Los Alamitos

The first round of the Sunset League boys? basketball race came to a close Monday when Marina played host to Los Alamitos and had all the makings of a true showdown: the game pitted a Vikings team that had won nine straight against a Griffins team that was riding a 17-game win streak, with the winner taking over sole possession of first place in the standings. Marina Coach Rogers Holmes said his squad would have to take care of the ?little details? and play a solid game in order to beat the No. 5-ranked team in Division I-AA.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — With the vaunted Edison High football team offense held in check for much of the game, the Chargers needed a spark. They got not one, but several, from their defense and special teams in a 27-10 Sunset League victory over Los Alamitos on Friday night at Huntington Beach High. There was Luke Eddy popping the receiver, Steven Malone scooping up the fumble and taking it to the house. There was Jeff Trojan blocking a Los Alamitos field goal, and Eddy doing the honors this time and returning it for six. There was Wade Houston not only tackling the quarterback in the end zone, but alertly stripping the ball, popping it into the air and recovering the fumble for another touchdown.

LONG BEACH — The waiting game started late Thursday night for the Fountain Valley High football team. Just a week ago, the Barons were playing Edison at Cal State Fullerton for a shot at an outright Sunset League title. Now, they may not even make it into the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs, although the Barons still appear to have a good shot of qualifying even after Thursday night’s regular-season ending 31-22 loss to Los Alamitos at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The streak that helped put the Fountain Valley baseball team comfortably at the top of the Sunset League race came to an end Friday. Despite the loss, the Barons were still the league leaders heading into the final four games of the regular season. Fountain Valley saw its 15-game win streak halted by a Los Alamitos team the Barons twice had previously defeated. The Griffins rode a five-hitter by Jake Nix, who allowed five hits, and received five runs batted in from Gianni Castillo, in defeating the Barons, 10-3.

The Fountain Valley Barons never stopped believing that they could still contend for a title in the stout Sunset League, not even after dropping a heartbreaker to Esperanza on opening night of league play two weeks ago. A transforming and dramatic 22-21 victory last week over Newport Harbor has thrust the Barons back into the title chase. How that last-minute triumph over the Sailors seven days ago will manifest itself this week remains to be seen. But Fountain Valley shouldn’t be lacking any motivation when it takes on this week’s opponent.

It is just one of several big games still left on the Sunset League schedule, but tonight’s showdown between Edison and Los Alamitos will have a big bearing on who could win the 2008 championship. It might even determine the eventual Sunset winner. “It’s a huge game,” said Edison Coach Dave White, whose Chargers are the homecoming opponent for the Griffins. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Veterans Stadium. To put it into perspective, Los Alamitos is undefeated at 6-0 and Edison comes in at 5-1, its only loss coming in nonleague play to Servite.

Edison positioned itself for a shot at an outright Sunset League softball title by taking care of important road business Tuesday. The Chargers set up a Thursday showdown with Los Alamitos in a game that will determine the league champion by outlasting host Marina, 5-2, in 10 innings. The win put the Chargers at 22-3 and 8-1 in league. Marina dropped to 15-10 and 5-4. Karley Wester went two for four, Maddy Hickman had a hit and walked twice and junior Sammy Cordova to improve to 22-3.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Eric Lo learned plenty about the character of his Huntington Beach High football team in just a few hours. A week ago, the Oilers let a big one slip away at Newport Harbor. The setback stung for a day or so, Lo said, but the team went back to work and turned their focus to Los Alamitos. Friday on their home turf at Cap Sheue Field, they responded big-time and put last week's disappointment behind them with a 28-7 victory over the Griffins, ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southern Section Southwest Division.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — To say that Friday's Sunset League football opener between Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley was a tale of two halves would be an understatement. Host Fountain Valley held the edge in the first half, much to the delight of its homecoming crowd at Huntington Beach High's Cap Sheue Field. Los Alamitos, stagnant the first 24 minutes of the game, exploded in the second half. That turnaround by the Griffins propelled them to a 24-7 victory. "We played so well in the first half but it was a completely different game in the second half," Fountain Valley Coach John Shipp said after his Barons fell to 2-3-1 overall.

The Sunset League baseball all-league team 21 players including two who nabbed top honors. The 2012 team is headed by Edison senior Timmy Lopes who was named MVP. Marina junior Jake Bauers was named Rookie of the Year. The Pitcher of the Year honor went to sophomore Jacob Nix of Los Alamitos. 2012 All-Sunset League Baseball MVP: Timmy Lopes, Sr., Edison. Pitcher of the Year: Jacob Nix, Soph., Los Alamitos. Rookie of the Year: Jake Bauers, Jr., Marina.