Prep talk: Moving forward despite destruction from fires
At first, Loyola High‘s scheduled basketball game against Beverly Hills on Saturday was canceled because of concerns for families affected by the fires in Los Angeles. Then Beverly Hills coach Jarvis Turner heard that Loyola wanted to play to help players move forward. And the game happened.
“I was very appreciative of coach Turner,” Loyola coach Damaine Powell said. “It was beautiful. I saw a few smiles. I saw some happy faces. Everyone could have some distractions from real life.”
Loyola is hoping to resume Mission League play this week with games against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Sierra Canyon. A meeting of athletic directors is scheduled for Monday.
Loyola High alumni and students donated so many items for fire victims that the school could share them with students impacted and others in need.
St. Francis coach Todd Wolfson, whose campus has been dealing with a variety of issues because of the Eaton fire in the Altadena/Pasadena area, said one family moved to a rental house in Palm Springs so another family affected by the fires could have a place to stay. He said coaches have been offering gym time if needed.
Palisades girls’ basketball coach Adam Levine said many coaches have been offering practice time for his team, which doesn’t know when or if its gym will be available anytime soon. Palisades High is mostly intact but damage to the campus has led to the start of the spring semester being delayed until Jan. 21.
“Over 40 coaches from other programs have reached out asking how they can help out,” Levine said. “We are overwhelmed by the support of the basketball community.”
Palisades’ boys and girls teams will resume their seasons this week with league games.
Palisades quarterback Jack Thomas lost his home. He and his family are living with a relative.
“We’re scrambling to find a new place to restart,” he said.
Thomas said he hopes to remain at Palisades but wants the school to make an announcement regarding the future of its sports teams.
Brentwood School has confirmed that more than 50 families have lost their homes. The campus will be closed this week. The Gold Coast League, made up of Brentwood, Windward, Crossroads, Campbell Hall and Viewpoint, has canceled basketball and soccer matches for Tuesday and will meet on Tuesday to discuss the rest of the week.
The basketball teams at Palisades were set to practice when security ordered campus evacuated on Tuesday as wildfires broke out. LAUSD canceled games and practices Wednesday.
The Los Angeles Unified School District has reopened most schools for Monday but will not allow practices or games. …
Anaheim Canyon and San Gabriel Academy are scheduled to play nonleague boys’ and girls’ basketball games at Intuit Dome on Monday starting at 12:30 p.m.
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