Sailors suffer first loss

The Newport Harbor High surf team suffered its first loss of the

season Thursday when host Dana Hills snapped the Sailors’ streak of

seven wins with a 90-75 victory at Salt Creek Beach.

The small 2-3 foot waves at a high tide helped to create a

competitive contest, as Newport won the girls short board event, but

lost boys short board, long board, body board and girls long board

events.

Junior Amie Benjamin led the Newport girls’ short board team with

a second-place finish, while Lisa Evans and Chanel Rosa took third

and fourth, respectively, to contribute to the short board win.

Daniel Shea registered the high individual wave score of the day

with a 7.5 in the short board event. Joey Head and Robbie Delorme

collected second-place finishes in the boys short board, and Nathan

Stoneman and Brian Pearson both placed third in respective heats.

The boys short board squad lost for the first time this year, as

did the boys long boarders. Tanner Price and Chase Smith placed

fourth and fifth, respectively. Daniel Matthews came in first in the

body board event, collecting his third first-place finish of the

year.

Jill Austin and Lisa Turk, finished third and fourth,

respectively, yet also in a losing effort in the girls long board

event. The Sailors will return to action at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday in the

league finale against Los Alamitos at Anderson Street in Sunset

Beach. The Tars will compete in the league finals at Newport Dec. 2.

Afterward there will be five nonleague meets to prepare the Sailors

for the state championships in Oceanside Feb. 21-22.