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
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