Prep Rally: The best high school tournaments to watch this summer
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. The summer season has begun. Let's examine what to look for.
The 2025-26 season starts with a busy summer of preparation, when freshmen and transfers get their first looks from coaches in the off season. Football teams have begun competing in seven on seven events, hitting the weight room and beginning the process of getting into shape for the start of the season Aug. 22.
Fans wanting to get a sneak peek at this season's fall stars, here are some tournaments to watch.
The L.A. Chargers are hosting a tournament June 14 in El Segundo. Arroyo High also has a tournament June 14. Palos Verdes has a tournament June 21. The Saugus tournament is June 21 at Central Park. St. John Bosco, Mission Viejo, Simi Valley and Baldwin Park are having tournaments June 28. Edison's Battle at the Beach is July 12 and a must-see event. Long Beach Poly is hosting a tournament July 19 that includes Mater Dei, which is also in the Mission Viejo tournament.
In basketball, the California LIVE tournament for girls is June 12-14 in Roseville and for boys June 27-29 at Ladera Sports Center and San Juan Hills High. The Section 7 tournament for boys is June 20-22 at the Arizona Athletic Grounds and June 13-14 for girls. The War on the Floor tournament is June 19-22 at Chaminade and El Camino Real. The Maranatha tournament is June 9-14. The Fairfax tournament is June 16-21.
In baseball, the Area Code tournament featuring class of 2026 and 2027 players is Aug. 6-11 at Blair Field in Long Beach. The Area Code underclass tournament is Aug. 1-5.
Remember Southern Section schools have to take a mandatory two-week dead period in each sport, where coaches are not allowed to work with athletes.
St. John Bosco culminated the greatest baseball season in school history by winning the Southern California Division I regional. The Braves previously won the Trinity League title and the Southern Section Division 1 championship. From shortstop James Clark to relief pitcher Jack Champlin, coach Andy Rojo's Braves finished 30-4 and beat one top team after another. Here's a report on their final win.
If you want an early look at top teams for 2026, here they are: 1. St. John Bosco, 2. Harvard-Westlake, 3. Corona, 4. Norco, 5. JSerra.
It's awards season, and Corona pitcher Seth Hernandez is going to be busy. Last week, he was named the state player of the year by Gatorade, then the national player of the year by Gatorade.
Hernandez went 9-1 this season and should be a top pick in next month's baseball draft.
He was home schooled until joining Corona his junior year and finished with a two-year mark of 18-1.
Here's the report and video from the announcement.
For all the push-ups completed, for all the running drills endured and for all the yelling received during his days playing high school football at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High in the 1990s, Dan Keeler is getting the last laugh later this month when he takes command of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in Coronado.
'Now I'm going to have to salute him,' former Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney quipped.
A story on the impact coaches can have on their players' lives.
El Modena finished runner-up in the Division I regional to Chula Vista Mater Dei.
Lots of top teams chose to opt out of participating due to club commitments, graduation and other issues. The CIF intends to hold state championships in softball and baseball soon, so finding a way to get the top teams to participate will be a priority.
The regular season must end sooner to be held before school lets out or the problems will continue.
Southern California is where golf prodigies Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay first began to receive attention as youths, and 15-year-old Jaden Soong, a member of the Class of 2028 at St. Francis High in La Cañada, is on the same path.
On Tuesday, he mastered Poppy Hills Country Club, shooting a nine-under 62 to win the CIF state championship in Pebble Beach. He had no bogeys, seven birdies and an eagle. He's believed to be the youngest to win a CIF individual golf title. PGA winners Cantlay (Servite) and Rickie Fowler (Murrieta Valley) are former winners of the event.
Here's a look at his amazing performance.
Sydney Douglas, who was a 6-foot-7 starting freshman for Ontario Christian's championship girls basketball team, has transferred to Corona Centennial. . . .
John Andrade is the new soccer coach at Viewpoint. . . .
Offensive lineman Anthony Rodriguez of Long Beach Poly has committed to San Jose State. . . .
Junior receiver Gavin Honore of Mater Dei has committed to Georgia. . . .
Former Hart, UCLA and major leaguer Trevor Brown is the new baseball coach at West Ranch. He was known for his versatility, playing everything from catcher to the infield. . . .
St. Francis basketball coach Todd Wolfson will also be the school's interim athletic director. Matt Luderer has been on leave while battling an illness. . . .
Gina Hairapetian has resigned after 22 years as softball coach at Chaminade. . . .
Offensive lineman Josh Haney from JSerra has committed to Fresno State.
Ralphy Velazquez, a former Huntington Beach baseball standout, is playing in the Cleveland Guardians organization. The 2023 first-round draft pick has eight home runs this season in the minors playing in high-A ball.
Here's a story from 2023 discussing his power potential.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on skateboarders in their 50s and 60s.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on Palisades High allowing its graduates to enjoy the Hollywood Bowl as the site for its ceremony with some celebrity speakers.
From the Los Angeles Times, the story of a high school track runner being disqualified at the state track championships for using a fire extinguisher.
From On3, a story on the new NIL rules approved by a judge for college athletics.
Have a question, comment or something you'd like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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7 days ago
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Lions roar again today at California Live tournament
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Years from now, when Seth Hernandez is pitching in the major leagues and pro baseball commentators are debating just how good he might become, those who saw him throw during his two years of high school baseball at Corona High will gladly offer their fondest memories. The statistics are impressive enough: In 53 1/3 innings this season, he struck out 105, gave up 19 hits and three earned runs for an ERA of 0.39. The most impressive statistic was walking only seven batters while using a 99-mph fastball. It showed his pinpoint control and how much he had improved over his junior season, when he walked 15 in 56 innings. 'That was his goal,' coach Andy Wise said. 'What are we going to do to get better?" Advertisement His pitching mechanics became more consistent, generating the kind of power and accuracy to cause people to repeatedly use the word 'special' in describing him on the mound. There also was the time he hit two three-run homers in the Panthers' Southern Section Division 1 playoff victory over Los Osos. He wasn't perfect, though, losing 2-0 to St. John Bosco in the Division 1 semifinals, finishing his high school career with an 18-1 pitching record for two seasons. He didn't mope. He didn't make excuses afterward. He knew there would be more challenges ahead. "I'm still a kid," he said. For a season of excellence, Hernandez has been named The Times' baseball player of the year for the second consecutive season. He's expected to be a high pick in next month's amateur draft. He also was named the Gatorade national player of the year. Advertisement One of his strengths for years has been his ability to perform while being watched by scouts, fans and opponents. He's comfortable in his environment, used to the attention and is particularly ready to begin his pro career and keep on a path toward pitching in the big leagues. Read more: The Times' 2025 All-Star baseball and softball coverage With Southern California having produced first-round draft picks such as Paul Skenes (El Toro), Gerrit Cole (Orange Lutheran), Trevor Bauer (Hart), Max Fried (Harvard-Westlake) and Jack Flaherty (Harvard-Westlake) in recent years, it's pretty clear that Hernandez's resume fits in well and offers confidence in his abilities. He's also glad he decided to play high school baseball after being home-schooled. Advertisement 'At the end of the day, I have brothers for life and I'll never forget the memories I spent with them,' he said of his high school days. Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
