “dream trip” by clicking here  for more details on how you can support our kids with your financial contribution.  The Hawaii tournament will feature teams from each of the Islands, several mainland teams, and specially invited teams from Japan, giving it an International appeal. It’s a great way for the team to proudly represent our East Los Angeles community. 

Parents who are interested in signing up their sons, please click here   and you will be taken to the Athletics’ website. To close out our brief story, Manager Pedro Reyes has plans for a local fundraising event to take place sometime within the next 60 days. More details will be soon be placed on the team’s website. Photo Credit: Beckie Hernandez, Team photographer.  

  2nd Annual “Amigas Who Run” 2016 – An Overwhelming Success

The Amigas Who Run/Boyle Heights Lady Bridge Runners  demonstrated a very unique form of grass-roots community ourtreach when they produced a huge turn-out of over 1,200  registered female runners. And what a successful event it was! On March 13th, these dedicated female runners all took part in a 3.20 mile  community run in honor of Women’s History Month.  This 2nd annual run was designed to bring women of all levels together in an action of solidarity with women athletes and activists world wide. The Amigas Who Run   believe that public space should be open and safe for women identified people, and that health is every women’s right. Invited to assist in all participants’ safety throughout the run were the Amigas’ good friends, the “L.A. Derby Dolls,”  who were stationed at traffic lights and ensured that all participants followed the prescribed traffic rules. Congrats on a tremendous Mission Accomplished!! Click here for more information on following and joining Amigas Who Run. Photo Credit: Amigas Who Run Photographer