Verbum Dei Star Transfers to Westchester

Amir Johnson, a 6-foot-9 center at Los Angeles Verbum Dei who’s considered among the Southland’s top juniors, enrolled at defending state Division I boys’ basketball champion Westchester on Tuesday.

Coach Ed Azzam said Johnson moved into the school’s attendance area. He said Johnson’s arrival means the Comets probably have better talent than last season’s squad, which won the school’s fourth consecutive City Championship.

Eligible this season are transfer students Gabriel Pruitt from Compton Centennial and Ray Reese from Carson, both of whom had to sit out last season after providing false information to the City Section.

Dale Thompson of Corona Santiago, one of the top tight end prospects in California, has committed to USC.

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-- Eric Sondheimer

The Anaheim Servite boys’ water polo team, ranked No. 1 by The Times, will travel today to No. 2 North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake for a nonleague game at 4 p.m.

The Friars (23-1) took over the top spot from Harvard-Westlake (22-2) when they defeated the Wolverines, 8-7, in the final of the S&R; Sport Cup on Oct. 11.

Last season, Servite defeated the Wolverines, 17-9, on its way to the Division II title. Harvard-Westlake reached the Division I semifinals, losing to Corona del Mar, 3-2.

Dan Arritt

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Former Rialto Eisenhower football coach Glenn Thompkins pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of sex-related charges with a minor at his arraignment Tuesday in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Fontana.

His next court date is Dec. 10.

Thompkins. 27, is charged with five counts of statutory rape -- consensual sex with a minor -- five counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count of dissuading the witness. The charges carry a maximum prison term of nine years eight months.

Martin Henderson

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Compton Unified School District has moved the start of the El Segundo at Compton Centennial football game to 5 p.m. Friday and switched the start of the Long Beach Cabrillo at Compton game to 6 p.m. Friday.

In areas affected by the fires, the day, site or time changes have been announced for these football games: Ridgecrest Burroughs will play at Barstow at 7 p.m. Saturday; Hesperia at Hesperia Sultana will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday; Phelan Serrano vs. Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at either San Bernardino San Gorgonio or Sultana high.

Other changes include the cancellation of the Banning-Big Bear game and all three San Andreas League games from last week.

-- Eric Maddy