Oiler girls win Loara tourney title

Mike Sciacca

The Huntington Beach High girls’ basketball team laid claim Saturday

to the Loara Tournament title by defeating the host Saxons, 45-41, in

the championship final.

Jasmine Erving led the Oilers with a game-high 22 points and

Karissa Plotnik added nine points.

Erving, a 6-foot-2 freshman center, also had 18 rebounds and six

blocks and was named tournament MVP.

Plotnik dished out seven assists.

Sophomore power forward Rebecca Murray made the all-tournament

team.

The Oilers won the tournament despite not having the services of

four players who are injured, including starter Katia Hadj-hamou, who

is out with a fractured finger.

“The girls are playing really smart basketball,” Huntington coach

Russ McClurg said. “Jasmine had a terrific tournament and the girls

are doing a great job of getting the ball inside to her.

“Karrisa also had a great performance in the championship game.”

Huntington opened up a 31-19 halftime lead, then held off a

comeback attempt by the Saxons.

The Oilers reserved a spot in the title game by slipping past

Trabuco Hills, 52-48, in semifinal round action.

Erving again led Huntington, this time with a game-high 28 points.

Jade Viloria scored 11 points for the Oilers.

In other girls’ play, Ocean View ended play at the Century

Tournament with a 44-35 victory over Tesoro.

The win gave the Seahawks a fifth-place finish.

Vanessa Alderfer led the Seahawks with nine points and Lauren

Boggeln scored eight.

Ocean View was also a 44-40 pool play winner over Laguna Hills.

The Seahawks got off to a slow start and trailed, 13-4, after one

quarter, but a terrific second quarter defensive stance allowed them

to shut out the Titans, 19-0, to take a 23-13 lead at the half.

DJ Butler’s 13 points paced the Seahawks and Kelsey Harris and

Josnique Thomas each scored nine points.

“The girls’ are greatly improved,” Ocean View Coach Jim Harris

said. “They had been losing some close games leading up to the recent

Duarte Tournament but now they are starting to put teams away. They

are learning how to take care of the ball, and that’s a great sign.”

Aliso Niguel was a 54-47 nonleague winner over visiting Marina.

Erin Barney scored 10 points and Rachael Maulit had nine points

for the Vikings.

In boys’ basketball, Edison High’s boys’ basketball team concluded

play at the Irvine World News Tournament Saturday with a 51-45

victory over Northwood.

The Chargers outscored the Timberwolves by eight points in the

second half to wipe out a two point halftime deficit.

Jeff Golden and T.J. Lipold each scored 13 points and Thomas

Marcin and Denny Reed had eight points each to lead Edison in

scoring.

In previous tournament games, Edison was outscored by 13 points in

the second half and lost to Redondo Union, 60-47, in first round

play.

Lipold and Reed each scored 10 points for the Chargers.

Edison came back to defeat Corona del Mar for the second time this

season, 59-56. Lipold scored 18 points and Marcin added 14 more for

the Chargers.

Edison also defeated Ross Sheppard, 50-38.

At the North Orange County Championships at Sonora High, Marina

was edged by Los Altos Saturday, 64-62. Jeff DeLaunay scored 24

points and Matt Molino also was in double figures with 18.

“We are definitely going through some growing pains,” said Marina

coach Roger Holmes, whose team slipped to 5-5 overall.

Four of Marina’s five losses have come in the closing minutes.

“We are struggling a bit and hope our tough pre-league will have

us ready when league rolls around,” Holmes said. “Our league is

always tough, but this year, it is shaping up as being as good from

top to bottom as it has in a long time.”

Marina previously ran past Anaheim, 74-53, in pool play.

Molino’s 19 points paced the Vikings, who also received 17 points

from Delaunay, 12 from Sean Starkey and 10 from Chris Potrykus.

Huntington Beach collected its second win of the season by beating

host Bolsa Grande, 59-44.

Matt Buckalew scored 19 points and Mike Gleeson had 10 for the

Oilers.

The Oilers traveled to Fresno to play in the Hoover Holiday

Classic and defeated Roosevelt, 62-51.

In boys’ soccer, Eugene Starikove scored two goals as Edison

upended Kennedy, 3-1.

In girls’ soccer, Edison made Marissa Reino’s goal stand in a 1-0

nonleague shutout of Dana Hills. Cassie Becker got the shutout on

four saves.

In girls’ water polo, Edison beat Fullerton, 10-4. Katie Springe

Scored five goals and Martha Fisic had four goals.