Sea Kings’ Emme honored
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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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