YOUTH SCENE: Early deficit not an issue

Courtesy Auto Body geared up for the upcoming AAA Division playoffs by defeating First Team Nolan 8-7 in Laguna Beach Little League action.

First Team Nolan wasted little time in establishing the lead and with pitcher Michael Shurtleff shutting out Courtesy Auto Body early, they bolted to a 5-0 lead through two innings.

But Courtesy Auto Body used a big rally in the third inning to get even.

In the inning, Max Brown got things started for Courtesy Auto Body with a single and was followed by Tyler Jackson’s hit. Next, John Ogden singled to left field to score both Brown and Jackson to make it 5-2. Danny Peterson continued the comeback with a single that plated Ogden. Blake Burzell and Ian Detweiler got into the act and loaded the bases and then Jeffrey Rosenthal’s hit into center-field scored both Burzell and Detweiler to tie the score at 5-5.

The defensive play of Peterson on the mound and Zach Spitz at first base prevented First Team Nolan from scoring in the top of the fourth.

In the bottom-half of the inning, Courtesy Auto Body was able to earn the go-ahead run by Billy Howie and take a 6-5 lead.

First Team Nolan scored twice in the top of the sixth to go back in front 7-6 but Courtesy Auto Body got the win when Ogden and Peterson scored in the bottom of the sixth to give Courtesy the one-run win.

? Fiesta Day celebration

Laguna Beach Little League will celebrate Fiesta Day on May 30. The event is open to family and friends of players from tee ball up through the Majors Division. The league’s traditional annual awards ceremony and festivities will take place at Riddle Field.

The awards ceremony will be held between the AAA Division and Majors Division playoff games.

California Rib Cook-off champion Richard Jones Bar-be-Q will cater the event. The cost is $9 per adult for a beef brisket meal and $4 per child for a boneless chicken breast meal.

The day’s schedule of activities are as follows:

4:15 p.m.: AAA Division playoff game.

6 p.m.: Meal service begins until 8 p.m.

6:15 p.m.: Awards ceremony (special awards and announcements)

6:45 p.m.: Majors Division playoff game.

League players will have the opportunity to collect their trophies and yearbooks at the event.

For more information on the day’s events, visit the website www.beachbaseball.com.

? Track and field

The city of Laguna Beach Community Service Department’s contingent to the Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation Orange County track meet at Laguna Hills High School on May 4th was impressive, as four girls set new city records.

Greer Jacobs, after breaking the city record in the Division 1998 (year born) 800-meter run with a time of 3:04.37, went on to topple that record at the county meet by clocking out at 3:01 in a first-place finish. Zoe Garrett had held the old record of 3:08 set in 1999. Greer also finished fifth in the long jump (8-feet-4).

In Division 1996, Marlee Grosher ran to a record time in the 800-meter run (2:44) at the county meet. Her previous record city meet time had been 2:56.33 and topped Olivia O’Hara’s 3:06 record set in 2006.

Grosher’s county meet time placed her third in a field of seven runners.

In Division 1994/93, Natasha Strickland bettered her city record of 6:09.91 in the 1,600-meter run by taking sixth- place with a time of 6:02. The old record was held by Kathryn DeYoung (2006, 6:18.8).

Christianne Kinder was the fourth new city record holder. She took first-place in the 1994/93 high jump with a best mark of 4-8. She broke the previous mark of 4-6 set in 1977 by Julie Hulstord

Other local girls who placed fourth or better, which qualified them for the Southern California Championships at Warren High in Downey on June 1: Sydney Davison (Division 2001 long jump, 6-9 1/2 , third); Alexandra McKeown (Division 2000 50-meter dash, 8.60, second, and 100-meter dash, 16.90, third); Chloe Levine (Division 2000 long jump, 8-5 1/2 , first); Kristin Landsiedel (Division 1998 long jump, 9-6 1/2 , fourth); Brighid Burns (Division 1997 softball throw, 113-9, first), and Marissa Merchant (Division 1994/93 100-meter dash, 13.9, second, and 200-meter dash, 29.6, third).

Also in Division 1998, Lauren Thunen placed first in the long jump with a best of 11-9 and was fourth in the 400-meter run (1:17.60). Thunen holds the city record in the 400 at 1:15.8 which she set at the city meet, breaking Tara Nichols O’Connell’s record of 1:17.l set in 1987.

Although no local boys’ records were broken this year, four boys qualified for the Southern California Championships led by double qualifier Thomas Johnson who sprinted to a second-place finish in Division 1995 200-meter dash (28.9) and a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter dash (13.9). In Division 2001, Christian Herry finished third in the 200-meter dash (41.8) and Scotty Plowden was first in the same division in the softball throw with a best throw of 59-feet. In the boys’ Division 1995 high jump, Lou Corbiere finished third and advanced with an effort of four-feet.

The local team is coached by Fred Pichay.