Wells, UCLA national champions

SOCCER: Newport Harbor High product Zach Wells, a junior goalie

for the UCLA men’s soccer team, posted a shutout Sunday to help the

Bruins win the NCAA championship with a 1-0 decision over Stanford at

the College Cup in Dallas.

Wells made just one save in a game that was scoreless until the

Bruins’ Aaron Lopez knocked in a free kick from Ryan Futagaki in the

88th minute of the 90-minute contest.

Wells, a four-year starter as a prep, stopped a Cardinal shot by

Matt Junusz in the 23rd minute.

The 6-foot-2, 187-pound Wells also delivered a key save in UCLA’s

exciting 2-1 semifinal victory over Maryland Friday. He smothered

Maryland’s best shot of the first half, a hard line drive by Nino

Marcantonio from about 12 yards out.

With Wells in goal, the Bruins finished 18-3-3.

Faulkner recognized

BASKETBALL: Lisa Faulkner, a sophomore guard on the UC Irvine

women’s basketball team, has been named the Big West Player of the

Week, UCI’s second consecutive honor.

Faulkner guided the Anteaters’ offense and led the squad to its

last two comeback wins. Against San Diego, she drained a baseline

jumper to give UCI its first lead of the game and went on to score

seven of the Anteaters’ last 13 points in the final three minutes.

She played the entire 40 minutes without a turnover.

She knocked down a three-pointer to send the game into overtime

against San Diego State and recorded two steals in the final 2:21 of

the extra period. On the week, Faulkner averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

Lightning all-leaguers

HONORS: Three Sage Hill High athletes have earned second-team

All-Academy League honors in their respective sports.

Junior Chris Chiboucas and freshman Zach Chandy are second-team

picks in boys cross country, while freshman Sophia Hillgren is a

second-team selection in girls volleyball.

Sage Hill freshman Cat Dailey and sophomore Shelley Smith received

honorable mention in girls volleyball.

Buckler captures award

RACING: Kevin Buckler, a 1977 Newport Harbor High graduate who

grew up in Newport Beach, won the prestigious 2002 Porsche Cup, an

annual award given to the top independent Porsche driver in the

world.

Buckler, team owner and driver for The Racer’s Group in Sonoma,

was honored based on his victories this year at the Rolex 24 at

Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as myriad GT podium finishes

in both the American Le Mans and Grand American Series.

Buckler is the first driver in sports car racing history to win

the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Porsche Cup in the

same year.

-- by Richard Dunn

Newport Harbor rolls

ROLLER HOCKEY: The Newport Harbor High frosh-soph roller hockey

team remained undefeated with a 5-4 victory over Edison Dec. 8.

With the win the Sailors (5-0-0) took over first place from Edison

(4-1-0).

Newport fell behind, 4-2, early in the second period, but scored

two goals with 1:10 left in the quarter. The winning goal came with

9:40 left in the third quarter.

Kyle Pfeiffer sparked the come-from-behind victory, scoring two

goals with one assist and Rory Campbell added one goal and two

assists.

Jesus Sotelo, Grant Casserly, Zack Boston and Lindsay Taylor each

tallied one point apiece.

The defense led by goalkeeper Jake Merzoian played strong

throughout.

Slammers camp slated

SOCCER: Newport Beach Slammers’ Coach Walid Khoury will hold a

four-day soccer camp beginning Dec. 30.

Khoury coaches the Slammers FC, a girls under-14 soccer team that

won the 2002 national championship. He also presides over the girls

under-12 team that won the 2002 Far West Regional Championship.

The camp will be held at Estancia High in Costa Mesa, Dec. 30-31

and Jan. 2-3 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

The camp is open to Orange County players. Instructors will

provide age-appropriate instruction on individual skills, game

tactics, small-sided play and player development.

Contact Khoury at (714) 469-4406 or e-mail him at

slammerscoach@earthlink.net to reserve a spot.