Prep Rally: Xavier Rice’s is just one of many injury comeback stories that get overlooked

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. Football practice begins this week for City Section players and next week for the Southern Section. One positive is the return of players who missed last season because of injury. That moment learning the news is devastating. Then comes the physical and mental challenges. Let me offer a profile at one player’s comeback story.

Comeback from knee surgery

There are few experiences more devastating for a teenage athlete than a season-ending injury. It happened to quarterback Xavier Rice of Los Angeles Loyola High in the second quarter of the second game last season.

He rolled left and after releasing the ball, his foot got caught in the turf. He was helped off the field. At first, no one believed the injury was serious. He could still walk. He was able to jog on the sideline. He went back in.

A couple of plays later, even though he was wearing a knee brace, the same leg buckled after a high snap. “I heard it pop,” he said of his right knee. “I think I did something the first time and then tore it.”

He had never been injured playing sports, so when he went to the doctor’s office for an MRI exam and was told the result, a torn anterior cruciate ligament, his reaction was understandable.

“I remember vividly when they showed the picture,” he said. “He was going through where everything is supposed to be. ‘This black space is where your ACL is supposed to be. There’s nothing there.’ I remember literally almost fainting when he told me I wouldn’t be able to play for the rest of the season.”

Then he cried.

It’s one challenge to deal with the physical ramifications of a season-ending injury, but the psychological challenges are equally difficult. Recovery doesn’t come simply by hoping an injury will heal. There’s much more involved, lessons to be learned and surely bouts of adversity to overcome. But once clearance is given to return, all the hard work, sweat and tears ends up being worth it, Rice said.

Here’s a look at his comeback story and other players returning this season from injury.

Practice begins

Monday is the first day for official football practice in the City Section. The first three days are for conditioning in shorts. On July 28 and 29, helmets and shoulder pads are allowed with no live tackling.

There is a helmet shortage at some schools that could cause delays. Here’s a report.

Players must complete 10 days of practices to play in a game. Scrimmages next month count as a practice day. Full speed contact drills are limited to two days per week for no more than 45 minutes per day. Practices are limited to 18 hours per week and double-day practices are not allowed.

It’s going to be a particularly challenging season for Taft logistically because its field is under construction and won’t be available. Coach Jeff Kearin has arranged to use Pierce College for practice purposes before school begins, then a nearby middle school. All Taft games will be played on the road. Los Angeles is also getting its field replaced.

Downey won the final seven on seven tournament of the summer at Huntington Beach on Saturday, beating Charter Oak in the final.

Future of high school sports

Transfers. Television. Name, Image, Likeness. There needs to be a debate on the future of high school sports in California and what it is supposed to look like.

The same schools keep winning and don’t have rebuilding years. They simply reload by replacing graduating seniors with transfer students. Their marketing tool is trying to be like a college program in everything they do, from welcoming new players over returning players to traveling around the country for exposure reasons. Are they forgetting the original mission of high school sports?

Ron Nocetti, the executive director of the CIF, said he and the 10 second commissioners will be having a discussion this fall trying to figure out “what high school sports is about and what high school sports is not about.”

A look at the discussion and how the CIF won’t be loosening transfer rules any time soon.

Receiver to watch

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - OCT. 22, 2021. Franklin wide receiver Hector Ceballos can’t quite haul in a pass against a pair of Lincoln defenders during a game at Lincoln High in Los Angeles on Friday night, Oct. 22, 2021. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

(Luis Sinco)

Hector Ceballos catches passes. Not just a few passes. A lot. In one game last season, he made 27 receptions, setting a City Section record at Franklin High.

He’s back for his senior season after catching 111 passes for 1,504 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2021.

Now coach Narciso Diaz must pick a quarterback to get him the ball.

Here’s a report.

St. Francis is excited

With eight returning starters and several highly regarded transfers, St. Francis could be a team to reckon with this fall in high school football.

Quarterback Jack Jacobs, who stands 6 feet 6, finally has a solid group of receivers, plus a talented offensive line led by Division I prospects Racin Delgatty (6-4, 305 pounds) and Phillip Ocon (6-4, 320 pounds). Tight end Preston Jernegan will also help.

The best newcomer is running back Devyn Turner, a transfer from Allen High in Texas. He’s fast and strong.

Here’s a report.

Memorable homecoming

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame baseball coach Tom Dill with his former pupil, Giancarlo Stanton.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Giancarlo Stanton used to sit in the left-field bleachers at Dodger Stadium as a kid, so now you understand how special it was for the former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame star to hit a two-run home run near the area he used to hang out in and earn MVP honors in last week’s All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium.

Stanton still returns to Notre Dame during the off season on occasion and keeps in contact with Coach Tom Dill. He’s a true 818 hero even though he’s playing for the New York Yankees. Imagine what life would be like if it’s the Yankees vs. Dodgers in the World Series?

Dill watched the game at home.

“That was pretty amazing,” he said of the home run. “I don’t know if I screamed, but I made some kind of noise because I was pretty excited. With him, you know right away when he swings. There’s no room for guessing. It’s pretty obvious. When he takes a good swing at a ball, you just know it’s gone. He absolutely crushed it.”

Michael Norman delivers

One of the greatest high school athletes in California history, 400-meter star Michael Norman from Vista Murrieta, put on a show at the World Championships in Oregon.

He won the 400 in 44.29. Here’s a report on his journey to world champion.

Notes . . .

Longtime assistant coach Jamal Hartwell has been promoted to head coach for Fairfax High basketball. He replaces Reggie Morris Jr., who resigned and is expected to return to Redondo Union. Hartwell served as an assistant coach to Harvey Kitani, Steve Baik and Morris at Fairfax and his son was a star point guard for the Lions. . . .

Juju Watkins of Sierra Canyon added to her many trophies and accomplishments by winning MVP honors in Hungary for leading the USA U17 national women’s basketball team to the gold medal at the U17 World Cup. . . .

Former Louisville softball All-American Melissa Roth is the new softball coach at Capistrano Valley. . . .

Former Quartz Hill and USC running back Aaron Emanuel has joined the coaching staff at Taft as an assistant coach. . . .

Sophomore golfer Victoria Valenzuela of St. Anthony won the Long Beach Junior Championship Crosby Tournament at Recreation Park with a 78. . . .

Ava Knepper of Laguna Beach scored six goals to help the USA Women’s Youth national team win the Pan American Junior water polo championship in Indiana over Canada 17-4. Knepper will be a junior this school year. . . .

Distance runner Colin Sahlman of Newbury Park was named the Gatorade boys’ national athlete of the year. UCLA women’s basketball recruit Kiki Rice from Washington D.C. was chosen the girls’ athlete of the year. . . .

Former Sun Valley Poly All-City guard DJ Gay is the new boys’ basketball coach at Windward. Gay, who was captain at San Diego State in 2011, was head coach at La Jolla Country Day. . . .

In big basketball news, former Mater Dei and Pepperdine standout Tom Lewis is joining Gary McKnight’s staff at Mater Dei and bringing with him his 6-foot-5 freshman son, Che Brogan, who has been earning rave reviews this summer. It was reported by Frank Burlison. . . .

Mater Dei’s football team has added a key transfer to its receiving corp. Jurrion Dickey from Valley Christian in Northern California is joining the Monarchs.

Brad Johnson has resigned as girls’ basketball coach at Aliso Niguel to become an assistant for Loyola Marymount’s women’s program. . . .

Junior girls’ volleyball player Madi Collins from Redondo Union has committed to UC Santa Barbara. . . .

UCLA baseball has lost its No. 1 pitcher to the pros. Former Orange Lutheran standout Max Rajcic, a sixth-round draft pick of the Cardinals, signed for $600,000. . . .

Former St. John Bosco guard Tyler Dorsey has signed an NBA contract with the Dallas Mavericks. . . .

Martin Gumwel, a 6-11 center at Rancho Christian, has committed to Pepperdine. . . .

Former Anaheim baseball player Jillian Albayati was selected for the final 20-woman roster for the 2022 Women’s National Team, which will compete in a five-game friendship series with Canada at Baseball Central in Thunder Bay, Ontario, July 28-August 1.

From the archives: Nick Folk

New England Patriots kicker Nick Folk celebrates his game-winning field goal with holder Jake Bailey, rear, as time expires in an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Nick Folk, a Sherman Oaks Notre Dame graduate, has had quite a pro career kicking in the NFL.

Drafted in the sixth round in 2007 by the Dallas Cowboys out of Arizona, he has stayed relevant and valuable. He made the Pro Bowl in his first season and has made 321 field goals in his career, with 56 yards his longest. He’s still playing for the New England Patriots.

Here’s a story from 2002 on Folk and his two brothers finding success in football and soccer thanks to their powerful legs.

Recommendations

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on former San Fernando High and USC running back Charles White and his journey dealing with dementia and other issues.

From Yahoo, a story on a player’s mom agreeing to pay $50,000 to settle coach’s defamation lawsuit.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on how to boost track and field before the Olympics comes to Los Angeles in 2028.

From the San Diego Union Tribune, a story on why Norway’s hands-off approach to youth sports might explain why they are so good when they get older.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on former Mira Costa pitcher Jared Karros getting selected by the Dodgers and likely leaving UCLA even though injuries have prevented him from pitching very much the last two seasons.

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