Westminster

COSTA MESA - Chad Vakili had 18 points, including four three-pointers to lead the Costa Mesa High boys basketball team to a 57-52 nonleague win over visiting Westminster Friday night. David Conte dished out 10 assists to go along with his seven points, while Mike Payne had eight points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots for Mesa (4-2). The Mustangs will compete in the Trabuco Hills Tournament on Dec. 19 against Laguna Hills, beginning at 6:30 p.m. NONLEAGUE Costa Mesa 57, Westminster 52 Westminster 10 18 9 15 - 52 Costa Mesa 13 19 16 9 - 57 Westminster - Miranda 17, Diebel 2, Graham 10, Lacey 6, Villegas 11, Marinca 6. 3 pt. goals - Miranda 4, Villegas 2. Fouled out - None.

COSTA MESA - Eli Solis of Costa Mesa High scored two goals in the first half Friday as the host Mustangs went on to a 3-1 nonleague boys soccer victory over Westminster. Solis scored in the 12th and 26th minutes, while teammate Hector Hernandez added a goal for Costa Mesa (1-1) in the 50th minute. Steve Gonzalez scored for Westminster in the 55th minute to break the ice offensive for the visitors. Bryce Sheridan (three saves) and Christian Lopez (five)

The Vanguard University women’s basketball team continues its quest to defend its NAIA Division I championship today in Jackson, Tenn. The Lions (30-3), the Golden State Athletic Conference champions who finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, will take on Westminster of Utah today at 10:45 a.m. Vanguard, led by senior Lauren Gregory, opened the NAIA national tournament with a 72-51 win over Berry of Georgia Wednesday. Daily Pilot staff writer Barry Faulkner is on assignment, reporting on the Lions in Jackson.

Barry Faulkner Russ Davis isn't coaching the calendar, nor the scoreboard, nor to win favor with his players. Even at this early stage of the women's basketball season, the Vanguard University head man is driving his team with his determination to obtain a singular, lofty objective. "We want to win the national championship," Davis said immediately following the Lions' 83-54 nonconference win over visiting Westminster of Utah, Thursday at the Pit. The voluntary admission came after an inquiry about him calling a timeout to make a heated point to his players with 1:19 left in the runaway victory.

Tony Altobelli WESTMINSTER - Lauren Birchfield scored three goals to lead the Newport Harbor High field hockey team to a 7-0 Sunset League win over host Westminster Tuesday afternoon. The Sailors (16-1-1, 11-0 in league) scored their first goal 27 seconds into the contest and never looked back. Sarah Green, Allison McKenzie, Shirin Oskooi and Kaley Nix also scored goals for Newport, while goalie Chloe Cox recorded one save. The Sailors have outscored their opponents by a whopping 46-2 margin this season and with only three contests remaining, the league title is Newport's to win. "I'm not sure exactly where we stand, but if we win against Edison, that should do it," Coach Sharon Wolfe said.

Estancia High's baseball team (2-6, 0-1) dropped its Golden West League opener Wednesday as visiting Westminster struck for one run in the second inning and that was all the Lions needed in a 1-0 decision that took just 98 minutes to complete. Estancia, limited to two base hits and strikeout victims 14 times, had numerous chances, but could not convert. Westminster scored by virtue of a walk, a base hit, a hit-batsman and a 6-4-3 double play. Estancia had the bases loaded in the third inning with none out, runners on second and third with one out, and again with two out, before a strikeout ended the threat.

COSTA MESA - Co-captain Jess Hellmich of Estancia High won the 100-yard butterfly (1:06.10) and the 200 individual medley (2:27.03), while swimming on two winning relays, as the host Eagles defeated Westminster, 110-56, in a nonleague boys swim dual meet Thursday. Estancia (4-5) was also led by Anthony Herman, who captured the 100 breaststroke with a personal-best 1:19.76 and swam on the first-place 400 free relay, and Frank Gamboa, who won the 200 free (2:07.

ANAHEIM — Out of breath, the lone freshman on the Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball team motioned to Coach Ryan Schachter. Clayton Ragsdale wanted out of the Sea Kings’ opening-round game of the La Quinta Tournament. Schachter, surprised, yelled out, “Give me two more minutes, that’s all that’s left.” Ragsdale slowly walked over to the bench. He did his part to stop Westminster point guard Keshad Adeniyi in the second half. Now it was someone else’s job in garbage time.

Last year many referred to Andrew McCormack as Jackie Moon, the character from the movie, "Semi-Pro. " The nickname seemed to fit, as the Corona del Mar High 6-foot-3 forward sported an afro and had that Will Ferrell look. But this year McCormack has toned down the 'fro. No one's laughing about a silly nickname now. When people hear, "Andrew McCormack," the words, "hustle," and, "all-out effort," come to mind. That's what he's always been known for, but it now seems at an elevated level because this is his senior year.

BOYS' BASKETBALL Corona del Mar 75, Artesia 55 WESTMINSTER - Max Stone scored 28 points with five three-pointers for the Sea Kings, who finished third in the Westminster tournament Saturday. Joey Calise scored 17 points and Jake McCloskey added 16 points for CdM (5-4). Andrew McCormick and Stone were named to the all-tournament team. * Estancia 49, Los Amigos 30 COSTA MESA - Senior center Rashad Davis had 14 points and 17 rebounds for the Eagles in the nonleague game Friday.

The iconic Balboa Fun Zone carousel is expected to reopen under new ownership in the Westminster area in the spring, said its previous operator. While Patrick Moore, the longtime operator of the Fun Zone rides, could not go into details with the Daily Pilot on Thursday because the sale is not yet finalized, he said that the carousel would land somewhere off the San Diego (405) Freeway close enough for locals to enjoy it. "One of the reasons that I agreed to this sale is that it would keep it nearby and open to the public," Moore said via email to the Daily Pilot.

COSTA MESA — Senior Jamie Sacco scored four goals to help lead the Costa Mesa High boys' water polo team to an 11-5 nonleague win over visiting Westminster Tuesday. The Mustangs' victory proved impressive considering they were playing without their top two scorers, senior James Lewis, out with a hip injury, and junior Wyatt Farris, who was out because he served a one-game suspension for game misconduct during Costa Mesa's 17-7 win over Savanna Sept. 12. The Mustangs are hoping for the best with regard to Lewis, who will undergo an MRI next week, Costa Mesa Coach Justin Taylor said.

Peters recognized Former Newport Harbor High football quarterback Kasey Peters, a senior at Rocky Mountain College in Montana, was named Fronteir Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after nearly guiding the Battlin' Bears to an upset of Carroll College, ranked No. 2 in NAIA Division I. Peters completed 21 of 36 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. He also carried 17 times for 127 yards and a touchdown in a 42-37 loss Saturday. Peters has completed 97 of 157 p asses for 1,220 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games this season.

GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL Mother McAuley Asics Challenge CHICAGO — Corona del Mar High finished seventh overall, first in the silver division at the 24-team event completed Saturday. The Sea Kings competed in the two-day format that included 10 nationally ranked teams. BOYS' WATER POLO Estancia Classic COSTA MESA – The host Eagles opened pool-play action with a pair of wins, defeating Westminster, 14-3 and topping Rancho Alamitos, 10-8, Monday.

WESTMINSTER — As she toured Little Saigon, Ghada Said Gerges Amien, an Egyptian civil rights lawyer, was impressed with seeing the structure, order and principles of the American system up close. "There's respect, understanding, democracy and order," she said in Arabic. "People here have goals, and they succeed." Amien, a member of the High Council Al Ghad Party for human rights, was one of nine Jordanian and Egyptian politicians and political-minded visitors who found themselves in the heart of the Vietnamese-American stronghold last week as they toured Orange County with the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL)

The Vanguard University women’s basketball team continues its quest to defend its NAIA Division I championship today in Jackson, Tenn. The Lions (30-3), the Golden State Athletic Conference champions who finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, will take on Westminster of Utah today at 10:45 a.m. Vanguard, led by senior Lauren Gregory, opened the NAIA national tournament with a 72-51 win over Berry of Georgia Wednesday. Daily Pilot staff writer Barry Faulkner is on assignment, reporting on the Lions in Jackson.

Assemblyman Van Tran has invited volunteers and other local residents to a reception in the Little Saigon Outreach Headquarters in Westminster today, encouraging his constituents to enjoy drinks and snacks while cheering on their favorite candidate as the results roll in. Tran has run a Republican neighborhood precinct operation in the headquarters, which has been organizing on behalf of presidential hopeful John McCain. “I think because there is a dearth of events for the presidential primary that it would be nice to have a nice opportunity to get together,” Tran said.

ANAHEIM — Out of breath, the lone freshman on the Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball team motioned to Coach Ryan Schachter. Clayton Ragsdale wanted out of the Sea Kings’ opening-round game of the La Quinta Tournament. Schachter, surprised, yelled out, “Give me two more minutes, that’s all that’s left.” Ragsdale slowly walked over to the bench. He did his part to stop Westminster point guard Keshad Adeniyi in the second half. Now it was someone else’s job in garbage time.