Conference Play Starts for Soccer

Orange Empire Conference men’s soccer games begin today with Rancho Santiago, the defending state and conference champion, hosting Cypress (1-4) at 4 p.m.

Rancho Santiago is 5-1-1, but coming off a 1-0 loss to Yavapai (Ariz.) Saturday.

In the other opening games, Fullerton (4-3-2) is at Golden West (0-7-1) at 7 p.m., and Irvine Valley (7-3-2) is at Orange Coast (2-3-2) at 4 p.m.

Riverside, which has a bye, is 4-4-1.

Orange Coast is without defender Ryan Yurada (Newport Harbor High), who broke his leg Friday as a result of in a collision during OCC’s 3-2 victory over Cuyamaca Friday.

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Rankings: Saddleback (4-0) took over the top spot from Long Beach in the weekly Southland football poll. Cerritos (4-0) is second, San Bernardino Valley (3-0) third, Long Beach (3-1) fourth, Mt. San Antonio (3-1) fifth, Hancock (3-0) sixth, Grossmont (3-0) seventh, Los Angeles Valley (3-1) eighth, Moorpark (3-1) ninth and Bakersfield (2-1) 10th.

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Rustler wrestling: Tito Ortiz (190 pounds) and Raphael Davis (177) of Golden West won individual titles Saturday at the Cerritos Invitational.

Ortiz, the defending state champion, had two pins in his three victories and is 8-0. Davis also was 3-0, getting a pin in the final to improve his record to 9-0. Golden West was second in the tournament, 1 1/2 points behind Cerritos.