Another banner year

Another year has come and gone. Heading into the past with it are several outstanding performances, both team-wise and individually, turned in by Laguna Beach High athletes during 2010.

Below are some of the key athletic highlights from the past 12 months that were reported to the Coastline Pilot:

Winter

In an Orange Coast League girls’ basketball game Jan. 25, Emily Writer scored 53 points in the Breakers’ 71-64 loss to Costa Mesa to set a single-game scoring record. That total broke her own school record, which she set in 2009 when she scored 51 against the Mustangs.

…Continue reading Another banner year

Ocean View Hawk Holiday Classic starts Monday

Sixteen teams start converging at the Ocean View High gym Monday for the start of the Ocean View Hawk Holiday Classic girls’ basketball tournament.

The event runs daily through Dec. 18 and features some of the top girls’ teams in Orange County.

Below are the opening round games for Monday and Tuesday:

Monday

3 p.m.: Westminster (3-1) vs. Dana Hills (1-1): Dana Hills finished runner-up last year to the tournament title. Westminster has won two-straight games.

…Continue reading Ocean View Hawk Holiday Classic starts Monday

Breakers edged, eliminated

Laguna Beach's Lauren Capobianco digs the ball against Marymount.

LAGUNA BEACH — The Laguna Beach High girls’ volleyball team had Marymount on the ropes during Tuesday night’s tight, CIF Southern Section Division 1-A semifinal match, but No. 1 found a way to move on.

The top-seeded Sailors overcame a 2-1 deficit in games at Laguna’s Dugger Gym to pull out a 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 15-10 victory.

The win sends Marymount (22-6) on to the Division 1-A title game Saturday at Cypress College. The Sailors will face second-ranked Redlands East Valley which defeated Corona del Mar in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

…Continue reading Breakers edged, eliminated

Breakers in cruise control

Estancia's Matt Thome defends against Laguna Beach's Jack Clark during an Orange Coast League match at Estancia High School. (SCOTT SMELTZER, Daily Pilot / October 5, 2010)

The Laguna Beach High boys’ water polo team made a statement Wednesday: It has no intention of relinquishing the Orange Coast League championship.

The Breakers, the No. 1-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 3, traveled to Costa Mesa to open league play against Estancia and routed the Eagles, 23-7. A balanced Laguna attack saw Tyler Mancusso score six goals, Spencer Dodson score four times, Nicky Brunner, Jack Clark and Nolan McConnell each score three times, Samer Alkateb score twice and Camron Hauer and Caleb Scott both post a goal.

McConnell and Tommy Renner had three and two assists, respectively, Dodson had four steals, McConnell three steals and Renner and Alkateb two steals apiece. Goalie Erik Henrickson had 10 saves.

…Continue reading Breakers in cruise control

Conger gets first Major League hit

Ten years ago, Hank Conger led the Ocean View Little League Majors All-Star team to the Little League Western Region final and to within a game of making it to the Little League World Series. Wednesday night at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, Conger, 22, recorded his first career Major League hit, a two-run single in the top of the first inning that pushed the Los Angeles Angels into a 4-0 lead over the Indians. It was just the second career at-bat for Conger, a catcher and the Angels’ top-round draft choice in 2005 who was called up to the majors Sept. 6 from  the franchise’s Triple A team in Salt Lake City. The Angels downed the Indians Tuesday, 7-0.

Pestolesi pacing Anteaters

Former Edison High standout Kari Pestolesi, a senior and outside hitter on the UC Irvine women’s volleyball team, leads the Anteaters in three categories in the early stages of the 2010 season. The 2009 American Volleyball Coaches Assn. honorable mention All-American leads the team with a 2.93 kill average, 3.93 dig average and 10 service ages. Pestolesi and the Anteaters (3-6 overall) are hosting the UCI Asics Challenge tournament. They play Liberty at 6 p.m. today and UCLA at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bren Center.

Ocean View Little League’s run ends

Ocean View's Nick Pratto (25) walks off the field following a 4-1 loss to Waipio during the championship game at the Little League Baseball Western Regional tournament at San Bernardino's Al Houghton Stadium Sunday, Aug. 15. (Photo by Scott Smeltzer | scott.smeltzer@latimes.com)

SAN BERNARDINO – After the Ocean View Little League 12-year-old All-Star team defeated Napa National in Friday’s semifinals of the Little League Baseball West Regional tournament in San Bernardino, Manager Tod Minato said that Williamsport, PA., home to the Little League World Series, felt as though it was “so far away” and a “long road” to get there.

So true, but only one victory stood between Ocean View and reaching Little League Baseball utopia.

In Sunday’s regional championship game at Al Houghton Stadium, Ocean View held a one-run lead after three innings on Waipio, but the champions from Hawaii scored four runs in the top of the fourth and went on to earn a 4-1 victory to punch its ticket to Williamsport.

…Continue reading Ocean View Little League’s run ends

Winner goes to Williamsport

The championship final of the Little League Baseball Western Regional tournament is set.

Ocean View will face off against Waipi’o of Hawaii at 5 p.m. Sunday in San Bernardino, the winner advancing to the Little League World Series Aug. 20 in Williamsport, PA.

In Friday’s semifinals, Ocean View defeated Napa National (5-2) and Waipi’o routed North Scottsdale (12-2) in the late-night game. Ocean View Manager Tod Minato said he will start 12-year-old Logan Pouelsen Sunday.

Ocean View defeated Waipi’o, 2-1, in pool play on Aug. 7.

Cairns gets his due

Ian Cairns, left, with his 8-year-old twins Ethan, left, and Malachai talk with Peter Townend, right, during the 17th annual Induction Day into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach on Aug. 5. (Scott Smeltzer | scott.smeltzer@latimes.com)

The U.S. Open of Surfing is heading into its final weekend at the Huntington Beach Pier.

In the thick of it all is Ian “Kanga” Cairns, who many will tell you, was a key figure in bringing the famed contest to where it stands today.

At 10 a.m. today, Cairns will be standing outside of Huntington Surf & Sport — actually, he’ll also be on all fours, making a lasting impression — at the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway. It’s there where the 58-year-old, a Laguna Beach resident since 1991, will be etched into surfing history when he joins the prestigious Surfers’ Hall of Fame.

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Ocean View to face Napa National

Ocean View Little League is heading to San Bernardino on Friday to face Napa National.

The stage is set for Friday’s semifinals of the Little League Baseball Western Regional tournament in San Bernardino. The first semifinal pits Southern California champion Ocean View, the No. 3 seed, against No. 2-seed Northern California champ Napa National at 2 p.m.at Al Houghton Stadium. At 8:30 p.m., No. 1-seed Waipio (Hawaii) faces No. 4-seed North Scottsdale (Arizona) in the second semifinal. The winners of Friday’s games advance to play in the regional championship game at 5 p.m. Sunday in a game to be televised by ESPN2.