Back on Top

Mike Sciacca

What a difference a year can make.

It was just last March, when the Dwyer Middle School surf team

finished in 14th place among 14 teams at the National Scholastic Surfing

Assn.’s State Championships in San Clemente.

Twelve months later, they ascended from 14th to the top spot, as the

perennial powerhouse regained the No. 1 ranking as it won the state

Middle School Division competition.

Dwyer’s surf team won the 2002 state crown by defeating defending

champion Shorecliffs of San Clemente.

The victory gives Dwyer the top seed in June’s NSSA National

Championships.

“We are stoked to win this title once again,” said Dwyer coach Peter

Townend. “The kids did an outstanding job and there really were some

super individual performances.”

The team’s rise to the state title came after a three year drought.

Prior to that, which Townend good-naturedly referred to as a “rebuilding

mode,” Dwyer had won three consecutive national titles, beginning in

1997.

He said it was good to get the school back where it belonged -- as one

of the teams to beat in the Middle School Division.

Dwyer Principal Duane Cox, a surfer himself, was thrilled by the teams

victory.

“We are incredibly proud of our surf team in regaining their status as

state champions,” Cox said. “These kids are not only excellent surfers

but enthusiastic students who contribute to our strong school spirit.”

There were several key performances that allowed Dwyer to return to

its winning ways despite surf conditions that included 1- to 3-foot

waves, windy conditions and chilly water.

One such performance was given by Ian Ekberg who turned back the

competition to win a state title in the shortboard final. Another came

from Eric Ramsey, whom Townend said turned in a “most valuable

performance.”

Ramsey was in both the shortboard and longboard competitions and

reached the semifinal round in shortboard and placed fourth overall in

longboard.

In the final points tally, his efforts accounted for 21 of Dwyer’s 100 points total.

Paul Tierney placed third in bodyboarding.

“This victory was a real team effort with all but one of the team

members advancing beyond the first round of competition, which is

critical to amassing team points,” Townend said. “Ian has really emerged

as a top California talent in NSSA Open competition and a couple of new

sixth-graders, Kyle Kennelly and Drew Poff, give us the depth we need in

team competition.”

* MIKE SCIACCA is the education and sports reporter. He can be reached

at (714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.