Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week:

The Corona del Mar High girls tennis team defeats Peninsula, 11-7,

to claim the program’s fifth CIF Southern Section championship, this

time a Division I title. The Sea Kings (22-1) end Peninsula’s

six-year CIF title streak. CdM gets singles sweeps from Nina and

Nadia Vaughan. Ruchika Budhraja wins two singles sets and the CdM No.

2 doubles duo of Robyn Coleman and Caylan Leslie also sweep.

The host Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team sweeps Mt.

Carmel in the first round of the CIF State Championships, three days

after winning the CIF Southern Section Division I title. Sophomore

April Ross finishes with 11 kills, four aces and 20 digs. Middle

blockers Krista Dill and Kathy Lavold have seven kills each and

junior setter Jennifer Carey (Sea View League Player of the Year)

contributes five blocks and 29 assists. Newport Harbor High’s

football team rallies from a 20-14 halftime deficit to best visiting

Kennedy, 38-28, in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section

Division V Playoffs Brett Baker finishes with a career-high 232

rushing yards on 34 carries, including three touchdowns. Harbor

explodes for 21 third-quarter points, including Steve Gorman’s 3-yard

dart to Oscar Garcia. Derek Fox, Brant Hill, Mike Stanton and Phil

Balatzar combine for four sacks and Lamar Lee adds an interception.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week:

Costa Mesa High’s boys water polo team captures its first CIF

championship in five years with a CIF Southern Section Division III

title. The Mustangs top Trabuco Hills, 14-9, at Belmont Plaza. J.P.

Porter, Sam Grayeli and Cary Petersen score three goals and goalie

Chris Avitia has nine saves. Greg Felli and Mike Curtis score twice

and John Naigle scores once.

Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor High football teams each win

their respective CIF Southern Section Division IV quarterfinal games

to set up a Back Bay semifinal duel. The Tars (10-2) rally from a

14-0 deficit to score a 28-14 upset home victory over top-seeded

Rubidoux (11-1). The Tars’ defense, including linemen Beau Ralphs,

Phil Bloomberg, Doug Kimble and Craig Conlee, as well as linebackers

Jeff Sanita, Steve Gonzales, Nathan Lumpkin and Justin Ketcham,

yields just 71 yards in the final three quarters. CdM earns a 13-10

win over Orange as Matt Evans throws a 13-yard TD pass to Chris Quinn

with 42 seconds left. A Scott Hardesty interception with 2:08

remaining sets the stage for Corona’s final scoring drive.

-- complied by Bryce Alderton