CITY SECTION BASEBALL FINALS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

At Stengel Field

DIVISION II

#5 LA Roosevelt 5, #6 South East 3

At Fremont

DIVISION III

#7 Fremont 2, LA Hamilton 0

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

At Dodger Stadium

FINALS

OPEN DIVISION

#2 El Camino Real (21-9) vs. #1 Birmingham (26-4), 1 p.m.

DIVISION I

#10 Taft (13-17) vs. #13 Verdugo Hills (13-18), 10 a.m.

The New York Giants lost a key piece of their defensive line for the season on Thursday.

Defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris tore his Achilles tendon during the Giants’ OTA practice, according to multiple reports.

Robertson-Harris, 32, was in line for a big role after the Giants traded star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier in the offseason. He started all 17 games last year and played 56% of the snaps, which was second only to Lawrence among defensive tackles.

Robertson-Harris suffered the injury while rushing the passer in an 11-on-11 period. He went down and immediately grabbed at his leg, according to The Athletic.

The Giants signed Robertson-Harris to a two-year, $9 million contract before last season. He had 35 tackles and three tackles for loss in 17 games last season.

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The Giants, whose defensive tackle group was already thin because of the Lawrence trade, will be forced to rely on a mix of veterans and young players. The team signed veterans DJ Reader and Shelby Harris in free agency.

Reader started all 17 games for the Detroit Lions last season and played the run well, recording 28 tackles. Harris played in 17 games, starting five, for the Cleveland Browns last season and recorded 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack.

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Darius Alexander, the Giants’ third-round pick last season, will also be counted on to pick up some of the slack from Robertson-Harris’ and Lawrence’s absences. The 25-year-old played in 16 games, recording 20 tackles with four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

The Giants drafted Bobby Jamison-Travis in the sixth round out of Auburn in last month’s NFL Draft.

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On the eve of the City Section championship baseball game at Dodger Stadium, let’s explore a sometimes forgotten character trait: Patience.

When JJ Saffie walks onto hallowed ground Saturday as a starting left fielder for 10-time City champion El Camino Real High in the Open Division championship game against Birmingham, he will be finishing a journey few want to travel these days.

He spent three years on the junior varsity team waiting and grinding before getting his chance to start on varsity this season.

“Very patient,” he said. “Freshman year, played frosh-soph, called up for a few JV games. Sophomore year, on and off starter on JVs. Junior year is when it started clicking for me. I found my bat, I found the style I like to play, I started hitting real good.”

He was part of an outstanding JV team his junior year, called up as a pinch runner for the playoffs. He developed power and a knack for hitting balls over El Camino Real’s left-field fence during batting practice.

“I’ve hit two windows and six cars,” said the 18-year-old, who likes to cause mayhem for insurance companies.

He’s hit two home runs this season and become a key player for the Royals.

Now he gets to start at Dodger Stadium, a moment every high school baseball player in the City Section dreams of reaching. He’s batting .409, tops on his team.

“I’m a big believer in good things will come to those who are patient,” he said. “I knew I needed to be patient, work on my game and eventually success would come my way and I’d have my opportunities and here’s my opportunity. I’m trying to prove that Saturday.”

El Camino Real needed a two-run single by RJ De La Rosa in the bottom of the sixth inning on Wednesday to defeat Granada Hills 4-3 in the semifinals at Cal State Northridge.

“I saw my pitch,” De La Rosa said. “I wanted to take advantage. It was the bottom of the sixth. The team needed me most and I pulled through. It was an amazing moment. These boys are my brothers. I will fight for them. I will do everything for them. I can’t wait to make some memories at Dodger Stadium.”

For Saffie, staying and fighting to get better rather than running away from a challenge is a great lesson for others.

JJ Saffie of El Camino Real has emerged as one of the team’s best hitters after three years on the JV team. He leads the team with a .409 average.

(Craig Weston)

“I had a few people tell me to transfer,” he said. “But my sister came here, my dad. I want to prove myself at this school.”

Top-seeded Birmingham will have junior Nathan Soto starting on the mound in the 1 p.m. game. It’s a big assignment and he’ll be working on his mental part of the game.

“It’s just another game,” he said after the Patriots’ 4-1 semifinal win over Carson. “I think it’s everyone’s dream to pitch there, but you have to keep it as a normal game.”

Pitcher Carlos Acuna grinded out a complete game in Birmingham’s 4-1 win over Carson to send the Patriots to Dodger Stadium.

(Craig Weston)

Birmingham can thank Carlos Acuna for putting together a sophomore season to remember. His pitching season is done. He finished with an 11-0 record after a complete-game win against Carson.

“It’s an amazing season he’s having,” coach Matt Mowry said.

In six of the seven innings on Wednesday, Carson got the leadoff batter aboard, forcing Acuna to work extra hard while throwing 102 pitches.

“He was on the edge of coming out,” Mowry said.

Acuna wouldn’t let him.

“I love this team,” Acuna said. “I want to play one last game.”

He’ll start on Saturday at second or third base in a game matching two of the most successful programs in City baseball history. El Camino Real is seeking a record 11th title. Birmingham wants its ninth title.

The 10 a.m. game at Dodger Stadium has Verdugo Hills taking on Taft in the Division I final.

Fans will come for the sun, the hot dogs, the fun of cheering on someone they know or enjoying a moment of distraction at Los Angeles’ most sacred stadium.

Just remember those are teenagers out there who’ve sacrificed and spent years working toward this moment. There’s no losers when you get to play at Dodger Stadium as a high school kid.

For Saffie, it validates his belief in trusting the process and trusting himself. He didn’t run when the going got tough. He persevered and learned a valuable lesson: patience still pays off.