FOOTBALL, basketball, soccer, water polo and more (Shutterstock).

This is the time when sports from the fall and winter overlap just a bit. Here’s a quick tour of what’s going in high school athletics in the West Orange County area.

Monarchs and Saxons in the news

A second allegation of misconduct involving the football program at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana has emerged.

The Orange County Register is reporting that a lawsuit filed in May alleges that a Mater Dei basketball player was attacked and beaten by two MDHS football players at a party. He reportedly suffered a broken jaw and other injuries.

This allegation comes a week after news that – in a separate lawsuit – it’s alleged that a MDHS football player was injured during a hazing ritual called “Bodies” in which two gridders face off and punch each other.

Mater Dei may be number one in the nation for football, but it is also near the top in allegations of violent misconduct.
At the other end of the football spectrum is Loara High School of Anaheim. The Saxons placed fourth in the Garden Grove League, but got a berth in the CIF-SS Division 14 playoffs.

They not only won the section title, but also advanced to the state playoffs, losing quite respectably, to Morro Bay 35-27 in the Division 7-AA (South) title game. Not bad for a team that at one time lost five straight games before turning it around and won six in a row. They finished with eight wins and seven losses.

So, which football program is more deserving of our applause?

High school hoops results

HIGH SCHOOL basketball is well underway. League play will start in January (Shutterstock).

(Monday)

Girls

• Orangewood Academy 57, Los Osos 29

Boys

• Cabrillo 69, Bolsa Grande 49
• Western 52, Katella 37
• La Quinta 60, Santa Ana Valley 55
• Marina 55, Riverside (Virginia) 52
• Orange 77, Padre Pio 24

(Saturday)

Boys

• Edison 63, San Clemente 42
• Sunny Hills 57, Garden Grove 45
• Tustin, 57, La Quinta 47
• Glenn 50, Los Amigos 46
• Pacifica 55, Godinez 46
• Fullerton 62, Loara 32
• Orangewood 79, Wilson (Hacienda Heights) 40
• Westminster 76, Avalon 43
• Ocean View 71, University Prep 24

Girls

• Western 25, La Quinta 21
• Pacifica 59, Cabrillo 54
• Garden Grove 44, Marina 32
• El Toro 42, Edison 35
• Orangewood 65, Buchanan (Fresno) 50

CIF-SS winter sports polling

Here are the polls for winter high school sports issued Monday by the CIF-SS, as concerns schools serving The Tribune’s coverage area.

Boys basketball

• Division 2AA: Marina (tied for eighth).
• Division 2A: Edison (16th)
• Division 3A: Orangewood (eighth)
• Division 5A: La Quinta (third)

Girls basketball

• Division 1: Orangewood (10th)
• Division 5A: Orange (second), Magnolia (10th).

Boys soccer

• Division 1: Huntington Beach (10th)
• Division 3: Garden Grove (third)

Girls soccer

• Division 1: Pacifica (fifth)

Girls water polo

• Division 1: Huntington Beach (tied for 14th)
• Division 2: Edison (fifth)
• Division 4: Garden Grove (ninth)
• Division 6: La Quinta (third), Westminster (fourth), Rancho Alamitos (eighth).

“Prep Sport Spotlight” is posted on Tuesdays during the high school athletic year.