SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | April 26, 2014
Go to a Corona del Mar High girls' lacrosse game, and you probably won't hear the name "Sabrina" uttered once by any of the Sea Kings. Senior Sabrina Smith? She goes by "Bean," a funny nickname for the tall and slender Smith, who stands 5-foot-10. When she was a baby Smith's parents, Todd and Sherry, called her "Sabrina Bo-Bina," which was soon shortened to "Bean. " Then, in first grade, there was another Sabrina in her class at Harbor View Elementary. The teacher asked if either of the girls had a nickname.
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | April 14, 2014
It was a tough assignment for a Corona del Mar High girls' lacrosse team coming off spring break. The Sea Kings had to play host to Foothill in a nonleague game. Foothill is ranked No. 1 in the state of California by laxpower.com, as well as No. 3 in the western United States behind two teams from Colorado. Yes, this was a powerhouse, undefeated Foothill team coming off an 18-3 thrashing of CdM's Pacific Coast League rival Beckman on Friday. It would have been easy to lose by a comfortable margin, then talk about improving in the coming weeks for the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division playoffs.
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | February 28, 2014
They say that defense wins championships, and that always has seemed to be true for the Newport Harbor High girls' water polo team. But what makes up a defense? The most obvious piece to the casual fan is the goalie, and the Sailors have two great ones in senior captain Cleo Harrington and junior Carlee Kapana. Everyone in the stands is able to recognize when a goalie makes a huge block. But what about the center defender, whose perfect positioning on the play made the center shoot the ball with a little less force than she wanted?
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | February 28, 2014
TUSTIN - They came back to the place where it all started, the crazy four straight wins that propelled the Corona del Mar High girls' soccer team to its fourth straight Pacific Coast League title and the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals. Tustin High felt different than it did 17 days earlier, when CdM beat Beckman to start the run. On Friday night an umbrella was needed. The rain was on again, off again, and heavy at times. The result also was different. It didn't go the Sea Kings' way. Foothill sophomore forward Sarah Moss scored in the 66th minute and the No. 3-seeded Knights hung on for a 1-0 quarterfinal victory, ending CdM's season.
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | February 22, 2014
After a hot shooting start, Newport Harbor High junior Ellie Reid hit the wall about halfway through the girls' water polo season. The left-hander was battling fatigue, sickness and a nagging shoulder injury. She stopped scoring as many goals, not looking as confident with her shot. "I kind of lost my groove a little bit," Reid said. "I kind of cracked a little bit in midseason. " How did Ellie get her groove back? It took just one shot on Saturday. She scored the winning six-on-five goal with 2:24 left off a pass from Kate Pipkin, helping Newport Harbor upset Foothill, 5-4, in a CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinal match Saturday at Newport Harbor High.
SPORTS
By David Carrillo PeƱaloza | February 21, 2014
SANTA ANA - For the second straight season, the Newport Harbor High boys' basketball team faced one of the top two seeds early in the CIF Southern Section playoffs. Last season in Division 2A, the Sailors played host to No. 1 Westlake in the second round and lost by nine points. They opened the Division 2AA playoffs at No. 2 Foothill on Friday and they did not do as well, losing 82-55. "We got to talk to our guys about having a better regular season," said Newport Harbor Coach Bob Torribio, whose team finished 14-14 overall for the second season in a row. "We got to take care of some business early on so we don't have to play these tough teams early on [in the postseason]
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | January 8, 2014
Corona del Mar High girls' water polo coach Ross Sinclair was greeted by Jason Lynch following Wednesday afternoon's nonleague game against Foothill. Lynch, an assistant coach with Foothill, is the former Newport Harbor High boys' water polo coach. He coached Sinclair during his playing days with the Sailors. "I'm trying to teach these girls about playing the game mentally, being a student of the game," Sinclair said. "I learned that from [Lynch]. I think I naturally have it, but I also learned more of it from him. Preparing is so crucial.
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | December 20, 2013
Newport Beach isn't exactly Graceland, but leave it to Newport Harbor High junior Kate Pipkin to find special meaning in each location. She can tell you how special it is to play for one of the top high school water polo programs in the country, but Pipkin would almost rather wax poetic on Elvis Presley. Pipkin said that she has a passion for music, which seems like an understatement when she almost casually adds that she can play six instruments. There's the bass, the ukulele, the mandolin, the drums and the piano.
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | April 26, 2013
OJAI - Corona del Mar High senior Alec Adamson is the last Newport-Mesa athlete still in contention at the prestigious 113th annual Ojai Tennis Tournament. But Adamson still strives for more. He'll be playing at the tournament's showcase venue, Libbey Park, on Saturday. The goal is a title. No. 2-seeded Adamson advanced to the CIF singles division semifinals after a pair of impressive victories Friday. He topped Stefan Doehler of Foothill, 6-1, 6-3, on Friday morning at Libbey Park.