AV Sports - Tid Bits

The summer doldrums are upon us. Aside from a smattering of youth baseball and softball games, the youth sports plate has been scraped clean for a while. What a great time to revive our Tidbits column, where we go around the horn making observations on anything and everything.

Many of us were astounded when Jesse Parker was ousted as basketball coach at Lancaster High School before the 2005 season. Yes, we know it’s a union thing, but at the time it was an amazing development; in a few short years, Parker had built a legacy with the Eagles playing in the toughest division in the Southern Section. He had a hand in the development of some of the best players to ever hit the hardwood in the AV, including three future Division I impact players, Craig Brackins, Mike Webb, and Dante Huff.

Since then, Parker has resigned himself to refereeing local leagues and forming various travel teams. He’ll have less time on his hands now though, having taken the job at Eastside High. What an interesting development for local high school hoops fans, and a revolting development for the other seven teams in the Golden League. Eastside immediately becomes a team to watch.

One last Lancaster High item, we promise. Word on the street is the school’s greatest hoops alumni, Mike Webb, has been told he will not be hired to replace Dave Humphreys as the boys basketball coach. Say what? It’s difficult to comment, not knowing who is getting the job. It could very well be the new coach has more experience, and is a teacher employed at the school – two things that would virtually knock Webb out of the job hunt. But wouldn’t it be sweet to see Webb back on the Eagle sideline. Don’t be surprised to see him by Parker’s side over at Eastside at some point.

It has been a tumultuous few years in the world of AV club soccer. The old adage is true – the more things change, the more they stay the same. AV Heat disappeared a couple of years ago, but two new clubs, the Lancaster Rattlers and Cal Elite, emerged to more than fill the void. Then, in January of this year, the AV Sharks shut down operations. Meanwhile, the oldest club in the valley, AVSC Ambush, suffered through some leadership issues that saw several teams leave or disband. This shake-out has left Palmdale Thunder as the dominant club in the valley, at least numbers wise.

The current map (club and number of teams): Palmdale Thunder (23), Lancaster Rattlers (9), Ambush (8), AV United (4), and Cal Elite (3).

It was another challenging season for the Lancaster Rattlers. But they had their moments. However, it almost seems like the soccer community wants them to fail. Too much negativity.

Rosamond High has a new web site for their football program. It’s still a work in progress. Look for updates when the schedules and rosters are available. www.rosamondroadrunners.net.
Great fun at the City of Lancaster adult basketball league. It’s a Lancaster High reunion of sorts, with the likes of Matt Webb, Jai Herod. Javaughn Espirit, Patrick Taylor, and Teilden McKissic teaming up on Tuesday nights.
Paraclete grad Jake Dean has been moved to center by the UCLA football staff. The red shirt sophomore is currently #2 on the depth chart, behind senior Micah Reed. Jake hasn't gotten any playing time yet, but that should change this year.
More than one person I know has compared Craig Brackins (Lancaster High, Iowa State basketball) to Kevin Durant. Brackins might not have that type of ability, but the similarities in build and looks are undeniable. And Brackins is no slouch either - he's got a real shot at a professional career.
Don't expect the pecking order in high school boys soccer to change much this year. Quartz Hill and Palmdale should be the teams to beat, with Pete Knight, Highland, and Lancaster all fighting for playoff spots. Highland and Lancaster will both have new head coaches, with Lem Galvao and Alex Cordoba, respectively, stepping aside.
Here’s hoping network coverage of the Olympics includes some Greco Roman wrestling, where the USA will be represented at 211 lbs by Lancaster High grad Adam Wheeler.
We save our last bullet for some well deserved kudos. Several key leaders in the local soccer scene have stepped aside recently. Foremost among that group is Leo and Terri Cardona. Leo and Terri were the founders of the AV Sharks and built them into a competitive and respected organization. At their peak, the Sharks were fielding some of the best boys teams in Southern California. But more than that, Terri and Leo dedicated thousands of hours to youth soccer, doing whatever it took to get other people’s kids in uniform, at practice, and on the soccer field. Their dedication will be missed. Whether you wear Thunder, Ambush, Shark, or some other colors, when you see them, please be sure to thank them for all they did.