It's happening again. One of the City Section's premier sports rivalries, boys soccer's Birmingham vs. El Camino Real, will be showcased for the second consecutive season in the City Section Division I championship game at Valley College on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Birmingham got the job done Wednesday, defeating Fremont 5-0 in the semifinals. Damien López contributed two goals. El Camino Real players attended the match. Many of the players know each other. Birmingham standout junior Steven Ramos plays on the same club team as several players from El Camino Real.
“It's going to be an exciting match,” Ramos said. “We don't have friends on the field. Off the field, we're good friends.”
Ramos is one of the best players in the City Section. Although still a junior, he has garnered attention for his versatility in playing defense and scoring goals. He scored seven goals, and against Fremont he made a crucial corner kick early on, which Lopez headed in for a 1-0 lead.
Birmingham reached the finals under first-year coach Gus Villalobos, who had a rivalry with El Camino Real when he was a player.
“There's nothing better than this,” he said of facing El Camino Real for the third time this season. The two schools split their league matches.
women's soccer
El Camino Real 2, Granada Hills 0: Sharon Alcocer, the reigning City Section player of the year, scored two goals to help El Camino Real advance to the Division 1 girls' final, which will be played at Valley College on Friday at 7 p.m.
Cleveland 2, Palisades 2: The Cavaliers advanced to the city finals with Natalie Grant scoring the winning goal in the penalty shootout.
baseball
Arlington 7, Long Beach Millikan 5: The Lions are 3-0. Andrew Magallines had two hits and two RBIs.
Harvard-Westlake 5, JSerra 0: Duncan Marsten led the Wolverines with five scoreless innings and five strikeouts, followed by Bryce Reiner with two scoreless innings and five strikeouts. Reiner also had two hits.
Hearts 5, St. Francis 2: Michael Haugen had two hits for the Indians (3 wins, 2 losses).
Corona Centennial 5, Barstow 0: Michael Nonis hit a three-run home run for the Huskies.
soft ball
Norco 8, Yucaipa 1: Tamlyn Shorter hit a home run in the first at-bat of the Cougars' first game of the season. She finished with two hits and two RBIs.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
