That championship feeling

Mike Sciacca

There was no shortage of championship hardware on the local scene

during the 2002-03 prep athletic year.

Marina High won the area’s two CIF Southern Section titles. The

Vikings captured crowns in girls’ volleyball and baseball.

Marina also vied for the Division I boys soccer crown and reached

the semifinals in boys Division II water polo.

“We have a very balanced program here at Marina, with our

academics and athletics,” said Paul Renfrow, the boys’ athletic

director and varsity baseball coach at Marina. “I think that the

balance between the two is a big draw here at Marina.

“This was a strong senior class of athletes. We won two CIF

titles, had another team play for a CIF championship and a fourth

reach the semifinal round. Overall, it was a great year.”

Some highlights from 2002-03

FALL 2002

It was quiet on the football front as Edison was the lone local

school to participate in the postseason playoffs.

But one of the key performances to come from the field was turned

in by Huntington Beach High senior Patrick Harrigan who rushed for

several school records and led the county in rushing much of the

season before an injury in the ninth week of the season sidelined

him.

Harrigan, however, went on to earn All-Sunset League, All-CIF

Division I First Team Offense and All-CIF Southern Section Second

Team Offense.

In boys’ water polo, Sunset League champion Marina and runner-up

Edison were two of three Sunset League teams to advance to the

semifinal round of the Division II playoffs.

The end of the fall 2002 prep sports season saw Marina win the

school’s first section title of the academic year -- the Division IA

girls volleyball crown.

The Vikings ventured into Cypress College and earned the title by

defeating favorite Mira Costa in the division final.

Marina senior outside hitter Becky Green was named co-MVP in

Division I.

Fall All-CIF honors

* Boys water polo, Division II, First Team: Cody Tague, Edison,

Sr., Rory Kelly, Marina, Jr., Bob Meripol, Huntington Beach, Sr.;

Second Team: Scott Fleming, Edison, Sr., Nick Hogue, Marina, Jr.;

Third Team: Taylor Budnick, Edison, Sr.; Michael Pacheco, Marina,

Jr., Jared Luth, Marina, Soph.; Andrew Bingham, Huntington Beach, Sr.

* Girls water polo, Division I, First Team: Bree Peterson, Marina,

Jr.; Second Team: Martha Gardikas, Marina, Sr.

WINTER 2002-03

Marina vied for another championship, this time in Division I boys

soccer.

The Vikings’ fine season ended with a runner-up finish to Long

Beach Wilson which posted a 3-2 win in the championship final at Cal

State Fullerton.

Winter All-CIF honors

* Boys basketball, Division IA, Second Team: James Lambert,

Marina, Jr.; Division III-A, First Team: Casey Ortiz, Sr., Ocean

View; Matt Sargeant, Ocean View, Jr.

* Girls basketball, Division II-AA, Second Team: Rebecca Kepilino,

Edison, Soph.

* Girls water polo, Division I, Second Team: Bree Valbuena,

Marina, Jr.

* Boys soccer, Division I, First Team: Anthony Ordonez, Marina,

Sr.; J.T. Searles, Marina, Sr.; Second Team: Josh Valerio, Marina,

Sr.

* Girls soccer, Division I, First Team: Jane Wyche, Edison, Sr.;

Second Team: Vanessa Crowell, Edison, Sr.

SPRING 2003

On the volleyball court, Huntington Beach and Ocean View, winners

of the Sunset and Golden West league titles, advanced to the

semifinal round in their respective CIF-SS divisions.

The All-CIF-SS division teams were announced Monday and six local

players earned spots on those teams.

Marina senior outside hitter, Steve Klosterman and Huntington

Beach senior outside hitter, Kenny Markwardt, each were named to the

Division I First Team.

Eric Eastman, a senior middle blocker for the Oilers, earned

Second Team status while Edison senior setter/outside hitter Brett

Reid made the Third Team.

Named to the Division III First Team was Ocean View senior outside

hitter Justin Roth. The Seahawks’ Jeff Wilson, another senior outside

hitter, made the Second Team.

Huntington Beach’s boys’ golf team tasted success on the green

this spring, winning a CIF regional championship and finishing in a

fifth-place tie at the boys’ golf team finals at the PGA of Southern

California.

Edison’s No. 1 doubles team of Ryan Malawy and Thomas Shubert, who

won the Sunset League doubles title, advanced to the round of 16 at

the CIF-SS doubles championships held at SeaCliff Tennis Club in

Huntington Beach.

Marina pole vaulter Cara Walker and Huntington Beach discus

athlete Katelyn Ciarelli qualified for the CIF State Track & Field

Meet at Cerritos College.

Marina capped a successful athletic year when its baseball program

won the Division I title earlier this month.

The Vikings downed Valley View, 1-0, in eight innings at Edison

International Field of Anaheim.

It was the school’s first baseball section title since 1990.

The All-CIF-SS baseball teams were released Monday and six local

players were named to the Division I team which was headed by Marina

senior Daric Barton, the division’s co-player of the year.

Two senior pitchers, Marina’s Wes Etheridge and Edison’ David

Huff, were named First Team. Marina pitcher J.J. Valicenti, a senior,

and infielder Justin Sellers, a sophomore, joined Edison senior

infielder Robbie Blauer on the Second Team.

Marina’s Paul Renfrow was selected the Division I coach of the

year.

“It’s a nice honor but the credit goes to the kids,” said Renfrow.

“Good players make a good coach.”

Spring All-CIF honors

* Softball: Krystal Heinle, Marina, freshman.

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.