Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It was another week of scandal in high school football. And also games with top performances. It’s an interesting balancing act for sportswriters.

Scandal widens

There’s continuing fallout from an Archdiocese of Los Angeles investigation that self-reported violations by Bishop Montgomery’s football program to the Southern Section, resulting in the school ending its varsity season after playing one game and forfeiting another. Now the rest of the season will be forfeits as the school investigates its 24 transfer students.

President Patrick Lee has been placed on administrative leave, according to a parent who says faculty were told of the decision. The Archdiocese has declined to confirm, saying it doesn’t comment on personnel matters. Most interesting is that Lee was brought in last school year as Bishop Montgomery’s first president. Also faculty members have been directed not to speak to the media. The school’s principal resigned from her role as president of the Camino-Del Rey Athletic Assn.

The school is trying to play a junior varsity schedule while allowing eligible varsity players to participate, but that’s unlikely to gain traction. Hart canceled this week’s JV game with Bishop Montgomery, not wanting to subject its regular JV players that include freshmen to a game against possible varsity players out of concern for player safety.

The Southern Section has to decide whether eligible Bishop Montgomery varsity players can transfer and be eligible immediately since the school dropped its varsity program.

An attorney is representing fired head coach Ed Hodgkiss and five ineligible players. Legal action is expected.

The Southern Section has continued its crackdown of transfer students who submitted inaccurate paperwork. Long Beach Millikan had to forfeit two games for using ineligible players and most of its transfer students are now listed under review on the Southern Section transfer web page. One of those players who didn’t play Friday after previously being cleared was quarterback Ashton Pannell, who transferred from Loyola after previously attending St. John Bosco. Other schools are also dealing with issues involving transfer students.

The Archdiocese held a scheduled meeting with principals and athletic directors. The Catholic schools chief indicated changes are coming on how to handle transfer students within Archdiocese high schools.

Remember, under CIF rules, you have to move physically with the entire family unit to be eligible immediately. Otherwise you get a one-time sit-out period transfer status that lasts for a portion of the season. Schools confirm the transfers through paperwork requirements. The Southern Section appears to be using AI technology to catch students using addresses that had previously been used. That can result in a violation of bylaw 202, which prohibits providing false information. It also is a violation to receive inducements to transfer, such as housing, known as bylaw 510, undue influence.

One good thing is the early season attention on ineligible players can prevent numerous forfeits at the end of the football season that could prevent a school from entering the playoffs because of an anonymous tip.

Marine League coaches who forfeited to Narbonne last season alleging money payments feel vindicated after a booster confirmed during a podcast that he paid parents to transfer their sons to Narbonne. Here’s a report.

Madden Williams of St. John Bosco prepares to make a game-tying 51-yard touchdown catch against St. Frances.

(Craig Weston)

It was the Madden Williams show in Bellflower. He made two spectacular catches in the fourth quarter to rally St. John Bosco to a 21-14 victory over Baltimore St. Frances. Here’s the report.

Los Alamitos improved to 4-0 with a 41-21 win over Gardena Serra. There’s no doubt no coach has done a finer job in the first month of the season than Ray Fenton.

Mission Viejo exposed the weakness in Northern California football, routing one its top teams, Folsom, 53-14. Folsom and De La Salle are considered the top Northern California teams in contention for a CIF state championship Open Division bowl spot. San Mateo Serra comes to town to play St. John Bosco on Friday.

Jason Miller, the Leuzinger coach who used to coach in Northern California, was asked to explain the downward trajectory.

“Lots of traditional football families have moved out of the Bay Area, replaced by tech families,” he said. “Black and white families with generations of football players have found the Bay Area unaffordable. Interest has lacked in college football as well. East Palo Alto and West Oakland were once treasure chests of athletes that have been watered down by gentrification.”

Bishop Amat came up with an upset win over Valencia behind a game-winning 79-yard touchdown run from Ryan Salcedo. Here’s the report.

Huntington Beach quarterback Brady Edmunds.

(James Carbone)

Quarterback Brady Edmunds of Huntington Beach had a big game in win over Western. Here’s the report.

Here’s this week’s top 25 football rankings by The Times.

Here’s the top performers from the weekend games.

Here’s this week’s schedule of games.

City Section

Hamilton coach Elijah Asante poses next to campus mural of Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The City Section’s top teams continue to struggle in nonleague games against Southern Section opponents, but the strategy is designed to prepare them for league play. Birmingham lost to Moorpark, Carson lost to Palos Verdes and San Pedro lost to Great Oak.

Meanwhile, Palisades and Granada Hills engaged in a passing vs. running scoring marathon before Palisades prevailed 59-44 behind 387 yards passing and six touchdowns from quarterback Jack Thomas.

Robert Garrett, the longtime coach at Crenshaw, continues to be on administrative leave. The Cougars suffered their first team in falling to Hamilton 23-6. Jacob Riley of Hamilton had three interceptions. Here’s the report.

Garfield got its first win for new coach Patrick Vargas over La Palma Kennedy. All-City running back Ceasar Reyes rushed for 172 yards and had 12 solo tackles on defense.

Here’s this week’s top 10 City Section rankings.

Verbum Dei rising again

Verbum Dei President Father Travis Russell finally got around to putting up a photo of the new Pope.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Verbum Dei is preparing to play its first football game later this month after dropping its varsity season last year for lack of players. It’s a re-start with a new coach and the backing of an energized school president who carries around a tool box acting like a handy man for any and all problems.

Here’s the report.

Girls volleyball

The Stillwell volleyball family. Sophomore Lucy (left), father Tom, a former UCLA All-American, and senior Maya. The daughters play at Harvad-Westlake.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Tom Stillwell won three NCAA titles playing volleyball for UCLA. Now he has two daughters playing for Harvard-Westlake. He’s enjoying life as a Girl Dad. Here’s the report.

Four-year starter Abby Zimmerman has led Redondo Union girls volleyball.

(Steve Galluzzo)

What a week it was for Redondo Union volleyball with wins over previously unbeaten Marrymount and powerful Mater Dei. Here’s the report from the Marymount victory.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier with a home match against Sierra Canyon on Tuesday.

Venice handed Palisades its first defeat in winning its own tournament championship. Gaia Adeseun-Williams and Samantha Lortie was named co-tournament MVPs from Venice.

JSerra is 11-0 and continuing to look like one of the best flag football teams in the Southern Section. The Lions began the El Toro tournament with shutout wins over Classical Academy of San Diego and Edison.

Freshmen receivers Tessa Russell and Ava Irwin continue to be impact players.

Panorama is off to 7-0 start in the City Section behind quarterback Yadhira Hermenegildo.

Prep talk

A look at the positives from high school sports last week.

All-American Kami Miner dropped by Redondo Union to offer a pep talk to the girls volleyball players.

Louie Vargas (left) with his son, Danny, has been officiating for 52 years.

(Courtesy Danny Vargas)

It’s year No. 52 as a high school sports official for Louie Vargas, who’s 80 years old and still a head linesman for football games.

The Slye brothers, Jordan Jr. and Marty, are lifting up Salesian football and a third brother will arrive next season.

First-year coach Derwin Henderson has Rialto off to a 3-0 start.

Notes . . .

Infielder Trevor Deack of Orange Lutheran has committed to Utah Tech. . . .

Pitcher Damian Catano of Arcadia has committed to St. Mary’s. . . .

A refurbished outside basketball court at Crenshaw High was dedicated Saturday and painted in the school’s colors. . . .

Sophomore point guard Josh Lowery has transferred to Sierra Canyon. . . .

Swimmer Tori Yamamura of Valencia has committed to Missouri. . . .

Bishop Alemany baseball has picked up Mikey Martinez from Crespi. He was a starting infielder and top relief pitcher as a sophomore for the Mission League champions. Also senior pitcher Jaden Lee, the younger brother of UCLA pitcher Justin Lee, has left Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for Alemany. . . .

Casey Patterson is the new boys volleyball coach at Newbury Park . . . .

The stadium fields at Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks and Westlake will be receiving refurbishment beginning Dec. 1, forcing soccer teams to seek alternative sites. . . .

Long Beach Millikan has forfeited wins over Las Vegas Foothill and Newbury Park for using ineligible players.

From the archives: Ty Dieffenbach

Former Agoura quarterback Ty Dieffenbach

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Agoura quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who originally signed with and spent two years at Pittsburgh, made his debut for Cal Poly last week and passed for 263 yards and ran for 69 yards in a win over San Diego. He accounted for three touchdowns and was named the Big Sky player of the week. On Saturday, things didn’t go as well in a 63-9 loss to Utah. He passed for 82 yards.

Here’s a story from 2022 looking at Dieffenbach’s potential as a quarterback.

Recommendations

From Burlisononbasketball, a story on top girls basketball players making an impression at a local camp.

From Communityforwardredlands, a story on the return of Hall of Fame football coach Dick Bruich.

From SFGate.com, a story on the rapid growth of girls flag football.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the soccer Thompson sisters gaining money and attention.

From the Los Angeles Times, an excerpt from a book on Newbury Park’s cross-country success.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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