Year in review: Constant variety

Barry Faulkner

Having just made passage from the 20th century to the 21st, perhaps

it is fitting that the Newport-Mesa sports scene was seemingly divided

the past 12 months between the traditional and the novel.

Change was, in fact, the theme of several of the Top 10 sports

stories, as selected by the Daily Pilot sports department. Yet, others

among our Top 10 offer a familiar connection to the past.

Whether it was mass movement from one local high school football

program to another, a less-than-famous European golfer capturing the

area’s premium championship event, or some unprecedented success from a

local boys basketball program, 2001 was indeed a season of change.

But, like the seasons themselves, 2001 also perpetuated the

increasingly predictable dominance of some Newport-Mesa prep programs,

which, once again, captured recurring headlines during their seasonal

quest for success.

Here’s a closer look:

1. Crosstown football shift -- Dave Perkins resigned as football coach

at Estancia High in May to take same job at crosstown rival Costa Mesa.

Seven Estancia players subsequently transferred to Mesa, including

senior Matt Colby, whose death from head trauma sustained while in a Mesa

uniform initially created increased harmony between the two programs as

they shared their communal grief.

Warm and fuzzy feelings, however faded quickly in the days surrounding

the two schools’ meeting on the field -- a 21-6 Mesa victory Oct. 26 at

Orange Coast College.

Estancia Coach Jay Noonan openly criticized the players who

transferred for betraying their Estancia teammates and he was also

critical of Perkins.

Perkins termed the victory over his former school bittersweet.

2. Aaron Peirsol splash continues -- The Newport Harbor High standout

won the 200-meter backstroke with a meet record at the USA Swim

Championships in Austin, Texas, then won the same event at the world

championships in Japan in July, also bettering the meet record.

Peirsol, who won the silver medal in the 200 back at the 2000 Olympics

in Sidney, Australia, also capped his junior season with the Sailors by

winning his third straight CIF Southern Section crown in the 100-yard

back and adding a victory, his fifth career triumph at the section

finals, in the 200-yard freestyle.

Peirsol also committed to swim collegiately at the University of

Texas.

3. Extended Toshiba Senior Classic -- Spaniard Jose Maria Canizares

and Dr. Gil Morgan, who began the final day five and eight shots off the

lead, respectively, wound up tied after 54 regulation holes (11-under

202) at the Newport Beach Country Club.

The two then battled nine playoff holes before Canizares converted a

24-foot birdie put on the par-3 17th hole to win.

Canizares, who had lost in three previous senior tour playoffs,

pocketed $210,000 of the $1.4 million purse.

4. Paul Salata’s courageous end run -- The silver-tongued Irrelevant

Week founder endured radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, all of which

pared 45 pounds from his stout physique. But he ultimately won his battle

with colon cancer.

The former USC and NFL receiver recovered in time to make his annual

Mr. Irrelevant announcement at NFL Draft in New York and was later named

Man of the Year by the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of NFL Alumni.

5. Unbeatable CdM tennis -- The Sea Kings claimed CIF Southern Section

championships in boys (Division V) and girls (Division IV) tennis, the

latter the school’s second straight section crown.

Coach Tim Mang’s boys team finished 23-0 and Coach Andy Stewart’s

girls squad compiled a spotless 24-0 mark.

In addition to team accolades, senior Brian Morton and sophomore

Garrett Snyder combined to claim CIF boys doubles title, while CdM

sophomore Brittany Holland and junior Taylynn Snyder were runners-up in

CIF girls doubles.

6. CdM’s Vargas adds one for the road -- To secure the perfect

going-away gift for respected veteran coach John Vargas, who ended an

illustrious 19-year CdM tenure to become men’s coach at reigning national

champion Stanford, the Sea Kings won their third straight CIF Southern

Section Division II boys water polo title to culminate 24-3 season.

Earlier in the year, Vargas stepped down as U.S. men’s national team

coach after guiding the Americans in the 2000 Summer Games.

CdM senior Michael March and junior Artie Dorr shared CIF Division II

Player of the Year laurels and Sea King teammates John Mann, Sherwin Kim

(first team), as well as Marcello Pantuliano and Bobby Messenger (second

team), were also named All-CIF.

7. Mustang Madness -- Spurred by the coaching acumen and sideline

intensity of second-year head man Bob Serven, the Costa Mesa High boys

basketball team shared the Pacific Coast League championship, the first

league title in the school’s 41-season varsity hardwood history.

After opening the PCL season 1-2, Mesa, which had finished at least

seven games over .500 only once before Serven’s arrival, won six of its

last seven, including a 72-58 verdict over co-champion University, en

route to fashioning its second straight 17-10 record.

8. Area runners go the distance -- Amber Steen (Newport Harbor High),

Julie Allen (Corona del Mar) and Humberto Rojas (Estancia) headlined a

brilliant stable of local running talent, which flourished in cross

country and track and field.

Before graduating in the spring, Steen won CIF Southern Section titles

in the 1,600 meters and 3,200 and ran a then-national-best (4:43.75) by

winning the 1,600 at the section Masters Meet. She was subsequently third

in the 1,600 at state finals.

Allen, a Fountain Valley transfer last spring, led Coach Bill Sumner’s

squad to its second straight CIF Division III team track and field crown

by winning the 1,600 and 3,200 and finishing second in the 800 at the CIF

divisional finals. She then placed third in the state 3,200 final.

In November, Allen won the individual CIF girls cross country title in

Division III as a senior.

Rojas, a sophomore, won the CIF Division III boys individual cross

country title.

9. Newport Harbor football rolls on -- The Sailors reached the CIF

Southern Section semifinals for the seventh time in 10 seasons and won

the second Sea View League tile in Coach Jeff Brinkley’s distinguished

16-season tenure.

The 10-2-1 season came to an end in dramatic fashion, as La Mirada

kicked a game-tying 43-yard field goal with two seconds left in

regulation, then converted a 21-yard field goal to win in overtime of the

CIF Division VI semifinals.

Senior quarterback Morgan Craig (Most Valuable Player), junior

tailback Dartangan Johnson (Offensive Player of the Year), senior middle

linebacker Cory Ray (Defensive Player of the Year) and Brinkley (Coach of

the Year) swept top individual honors on the Daily Pilot All-Newport-Mesa

District Dream Team.

10. Orris’ aurevoir -- After 31 seasons coaching boys basketball at

Corona del Mar High, including the last 15 on the varsity level, Paul

Orris resigned with 229 career varsity victories, the most in

Newport-Mesa District history.

Citing the extra duties that go with running what has become a

year-round program, Orris who guided CdM to CIF division titles in

1992-93 and 1994-95 as well as 12 postseason appearances, said he would

take at least a year off from coaching, while continuing to teach math at

the school.

The best of the rest:

UC Irvine men’s basketball team took UCLA to the wire at Pauley

Pavilion, but senior star Jerry Green’s last-second, would-be game-winner

bounced off the rim in a 75-74 nonconference loss.

Orange County releaguing was finalized, shifting Costa Mesa and

Estancia from the Pacific Coast to the Golden West League and changing

the PCL and Sea View League configurations in which Corona del Mar and

Newport Harbor, respectively, will compete beginning next fall.

John McEnroe defeated Pat Cash in the Success Magazine Senior Tour

men’s tennis singles title match in Newport Beach.

The Orange Coast College women’s water polo team won its first state

championship.

The Costa Mesa High boys soccer team won the Pacific Coast League

title, the first in the program’s history.

The Corona del Mar High girls soccer team compiled a 26-2-3 record en

route to the CIF Southern Section Division IV semifinals.

Orange Coast College men’s basketball hired former UCLA assistant

Steve Spencer to head the Pirates’ program.

The Costa Mesa National Little League achieved unprecedented

postseason success. First, the Majors division Marlins reached the

District 62 Tournament of Champions final. Then, the CMNLL Majors

All-Stars advanced to the District 62 Area 2 title game.

Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Football’s Junior Midget Seahawks

defeated Carson, 8-4, to win the Super Bowl, the league’s division

championship game.

Newport Beach Country Club women’s golf champion Debbie Albright won

the Tea Cup Classic V, ending the three-year tournament reign of Marianne

Towersey from the Santa Ana Country Club.

Former Newport-Mesa standouts Geoff Abrams (Newport Harbor High) and

Rich Amaral (Estancia High and Orange Coast College) retired from

professional tennis and baseball, respectively.

Newport Beach’s George Yardley, a member of the Basketball Hall of

Fame, was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame.

The Daily Pilot Cup lured xxx teams and