Gardena Quarterback Is Killed in Shooting

Students and administrators at Gardena High are mourning the death of Jeffrey Gardner Jr., who was shot Monday night in Lennox.

Gardner, 16, played quarterback for the Panthers last season and helped lead them to the City’s Division playoffs.

Gardner and some friends were sitting in a car in front of 2050 W. Century Blvd. when a white car of unknown make drove past, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Several shots were fired at the youths and Gardner died of gunshot injuries at Martin Luther King Jr.-Drew Medical Center, the statement said. The motive for the shooting is unknown, according to the statement.

Brandon Pettway, who played wide receiver for Gardena, was shot in the arm and another Gardena student was hit by broken glass and metal fragments.

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The Palisades High girls’ basketball team continues to impress, the Dolphins climbing to No. 6 in this week’s Cal-Hi Sports state rankings.

Palisades (13-4) lost to Harbor City Narbonne in the City 4-A final last year. But with top-ranked Narbonne (15-2) ineligible for the playoffs this season because of rule violations that occurred last season, the Dolphins have established themselves as the team to beat in the City.

On Saturday, Palisades defeated perennial Division I state power Berkeley, 70-66, at Lafayette Acalanes in Northern California. That victory came on the heels of a championship performance at the Huntington Beach Marina tournament. Palisades defeated Southern Section schools Rancho Buena Vista, Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach Edison before shooting 63% in its championship-game victory over Marina.

Senior point guard Leilani Estavan and junior guard April Freeney have led the way with junior forward Alisa Malaki, junior center Melissa Henderson and senior guard/forward Nicole Funn also stepping up, Palisades co-coach Kevin Hall said.