The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach is sponsored by the Aquatic Capital of America Foundation. Long Beach is a rare town where it’s not uncommon to come across an Olympian—especially if you’re looking for an aquatic Olympian. Wilson High has produced more than any other high school in the country, and since the […]
Author: Mike Guardabascio
21 Athletes and Coaches to Represent Long Beach in the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Paris Olympics are slated to begin Friday, July 26, and as usual there will be a large contingent of Long Beach athletes and coaches present to represent our city on the global stage. A total of 21 athletes and coaches with strong Long Beach ties are making the trip to Europe to compete in […]
For the Fridge: Los Altos 9s Win Cal Ripken SoCal State Tournament
The Los Altos 9s All Stars from El Dorado Park won the Cal Ripken SoCal State Tournament earlier this month, punching their ticket to the Cal Ripken Regional Tournament in Galt, CA. Los Altos won a best-of-three state tourney with a pair of wins over fellow Long Beach squad Uptown. The Los Altos 9s won […]
For the Fridge: Los Altos 8s Win Cal Ripken SoCal State Tournament
The Los Altos 8s All Stars out of El Dorado Park won the Cal Ripken SoCal State Tournament earlier this month, punching their ticket to the Cal Ripken Regional Tournament in Rohnert Park. The Long Beach boys were dominant in the State Tourney with 10-0 and 10-4 wins to reach the championship, where they played […]
Multisport Athletes of the Year 2024
Unfortunately as specialization is pushed at younger and younger ages, the high school multisport athlete is largely becoming a thing of the past, with year-round commitments crowding out the old-school approach. As such we wanted to recognize four Long Beach athletes competing in multiple sports at a high level this year. On the boys’ side, […]
Spirit of Long Beach 2024: LBCC’s Randy Totorp
Each year we present the Spirit of Long Beach award to a person or group of people that’s inspired us over the course of the school year. This year, LBCC Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics, and Public Health Randy Totorp is our obvious selection. Anyone who’s seen the revitalization of LBCC’s sports facilities knows that they’re […]
Heartfelt Moment of the Year 2024: St. Anthony’s Alan Mitchell Dedicates Title to Father
Every year features emotional highs and lows, and 2023-24 was no different. But no moment moved us more than seeing St. Anthony boys’ basketball coach Alan Mitchell pointing to the sky in memory of his father after leading his Saints to the CIF-SS Division 2AA championship. Mitchell lost his father just a month prior to […]
Feature: From Iowa to Long Beach, Twin Sisters’ Legacy of Giving Shines Brightly
Photos by John Napalan The two twin sisters are having a conversation that could be had by any siblings in Long Beach, but could also be only had by these two women: Marilyn Bohl and Arline Walter. They’re trying to figure out whose place to meet at to take a few pictures together—that’s the normal […]
All-City Tech Team of the Year: Cabrillo Drone Soccer
With the rise of e-sports and other technologically-driven competitions like drone soccer, The562 and the Grunion Gazette are adding a “Tech Team of the Year” honor to this year’s All-City Awards, and our first selection couldn’t be easier. The Cabrillo High drone soccer team won a national championship this year, sweeping through the United States […]
Freshmen of the Year: Wilson’s Saniah Varnado & Long Beach Poly’s Ben Harris
No sport in Long Beach has been more successful than track and field over the last several years, so it’s no surprise that both of this year’s All-City Freshmen of the Year come from the oval. Long Beach Poly and Wilson both captured state titles this year, and neither would have been atop the podium […]