Pacific Coast League

IRVINE — At the start of the home run derby which preceded Saturday's 11th annual Ryan Lemmon Foundation Showcase baseball game, the announcer threw a good-natured curve. Introducing Corona del Mar High senior Jake Lemmerman, the Duke-bound co-MVP of the Pacific Coast League, the announcer mentioned that Lemmerman hit 10 home runs this year. "But we all know CdM Coach John Emme keeps a short porch out there at CdM," he said, before Lemmerman mentioned that seven of his 10 homers were hit on the road.

CORONA DEL MAR — This week, the Corona del Mar High girls’ soccer team has a “game in hand” over the rest of the Pacific Coast League. But on Tuesday, what the Sea Kings needed was a ball in net. They got two of them in the second half, one each by sophomore Tessa Andujar and freshman Sydney Raguse. It was enough to rally past visiting University, 2-1, avenging their only league loss. The game also had league title implications, although University (6-2-5, 4-1-1 in league)

The 2005-06 Corona del Mar High boys' athletic year was highlighted by the volleyball team, which won a share of the Pacific Coast League title and reached the CIF Southern Section Division II championship match. The Sea Kings' sporting fortunes were also buoyed by the water polo team, which captured a league championship and reached the CIF Division I semifinals. Additionally, strong seasons were posted by several other squads and individual athletes. Volleyball: A young team made a valiant effort to repeat as CIF Southern Section Division II champion, but came up just short.

IRVINE - Host Northwood High's boys water polo team scored five goals in the first quarter and six in the third as the Timberwolves defeated Costa Mesa, 13-3, in the Pacific Coast League opener Wednesday. Jeff Collett, Chasen Marshall and Mike Gardiner scored goals for the Mustangs (2-7), while Mesa goalie Ryan Tipton recorded 12 saves. Mesa will play in the Orange Tournament Friday and Saturday. PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE Northwood 13, Costa Mesa 3 Costa Mesa 1 0 1 1 - 3 Northwood 5 0 6 2 - 13 Costa Mesa - Collett 1, Marshall 1, Gardiner 1. Saves - Tipton 12.

LAGUNA BEACH - Costa Mesa's boys water polo team stuck around with host Laguna Beach for a while, trailing by just two goals at halftime, but the Artists slowly built up a 12-4 win in a Pacific Coast League water polo game Thursday. Mike Vaillancourt led the Mustangs with three goals. Chris Dolloff had eight saves for Costa Mesa. PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE Costa Mesa 1 1 1 1 - 4 Laguna Beach 2 2 3 5 - 12 Costa Mesa: Vaillancourt 3, Dunn 1. Saves: Dolloff 8. Laguna Beach: Damato 4, Waidley 2, Conley 1, Sandys 1, Lyle 1, Ziegler 1, Burdick 1, Engstand 1. Saves: Bartels 13.

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High's boys water polo team was a rude host to cross-town and Pacific Coast League rival Estancia Thursday in a 19-4 win in the league opener for both. The Mustangs blew the game wide open in the second quarter, outscoring the Eagles 7-1. Mike Vallincourt had seven goals, while John Bolt had six goals and seven assists. PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE Estancia 1 1 1 1 - 4 Costa Mesa 3 7 4 5 - 19 Costa Mesa scoring: Vallincourt 7, Bolt 6, Sarris 3, Dunn 1, Whitman 1. saves: Dolloff 7.

Corona del Mar High Boys Top 10 1. The Pacific Coast League champion tennis team caps an unbeaten season by winning the CIF Southern Section Division V crown with 14-4 romp over Brentwood. 2. Water polo wins the Pacific Coast League, then rolls to CIF Southern Section Division II championship behind Division Co-Players of the Year Garrett Bowlus and Michael March. 3. The Paul Orris era comes to an end when he steps down after 31 years of coaching boys basketball at the school, the last 15 as the varsity head man. His 229 varsity wins are most in Newport-Mesa District hoops history.

IRVINE - The Estancia High girls tennis team lost at Northwood, 16-2, Tuesday, in Pacific Coast League action. Sophomore Carleen Curran and freshman Stacie Nellor each won a set for the Eagles. Estancia will host University Thursday at 3:15. PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE Northwood 16, Estancia 2 Singles - Nellor (E) lost to Gl. Lopez, 0-6, def. Chen, 6-2, lost to Hasse, 3-6. Curran (E) lost, 0-6, won, 6-1, lost, 0-6; Wyman (E) lost, 0-6, 3-6, 0-6. Doubles - Cassity-Hernandez (E)

IRVINE - Going into the last baseball game of the regular season on Thursday, Corona del Mar High knew it was back in the playoffs. The Sea Kings clinched a CIF Southern Section Division 3 berth two days earlier. The Sea Kings wanted their return to the postseason after missing it last season to be at home in the first round. Coach John Emme now expects CdM to start the playoffs next week on the road. His Sea Kings fell short of moving into a two-way tie for second place in the Pacific Coast League.

IRVINE — One of the highlights at last weekend's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival occurred in the set by rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, when a hologram version of the late Tupac Shakur rose up onto the stage and began performing. Corona del Mar High senior Jared Namba went to Coachella again this year. The CdM boys' swim team needed the real Namba, not a hologram, in its key Pacific Coast League meet Wednesday at University High. Namba and the Sea Kings, fresh off spring break, responded with a big victory.

CORONA DEL MAR - In the same week, against the same team, the Corona del Mar High baseball put up the same number of zeros every inning. In all, 14 zeros. As the Sea Kings met near left field, trying to figure out how they failed to score in two big Pacific Coast League games against Beckman, the opposing coach looked over on Thursday. "If you were here watching these two games, you might not believe me, but that's a good baseball team over there," Coach Kevin Lavalle said after his Patriots shut out host CdM, 8-0. "I feel bad for them and I feel bad for [CdM Coach]

BOYS' GOLF Corona del Mar 187, Woodbridge 214 COSTA MESA - Junior Chase Wheatley shot three-under-par 34 to earn medalist honors in a Pacific Coast League match on the Los Lagos Course at Costa Mesa Country Club Tuesday, helping the Sea Kings improve to 13-0, their best start in the program's history. Wheatley collected four birdies. The Sea Kings shot two-over-par 187 as a team and improved to 4-0 in league. Mike Moorhead had a 35, followed by Hale Furey (38)

CORONA DEL MAR — After throwing his first complete game of the season, Coach John Emme said Andrew McCormack went to throw out the trash. During his seven innings of work for Corona del Mar High on Friday, what McCormack threw off the mound was no junk. Masterful is the word Emme used to describe McCormack's performance. He needed to turn in a near-dominating effort. Beckman, the Pacific Coast League champion the past three baseball seasons, came to CdM to open league play.

IRVINE - The road has been tough for the Corona del Mar High boys' basketball team this season. It got harder for the Sea Kings on Monday night. In a must-win situation to keep their Pacific Coast League title hopes alive, their leading scorer forgot his game shorts. The Sea Kings were caught with their shorts down at Beckman and it cost them any chance at defending their league crown. They tried to pull themselves together late, rallying, only to fall short away from home again.

Jeff Johnston said his father, Jon, played point guard at Estancia High in the 1980s. "I think they had a really good team back then, at least from what he tells me," said Johnston, whose father led the Eagles to the CIF Southern Section Division 3-A title game in 1984. Twelve years later, Jon's son was born. Somehow, Jon raised a shooting guard. Growing up, Johnston was more of a slasher on the court. His style of play had to change before his sophomore season at Corona del Mar. Johnston had to learn how to play his father's old position.

COSTA MESA - It has been an eventful week for the Corona del Mar High girls' soccer team, even though Thursday's game against University was their only one of the week. On Tuesday, CdM learned it had clinched its second straight outright league title following Uni's victory over Beckman. On Wednesday, four of CdM's top players - seniors Ally Brahs (Washington), Amanda Stephenson (George Mason), Sydney Raguse (Michigan) and goalie Sarah Cox (Stanford) - signed national letters of intent.

CORONA DEL MAR - Max Stone is the kind of basketball player who can come off the bench and drain a three-pointer on his first shot. That is exactly what the junior did Tuesday, as he opened the second quarter for Corona del Mar High with a three. Coach Ryan Schachter calls Stone his best outside threat, so he expects Stone to shoot whenever he is open. Stone passed up quality looks in the second, third and fourth quarters, only to frustrate his coach. Schachter needed someone to stop Woodbridge's fourth-quarter run, which gave the visitors their first lead since the opening quarter.

Coach George Larsen, as he does with every team he leads, walked up to the Corona del Mar High boys' soccer team before the season. Conor Roche knew what to expect during the meeting. He played under Larsen last season. This season was going to be much different. The team lost many key starters, some graduated and a handful opted to play for academy teams, instead of their high school. Roche was one of two starters returning to play for Larsen. Larsen treated Roche and the rest of the young team the same way as last season's talented one. "You guys go over there," Larsen ordered his players away from him. "[Figure out]