Catching up with ...

Tony Altobelli

Thanks for the faxes and phone calls regarding former local

athletes who have moved on and played elsewhere. I’m going to try and

throw in a couple of “Where are they now’s” every week so if you’re out

there with some information on someone, call the Daily Pilot sports

department. I’m here to flag them down and to see what’s up!

Princeton University men’s water polo goalie Jon Pharris, who kept a

multitude of shots out of the nets at Newport Harbor High, was named

Eastern Division Athlete of the Week for the week of Oct. 11.

Pharris helped lead the Tigers to three big wins and helped the club

reach first place heading into the division championships. He held Navy

to only five goals in a 6-5 win and helped the Tigers reach the ECAC

championship game before losing to the Midshipmen, 6-5, in the southern

finals.

On the football side of sports, Brett Baker is putting big hits on his

opponents at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound strong safety out of Newport Harbor leads the Mustangs in tackles with 84, a

year after accumulating 98 as a sophomore, fourth-highest in school

history.

With three games to go, Baker is on track to surpass Gary Swanson’s

school record of 112, set in 1983.

The junior also has two interceptions and has also been used as the

Mustangs’ punt returner.

Baker will be making his only Southland appearance today at 3 at Cal

State Northridge.

Also on the gridiron, former Corona del Mar standout, Rich Nichols, is

a senior center for Southern Methodist University.

Nichols, a 6-3, 275-pound force in the middle, played in every game in

1999 and started in eight of those contests. He also saw action in all 11

games as a sophomore. He is majoring in mechanical engineering.

Nichols’ former teammate, Nick Schaumburg, is currently playing for

Colorado State.

Schaumberg, a starting tight end for the Rams, is teamed up with

former Newport standout Pete Hogan, who is starting at left defensive

end.

New to the Rams’ squad is CdM grad Justin Shea, who will keep the

local connection out in Fort Collins.

From the land of Hoyas, former CdM standout wide receiver George

Sumner has helped Georgetown’s aerial attack.

The junior is second on the team with 24 catches for 288 yards and two

touchdowns. His teammate, both at Georgetown and CdM,is sophomore Ryan

Cooper, who has come up with one catch for 19 yards.

For those looking to keep us posted with other former locals, call me

at (949) 574-4222.