Sunset League

At one point, nine seniors were going to play for Newport Harbor High's baseball team. Cut one-third off that number and that's what Evan Chalmers has in his second year as the Sailors head coach. With three players not returning for their senior year, including last year's ace in left-handed pitcher Drew Harris, the Sailors still look to be competitive. They've shown early on that they will be this season. Chalmers has seen his team battle as four of the first five games have been decided by three or fewer runs.

Senior RJ D’Cruz, a pitcher and second baseman, was the lone Newport Harbor High baseball player earning first-team, All-Sunset League honors. D’Cruz, who’s headed for the University of San Diego, led the Sailors with a 3-7 record and 2.94 earned-run average and 58 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings. His two wins came in league against Fountain Valley and Marina. The right-hander, earning first team for the first time, also saved two games and had three complete games, tied for first on the team in both categories.

The Newport Harbor High sophomore boys' basketball team clinched the Sunset League title with a 51-47 win over Los Alamitos on Feb. 8. The Sailors (15-4), coached by Jerry Murray, shared a 5-2 league record with Los Alamitos headed into the last game of the season. But Newport came out on top behind Cameron Holmes' 31-point performance. "It was a great team," Murray said. "They played great team defense. They really got along and bought into the program." Newport Harbor also won the Ocean View sophomore tournament in December, and finished second in the Edison Tournament.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — One coach said he had moved on since experiencing an overwhelming night last Saturday off the court. The other coach said his players were still thinking about an emotional match last Friday. Emotions tend to run high in boys' volleyball. Newport Harbor High Coach Dan Glenn saw his players use their emotions to power the Sailors to a 25-13, 25-23, 25-22 sweep at Edison Tuesday. Coach Brian Boone said he did not see much of a fight out of his Chargers, who had lost a five-set match to Huntington Beach on the same court five days ago. Glenn was his usual self, staying upbeat.

NEWPORT BEACH – As the Newport Harbor High girls' tennis team closed in on its third straight Sunset League title Thursday afternoon, the Sailors turned their attention to a certain little girl of a similar age. Poppy, 2, is the younger sister of team member Kelsey Christensen. She is also quite possibly the team's biggest fan. She's at many of the matches, bopping around the tennis courts. On Thursday, the Sailors asked Poppy to sing some Justin Bieber, and she obliged to everyone's delight.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — On a rainy Monday, Newport Harbor High girls' soccer Coach Larry Draluck got some good news in the form of a text message. The message was from his senior forward and leading scorer, Josie Jogwe, who Draluck thought would be on a recruiting trip at Sacramento State. "She said somehow her flight got canceled," Draluck said. "She said she'd see me at the game. " The Sailors were at full strength for their showdown for first place in the Sunset League.

NEWPORT BEACH — As the new athletic director at Newport Harbor High, Mike Zimmerman says he’s been overwhelmed trying to learn names and remember faces since being hired Oct. 5. Zimmerman, who commutes from Baldwin Park, should definitely get to know Coach Dan Glenn and his girls’ volleyball team. They’re the ones that have a good shot to bring the school a Sunset League title and a CIF Southern Section championship in Zimmerman’s first season as A.D. The Sailors, ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA, showed their stuff, introducing themselves as the favorites of the Sunset League Tuesday night at Newport Harbor High.

NEWPORT BEACH — Five girls’ tennis players went into Newport Harbor High’s crucial Sunset League match against Esperanza under the weather. The Sailors more than survived at home. Newport Harbor beat the Aztecs, 14-4, to clinch at least a share of the league title as it improved to 8-0. The Sailors, the No. 10-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section Division II coaches’ poll, beat Esperanza (6-2 in league) for the second straight time this season.

NEWPORT BEACH — Emotions ran high on Senior Night for the Newport Harbor High girls' water polo team. Senior captain Presley Pender said Coach Bill Barnett even got a bit emotional before Wednesday night's big Sunset League finale against Edison. "He told us he's never coached a team that's worked so well together and played as a team," Pender said. "That's a huge compliment. I mean, he's a legend and he's telling us that ... He started to tear up. It was a sentimental moment.

NEWPORT BEACH - The senior class of the Newport Harbor High girls' soccer team assembled under threatening skies Tuesday afternoon. Rain did not interrupt the Sailors' Senior Day festivities. It wasn't until the second half of their Sunset League game against Huntington Beach that those threatening skies started producing precipitation. It didn't bother Newport Harbor. Soon, the final whistle blew at Davidson Field. As a team, the Sailors had yet again proved they're more of a threat than they've been in years.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — On a rainy Monday, Newport Harbor High girls' soccer Coach Larry Draluck got some good news in the form of a text message. The message was from his senior forward and leading scorer, Josie Jogwe, who Draluck thought would be on a recruiting trip at Sacramento State. "She said somehow her flight got canceled," Draluck said. "She said she'd see me at the game. " The Sailors were at full strength for their showdown for first place in the Sunset League.

NEWPORT BEACH - Larry Draluck is in his fifth year as the head coach of the Newport Harbor High girls' soccer team. The Sailors are aiming for their second straight CIF Southern Section Division I playoff appearance. They're also making something more intangible, but every bit as valuable - a winning culture. "If we can make the playoffs two years in a row, we've established some continuity here and an expectation of excellence," Draluck said. "In my first few years, that didn't exist.

NEWPORT BEACH - It looked like the shot in the closing minutes bounced square off the noggin of Newport Harbor High sophomore goalie Cleo Harrington. Harrington said it only hit her on the right shoulder before brushing by her face. If she had taken the head shot in the key Sunset League girls' water polo game, it still wouldn't have been an issue. "I don't mind it, as long as it doesn't go in," she said. The Sailors' resiliency certainly went a long way Wednesday night in possibly determining the league champion.

GIRLS' SOCCER Estancia 1, Saddleback 0 SANTA ANA - Freshman Alondra Guzman scored on a header with 10 minutes left to help the Eagles win the Orange Coast League game Tuesday. Senior team captain Heather Flores recorded the assist for Estancia (6-7-3, 1-1-1 in league), which outshot Saddleback, 30-1. Flores, a four-year varsity starter, has verbally committed to play at Cal State San Marcos, Coach Jessica Perry said. The Eagles will play host to Calvary Chapel Thursday at 4:45 p.m. * Newport Harbor 2, Huntington Beach 0 (OT)

Rashad Davis makes the Estancia High boys' basketball team look big. At 6-foot-7, Davis is big, but the Eagles' roster lacks size. Eight players are all the Eagles suit up. Only five get to play at one time on the court, but eight is a small number for a varsity team. Depth has been issue after the Eagles lost four players, three of which they counted upon for minutes this season. Coach Agustin Heredia said Matt Jarmacz, Kevin Carvajal, Levi Stillman and Jazz Hill are no longer on the team.

BOYS' SOCCER Newport Harbor 2, Edison 1 HUNTINGTON BEACH - Seniors Brice Manning and Christian Ochoa scored second-half goals as Newport Harbor upset the defending league champions on the road Friday. Manning scored unassisted in the 45th minute, while Ochoa scored the game-winner in the 61st minute on Felix Villavicencio's assist. Newport senior goalie Rudy Reyes made five saves. Coach Juan Mares said senior Omar Gonzalez and junior Kevin Gomez helped anchor the defense in the second half, after Edison had took the lead in the fifth minute of the game.

NEWPORT BEACH - The corner kicks racked up in the first five minutes of the game, three in a row for the Fountain Valley High boys' soccer team. Newport Harbor Coach Juan Mares did not like what he saw. More than an hour later, the Sailors had finally played with fire one too many times. Barons senior Eric Shearer scored a rebound goal off a corner kick in the 75th minute, lifting Fountain Valley to a 1-0 victory over Newport Harbor in the teams' Sunset League opener Wednesday at Davidson Field.

NEWPORT BEACH - The Newport Harbor High boys' basketball team spent the past week out of town together. The Sailors traveled to Chicago. They played in a tournament 90 minutes outside of the Windy City. They even practiced on the Notre Dame campus. Before the New Year, they returned to Newport Beach. Their resolution had to have been to get back on the winning side. On their first chance this year, the Sailors failed. The losing continued as Newport Harbor lost at home to Woodbridge, 54-41, in a nonleague contest on Tuesday.