CdM powers to sectionals

And the Battle of the Bay goes to ... Corona del Mar.

The CdM boys under-12 soccer All-Stars from AYSO Region 57

defeated Newport Beach, 5-0, to advance to the Southern California

Sectionals March 8-9 at Arbor Park Field in Seal Beach.

CdM won the Area Q championship with an 8-1-1 record, beating out

Costa Mesa, Tustin, Newport and North and South Irvine.

Five different players scored goals for CdM including Camden

Nicholson, Wes Baker, Hunter Alder, Bunk Hooper and Mike McKenna.

Hooper added an assist on McKenna’s goal and midfielder Ori Tabak

helped the CdM offense with strong passing.

Led by stopper James Cunningham, the CdM defense again allowed no

goals. Sweeper Connor Bannan, goalkeeper Kendall Pick and fullbacks

Mat Cohen and Tommy Bangert added to the defense.

Gold inch closer to first

* AYSO REGION 97 GIRLS: The AYSO Region 97 gold girls under-10

All-Star soccer team edged to within six points of first place with

two wins Feb. 8.

Newport shut out North Irvine, 3-0, on three goals from Blakeley

Ficenec.

Her first goal came off a corner kick by Beth Barnard in the

second quarter and got an assist from Lauren Grupe on the second

score.

Barnard and Amy Kanotz assisted on the third goal.

Newport defeated the other Newport-area team, 2-0, with both goals

coming from Grupe.

Ficenec assisted on Grupe’s second goal.

Barnard, Tori Sarris, Claire Silva, Cailea Eisenburg, Natalie

Swift, Kanotz and Mary Yeager outshot the opponents, 23-0.

Gwen Gaylord, Sadye Busby and Hannah McLeod anchored the defense.

Costa Mesa takes title

* AYSO REGION 120 GIRLS: The Fast & Furious are champions. The

girls under-12 gold All-Star soccer team from AYSO Region 120 (Costa

Mesa) got a goal from forward Karen Villalba off an assist by Bree

Arellano in the second overtime period to down South Irvine, 1-0, for

the title. Forward Alexa Aguilar provided the winning cross.

Fullbacks Cori Chapin, Teresa Fox, Alex Payzant and Carlee Tuppan

helped stop scoring chances.

Abby Scheaffer, Kendra Fisher, Stephanie Fox and Cori Patelski

took turns controlling the midfield. Strikers Mariah Bailey and Daisy

Martinez steadied the offense. Goalkeeper duties were shared by

Bailey, Arellano, Aguilar and Patelski.

In action Feb. 8:

Costa Mesa recorded victories over Newport Beach (1-0) and Yorba

Linda (2-0).

Chapin scored the lone goal against Newport on a pass from

Martinez.

Payzant and Fox provided steady defense.

Bailey, playing at striker, made a pass to Tuppan at halfback for

the first score against Yorba Linda. Arellano assisted to Villalba

for the second score. Aguilar, Scheaffer and Fisher steadied play at

midfield.

A strong finish

* AYSO REGION 57 GIRLS: The AYSO Region 57 girls under-10 gold

All-Star soccer team (Icebreakers) finished its season Saturday,

going 6-1-1 over the last eight games, with only two goals allowed in

that span.

CdM edged the other Region 57 gold team, 1-0, on a goal from

Kellie Langwell.

Midfielders Kaylee O’Connor and Samantha Gail along with forwards

Sophie Solow, Megan Kim and Allie Pries, all scored goals during the

streak.

Fullbacks Ashley Svendsen, Katelyn Baker and Taryn Greenberg

alongside sweepers Amanda Bastien and Langwell with midfielders Emily

Romano and Ali Halford, steadied the defense. Pries, Romano and

Greenberg also contributed as goalkeepers.

Newport buries Bruins

* YOUTH HOOPS: The Newport-Mesa seventh-grade boys All Net

basketball team improved to 9-0 with a 50-35 victory over the Yorba

Linda Bruins.

Newport led by six in the first quarter and pulled away for the

victory.

Joe Eberhard led the scoring with 12 points along with nine

rebounds and two assists alongside Robbie Boyer tallying 10 points to

go with three assists and two steals.

P.J. Simpson added eight points, seven rebounds and two assists

with Ali Meshkin (six points), Jonathan Howse (five points) and John

Swift (two points) contributing to the scoring.

Strong defense was played by R.J. D’Cruz and Will Kelly (seven

points, two steals, two assists).

Hornets go undefeated

* YOUTH HOOPS: Nine players of the Newport-Mesa boys National

Junior Basketball Division I team will advance to the NJB

championship series the next three weekends after going 10-0 in the

regular season.

The Hornets beat the Lakers Sunday in the regular-season finale.

Chase Pinesett, Gus Ellis, Timothy Regan, Erik Rask and Andy

Rovzar contributed on offense with help from Kevin Rask and Austin

Apramian.

J.P. Gormly and Thomas Dialynas also contributed throughout the

season.

Bob Rovzar and Bob Rask coach the Hornets.

No stopping Newport

* AYSO REGION 97 BOYS: Logan Newett recorded his fifth shutout

of the season and the Newport boys under-10 gold All-Star soccer team

from AYSO Region 97 secured a 3-0 victory over second-place North

Irvine. With the win, Newport takes first place in Area Q play and

advances to the regional playoffs in March.

Colton Gyulay scored twice in the third quarter off passes from

Scott Ridgeway and John Barton.

Timmy Root scored Newport’s first goal for a 1-0 lead. Stevie Miller and Ivan Becerra had shots on goal with Christian Ochoa and

Taylor Wildman helping on defense. Drew Diller kept the ball away

from Newett.

Newport shows no mercy

* ROLLER HOCKEY: Newport Harbor High’s club frosh-soph roller

hockey team mercied Santa Margarita, 9-1, Sunday with two minutes to

go in the second period.

The win maintains Newport’s first-place standing (11-1-0).

Goalkeeper Jake Merzoian limited Santa Margarita to one score.

Rory Campbell’s four goals led Newport’s scoring attack with Grant

Casserly adding two goals with Zack Boston, Jesus Sotelo and Chris

Willard netting one goal each.

In action a week earlier:

* Esperanza 5, Newport 3

Newport suffered its first loss of the season after leading, 3-0,

going into the third period

Campbell led the scoring for Newport with two goals and one assist

while Sotelo added one goal.