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SoCalHoops High School News

CIF-SS Agape League Preview, Schedules:
League Parity With AV Christian?--(Nov. 4, 2000)

In our effort to get more information out as completely and as quickly as possible, we've decided to prepare some league overviews.   Not every league, but certainly those leagues which have teams in them who might be considered pre-season favorites to take a run at a CIF Southern Section Championship, and in this case, the Agape League has AV Christian in it, which has gone to the semifinals or finals the last few years, so if anyone complains "why are you featuring a preview of a league as small as this?" well, that's why.  

Utilizing this format, we should be able to get more information to everyone on who is playing where and when, and what the rosters will likely look like this season.  Again, it's just not going to be possible for us to feature every CIF or City Section league and team (consider that the Southern Section alone has 76 leagues, with an average of about 6+ teams in each), so don't say we're playing favorites. . . we'll take them in a somewhat random order, but will post these if, as and when we can.    We only have so much time in the day, and  we have our doubts that we'll be able to get through even those leagues we want to preview prior to the start of regular league play (which begins in December for some leagues)but who knows, we'll give it a shot. . . . Complicating matters further is the fact that not all schools made it to last season's playoffs, and thus we don't have access to complete (or even any) rosters in some cases (e.g., Joshua Springs, below).  Further complicating things, some of the coaches are new and we either don't know them, or haven't gotten enough information on their teams to say anything useful.  And some of these schools haven't even submitted schedules to the CIF, so we may or may not know anything about them. Still, this should be helpful to someone, somewhere.

We will still continue to feature our more in-depth previews and profiles, but we're trying to get as much information out in as short a time as possible, so complete coverage just isn't possible.  But we're going to try.

Agape League Overview

1999-2000 Season Records League Overall
Antelope Valley Christian 8-0 15-9
Apple Valley Christian 4-4 11-11
Hesperia Christian 4-4 10-11
Victor Valley Christian 3-5 10-11
Joshua Springs 1-7 4-16
New addition to league:    
Bethel Christian Lancaster* DNR 0-19

The Agape League is actually bigger this year by one school, as Bethel Christian Lancaster joins, having come over from the Desert Mountain League where they finished in last place, at 0-19 on the season, so their presence will not likely have much impact.  The league favorite should again be Antelope Valley Christian, but they graduated most of their experienced players.  Both Apple Valley Christian and Hesperia Christian return at least one potential high scorer, and the league could have a bit more parity this season than in the past three years.  

You can find this year's official CIF Agape league schedule at this link (or simply scroll down the page:

Here's a brief look at the individual teams (at least where we've been able to get some information)--the scoring and rebounding averages are from the CIF Media Information forms submitted by each school prior to the start of last year's CIF playoffs, so don't blame us if you think they are not accurate. 

antval20.jpg (4043 bytes) Antelope Valley Christian Eagles
Division V-A
City: Lancaster
Team Nickname: Eagles
Colors: Black & Silver
Head coach: David Nurse
Assistant; Erin Nurse

Overall Record: 15-9; League Record: 8-0 (1st place)

Two years ago, at the Southern Section D-VA finals, AVC went up against Price, and both were looking for their first CIF title, and AVC didn't quite make it, losing to Price.  Last season AVC made it to as far as the semifinals, losing the Heritage Christian, which in turn lost to Price.  This season AVC loses some of its better players from last season but still has some weapons and a couple of new players coming up.  Gone are Matthew Nurse (5'-11" PG), Peter Pun, Peter Beaudin (6'-6" C/F),  Jeff Ober, and Mickael Bruckner (6'-2" SG/F), but the team returns Alfred Collins (5'-3" Sr. PG) and Jamal Flanagan (6'-2" Sr. SG),along with John Cho (6'-2" Sr. SF) and William Shue (5'-10" Sr. SG).  We don't expect them to make an inordinate amount of noise at the Division V-A playoffs this time around, because this is a young team, but then you just never know, because there's another Nurse (Wesley) on the way up who will be a freshman this season, a jet quick and agile ballhandler, and they've got some other players who may be able to make some things happen.  We'll get a better look at the team when the pre-season starts since they'll be at the Montclair Prep Tournament, one that we will be out watching.

Apple Valley Christian Warriors
Division: V-AA
City: Apple Valley
Nickname: Warriors
Head Coach: Rick Huff/Adam Caudle
Colors: Royal/Gold
Overall Record: 11-11; League Record: 4-4 (2nd)
Returning players:
Ryan Manahl (5'-11" So. F) 5 ppg, 4 rpg
Josh Vaughn (5'-5" So. G) 4 ppg, 4 rpg
Jay Sayegh (6'-1" Jr. C)  1 ppg, 2 rpg
Ray Acuna (6'-1" Jr. F) 4 ppg, 2 prg
Josh Jacobs (6'-3" So. F) 1 ppg, 1 rpg
Forrest Taylor (6'-4" Sr. F) 15 ppg, 6 rpg
Geoff Gutierrez (5'-9" So. G) 1 ppg, 1 rpg
Michael Stewart (6'-0" Sr. C) 15 ppg, 8 rpg

In the very crowded 64+ team bracket of the Division V-AA playoffs, Apple Valley Christian somehow managed to survive until the "Sweet 16" round, beating opponents like Bethel Christian Riverside (67-50), Sherman Indian (41-40), but then they ran into Campbell Hall, one of the teams which was favored to win the Division, and got blown out 80-30.  Whether they have the returning firepower to make a serious run in the playoffs this year is just an unknown. The team loses it's leading scorer, Leonard Carter (16 ppg) but they also return Forrest Taylor and Michael Stewart.   They could be strong again, certainly in league play (they have one league Championship to their credit, year unknown), so they've been there before.

Bethel Christian Lancaster
No information available
Head Coach: Hosie Ward

Hesperia Christian Patriots
Division V-A
City: Hesperia
Nickname: Patriots
School Colors: Red/White/Blue
Head Coach: Chad Bickley
Assistant Coach: Dave Booth
Overall record: 10-11; League record: 4-4 (3rd place)
Returning players:
Chris Rehrer (5'-10" Jr. G) 6 ppg, 5 rpg
Chris Allen (5'-8" Sr. G) 4 ppg, 1 rgp
Jesse McDonald (6'-1" So. G) 5 ppg, 2 rpg
Aaron Garcia (5'-10" So. G)
Shaun Thomas (5'-10" Jr. F) 8 ppg, 3 rpg
Bryan Glass (5'-10" So. G) 3.0 apg
Evan May (6'-1" Jr. F) 15 ppg, 13 rpg
Jordan Gustin (6'-0" Sr. F) 1 ppg, 1 rpg

The team lost in the first round of the playoffs last season (65-52 to Pioneer Baptist, which itself was then defeated handily by Shandon in the second round).  The team only lost three players to graduation, and among them, they only scored a combined 15 ppg, so it should not be that hard to replace those points, and they return Evan May, an outstanding scorer and rebounder.  They will be tough contenders in league, but the competition in the playoffs will likely result in an early elimination. . . but first they have to get there. We'll get a better look at them in December at the Santa Maria Valley Tournament.

Joshua Springs
Data not available
Coach: Derek Bogue
Overall Record: 4-16, League Record: 1-7 (5th place)
With a new coach,  and a more competitive schedule, Joshua Springs is still a complete unknown to us.

Victor Valley Christian Royals
Division V-A
City: Victorville, CA
Team Nickname: Royals
Colors: Purple/Gold/White
Coach: Kevin Vail
Assistant: Marcus Quarles
Overall record 10-11; League record 3-- (4th)
Returning Players:
Eric Belton (5'-6" Jr. G)
Jed Tyler (6'-0" Sr. G)
Matt Wade (5'-11" So. F)
Justin Snyder (5'-11" Sr. F
Jeremy Karlen (6'-2" Sr. F)
Charlie Gepford (6'-1" Sr. F)

A team which did not make the playoffs last season.   They had some early season wins over other small schools like Calvary Chapel Redlands (by 20, 69-49), Upland Christian (67-33), Owens Valley (68-48) but then when the games started to count,  they lost to just about everyone, including some rather devastating losses to teams like Woodcrest Christian (a 65-28 loss). They managed to finish strong, beating league rival Hesperia Christian, but then lost to Apple Valley Christian.  And to top off the good-news-bad-news, the team only  6 players to graduation, but they happened to be all of the leading scorers including Jared Osborne (13 ppg), Clint Gaultney (13 ppg), Nick Andre (6 ppg) and Joel Munoz (5 ppg).  The players returning averaged a combined 14 ppg, so Coach Vail is going to have to figure out where the offense is going to come from this season.

Complete Official Southern Section League Schedule:

Agape League Antelope Valley   Christian
Apple Valley Christian
Bethel Christian Lancaster
Hesperia Christian
Joshua Springs
Victor Valley Christian
Antelope Valley Christian
Coach: David Nurse
Apple Valley Christian
Coach: Rick Huff/Adam Caudle
Nov. 29-Dec. 2 @Laguna Blanca Tournament Nov 28 Trona
Dec. 4-8 @Montclair Prep Tournament Dec. 1 Lucerne Valley
Dec. 09 Laguna Blanca Dec 5-9 @ Hesperia Christian Tournament
Dec. 12 Southwestern Academy Dec. 12 Upland Christian
Dec. 26-29 @Lutheran Laverne Tournament Dec. 14 @Trona
Jan 09 @*Apple Valey Christian @Desert Christian Bermuda Dunes
Jan 16 *Bethel Christian Lancaster Dec. 27-29 @ Victory Valley Christian Tournament
Jan 19 @*Joshua Springs Jan 4 @Victor Valley Christian
Jan 23 *Hesperia Christian Jan 9 *Antelope Valley Christian
Jan 25 *Apple Valley Christian Jan 12 *Bethel Christian Lancaster
Jan 30 @*Victory Valley Christian Jan 16 @Hesperia Christian
Feb 2 @ *Bethel Christian Lancaster Jan 19 *Victor Valley Chrisitian
Feb 6 *Joshua Springs Jan 23 @*Joshua Springs
Feb. 9 @*Hesperia Christian Jan 26 @*Antelope Valley Christian
Jan 30 @*Bethel Christian Lancaster
Feb 2 *Hesperia Christian
Feb 6 @*Victor Valey Christian
Feb 7 *Joshua Springs
Bethel Christian Lancaster
Coach: Hosie Ward
Hesperia Christian
Coach: Chad Bickley
Nov 28 Acad of Acad. Excellence Nov 28 Mesa Grande
Dec. 14-16 Bethel Christian Lancaster Tournament Nov. 30 Lucerne Valley
Dec 29-30 @Calvary Chapel Tournament Dec. 5-8 Hesperia Christian Tournament
Jan 5 @ Acad of Acad. Excellence Dec 12 Linfield
Jan 9 @*Joshua S;prings Dec. 14 @Vasquez
Jan 12 @*Apple Valley Christian Dec. 19 Masada
Jan 16 @*Antelope Valley Christian Dec. 26-28 @Santa Maria Tournament
Jan 19 *Hesperia Christian Jan 4 @Silver Valley
Jan 23 *Victor Valley Christian Jan 9 @*Victor Valley Christian
Jan 26 *Joshua Springs Jan 12 *Joshua Springs
Jan 30 *Apple Valley Christian Jan 16 *Apple Valley Christian
Feb 2 *Anteleope Valley Christian Jan 19 @*Bethel Christian Lancaster
Feb 6 @*Hesperia Christian Jan 23 @*Anteleope Valley Christian
Feb 8 Baptist Christian Jan 26 *Victor Valley Christian
Feb 9 @*Victor Valley Christian Jan 30 @*Joshua Springs
Feb 2 @*Apple Valley Christian
Feb 6 *Bethel Christian Lancaster
Feb 9 *Anteleope Valley Christian
Joshua Springs
Coach:  Derek Bogue
Victory Valley Christian
Coach: Kevin Vail
Nov. 28 Calvary Chapel Murrieta Valley Nov. 28 @Lucerne Valey
Dec. 1 @Calvary Chapel Riverside Dec. 1 @Trona
Dec. 5 @Desert Christian Dec. 4 Lucerne Valley
Dec. 7 Joshua Springs Tournament Dec. 5-9 @Hesperia Christian Tournament
Dec. 12 Calvary Chapel Riverside Dec. 12 Aca for Acad. Excellence
Dec. 15 Immanuel Christian Dec. 15 Trona
Dec. 27 @Victor Valley Christian Tournament Dec. 27-29 Victor Valley Christian Tournament
Jan 2 Calvary Chapel Murrieta Valey Jan 5 @Woodcrest Christian
Jan 9 *Bethel Christian Lancaster Jan 9 *Hesperia Christian
Jan 12 @*Hesperia Christian Jan 12 @*Antelope Valley Christian
Jan 16 @*Victor Valley Christian Jan 16 *Joshua Springs
Jan 19 *Anteleope Valley Christian Jan 19 @*Apple Valley Christian
Jan 23 *Apple Valley Christian Jan 23 @*Bethel Christian Lancaster
Jan26 @*Bethel Christian Lancaster Jan 26 @*Hesperia Christian
Feb 2 *Hesperia Christian Jan 30 *Anteleope Valley Christian
Feb 6 *Victor Valley Christian Feb 2 @*Joshua Springs
Feb 9 @*Antelope Valley Christian Feb 6 *Apple Valley Christian
Feb 9 *Bethel Christian Lancaster

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