Uniting behind project

Costa Mesa United, the campaign to raise more than $7.2 million to

fund construction of a football, soccer and track and field stadium

at Estancia, as well as 50-meter swimming complex at Costa Mesa, was

publicly launched Friday at the Battle for the Bell football game

between Costa Mesa and Estancia at Newport Harbor High.

Harbor Boulevard of Cars presented checks for $25,000 to each

project and fund-raiser David Grubbs announced $2.5 million in

contributions, more than a third of the goal, has already been

promised.

Grubbs believes the rest can be raised within the next 12 months,

which would bring life to a dream originated by community booster Jim

Scott, who is on the 22-member campaign committee that also includes

representatives of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, city

government and the business community.

The 2,500-seat stadium at Estancia, which would include an

artificial turf football/soccer field, as well as a nine-lane

synthetic track, has a projected price tag of $3,628,500.

The swim complex is projected to cost 3,623,750.

Grubbs said both facilities would be shared by Costa Mesa and

Estancia, as well as the community.

Estancia graduates Rich Amaral and Jeff Gardner, both former major

league baseball players, as well as current big leaguer Brent Mayne,

a product of Costa Mesa High, were on hand for Friday’s halftime

announcement.

Costa Mesa United T-shirts, as well as a single-page brochure with

an illustration of the facilities, were dispersed to the crowd and

Grubbs said his full-scale fund-raising efforts are now underway.

Those interested in donating should contact Grubbs at (949)

729-9292.

*

As the race for league playoff berths draws closer to fruition,

the specter of overtime could surface for local teams competing in

the Golden West and Pacific Coast leagues.

Estancia football coach Jay Noonan and Costa Mesa head man Dave

Perkins said overtime would be used in the Golden West League, should

a game be tied at the end of regulation. But the game would be listed

as a tie on each team’s record and the overtime would come into play

only for the purpose of a tiebreaker to decide the league’s three

guaranteed playoff entries.

The PCL constitution also calls for the use of overtime, but, as

with the Golden West League, the outcome would only affect playoff

qualification and not each team’s record.

Both leagues would use the same overtime format currently used in

college football, with each team guaranteed at least one possession,

beginning at the opponent’s 25-yard line.

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said overtime would not be used

in the Sea View League, as coaches agreed that a tie would be more

beneficial than a loss for teams hoping to gain the lone at-large

berth into the Division VI playoffs.

Perkins said Golden West League coaches all believe overtime

should be used to decide and winner and a loser, so a change in the

current system may be enacted for next season.

*

Nominees for the Wendy’s High School Heisman, which recognizes

senior student-athletes for academics, athletic ability and community

involvement, included a pair of standouts from Corona del Mar High.

Becky Cummins, a stalwart in cross country and track, as well as

Beau Stockstill, a goalie on the three-time-defending CIF Division II

boys water polo team, were among the 13,500 students nominated

nationwide.

*

It was incorrectly reported in last week’s column that

Tustin-based Beckman High, scheduled to open in the fall of 2004,

would be the eighth member of the Golden West League.

Beckman will be the seventh member of the Pacific Coast League,

though it is expected to have little or no impact on varsity

competition through the current four-year league alignment cycle that

began this fall.