Sunset League

NEWPORT BEACH — Newport Harbor High junior Lauren Draganza set a school record and earned medalist honors by shooting a one-under-par 35 to lead the Sailors to a 223-241 win against Los Alamitos in a Sunset League opener at Big Canyon Country Club Tuesday. “The last record for a league event at Big Canyon was even par,” said Newport Harbor Coach Scott Tarnow, who’s in his ninth year. “If she had parred the last hole [and not bogeyed it], she would’ve tied the school record for both boys and girls in a league event at that course.

LOS ALAMITOS ? Newport Harbor High's girls volleyball match Tuesday ended in defeat. It was the Sailors' first loss in five Sunset League matches. But neither fact was the most troubling part of the result. The deeper horror: the Sailors' loss to Los Alamitos was a sweep, 25-18, 27-25, 25-19. In a league that features the defending Division I state champion in Los Alamitos, CIF Southern Section Division I-AA champion Esperanza and Division II-AA quarterfinalist Edison, a loss along the way is just short of expected.

When you swim competitively, time isn’t on your side. You can say time almost ran out on David Linden in the pool. No more rising early for those 6 a.m. practices at Newport Harbor High. No more 90-minute workouts. For Linden, it was time to sleep like most students before school. The only race Linden cared about finishing was high school. Linden was midway there in his senior year. So enough of returning to the same pool, where Linden trained for many hours, only to fall short of his ultimate goal in November in his favorite sport, water polo.

Newport Harbor High is, admittedly, a water polo school that also competes in swimming. But the water polo seniors this year are trading in two-meter set and shots, for split-times and strokes. They're sticking around for swim season. Four of Newport Harbor's five water polo seniors — Bryce McLain, Blake Hockenbury, Kyle McGhie and Nick Yeager — are also competing on the Sailors' boys swimming team. "When it comes down to it, we are a water polo team that swims," McGhie said.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Newport Harbor High seniors Ryan Cerrato and Bradley Beaudette captured Sunset League individual titles at the league finals at Edison High Saturday. Cerrato improved to 30-8, winning two matches on his way to becoming the champion in the 171-pound division. He defeated Mason Kumashiro of Los Alamitos in the final, 19-10. Beaudette (28-8) also won twice to become the 189-pound champion. He scored a 9-3 victory over Los Alamitos' Noah Kessenich in the final.

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 - With more than a quarter century of coaching high school volleyball, Newport Harbor girls' head man Dan Glenn has developed an impressive tool belt when it comes to in-season repairs. So, after the Sailors lost a crucial Sunset League match, 25-23, 13-25, 27-25, 25-11, to visiting Los Alamitos on Thursday, Glenn immediately began fixating on elements of his team's play that he could, well, fix. One thing he will not be able to tinker with, however, is a scheduling anomaly that all but cost his team the benefits of a home match against the rival Griffins, who along with the Sailors have each claimed three league titles since Newport Harbor joined the league in 2006.

LOS ALAMITOS — The last time Newport Harbor High played a baseball game in Los Alamitos, it rained throughout much of the game. The two teams played seven innings and then the umpires finally called last month's Sunset League game because it was too wet to continue. The game ended in a tie and that has been the closest Newport Harbor has come to winning a league game this season. The Sailors returned to Los Alamitos Thursday and lost, 8-0, keeping them winless in league.

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.

HUNTINGTON BEACH - After close to two hours of intense action on the court, the Newport Harbor High girls' volleyball immediately left the gym. The Sailors had no reason to stick around at Edison on Wednesday night. They traveled, hoping to stay in contention for a Sunset League title. They lost ground in league play. The Chargers edged Newport Harbor, 26-24, 20-25, 33-35, 25-18, 15-12, to remain in the hunt for their first league crown in 10 years. The victory was Edison's third straight against the Sailors, two coming in league play.