CIF road warriors

Barry Faulkner

Four teams, three divisions and about 15 hours of combined round-trip

bus rides. That about sums up the first-round challenge awaiting the

four Newport-Mesa boys basketball teams that will hit the road to

open competition in the CIF Southern Section Playoffs this week.

Estancia and Corona del Mar have the shortest commutes Wednesday,

opening Division III-A play at Gabrielino of San Gabriel and Ganesha

of Pomona, respectively.

Sage Hill also opens Wednesday, visiting Division IV-A foe

Hamilton, based in the remote Riverside County town of Anza.

Newport Harbor visits Ventura-based Buena for Friday’s Division

II-AA first round, as pairings were announced Sunday at the Southern

Section office.

Despite the road assignments, no local coach was complaining.

Citing the scarcity of students/prospective fans with the “ski week”

break that begins Monday, Newport-Mesa coaches, in fact, said they

didn’t mind playing on the road, since home crowds may be diluted.

“As a staff, we hoped we’d be away,” said Newport Harbor Coach

Larry Hirst, whose team lost a showdown with Woodbridge for the Sea

View League title Wednesday and will take a 16-9 record into the

contest with the 15-10 Bulldogs. “With all the students on break, I’m

not sure a home game this week would be very advantageous. Plus, we

like the fact that we’re leaving Orange County. Part of the whole

high school experience, and making the playoffs, is that you get to

travel.”

Newport Harbor, ranked No. 10 in the final II-AA poll, is making

its seventh straight trip to the playoffs in Hirst’s eighth year at

the helm. The Sailors have finished in the top two places in the Sea

View League the last six years and have won first-round playoff games

the last four seasons.

The challenge of extending that streak, however, will require

overcoming late-season injuries to two of their top six players.

Part-time starter Brett Perrine, a sophomore, went down with a torn

right ACL Jan. 31 at Aliso Niguel and junior starter Andre Pinesett

suffered what could be a serious knee injury in the regular-season

finale. Pinesett, originally thought to have torn his left ACL, will

visit a doctor today. Even if it’s only a mild sprain, however, Hirst

said he is out indefinitely.

Should Newport prevail, it would likely face Marmonte League

champion Moorpark in Tuesday’s second round. No. 2-seeded Villa Park,

which has eliminated the Sailors each of the last two seasons, is the

likely foe, should the Tars reach the quarterfinals.

Estancia (16-10) and CdM (12-15) both played Friday without a

starter. CdM senior Kevin Mancillas will return, Sea Kings Coach Ryan

Curry said, but Estancia junior forward Jordan Stroman, out with a

concussion, is awaiting medical clearance before he can resume

playing.

“We cut about 90 minutes off our first-round commute from last

year (Burroughs of Ridgecrest),” Sorce said. “We’ll try to prepare as

best we can.”

Gabrielino (13-12) tied for the Mission Valley League title. If

victorious, Estancia would visit top-seeded Bishop Montgomery, which

has won three straight section titles, in Friday’s second round.

The Sea Kings, who won a third-place playoff with Pacific Coast

League rival Calvary Chapel Friday, meet a 15-12 Ganesha squad that

finished second in the Valle Vista League. The Giants do not start a

player taller than 6-foot-1.

Brandon Sherrick-Odom a 6-3 senior who is CdM’s tallest player,

has missed the last nine games with an ankle injury, but is expected

to begin return to practice this week and could play Wednesday, Curry

said. If the Sea Kings advance, they would likely face De Anza League

co-champion Banning, ranked No. 8 in the final III-A poll.

Sage Hill, making its first playoff appearance in its second

varsity season, compiled a 10-13 record under first-year coach Steve

Keith. The third-place team from the Academy League is anxious to

play the program’s first CIF contest.

“At 10-13, 5-5 in league, we’re not celebrating too much,” Keith

said. “But there is pride over what we’ve done this year.”

Hamilton (17-4), which won the Big Sky League, has an added home

advantage, since game will be played at altitude. Keith said the

school sits at 4,000 feet. Wednesday’s winner will visit Yeshiva in

Friday’s second round.