Position: Guard/ Forward (Basketball), Middle Blocker/ Outside Hitter (Volleyball)

Height: 5′10″

Class: 2012

School: La Jolla Country Day School

La Jolla, CA

Maya Hood worked double duty this past week as in integral member of both the LJCD volleyball and basketball teams. Hood helped her volleyball team to a State Title as the Torreys swept Atherton Sacred Heart in the finals in San Jose. Hood then returned to La Jolla and was a major player for the Torrey basketball team in their own Sweet 16 Conference, taking out Los Angeles Winward for the Sweet 16 Title. Hood had a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds in the title game.

To view Maya’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/maya-hood-basketball-2012

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Oceanside senior, Noah Tarrant scored six touchdowns in the Pirates win over Mission Hills helping them to their seventh straight San Diego CIF Division II Title. Noah scored on a 19 yard pass from quarterback Tofi Paopao and on runs of 2, 12, 1, 18 and 2. Noah rushed for 134 yards overall on 24 carries.
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A powerhouse battle of two top teams delivered a game worthy of being played at Qualcomm Stadium. But only one could actually earn the prize of a trip to Mission valley, and it was the Vista Panthers (11-1) who will move one step closer to becoming champions.

Brandon Ivy kicked a 23-yard field goal with three minutes left in the fourth quarter to give Vista the victory over Torrey Pines 20-17 in the CIF San Diego Section Division I semifinals at Falcons Stadium.

“The Falcon defense came out and fought every single play. But we wanted it more. We fought hard, we executed and we put 110% in every play,” said Vista’s senior tailback Shakeel Marshall, who had 107 rushing yards on 26 carries in the game.

Postgame video interviews:

Vista went into this game knowing that they were going to get a lot of Wilson and that he would be carrying the load for the Torrey Pines (10-2) team. With the adjustments made at half time, the Panthers defense was able to shut down Wilson’s running game in the second half.

Torrey Pines running back John Wilson had two touchdowns (41 and 12 yards receiving) and carried the ball 16 times for 126 yards (110 first half.)

“John Wilson is a heck of a player and a runner. Our goal was to get Wilson out of the game and we did not do a good job at that in the first half. I thought we made some good adjustments in the second half to shut him down,” said Vista head coach Dan Williams.

Vista scored after Marshall blocked a punt, setting up a 25-yard pass from quarterback Christian Gallardi to Myron Seabrook, giving the Panthers an early lead 7-0 in the first quarter.

Brandon Ivy came in for a 21-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half to tie the game 10-10. Instead, Torrey Pines drew a penalty for roughing the kicker. This penalty put the ball on Torrey Pines 2-yard line allowing for an easy 2-yard touchdown run by Joey McFadden on the following play for a 14-10 halftime lead.

The loss of Torrey Pines’ starting quarterback John Cabot to a shoulder injury at the beginning of the second half was a huge upset for the Falcons.

The Falcons’ backup quarterback Andrew Perkins tied the game in the fourth quarter 17-17 with a well-executed hook and lateral play to Mitchell Yocum who tossed the ball to John Wilson who went 41 yards for the touchdown.

Vista senior Stefan McClure had a huge impact on the Vista game in the fourth quarter. McClure had a 44-yard punt return that set up a 40 yard field goal by Brandon Ivy. His 36-yard reception helped position Vista for their only other score of the second half, the game-winning 23-yard field goal by Ivy.

Coach Williams said about player Stefan McClure, “Stef is the best player in the county in my opinion. He can play on both sides of the ball. He is explosive. He is our go to guy. I am happy he is on our team.”

“It was a tough game out there tonight. We had some ups and downs, some three and outs, but our defense really stood up tonight. It was a huge game and a huge win,” said Stefan McClure in regards to Vista’s victory.

Vista will meet fourth-seeded Mira Mesa in the Division Championship game Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium.

Champions find a way to win.  For the seventh straight year, the Oceanside Pirates will have a chance to become the champions of the CIF-San Diego Section Division II.

With a defensive effort for the ages, the 4th seeded Oceanside Pirates (9-3) performed their annual role as the foil for the Helix football program, ending the Highlanders’ season for the third straight season with a 24-17 victory at Jim Arnaiz Field on the Helix campus in La Mesa.

“That was a championship football game right there,” said Oceanside head coach John Carroll, who will seek his seventh consecutive Division II section championship on Monday night against Mission Hills, “Lesser young men would have found a way to fail.  These are warriors with the hearts of champions.”

T.J. Sunia (#43, pictured) returned a fourth quarter fumble 39 yards for the game-winning score, and Adam Francis had a first half 49 yard interception return for another touchdown.  The fourteen defensive points were decisive, but Oceanside’s defense didn’t stop there, making three red zone stops to turn back Helix (11-1), including a pair inside the Oceanside 15 in the final 4:22 of the fourth quarter.

Postgame video interviews: T.J. Sunia/head coach John Carroll

A matchup which annually decides the Division II champion turned to heartbreak for Helix once again.  This time, the Highlanders were favored to beat their nemeses from Oceanside, with the top seed in the bracket and home field advantage.  Instead, the Scotties saw their season end at the Pirates’ hands for the sixth time in seven playoff meetings and the third year in a row.

“We just wanted it more,” said senior safety Adam Francis.

Despite two first half interceptions and the crucial fourth quarter fumble, Helix still had a first-and-goal opportunity to tie the game with 1:10 to play in the game, as a pass interference penalty set up the Scotties at the five yard line.

On first and second down, Helix tailback Darien Hancock (34 carries, 142 yards, TD) tried the middle of the field and was stopped cold.  With time ticking down to twenty seconds and Helix out of timeouts, the Highlanders were forced to burn their third down play on a spike.  On fourth and goal from the five, Helix was called for delay of game.

Pushed back to the ten yard line, quarterback Brandon Lewis’ pass for Sam Meredith went over his hands and out of bounds, sending the Pirates back to the “Q”.

The defensive scramble was an appropriate end to a ragged game which saw both teams make big mistakes on offense.  First, Helix was turned back empty handed after taking their opening drive to the Oceanside three yard line.  Sophomore linebacker William Gulley sacked Lewis for a ten yard loss on third and goal, and Vann Sabin’s 29 yard field goal attempt missed wide right.

After both teams exchanged punts, Lewis took a first down snap from the Helix ten yard line and heaved a bomb downfield for wide receiver Cameron Lee.  With the ball well over his head, Lee gave up on the pass attempt, but Oceanside senior defensive back Matthew Rojas did not.  Running down the Lewis arc for an interception, Rojas returned the pass 45 yards to the Helix 20 yard line.

While Oceanside’s ensuing drive was stopped cold by the Helix defense, Jose Basurto booted a 36 yard field goal to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead at the :39 mark of the first quarter.

The Scotties were again generous hosts on their next possession, taking a false start penalty on third-and-15 from their own 26 yard line.  Instead of running a conservative draw play or underneath pass on third-and-20, Lewis went for the downs, and his deep pass intended for Austin Gonzalez was intercepted by senior safety Adam Francis.  Weaving his way back through the Helix offense, Francis returned the interception 49 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 Oceanside lead with 9:58 to play before halftime.

“It was the greatest feeling, I can’t believe it,” said Francis of his big play.

It took a defensive play to get Helix back into the football game.  Tofi Pao Pao (9-18, 100 yards, 2 INT) was picked off by junior linebacker K.C. Smith with 2:12 to play in the second quarter, setting up Lewis’ 35 yard touchdown target to Gonzalez.  Senior defensive back Kenny Keys also intercepted Pao Pao on the final play of the first half, but his interception return was stopped at the Oceanside 18 yard line as time expired.

Trailing 10-7 to start the third quarter, Helix took the second half kickoff and marched 80 yards on 11 plays, all handoffs to Darien Hancock.  Gaining 75 of the 80 yards on the drive (the other five came on an offsides penalty), Hancock plunged into the Oceanside end zone from a yard out to give the Highlanders their first (and only) lead of the game with 6:04 to go in the third quarter.

After going three-and-out on their next possession, the Pirates turned to what else but defense to regain control of the football game.  Oceanside forced a quick three-and-out from Helix, then took advantage of a shanked punt by Jake Reed to take over at the Helix 48 yard line.  Three plays later, senior tailback Noah Tarrant stepped out of a tackle and raced 39 yards up the middle of the field for a 17-14 Pirates’ lead.

While Hancock was a horse for Helix, he wore down late in the third quarter.  Darien’s sixteenth carry of the quarter was a five-yard loss, with Gulley stripping the football loose.  Sunia scooped up the loose ball and took it 29 yards for a touchdown and a 24-14 lead.

“I blitzed and just saw the football lying there,” said Sunia, “I was unsure at first but just scooped it up, and I think the quarterback was behind me.  My instincts said ‘take it’ so I just took it and…I was blessed today.”

Still, the undefeated Highlanders were not done.  Sabin’s 46 yard field goal with 5:50 remaining made it a 24-17 game.  When Tarrant fumbled on Oceanside’s next possession, Raymont Nailon recovered for the Highlanders deep in Oceanside territory at the 20 yard line.

After gaining five yards on their first two plays, Helix took to the air, with Lewis throwing incompletions on third and fourth down in the end zone.  The Pirates then had an opportunity to run out the clock but failed to do so, punting the ball back to Helix with 2:20 to play.

Postgame audio interview: Oceanside senior Anthony Mount

A pass to Gonzalez of 30 yards set up Helix at the Oceanside 22 yard line.  On second and 10 from the 11 yard line, Lewis’ pass to Sam Meredith drew pass interference from the side judge, giving Helix a first-and-goal at the five.  But two ill-advised runs forced a spike and then a delay of game penalty set up the final, fateful incompletion.

The Pirates will now face Mission Hills in the Division II finals on Monday, December 6th at 4:30pm.  It will be a rematch of Oceanside’s 48-28 win over the Grizzlies on October 8th.

The Centurion pitcher, junior Amanda Hansen, led her team to their second straight CIF San Diego Section Division III Title this past month. Hansen pitched a two hit shutout against Santana High School narrowly beating them 1-0 to take the championship game. Hansen was also named to the first team for the All San Diego Section team for softball and was named Pitcher of the Year for the Western League.
To view Amanda’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/amanda-hansen-softball-2011

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Mount Carmel captain Connor Mortland was named the CIF San Diego Section Athlete of the Year for Boys Volleyball. Connor won three consecutive CIF San Diego Section Division II Championships with the Sun Devils and helped them advance to the Southern Section Finals this season, but Mount Carmel was ultimately defeated by Manhattan Beach Mira Costa. The Sun Devils finished 32-4 this season under the lead of the stand out setter. Connor will continue his volleyball career at NYU.
To view Connor’s complete SportsForce profile click here -http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/CMortland

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com