Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week.

The Newport Harbor High baseball team takes advantage of multiple

miscues by Back Bay rival Corona del Mar, the visitors, and claims a 7-6

upset victory. Newport Harbor junior starting pitcher and CdM transfer

Garrett Nuzum revels in the victory after he posts his fourth strikeout

to end the game. His teammates mob him in celebration. Corona’s Chad

Johnson smashes a two-run homer to spark a five-run fourth inning and

Bryan Bear goes 3 for 4. Newport’s Andy Langsdorf also pounds a two-run

home run to cap a three-run first inning. The Sailors lose a 4-0 lead,

before answering with two runs in the sixth and holding off the Sea

Kings.

The Corona del Mar boys volleyball team uses just about 75 minutes to

dispose of Back Bay rival Newport Harbor, 15-8, 15-7, 15-2, at the Sea Kings’ gym. “This is a huge win,” CdM Coach Steve Conti says. “It’s a

great day for Corona del Mar volleyball, the community and the high

school itself.” It is believed to be the quickest CdM victory ever over

the Sailors. The third game lasts less than 15 minutes. Sea King senior

Brian Coleman, CdM’s 6-foot-4 outside hitter, dominates the first game,

recording nine of his match-high 17 kills. CdM’s John Coon (nine kills),

Blair Hoppe (six), and Dennis Alshuler (six) are on the receiving end of

Derek Newcomer’s 42 assists. Newport’s Wes Badorek has 13 kills and four

blocks, while Cameron Black slams 10 kills and Eric Bernhard spikes nine

kills.

The Orange Coast College men’s crew rows its way to a Newport Regatta

championship with a winning time of 6:03. From the bow, Kevin Creagen,

Rob Woefel, Tony Walker, Rob Bobsien, Mitch Munt, Nolan Sisett, Britt

Farmer and Greg Anson pull for coxswain Justin Freels to the impressive

victory, leaving San Diego State (6:09), UC Davis (6:17) and UC Irvine

(6:24) in the spray. “We rode as well as I’ve seen it done all year,” OCC

Coach Dave Grant says. “There’s no doubt we caught everyone’s attention

today.”

The Estancia baseball team ends its longest losing streak in the

school’s history with a 5-0 win over host Aliso Niguel. Eagles

right-hander Tom Zenus tosses a four-hit shutout, coaxing Aliso Niguel

hitters into 17 ground-ball outs and his teammates play errorless in the

field, ending a 19-game losing streak. Jon Soseman brings a stuffed

chicken, a toy-store special, onto the bus and each Estancia player

touches it and passes it around for good luck. Juan Ortiz and Tim Ludtke

smack an RBI single each.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week.

The Estancia High baseball team rallies for a 7-5 victory in a Pacific

Coast League first-place showdown with visiting Laguna Hills. Eagles

senior catcher Paul McDaniels doubles in two runs with two outs in the

sixth inning to break open a 4-4 tie. McDaniels’ double scores Andre

Alvarez and Victor Ramirez, proving to be the gamewinning runs. Earlier

in the week, Estancia defeats Laguna Hills 11-1. Ruben Mora goes 2 for 3

with three RBIs. Steven King bats 3 for 4 and scores two runs, while

Brian Provenzano unloads a two-run homer in the fourth inning to give the

Eagles an 11-0 lead. It is Estancia’s first year in the PCL.

The Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team earns a return trip to

the state championships with a 15-7, 17-15, 15-7, sweep over visiting

Palomar. Lance Lyons slams a match-high 19 kills and adds four blocks,

while Masui Allen contributes 17 kills, including 11 in the second game.

Austin Linford finishes with eight kills and has a team-high 11 blocks,

including one at the end of the third game to ice OCC’s victory. Earlier

in the day, the Pirates defeat El Camino, 12-15, 15-5, 13-15, 15-3, 15-9

as they are in pursuit of their third consecutive state title under Coach

Bob Wetzel.

The Newport Harbor softball team blows out Back Bay rival Corona del

Mar, 16-0. Sailors catcher Kim DeMayo goes 4 for 5 and freshman Courtney

Slaughter goes 4 for 4 with three RBIs. Newport Harbor’s Jenny Colclasure

pitches a one-hitter to earn the victory.

Orange Coast College pitcher Alisha Nelson wins her fourth outing in a

row, leading the Pirates softball team to a 2-1 win over Riverside.

Nelson hurls a three-hitter with four strikeouts to improve to 7-1 in the

Orange Empire Conference. Mattie Gomez pushes Louise DeCanio across in

the fifth inning when she reaches on a fielder’s choice. Nelson scores

from third with one out in the bottom of the seventh on Becky Toler’s

grounder to third base with the runners going.

The Corona del Mar boys and girls swimming teams rout host University.

The Sea King boys win 117-47, while the girls triumph, 117-53. Kate

Salvino qualifies for CIF in the 100-yard backstroke (1:02.90). Hillary

Dundas wins the 200 individual medley (2:31.64) and the 100 breaststroke (1:12.9).

-- compiled by Steve Virgen