By Gary Montgomery, BVN Staff –

El Segundo – There was an air of uncertainty hanging over the Lakers media day on Sunday morning. The extended lockout and the new collective bargaining agreement seemingly have combined to create a tumultuous situation.

Unlike previous media day events where players are giddy with excitement about the upcoming season ahead and filled with anticipation, this year there is an uneasy cautiousness that seems to be gripping everyone in the room.

Normally, the trades have been completed and rosters are generally set. The focus is on how the new pieces will fit together and which of the new guys will actually make the team. This season’s start is completely different since all of those things are still in progress and the final outcome of trades and acquisitions is unknown.

Throw in a few ill-advised tweets and you have a crazy start to the 2011 NBA season. It is quite a unique situation. After Lamar Odom’s departure to Dallas, the questions all centered around trade talks and not much focus on what the team would look like. Everyone is looking over their shoulders, knowing that the organization is looking to make more changes.

Pau Gasoil, the center or target if you prefer of those changes had little to say. “I can’t do anything about that. I’m here and I am going to do what I am here to do. It’s a business, you know that coming in”. As always Pau was calm and stately but you can see that the uncertainty is annoying.

Looking beyond all of those things that fans can’t control, you will find that the Lakers have some things to be excited about. First, signing sharpshooter Jason Kapono will likely payoff. Kapono is one of the best three point shooters in the game, something the Lakers always need and seldom have.

Rookie point guard Darius Morris could make the team and if he can bring his college game, he could leap frog over Steve Blake and be Fishers eventual replacement. “I think I can bring speed and strength at the point position. I like to attack the basket and I expect that to help me make the team,” said Morris.

Zach Andrew, a 6’8” forward from Bradley could also find a niche with the 2011 Lakers. “I think I can be a kind of Dennis Rodman. I like to rebound and get after the ball. That was my strength when I played overseas and I think I can bring that here,” said Andrews.

The Lakers have 19 players in camp now and the opportunities to land either of the big names they have been pursuing seems to have faded.

They will likely have to work with what they have and unlike the masses I like what they have right now.

G. Montgomery can be reached at sports@blackvoicenews.com.

Third time proves to be a charm as Broncos finally take down Huskies

By Gary Montgomery, BVN Staff –

Murrieta – Last Friday evening’s Inland Division Championship game featured two very familiar rivals, the perennial powerhouse Corona Centennial and the steadily advancing Vista Murrieta Broncos.

The two teams met last season at the same time seeking the same prize. Corona Centennial (12-2) outlasted the Broncos (45-21) and walked away with the 2010 Inland Division title and IE bragging rights.

As the old adage goes “you can’t keep a good man down”. Obviously that age old saying must also apply to football teams too. The unbeaten (officially 9-5) Broncos refused to go away and came storming back this season to make their third consecutive appearance in title game and second shot at the Huskies.

Also appearing in the 2009 championship game, their season ended with a 13-7 loss to Chaparral. Well, the third time must truly be a charm because this year’s version of the Broncos had complete confidence in their ability to win, a great game plan and near flawless execution. The Broncos were forced to forfeit its first five wins because of a clerical error associated with one of its players but went on to slice through their regular season schedule and the playoff rounds with little difficulty.

Centennial’s only loss came at the very first game of the season dropping a 29-27 loss at the hands of St. Bonaventure. After losing that game the Huskies ran the table making their way back to the title game.

The Broncos scored on their first two possessions and jumped out to a 10-0 lead. It looked like this one would be over early. The Huskies’ huge offensive line couldn’t create any running room for their super running back Romello Goodman and the Huskies continued to flounder.

Finally, on their fourth possession of the first half Goodman dashed off tackle to score Centennials first touchdown. After a 14-7 halftime lead, the Broncos pushed their lead to 27-14 late in the third quarter and the overflow crowd started to ease into pre-celebration mode.

Suddenly lightning struck when Goodman found running room and broke away for a 57-yard touchdown run. Centennial’s defense held getting the ball back. On the following possession, Huskies’ quarter Hayden Gavett saved the drive with 14-yard scamper on a fourth down. Gavett finished off the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Guy-Williams to go ahead of the Broncos 28-27 with 3.29 left to play.

Facing a third consecutive finals loss staring them in the face, the Bronco signal caller Nicholas Stevens lead his team to the Huskies’ 30-yard line added by two huge penalties on 4th down. With only 26 seconds, Stevens faked a handoff to running back Aaron Piecukonis and then turned into Tim Tebow running off left tackle and picking his way through defenders until he reached end zone. Stevens’s 30-yard scamper sealed Vista Murrieta first Inland Division title after three tries.

G. Montgomery can be reached at sports@blackvoicenews.com

Coyote women lose to Concordia in NCAA Division II title game

By Jon D. Gaede, BVN Sports –

SAN BERNARDINO - Last Friday night, the lady volleyball Coyote’s of Cal State University, San Bernardino won their 32nd consecutive game this year. On Saturday night, they lost their first, defeated 3-0 by Concordia of St Paul.

Led by big hitter, two-time national player of the year, Samantha Middleborn, the Coyotes simply dominated their opponents during the 2011 season.

After their undefeated conference season, the Coyotes would host the NCAA Division II Championships at Cassoulis Arena. The march toward the final included a tough semifinal against Hillsdale of Michigan.

In the match on Friday night, the Coyote women found themselves in unfamiliar territory, a 2-1 set deficit to a No. 8 seeded opponent. In front of a raucous loyal home crowd, these girls rallied to win the next two sets, 25-20 and a decisive 15-6.

The Coyote women were seeking the initial national title in any sport, at the university. In that semifinal, Cal State made some mental errors, allowing Hillsdale to run up points. Eventually, with superior athletic play, the Coyotes took what was theirs.

The Coyote women had 72 digs to Hillsdales’s 56 and 15 blocks to the Chargers 6. Samantha Middleborn had 22 kills at the net, while Pricilla Collings and Megan Johnson added 14 each.

Saturday’s highly anticipated match would pit Cal State against Concordia of St. Paul, an opponent who has bested them, five out of six times before. Nearly 3,000 students and local fans showed up for the big final at Cassoulis.

The Concordia Bears, 34-2 on the season, would continue to be the top Coyote nemesis as they spoiled Cal State’s perfect season 3-0.

For Concordia, it was their 5th title in five years. The sets were definitely competitive, the Coyote women were in every set, but the side from Minnesota was too strong in all phases of their game. Concordia takes the NCAA Division II Title 25-20, 31-29 and 25-18.

Samantha Middleborn tried to put things into perspective by illuminating the great season the girls have had and that they have watched this opponent celebrate in front of them, many times before.

Cal State coach Kim Cherniss has built a tremendous volleyball legacy. Approaching the magical 500 victory mark, over 20 years at the helm.

She and her fine Coyote staff will reload for next year and will likely be back to compete for what they feel is theirs, an elusive NCAA title.

Mustangs struggle early then Turn it on to advance to finals

By Gary Montgomery, BVN Staff –

Moreno Valley – Rancho Verde knew it was in for a battle when the Colony Titans matched their efforts point for point in the first half.

Titans’ quarterback Matt Simko threw for 174-yards completing 15 0f 20 passes in the first half, getting his team a 14-14 tie at the break.

Colony (11-2) lead by its lethal passing attack and chronically stingy defense kept the ball in the air on offense and pressured Mustang quarterback Carlos Hernandez on defense.

The Mustangs (13-0) are the top team in the Central Division cruising through the playoffs. In the first three games Rancho Verde has outscored its opponents 138-42. Being tied at the half was definitely a new experience for Coach Pete Duffy and his team.

“We let them know what the stakes were during the half-time. We had to explain the situation,” said Coach Duffy.

Along with their half-time speeches the Rancho Verde coaches also must have done a little offensive scheming. The Mustangs opened the second half in the ‘Wildcat’ no huddle formation and immediately sprung tailback Kenney Torrence for a 65-yard run off tackle on the first play. However, Rancho was ticketed for holding on the play and Torrence’s run was nullified.

No problem, on the very next play, Devonte Collier sliced across the left side and dashed 75-yards for a 21-14 Mustang lead. Rancho Verde’s defense got in on the act after that and held Colony’s offense forcing them to punt the ball back.

On the next possession quarterback Carlos Hernandez went up top and found Demorea Stringfellow for a 35-yard touchdown to stretch the Mustangs lead to 28-14. And more importantly, extinguish the last bit of fight left in the visiting Titans.

Colony would mount only one more serious threat that ended on a fourth and eight at the Mustang 19-yard line. The Titans turned the ball over on downs and Rancho Verde moved the ball down the field and scored again on a 1-yard run by Reyko Green.

The Mustang’s would tack on another score to reach the final 42-14 score but the story of the game was the way Rancho Verde came out after the half and took control and finished off the game. “I think it energized the offense (Wildcat Formation) and that energy was contagious,” said Coach Pete Duffy.

Rancho Verde’s win propels them to the Central Division Title game for the second consecutive year. The Mustangs will travel to the desert on Friday evening to dual the 13-0 Palm Springs Indians in the Championship game.

G. Montgomery can be reached at sports@blackvoicenews.com