Prep talk: Weston Port, Noah Mikhail show you can stay home and be noticed

In an era when parents keep moving their sons looking for something (exposure, playing time, free shoes), let’s salute two four-year starters in football whose high school careers are over. They will leave their neighborhood schools as hometown heroes.

Linebackers Weston Port and Noah Mikhail became stars from their freshman year through senior seasons and never wavered in betting on themselves It was important they stay with friends and in their community. Port leaves San Juan Hills with a scholarship to UCLA and Mikhail will depart Bonita High for Texas A&M.

Weston Port of San Juan Hills was a four-year starter at linebacker. He has committed to UCLA.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

They and their families stuck it out, ignoring people telling them to go to a flashy private school. They achieved individual and team success, and attracted attention through their hard work, character and commitment.

They will serve as an example for future families wondering if they should chase the trend that saw more than 17,000 athletes in California last school year transfer or stay at a place that has good coaches, good academics and place trust in one’s own ability to be seen. …

Murrieta Valley has reached the semifinals of the Division 2 playoffs because its offense is rolling. Since quarterback Bear Bachmeir returned from a knee injury on Oct. 25, the Nighthawks have scored 57, 56, 49 and 49 points. They host Oaks Christian on Friday. …

When Garfield opens its new football field next season, it will have one of the City Section’s best running backs in Ceasar Reyes to test out the new turf. Reyes finished his sophomore season with 1,520 yards and 22 touchdowns. …

Former Servite basketball player Andrew Cook went to an NAIA school, Carroll College, after high school, became a standout and transferred to Eastern Washington, where he became the Big Sky Conference player of the week after scoring 24 points against Missouri and 25 points against Seattle. …

Former St. John Bosco quarterback Caleb Sanchez, a freshman at Columbia, was named the Ivy League rookie of the week after passing for 241 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. …

There’s a terrific opening game of the Westchester tournament on Tuesday: Chatsworth vs. Westchester at 8 p.m. Sons of former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Trevor Ariza will face off.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please send to [email protected].