Diefenbach picks UCLA

Newport Harbor High senior Jamie Diefenbach, a 6-foot-8 middle

blocker, has signed a letter of intent to continue his volleyball

career at UCLA.

Diefenbach, who earned first-team All-Sea View League honors as a

junior for the league champion Sailors, narrowed his choices to UC

Santa Barbara, UC San Diego and New York University before selecting

UCLA.

“I like that UCLA is a competitive program and I was impressed

with the coaching staff,” he said. “It seemed like the right place

for me.”

Diefenbach, a repeat Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection, missed the

first part of last season after reconstructive knee surgery, but

established himself as one of the premier middle blockers in Orange

County.

Diefenbach will also play center for Larry Hirst’s boys basketball

team this winter, anxious to return to the court after missing last

season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

-- Bryce Alderton

Mustang trio lauded

* WATER POLO: Three players from the Costa Mesa High boys water

polo team and one from Estancia are featured as first-team selections

for the Golden West League, which also included second-team

recognition for the Mustangs and Eagles.

Senior Brian Tipton, junior Anthony Adamowicz and sophomore Kyle

Thorsness earned first-team, all-league honors for Costa Mesa, which

finished second in the Golden West and reached the CIF Southern

Section Division II playoffs with a 15-8 record.

For Estancia, which finished 9-11, 2-4 in league, senior Paul

Collier received first-team laurels.

Eagles senior Anthony Hermann, along with Costa Mesa senior Brian

Knox and teammate Evan Spencer, a junior, collected second-team

recognition.