Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week:

Costa Mesa High’s girls cross country team seals a stunning upset

with the CIF State Championship in CIF Southern Section Division IV,

the first state title for a Mustang team in any sport. Mesa stuns the

state’s top-ranked team (Campolinado of Moraga) and No. 2-ranked

Corona del Mar to claim the title. The Mustangs’ overachieving pack

of junior Jamie DeNoewer, seniors Zoila Gomez and Gegi Van De Walker

along with sophomores Sarah Cotton and Jackie Nguyen, lead Mesa on

the 5,000-meter Woodward Park course in Fresno. DeNoewer (18:34)

takes third, Gomez runs to 11th (19:31) followed by Van De Walker

(13th, 19:39), Cotton (15th, 19:43) and Nguyen (20:15), who all run personal bests. The receptacle that keeps the runners’ tags in proper

order of finish is inadvertently knocked down, causing officials to

sort through two hours of videotapes before determining the Mustangs

the winners. Mesa also receives top-seven efforts from sophomores

Stephanie Landeros (22:16) and Julie Hitt (22:41). The Mustangs’ win

ends a bizarre season that sees them forfeit three Pacific Coast

League wins because of an ineligible runner and gain an at-large

berth into the CIF Preliminaries.

Back Bay athletes including first-team repeaters Brett Baker,

Derek Fox and Eddie Johnson of Newport Harbor are among the

selections to the Daily Pilot All-Sea View League football team.

Joining the aforementioned seniors are Harbor’s Pete Hogan, Phil

Baltazar and CdM standouts Ryan Cooper, Mark Hatfield and Nick Hood.

Santa Margarita’s John Minardi is the Most Valuable Player and fellow

Eagle, quarterback Carson Palmer, is the Offensive Player of the

Year. CdM lineman Justin Shea and defensive lineman Tyler Brower

along with the Sailors’ defensive back Lamer Lee, Oscar Garcia (wide

receiver), Brant Hill (offensive line) and Lance Chavez (offensive

line) earn second-team honors.

Costa Mesa senior middle blocker Julie Collett captures first-team

All-PCL honors and Mesa sophomore setter Daylyn Kelly garners

second-team honors for the 15-8 Mustangs, who reach the CIF Playoffs

a year removed from an 0-16 season.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week:

Newport Harbor High’s football team wins the Battle of the Bay II,

a 28-21 decision over CdM in the CIF Division IV Semifinals for the

school’s first CIF championship-game berth in 50 seasons. The Sailors

trail, 21-13, with 7:07 left in the game but take just seven plays to

knot the score at 21 when Gregg Williams hooks up with Chad La Bass

for a 22-yard touchdown. The duo also connect on the two-point

conversion to tie the score. Newport’s Justin Ketcham hammers a ball

carrier to force a fumble and Chris Edwards recovers, giving the

Sailors the ball at the CdM 42 with 2:57 left. Wade Tift, who amasses

155 yards on 26 carries, takes the handoff and darts through a

wide-open hole, narrowly beating a CdM defensive back for a 30-yard

TD with 53 seconds left. Chris Hunter intercepts a CdM pass later to

help seal the win. Matt Evans ties the CdM single-season record for

TD passes (12) with his 7-yard toss to Tom Hess in the second

quarter.

The Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor girls volleyball teams each

win Division I and Division III state titles, respectively. The Sea

Kings claim a 15-7, 15-5, 11-15, 2-15, 15-4 win over Laguna Beach to

end a 34-0 campaign. CdM Coach Lance Stewart says, “I’m as happy as a

gopher in soft dirt.” Lori Newcomer caps her prep career with a

state-championship record 35 digs while adding 13 kills. Allison

Englebrecht notches seven blocks and five kills in the win and junior

Kim Coleman tallies eight kills, four assists, 16 digs and two

blocks. CdM wins its third state title (1984, ‘90). Newport (19-4)

closes out a 15-8, 15-4, 15-12 victory over Aptos to win the Division

III title. The Sailors are powered by senior Dani Foley’s 11 kills,

three digs, two assists and one block. Sophomore outside hitter Misty

May leads the Tars with 18 kills and adds nine digs while sophomore

middle blocker Melissa Schutz tallies nine kills and five digs.

Freshman setter Jenny Hecker collects for 40 assists.

-- compiled by Bryce Alderton