Crespi 4, Camarillo 2

Crespi (5-0) captured its second consecutive Easton Showdown Tournament Championship with their victory over Camarillo Saturday night at UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Celts relied on gutsy pitching of Ryan Brockett and John Kearns and timely hitting of Austin Walker and Kevin Williams as Crespi only managed 4 hits off Scorpion pitchers. Crespi scored 3 runs in the bottom of the second inning as Mike Hubbard walked and Jack Colick singled. Both were chased home on Austin Walker's triple. Walker later scored on fly ball by Alex Gonzalez out to left field. The Celts scored an insurance run in the fifth inning on Ryon Healy's two-out walk and Kevin Williams' triple. Brockett tossed 4 innings allowing 2 runs, 5 hits, striking out 3, and stranding 7 base runners for the win while Kearns pitched 3 innings allowing 1 hit and striking out 4 for the save. (Austin Walker pictured on left and Kevin Williams pictured on right. Easton Showdown Tournament Champions again, pictured below.)

Crespi (5-0) now opens up Mission League play with a Tuesday 3:30 game at Chaminade.

North American Science Competition Results in a Big Award for Students from a Small School

Since 1992, ExploraVision has brought more than 245,000 students from across the United States and Canada together for scientific competition. The program encourages students to create and explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science, regardless of skills or experience. Participants are encouraged to continue a lifelong love of science. (Team pictured on the left with Dr. Brahim.)

With projects being submitted from around North America, this competition is intense. Surprisingly, Crespi of Encino just had a major win for a small school in this large event. Dr. Sherryline Jogie Brahim and her students were recently selected as a 2010 Honorable Mention from Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision. The Honorable Mention award placed Crespi in the top 10% of all ExploraVision entries submitted to the competition this year.

Team members, Danielle Fasani, John Houselog, Kevin Schilling, and James Nassour, entered a project called, CURE-GN: Cancer treatment Using laser Radiation to Excite Gold Nanoparticles. CURE-GN applies the peptide bonding and photo reactive properties of gold Nanoparticles to target and destroy cancer cells. Gold Nanoparticles bonded to cancer seeking peptides are released into the bloodstream whereby they are targeted to enter cancerous tissue. Having penetrated diseased cells, the Nanoparticles are excited by laser radiation output from a Nanrobots, raising the temperature of the Nanoparticles and killing the cancerous cells that they have targeted. Such Nanrobots have built-in ultra capacitors that have the dual functioning of powering the robots through the body, as well as delivering rapid boosts of energy to their laser diodes. This technology offers a diagnosis and cure for cancer.

Crespi 13, Rio Mesa 2

Crespi (4-0) took a big step toward defending their 2009 Easton Showdown Tournament championship with a 13-2 semifinal win at Rio Mesa (3-1). Ryon Healy took the mound for the Celts and fired 6 innings. He only allowed 2 runs, 7 hits, and striking out 9. Additionally, Healy also added 3 hits, which included a home run, and 5 RBI to his own cause. Rio Mesa drew first blood in the first inning as Dan Lerma doubled home Mo Griffith.

Crespi tied the game in the second inning on Austin Walker's 2-out home run. The Celts scored 4 more runs in the third inning as Josh Mason singled and Ryan Brockett walked. Healy cleared the bases with a 3-run home run followed by Scott Heineman's home run to put the game out of reach. Mason, Heineman, Walker, and George Alvarez contributed 2 hits and an RBI to the Celts' 16-hit attack. Mason also tossed a scoreless seventh inning with 2 strikeouts in his '10 pitching debut. Crespi now travels to UCLA, Saturday, for a 7:00 p.m. championship match-up with Camarillo. (Pictured above is Ryon Healy and pictured below is Scott Heineman.)

Crespi 10, Ventura 3

Crespi (3-0) rallied for 9 runs in the bottom of the first inning to put the game away in the first round of the championship bracket of the Easton Showdown tournament at Valley College. The game rated as the coldest day in Valley College history. How cold was it? It was darn cold!

The Celts used 7 hits, 2 hit batters and 3 Ventura errors to score their nine runs with the bases loaded,Alex Gonzalez hit a 3-RBI double being the decisive blow. Scott Heineman led the Celt 11-hit attack with 2 hits and 2 RBI.

John Kearns made the most of his first start of the season by tossing 5 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, 3 hits and striking out 3 for the win before giving way to Chad Tobin, who in his varsity debut, pitched 2 shutout innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 2. Crespi now travels to Rio Mesa HS Thursday for the semifinals with the winner playing for the championship at UCLA on Saturday. (Pictured above John Kearns and below is Chad Tobin.)

Crespi 7, Kennedy 0

Crespi took another step toward defending their Easton Showdown Tourney Championship Monday with a 7-0 shutout of Kennedy High at Kennedy. Ryan Brockett took the mound for the Celts (2-0) and tossed 6 innings of 1-hit ball while striking out eight. Brockett allowed only 1 runner to reach second base. Crespi scored first in the first inning as Scott Heineman singled, stole second and third, and scored on Mike Hubbard's single.

The Celts broke the game open in the sixth inning as Hubbard and Jack Colick hit back-to-back triples. Alex Gonzalez followed Austin Walker's hit-batter with a triple of his own. Gonzalez scored on George Alvarez' single. Colick and Walker both scored in the seventh inning as both opened the inning with walks. Colick scored on Gonzalez' sacrifice bunt and Walker scored on Alvarez' ground out.

Hubbard finished the day with 3 hits and has opened the season with 7 hits in 8 at bats. Gonzalez finished with 2 hits and 3 RBI while Ryan Healy added 2 hits. Madison Dang made his varsity debut retiring the side in order in the seventh inning while striking out 1. Crespi now leaves pool play and enters the championship bracket as they host Ventura HS at Valley College today at 3:00.

Old Rivals Could Not Stop Crespi from Tenth Title

Many members of local media felt that if Crespi defeated Notre Dame three times in the same season it was going to be a miracle. The Celts persevered and won a classic game against valley rival Notre Dame to advance into the finals against another old rival. On Friday, March 5, 2010, Coach White and his team faced an Alemany squad that also suffered two regular season losses to Crespi. In front of a sold out arena at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Crespi defeated Alemany 50-43 in the Southern Section Division 4A Boys’ Championship Game.

Crespi trailed 19-6 at the end of the first quarter. After some defensive adjustments by Coach White, the Celts forced the Warriors into an abysmal shooting performance. Alemany shot less than 30 percent from the field and lost all momentum by the end of the first half. A 10-2 run to start the 2nd quarter and two huge plays later in the quarter helped the Celts battle back to finish the first half with a one point lead. The first big play came off a steal by Blake Stanton ’10, which finished in a long pass and thunderous dunk by Bryan Bennett ’10. As time expired at the end of the half, Stanton made a clutch three point shot that silenced the Alemany crowd.

That basket was his only three point field goal of the game. Blake finished with 21 points and made 3 of 4 free throws in the final minute to seal the victory. Matt Mournier ’11 had 17 points, extending his double-digit scoring streak to 21 consecutive games. Kenny Stenhouse ’11 added 12 points and 11 rebounds. This is the second CIF Basketball Championship and tenth title overall for Crespi.

Crespi 10, Quartz Hill 2

Crespi 10, Quartz Hill 2---Crespi opened the 2010 season with a 10-2 victory over 16th ranked Quartz Hill in the first round of the Easton Showdown tournament at Valley College.

The Rebels (0-1) opened the game with 2 runs on 3 hits off Celt starter, Ryon Healy. The Celts answered with 2 runs in the second inning as Kevin Williams, Mike Hubbard, and Alex Gonzalez lashed out doubles. Crespi took the lead in the the third inning on Williams' towering 3-run home run over the center fence. Scott Heineman's RBI triple off the center field fence in the fourth inning gave the Celts a 4-run lead. Hubbard's bases loaded single capped a 4-run sixth inning to complete the scoring.

Healy settled down after a shaky first inning and tossed 4 innings allowing no earned runs, 6 hits, and striking out 6 for the win. John Kearns earned the save, pitching 3 innings allowing no runs, no hits, and striking 4. Hubbard led the Celt 12-hit attack with 4 hits, including a double, and 3 RBI while Williams and Heineman each finished with 2 hits. (Pictures: Top - Mike Hubbard, Below - Kevin Williams)