Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week.

Orange County’s “A” team, or to be more exact, Corona del Mar and

Newport Harbor high school water polo programs, combine with Tustin’s

Mike Foley, and scorch the field in water polo competition at the

California State Games, posting five straight victories to garner the

gold medal at Corona del Mar High. The gold medal game is an 11-9 verdict

for the CdM-Newport squad, with Central California the victim as the

victors rally from a 4-2 first-period deficit to post the two-goal

decision. Foley leads the scoring parade in the finale with four goals,

while Corona del Mar’s Jason Hokanson (3), Carter Weir (1) and Jason

Palda (1) combine with a single marker from John Ucciferri of Newport

Harbor. Billy Messenger of CdM is in the goal and turns a swarming

Central foe away with 17 saves.

In a regatta that truly goes “down to the wire,” Newport Harbor High

product John Ross-Duggan of Orlando, Fla. and crew Waldo Esparza of

Seftner, Fla. win the 1996 U.S. Independence Cup/North American Challenge

Cup for the Hovey Trophy. Going into the final two races, the top three

competitors are separated by only one-half point and sail together in the

final heat. Ross-Duggan, U.S. Paralympic representative, comes from

behind to win by 1.25 points.

The Harbor View Swim Team wins its estimated fifth straight South

Coast Swim Conference title. HVST Coach Ted Bandaruk is in his 31st year

of coaching, the last 20 with Harbor View. Newport Hills is coached by

Charlie Schoeber, who also coaches at UC Irvine. Among the Newport Hills

stars are Niki Hendrickson, Taylor Storm, Lauren Powers and Erin Ball.

Harbor View features Vivian Liao, Kim McKay and Lauren Snell.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week.

The Corona del Mar 13-and-under water polo team advances to the

championship match of the Junior Olympics at the Justus Aquatics Center

in Orlando, Fla. by defeating Annapolis, Md., 12-9. The CdM squad will

face SoCal, a team consisting primarily of North Orange County players,

for the title game on the next day. Corona del Mar goes unbeaten in pool

play. Earlier in the week, CdM defeats St. Louis, 18-3, in the first

round. CdM’s last two victories come over Duke City, N.M., 11-4, and

Villa Park, 5-2. In the win over Duke City, Neil Heuston and Garrett

Hageman notch three goals apiece and goalie Doug Jetton stops five shots.

Jetton is credited with seven saves in the triumph over Villa Park.

Four Newport Harbor High water polo players are selected to the boys

under-18 Junior Olympic team. Newport Harbor’s Oliver Fleener, Joe Haxel,

Ricky Krummins and Matt Parsons are chosen from a field of 150 players

from across the country during a 10-day tryout in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Haxel and Krummins qualify for the Junior Olympics team as drivers, while

Fleener makes the cut as a two-meter man and Parsons as a goalie.

Orange Coast College quarterback Donnie Smith prepares for the

upcoming football season amid Major League Baseball hopefulness. After he

is selected in the 46th round by the Houston Astros, Smith decides to get

ready for football nonetheless. “I’m really excited about it,” Smith says

of his upcoming sophomore season. “That’s all I want, and that’s all I

talk about, just ask my friends. They tell me they’re tired of hearing

about it. Baseball is my future, but right now I want to concentrate on

football. I can’t wait to put the pads on and start playing.”

-- compiled by Steve Virgen