Mater Dei

Four days after football players Derek and Leland Sparks transferred from Van Nuys Montclair Prep to Mater Dei High School, Stan Thomas, commissioner of the Southern Section, said Thursday he is investigating the Mater Dei athletic program. Thomas said he questioned how two non-Catholics could get into Mater Dei at the last minute. "It would appear Mater Dei is giving special treatment to athletes," Thomas said. "I'm concerned with why they let these athletes in."

The Serra League picture, so clear a week ago, became muddied Wednesday when visiting Santa Ana Mater Dei, ranked No. 13 in the Southland by The Times, defeated No. 10 Santa Margarita, 10-2. The victory moved the Monarchs (18-8, 7-4) within reach of Santa Margarita (15-8, 6-3). Mater Dei can clinch no worse than a share of the league title with a victory Friday night over the visiting Eagles, who have lost four in a row.

Jessica Williams does a lot of things right for the Mater Dei girls' basketball team. Even if it's just being in the right place at the right time. Williams, a sophomore forward, took advantage of some rare offensive opportunities in the fourth quarter Tuesday, scoring 11 points and helping the third-ranked Monarchs beat No. 9 Rosary, 66-56, in a Serra League opener at Rosary.

One week ago, Encino Crespi Coach Jeremiah Ross slept in the school's physical education office after watching video well into the early morning, trying to prepare his team for perhaps its biggest game in nearly 15 years. What the Celts accomplished Friday night will enable Ross to bask in the glory of a memorable triumph.

Mater Dei is used to life at the top. Capistrano Valley is finding out how tough it can be. The Monarchs moved ahead of the Cougars in the county poll, becoming the top-ranked baseball team this week. And Mater Dei strengthened its grip on that position Wednesday by edging second-ranked Capistrano Valley, 4-3, at Mater Dei. Mike Kolbach's bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth broke a 3-3 tie. The Monarchs (8-1, 3-0) are the only undefeated team in the South Coast League.

Both sides seemed to find the silver lining they were looking for in the feature game at the Wooden High School Invitational Thursday night at the Pond. Perennial Southern Section power Mater Dei, which got 17 points and 10 rebounds from junior forward Mike Bayer and 16 points and seven assists from sophomore guard Steve Scoggin, beat Encino Crespi, 61-43.

What an unforgettable night of Pac-5 Division quarterfinal playoff thrillers. Long Beach Poly, the team that was embarrassed by Harbor City Narbonne, 56-0, two months ago, rose from the dead to upset No. 2-seeded Mission Viejo, 21-16. Top-seeded Ventura St. Bonaventure gave up a tying touchdown with 25 seconds left in regulation, then prevailed in overtime, 27-21, over Santa Margarita. No. 3-seeded Bellflower St. John Bosco rallied for a 24-17 victory over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

The only ingredient missing from Friday night's matchup of unbeaten Santa Ana Mater Dei and unbeaten Harbor City Narbonne was snow, rain or a little mud, because the fourth quarter produced a defensive struggle that will be long remembered for its intensity and big-time hits. In the end, a tipped pass by Narbonne's Sidney Watkins with one minute left on fourth down at the Narbonne 33-yard line enabled the Gauchos to hold on for an 18-17 victory. By winning, Narbonne (5-0) has pulled off the improbable - knocking off Southern Section powers Long Beach Poly, Gardena Serra and Mater Dei in nonleague games to establish itself as one of the favorites to land a CIF regional playoff berth.