Youth Scene: Local All-Stars net national title

The Newport-Mesa All-Star boys' basketball team of fourth-graders finished off its undefeated march to a National Junior Basketball national championship by defeating Placentia, 59-29, April 10.

The title game was a rematch of a pool-play contest that had gone to double-overtime, but this one was not nearly as close. Newport took control early and never looked back. The champs played lock-down defense and limited a high scoring Placentia team well below its tournament scoring average of 61 per game.

The National NJB All-Star tournament started with over 75 teams of fourth-graders. Newport-Mesa played 15 games in Area, Sectional and National tournaments. The Newport-Mesa All-Stars' average margin of victory in the 15 games was an astounding 33 points. Newport blew past Encinitas, 84-47, in quarterfinal play and then trounced Rancho Santa Margarita, 77-45, in the semifinals.

The Newport-Mesa All-Stars included John King, Sam Barela, Jake Hamilton, Adam Flood, Matthew Olson, Luke Chelf, Ethan Barnes, Connor Schimmelpfennig, Nico Dasca and Will Hanna.

Joe Schimmelpfennig and Jeff Hamilton coached the team.

— Reader submission

Hurricanes at Nationals

The Newport-Mesa All-Star girls' basketball team of fourth-graders qualified for the nationals.

Newport-Mesa lost the first game against the Walnut Mustangs by one point. Newport-Mesa then lost to the Gilroy Hot Shots, which went on to the final.

The Newport-Mesa All-Stars battled and lost in a close game against Aliso Niguel.

Point guards Nicole and Audrey Nourse led the team, while squad also featured guards Ella Abbott, Tati Bruening, Leah Freeman, Megan Miller and the forwards and centers Lexi Garbers, Chloe Hyde, Karli Davis and Kara Pauley.

Christoph Bruening and Dana and Jim Abbott coached the team.

— Reader submission

Sixth-graders third

The Newport-Mesa All-Stars boys' basketball team of sixth-graders completed a fantastic postseason run by earning third place in the NJB National Tournament.

The team finished 9-2 in postseason play, losing a tough national semifinal game to the eventual national champions from Flagstaff, Ariz.

Newport-Mesa triumphed over a talented squad of sixth-graders from Aliso Niguel in the third-place game, winning by one point on a 15-foot jump shot by Jordan Paksad with only five seconds remaining in the game.