Orange Coast sweeps conference

The Orange Coast College women’s track and field team scored an

Orange Empire Conference record 314.5 points and the OCC men’s team

edged Riverside, 219-204, as the Pirates swept the conference

championships at UC Riverside Friday.

The 314.5-point total surpassed the Pirates’ previous record of

314, which they posted in winning the title last year. The Coast men

also won the OEC championship last year.

The OCC women won nine events, including Ava Jones, who was a

four-time individual champion, earning victories in the 800

(2:21.56), 1,500 (4:40.18), 5,000 (18:15.46) and 10,000 meters

(37:47.78). On the men’s side, the Pirates had five individual

conference titles. Humberto Rojas, an Estancia High product, won two

titles in the 800 (1:57.55) and 1,500 (4:02.33).

Gegi Van De Walker, a 23-year-old who earned 13 varsity letters at

Costa Mesa High, won the 400 (60.64). Hanni Geider, a former Estancia

standout, was an OEC champion in the 400 hurdles (66.98), while Ludi

Valdez 12:12.77 in the 3,000 steeplechase), also out of Estancia, and

Jenny Thompson (10 feet, 6 inches, pole vault) were individual

champions.

Peter Bas, a Newport Harbor product, won the 400 (49.24) for the

OCC men, who also earned a conference title in the 1,600 relay.

Van’t Hof reaches semis

* TENNIS: Newport Beach resident Kaes Van’t Hof continued his run

through the boys CIF singles draw of the 104th Ojai Valley tennis

tournament with a victory over Jonathan Green (Harvard-Westlake

High), 6-1, 7-5, in the quarterfinals Friday.

Newport Harbor sophomore Robert Khoury defeated Moises Cardenas,

5-7, 6-2, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the boys 16s singles draw and

will play Ojai’s Kallim Stewart in the semifinals today at 8 a.m. at

Thacher School. Khoury’s Harbor teammate, freshman Jake Fleming, lost

to Redlands’ Andrew Mateljian, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, in the round of 16.

In boys 14s singles play, Newport Beach’s Oscar Fabian Matthews

reached the quarterfinals before bowing to Joe Young, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6.

OCC players in quarters

* TENNIS: Orange Coast College sophomores Leah Becker and Sabrina

Tanamal won two matches Friday to advance to today’s quarterfinals in

the women’s community college doubles division of the 104th Ojai

tennis tournament.

Becker and Tanamal defeated Porterville’s Katrice Maples and Amber

Nonorgues, 6-2, 6-2, in the Round of the 32. Then the Orange Empire

Conference doubles champions took out Riverside’s Lily Cornejo and

Lisa Restivo, 6-1, 6-0 to move on to the quarterfinals, which are

today at 12:30 p.m. at the Ojai Athletic Club.

In singles action, Tanamal defeated Kristyn Houchen of Santa

Monica, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, in the Round of 32, but then lost to

top-seeded Yuki Hagiwara of Grossmont, 1-6, 0-6, in the Round of 16.

Sailors in semifinals

* VOLLEYBALL: The Newport Harbor High boys volleyball team swept

their two opponents Friday to advance to today’s semifinals of the

Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.

The Sailors will face Buchanan of Clovis, a five-game winner over

Estancia, in a semifinal today at 11 a.m. at Santa Barbara.

Newport Harbor junior Brett Perrine recorded 27 kills in the six

games to lead the Sailors (16-6).

Jon Langford contributed eight kills and four blocks to help lead

Newport to a 25-18, 25-19, 25-15 first-round win over Righetti of

Santa Maria. Morgan Govaars added seven kills, and Gavin Galey and

Ted Slater had six kills each.

Langford produced seven kills and four blocks in Newport’s 25-20,

25-20, 25-20 victory over Santa Barbara in the quarterfinals. Galey

also slammed seven kills.

Adam Schlesinger amassed 87 assists in the two matches. The

tournament’s final is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the third-place

match is at 5.

Estancia falls in five

* VOLLEYBALL: The Estancia High boys volleyball team just missed

an opportunity to face Newport-Mesa District rival Newport Harbor, as

it nearly overcame a two-game deficit, but lost in five games to

Buchanan of Clovis in the quarterfinals of the Santa Barbara

Tournament of Champions Friday.

The Bears defeated Estancia, 25-23, 25-19, 16-25, 19-25, 15-4. The Eagles (16-2) overcame a four-point deficit to win the fourth game.

Brad Larsen and Kris Hartwell led Estancia with 11 kills each, while

Scott Sankey added four blocks and Trevor Holmes contributed 31

assists and 16 digs.

Sage sweeps Oxford

* VOLLEYBALL: Sage Hill School senior Kevin Joyce recorded 20

kills, 12 digs, two blocks and two aces to lead the Lightning boys

volleyball team to a 25-18, 25-13, 25-18 Academy League victory over

visiting Oxford Academy Friday.

Julian Smith-Newman, the Lightning’s setter, contributed 27

assists, while Alex Greer added five kills. Sage Hill improved to

11-1, 5-1 in league.

Natalazio wins again

* SWIMMING: Orange Coast College freshman Sara Natalazio won her

second event in the Orange Empire Conference swimming and diving

championships with a victory in the 50-yard butterfly (27.16 seconds)

at Palomar College Friday.

Natalazio took first place in the 100 individual medley (1:01.65)

Thursday. The OCC men’s and women’s swim squads are in second place

in the team standings. Jason Huang won an individual conference title

in the men’s 100 backstroke (52.11) and also contributed to the

Pirates’ victorious 200 medley relay team, which also included Chris

Hunter and Roger and Max Wong.

Butler baffles ‘Runners

* SOFTBALL: Junior Jackie Butler tallied a career-high 11

strikeouts, tossing a two-hitter to lead visiting Costa Mesa High to

an 8-0 Golden West League softball victory over Saddleback Friday.

Uyen Mai went 3 for 5 while Paulina Rodriguez had two hits in

three at-bats, including a solo home run in the third.

Mesa pulls out win

* VOLLEYBALL: Costa Mesa High’s boys volleyball team was down but

not out in pulling out a come-from-behind 19-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22,

15-9 victory at La Quinta in a nonleague match.

Sophomore Ryan Bagwell led the Mustangs with 25 kills, five blocks

and two aces. Andrew Melcer rebounded from a losing game Wednesday

against Ocean View to dish out a match-high 51 assists Friday.

UCI edged by Gauchos

* WATER POLO: UC Irvine freshman Robyn Kaake scored two goals, but

the Anteaters women’s water polo team lost to visiting UC Santa

Barbara, 5-4, in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action Friday.

Seniors Melissa Fernandez and Michelle Carey added one goal each

for the 19th-ranked Anteaters (8-19, 2-8 in the MPSF).