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Sea Kings’ Emme honored

Corona del Mar High baseball coach John Emme, who guided the Sea

Kings to a 25-5 record and the CIF Southern Section Division IV

championship last spring, has been named Division II Coach of the

Year in Region 8 by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Emme, who also guided CdM to the CIF Division IV crown in 1999,

helped the 2004 Sea Kings rebound from a 2-4 start to win their final

17 games, including a 15-0 campaign in the Pacific Coast League.

CdM defeated PCL rival Tesoro, 3-1, in the section championship

game June 5 at Dodger Stadium.

Splash claims crown

* SWIMMING: The Splash Aquatics swim team, based at Estancia High,

defeated 21 other teams to win the Orange County Swim Conference

championships in July at El Toro High.

Splash produced 1,699 points, nearly 400 more than runner-up

Cerritos Aquatics.

Individual champions representing Splash included: Brandi White

(25-yard breaststroke and the 25 backstroke for girls ages 5-6);

Preston Lee (100 free for boys 9-10); James Barker (50 back for boys

9-10); Monique Wilson (100 free for girls 13-14); Shea Kopp (100 back

for girls 13-14); Amanda Loera (100 free for girls 15 and older);

Krista Conrad (100 individual medley for girls 15 and older); Chad

Kunert (100 free for boys 15 and older); Tim Roach (50 free and 100

butterfly for boys 15 and older); and Adam Jones (100 back for boys

15 and older).

Splash teams also won the mixed medley and mixed free relays in

the 5-6 and 15-and-older divisions.

Splash Coach Cynthia Bandaruk was mildly surprised by the margin

of victory, since the program had been moved up to Division I after

winning the 2003 Division II title by a mere eight points.

“We were worried about competing against these Division I teams

because they have some amazing swimmers,” Bandaruk said. “But our

kids came through with flying colors. We are really proud of the

team.”

In addition, 19 Splash swimmers qualified for individual events in

the Southern California Junior Olympics, held earlier this month in

Mission Viejo.

The individual qualifiers for the Junior Olympics were Loera,

Roach, Kopp, Meagan Kunert, Haley Kunert and Chad Kunert.

The relay competitors included Estancia High swimmers Carolina

Barnes, Hiranya Keenaweena and Devon Mellin.

Cal Stars finish second

* BASEBALL: The 13-year-old Cal Stars baseball team, including

some players from Newport Beach, went 7-1 and finished second at the

Triple Crown World Series, completed Aug. 8 in Steamboat Springs,

Colo.

The event featured 40 of the best 13-year-old travel ball teams in

the country, eight of which were from California.

The Stars fell to the East Texas Hurricanes, 5-1, in the

championship game after winning their first seven contests, including

a 10-0 triumph over East Texas in the winner’s bracket final.

Ryan Boeger pitched a shutout and Jordan Beck belted a two-run

home run for the Cal Stars in the winner’s bracket final.

In the championship game, the Cal Stars were led offensively by

Ben Conlin, who went 3 for 3. Chris Griffin was 2 for 3 and Josh Lee

drove in the only run with a single.

In addition to Boeger, pitchers Matt Davidson, Ben Conlin, Jaime

Dominguez, Beck, Kennedy Winkler and Frankie Martin combined to

surrender just 12 earned runs in eight games.

Beck, Conlin, Davidson, Dominguez, Winkler, Griffin, Lee, Ben

Aguilera and A.J. Hughes all contributed offensively for Cal Stars,

who have won two other national championships in the last 12 months.

The Cal Stars’ 87 runs in eight games was a tournament record and

they amassed 95 hits.

Manager Mike Griffin is assisted by coaches Jeff Lee, Ron Conlin

and Anthony Beck.

Tennis event at Bren

* TENNIS: The UC Irvine Bren Center will host the World Team

Tennis All-Star Smash Hits Oct. 11. Eight-time Grand Slam-winner

Andre Agassi and this year’s Wimbledon runner-up, Andy Roddick, are

scheduled to play the charity event.

The WTT is trying to use the excitement generated by the winning

season the Newport Beach Breakers have had and lure tennis fans to

the match.

“We are quickly developing a strong following for the Newport

Beach Breakers in Southern California,” said Ilana Kloss, WTT CEO and

Commissioner. “Bringing Smash Hits to Orange County gives us another

chance to expose more people to our special brad of tennis.”

Hosted by Sir Elton John and WTT co-founder Billie Jean King, the

event will raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the

National AIDS Fund. Tickets range from $35 to $100 and are on sale at

all Ticketmaster locations and the Bren Center. For information, call

the Bren Center at (949) 824-5000.

Sage seeks coaches

* HELP WANTED: Sage Hill School is looking for a varsity girls

volleyball assistant coach and a trainer for the upcoming school

year.

Interested applicants may contact Lightning Boys Athletic Director

Nate Miller at (949) 219-1365.

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