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January 29, 2025
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
At least for one game, the John Glenn High-Norwalk High rivalry was renewed for girls basketball, and very few who were part of this past Monday’s event, know much about the history. The longtime and former Suburban League rivals had not played since Dec. 16, 2021, in which Norwalk easily won 87-14.
The last Suburban League meeting between the two city rivals was on Jan. 31, 2018, in which Norwalk pulled out a 54-48 win. Former head coach Ruben Guerrero was in his first year with the Glenn while Ashley Baclaan was in her second season with the Lancers. Since that game, the teams had met five times with Norwalk winning four of them, including a 56-35 conquest on Dec. 7, 2019, in a Glenn-Norwalk Tournament contest, and dating back to 1999, Norwalk has a 29-20 series edge.
However, it was more of the same this time around as the Lancers routed the Eagles 37-19 in a turnover-filled game with both teams coming in with a combined record of 11-28.
“Everyone always knows the Glenn-Norwalk history, so everybody tries to get hyped for it,” said Baclaan. “It was a good thing to see after it being [discontinued] for a little while.”
The game got off to a fast start within the first 45 seconds as Glenn senior Aliyah Ramirez scored off one of her team-high seven steals only to see Norwalk junior Isabella Barrera score off her only offensive rebound. Those would be the last points until the 5:31 mark when Ramirez sank a free throw and would be the start of a 7-0 run that lasted 2:05 into the second quarter.
The opening quarter saw both teams combine for 20 rebounds, 20 turnovers and connect on three of 28 shooting from the field. But as fast as Glenn had its rare lead, it flipped in a matter of just under four and a half minutes.
It began with two free throws from freshman Connie Esquival on consecutive possessions, then back to back baskets from sophomore Mya DeLaRosa, one from senior Anahi Rodriguez, another one from Esquival and finally one from senior Celine Zavala. Just like that, the Lancers were in front 14-9 with 1:24 left in the first half.
“We just had a lot of turnovers,” said Glenn head coach Eric Peterson. “We’re just not that good in passing the ball around, and we just make too many turnovers.
“We just got off to a fast start and then the wheels fell off,” he later said. “What can I say? I don’t know what happened. I wish I did.”
“I think starting off with our defense; it had to come with our defense,” said Baclaan of the first quarter. “The girls finally started to anticipate a little bit better and move a little bit better within our defensive sets.
“I just liked how the girls finally figured it out, and they got themselves on a good little run,” she later said. “They didn’t completely crumble; they got themselves working together.”
Glenn could not get its groove back in the second half as Norwalk outscored the Eagles 7-2 in the third and in fact, Glenn went four of 15 from the field in the second half. Freshman Jay Curl led Glenn with six points and 16 rebounds while Ramirez had five points and 10 rebounds, senior Maritza Corona added six rebounds as the Eagles have floundered again this season, winning three of 22 games. They have lost 12 straight games after a three-game winning streak and have not scored more than 36 points in any game. However, the prospect for a better 2025-2026 season looks promising.
Although Glenn will graduate eight players, Curl has been the leading scorer over the past 11 games and her 10-point performance at Artesia High on Jan. 15 is the leader among all players over that span. Another player Peterson is hopeful of for next season is junior Errisa Ramos, who started the first 11 games but has not played since. Juniors Stacy Hernandez and Michelle Marin are the other anticipated returnees for next season.
“They’re going to be vital to next season,” said Peterson. “Erissa is not eligible to play for the rest of the season, so that hurts us. That’s our starting point guard. We’re just going to try to keep playing with them. I have them in the spring and the summer league; just trying to help develop them for next year.”
Esquival paced Norwalk (9-11) with 12 points and eight rebounds and three steals while Rodriguez had seven points, nine rebounds and seven steals. Unlike Glenn, Norwalk will have the luxury of graduating two of 11 players. This has been a disappointing season for Baclaan and the Lancers as two of their top three players have been injured since Jan. 17 and are not expected to play the remainder of the season.
“It is exciting to see because usually we’re opposite; we’re usually senior-heavy,” said Baclaan of the future. “But this year, learning to redevelop and grow as a young team, and then being able to get that back [for next year], it is exciting to see what could happen.”
While Glenn will host Artesia on Friday and Cerritos High on Tuesday to wrap up the season, the Lancers are hopeful of a third place finish in the Mid-Cities League. For that to happen, they would need to win their remaining three games, including third place Warren High on Friday and league-leading La Mirada High on Wednesday, both on the road.
CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFF UPDATE
BOYS BASKETBALL
Artesia cliched at least a share of the 605 League title with a 70-58 win over Cerritos this past Tuesday. The Pioneers (18-7, 7-1) led virtually the entire game, trailing for just 58 seconds early in the first quarter and led anywhere from nine points to 14 in the second half. Senior Jovell Tate led Artesia with 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds while senior Judd Sajise had 11 points and senior Christopher Vargas pitched in with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Cerritos (11-14, 5-3) was led by seniors Jaylen Barsana (24 points), Jaden Ribac (13 points, six rebounds) and Nathan Ju (10 points).
Artesia can win the title outright with a victory against last place Glenn on Friday, or at fourth place Pioneer High on Tuesday. The Pioneers also host Pacifica Christian High of Santa Monica on Saturday.
Cerritos is tied for second place with Whitney High as the Dons travel to Oxford Academy on Friday and Glenn on Tuesday. Cerritos and Whitney are a game ahead of Pioneer.
Gahr High needs to win at least three of its final four games to clinch at least a .500 season and third place in the Gateway League. The Gladiators (11-12, 1-3) host Lynwood High on Friday, before going to league-leading La Mirada High on Monday and last place Dominguez High on Wednesday.
La Mirada has been the hottest team in the area all season and has eyes on a spot in the CIF-SS Open Division. The Matadores (21-4, 5-0) host Dominguez on Friday and second place Mayfair High on Wednesday.
Norwalk began the week tied for third place in the Mid-Cities League with Warren as the Lancers (15-9, 4-3) travel to Warren on Friday and first place Bellflower High on Wednesday, if the Lancers don’t finish in the top three in league, they could possibly get in as an at-large representative.
Whitney (11-14, 5-3) wraps up the regular season at Pioneer on Friday and Oxford Academy on Tuesday.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Cerritos blasted Artesia 66-30 this past Tuesday to remain in third place in the 605 League. Junior Cameron Lacorte came off the bench to score a season-high 18 points while junior Mady Macaraeg and senior Ambar Multani also came off the bench to add 12 and 10 points, respectively. Senior starters Zara Varughese and Sophie Watanabe each had six rebounds as Dons (10-15, 5-3) can clinch at least third place with a win at Oxford Academy on Friday.
Gahr (14-8, 2-3) has clinched a winning mark as the Gladiators began the week tied for second place in the Gateway League with Downey High. Gahr will entertain first place Lynwood on Friday before going to third place Downey on Tuesday.
La Mirada began the week tied with Dominguez High for the Mid-Cities League’s top spot and those teams will face each other on Friday at La Mirada. The Matadores (13-10, 6-1) will end the regular season against Norwalk on Wednesday.
Whitney has clinched no worse than a share of the 605 League title and with a win at second place Pioneer on Friday, can claim the crown outright. The Wildcats (19-7, 8-0) will also go to Oxford Academy on Tuesday.
BOYS SOCCER
By virtue of a 4-1 win over Cerritos this past Tuesday, Artesia seized control of the 605 League with a 5-0-2 league mark, 13-2-5 overall while the second place Dons fell to 8-3-4, 4-3-1.
Gahr has the inside track of a Mid-Cities League title after blanking Norwalk 2-0 this past Tuesday, moving to 14-3-1, 7-1-0. The Gladiators hosted Firebaugh High on Jan. 30 and will visit La Mirada on Monday.
Glenn was sitting in third place in the 605 League at 11-7-2, 4-4-0 as the Eagles go to Artesia on Friday and Cerritos on Tuesday while Norwalk (9-3-3, 6-2-0) went to Mayfair on Jan. 30 and will make the trek to Dominguez on Tuesday.
Valley Christian High is in a tight battle with Maranatha High and Village Christian High for the top three positions in the Olympic League. The Defenders (5-9-5, 2-1-3), tied for second with Maranatha, travel to league-leading Village Christian (2-1-2) on Friday before hosting Whittier Christian High (3-2-2) on Tuesday.
GIRLS SOCCER
For the first time in school history, Artesia can call itself a league champion as the Pioneers shutout Cerritos 3-0 this past Tuesday to move to 14-2-3, 5-0-1 in the 605 League while second place Cerritos and six-time defending league champion Cerritos fell to 7-10-0, 4-2-0, Artesia made its playoff debut in 2009 and had advanced to the postseason 12 times since then.
Artesia goes to last place Glenn on Friday and welcomes Pioneer on Tuesday while Cerritos travels to Oxford Academy on Friday, San Pedro High on Saturday and Glenn on Tuesday.
Gahr pretty much was locked down second place in the Mid-Cities League by virtue of a 1-0 win over third place Norwalk. The Gladiators (8-7-2, 6-1-1) went to Firebaugh on Jan. 30 and will welcome league-leading Lynwood on Tuesday while Norwalk (9-8-2, 3-4-1) sits pretty in third place as the Lancers hosted Bellflower on Jan. 30 and will entertain Dominguez on Tuesday.
La Mirada dropped a 3-1 decision to Warren this past Tuesday in Gateway League action as the second place Matadores (8-7-3, 3-2-1) will travel to Downey on Tuesday.
V.C. is on course for another Olympic League title as the Defenders (8-6-1, 5-0-0) host Village Christian on Friday, go to Village Christian on Monday and travel to second place Whittier Christian on Tuesday.
