Hunt wins four medals

Chandler Hunt of Newport Beach won four medals – three of the gold variety – over the weekend at the United States Amateur Snowboard Assn. San Gabriel Series at Mountain High.

On Saturday, the 11-year-old won silver and gold in his age group in two broadercross events. By doing so, Hunt became the highest-rated rider in his age group (menehune boys’ 10-11) for the San Gabriel USASA division and qualified for the upcoming USASA Nationals in that discipline.

Hunt came back Sunday to claim gold twice more in his division, doing so in the halfpipe competition. He also advances to Nationals in the halfpipe discipline.

In the first boardercross event Saturday, Hunt finished second to Drayden Gardner of Big Bear Lake while Myles Gossett of Huntington Beach finished third in the menehune boys’ division. Hunt then won the second boardercross event later in the day with Gardner this time in second place while Gossett again took third.

The USASA Nationals will take place in April at Copper Mountain, Colo.

— Reader submission

Swanson wins Gold

Sammy Swanson of Costa Mesa has captured gold.

The 11-year-old won his age-group boardercross competition Sunday at Snow Summit, and the halfpipe competition on Feb. 21. Both were United States Amateur Snowboard Assn.-sanctioned qualifying events.

The two wins qualifies Swanson for the USASA Nationals in April at Copper Mountain, Colo.

Swanson won the BX menehune (ages 10-11) division boardercross at Snow Summit on Sunday over second-place Drayden Gardner and third-place Mitchell Burger, both of Southern California. On Feb. 21, he took the halfpipe No. 1 contest where Gardner again placed second and James Moore (Southern California) finished third.

A weekend rider, Swanson represented the local communities well last year as he ranked 12th nationally, at the USASA National Championships at Copper Mountain. He competed against other athletes from Colorado, Vermont Lake Tahoe.

The current USASA season started last December and so far, Swanson has taken the overall lead, taking a gold medal in halfpipe and two gold medals in boardercross.

— Reader submission

Heat awarded first

The Newport-Mesa Heat, a boys’ Division 2 National Junior Basketball team, started play Sunday in the division’s Championship Series matched against the Capo Dana Magic.

Despite strong rebounding from their guards, Gianluca Vassalli, Drew Johnston and forward Alec Nguyen, the Heat couldn’t match the Magic’s quickness and extraordinary interior passing. Johnston and Brett Super led the Heat in scoring but came up short in the end.

However, following the game, league officials declared that the Magic forfeit for using ineligible players. The recorded score went into the book as Heat 13, Magic 0.

The Heat enjoyed a home-court advantage later in the day against El Toro and came away with a 34-28 victory over the Celtics. Derek Mathuny played his best game of the season with six points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Nguyen, Mitch Dean and John Holland snatched the rebounds that didn’t find Mathuny’s hands. Patrick Jennings clamped down on the Celtics’ biggest offensive threat and Krishan Arora set screens to free up Johnston and Super who each scored 11 points.

In their final game of the day, the Heat fell to the Fountain Valley Bulldogs, 50-44. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first half, repeatedly beating the Heat downcourt for layups while putting back offensive rebounds. The Heat went to a box-and-one defense in the second half and began clawing back.

Nguyen blocked out taller players in the paint and finished with eight rebounds. Rebounding support was also supplied by Mathuny, Jennings and Johnston. Vassalli netted a long basket in the second period and Johnston put up seven points to bring the Heat to within nine points at the half.

Super went on a tear in the second half, breaking the Bulldogs defense down with dribble drives to score 20 points to put the Heat up by four with less than two minutes remaining. The Bulldogs didn’t fold, however, and hit four consecutive shots in the final 90 seconds, including a three-point shot, to win the game going away.

The league’s tie-breaker formula awarded first-place in the pool to the Heat while the Bulldogs finished second. Both teams, however, advance to the NJB Super Championship Series this weekend.

— Greg Super

Jayhawks clinch title

The Jayhawks took the first-place trophy in the Division 2 Western Conference of Newport-Mesa NJB after posting a 31-22 victory over the Lakers.

The game was one of the Jayhawks’ lowest scoring games of the season. The team was an offensive powerhouse all season, averaging 39.6 points per game, the second-highest average in Division 2.

Coached by Jim Kormos, the Jayhawks are Tony Delcrosnale, Sean Feibelman, Roman Hayes, Blake Kormos, Cameron Kormos, Justin Lloyd, Jack McClintock and Alex Muradlian.

— Kristina Jodis

Tar Heels are Champs

The Newport-Mesa Tar Heels boys’ seventh-grade All-Net team capped a great winter season by going 12-2 and capturing the regular season championship in National Junior Basketball’s All-Net Division.

On the final weekend of the regular season, the Tar Heels knocked off the Irvine Hornets in the early game, 53-35, behind a strong defensive team effort and the efficient rebounding of Cole Norris, Brett Greenlee and Riley Gaddis. Pacing the Tar Heels on offense was Kevin Fults, who had 10 points to go along with six rebounds and Max Stanley, who scored eight points and went two-for-three from three-point range. Point guard Logan Miller directed the Tar Heels’ offense and provided three clutch steals.

In the afternoon game Sunday, the Tar Heels faced one of the league’s tallest players (6-foot-3) and a gritty Placentia Storm team. The game was tightly contested until the final period when the Tar Heels broke the game open with 26 points to finish off the Storm, 66-46.

The Tar Heels’ Max Kline led all scorers with a season-high 21 points. He hit three three-point shots and was eight of 12 from the free-throw line. Grady Kimme added a season-high eight points and four rebounds and Norris had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Charlie Evans and Hagen Truninger held the Storm’s big man down in the second period and combined offensively for nine points and 10 rebounds.

The Tar Heels will compete this weekend at the NJB Super Sectionals tournament in the Orange County area.

— Reader submission

Mariners Christian victorious

The sixth-grade Division II boys’ basketball team from Mariners Christian School fought hard to maintain its second-place standing in the Christian Athletic League of Orange County by defeating Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana, 35-27.

Leading the Dolphins’ attack was the consistent shooting of point guard David Dewey, who had 15 points. Sterling Miles was strong underneath the boards for the Dolphins pulling down six rebounds and putting away six points himself. Excellent defense and attitude was displayed by Kyle Kofoed.

Mariners improved its record to 6-2 heading into playoffs.

“I was really pleased with our teams’ defense, particularly in the first half,” Dolphins Coach Mac Thompson said. “We were committed to the zone defense and rotating well.”

Calvary Chapel Santa Ana was hot from three-point range, draining five, total, in the game. But in the end, the Dolphins persevered and held on for the win.

— Mac Thompson

Big Cats finish first

The Newport Mesa fifth-grade boys’ National Junior Basketball All-Net team, the Big Cats, finished in first place in its division with a 12-2 record.

The Big Cats ended the regular season Sunday with a 39-12 victory over visiting La Mirada. Matthew McDonald led the Big Cats in scoring with 10 points. Luke Vafiadis and Mitchell Haly each scored six points and Collin Pipkin and Chase Garbers also scored. Jake Jones and Will Ueberroth both played great defense throughout the game. Connor Kincaid and Chase Furey were sidelined with injuries.

The Big Cats will play in the NJB All-Net Sectional tournament this weekend and are hoping to advance to the All Net National tournament March 27-28.

— Reader submission