Briefly In Sports

Simpson inches closer to ASP tour

Huntington Beach native Brett Simpson finished third over the Oct. 10-11 weekend at the RioSurf Pro International tournament in Brazil, helping him get closer to qualifying for the 2010 Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Tour.

Simpson is now sixth in the ASP World Qualifying Series rankings. With four more six-star PRIME tournaments left, he needs to stay in the top 15 by the end of the year to qualify.

Trella to compete at Top 40 this weekend

The 2009 Speedo Top 40 women’s water polo festival starts Friday at the USA Water Polo National Training Center in Los Alamitos and features several players with Huntington Beach ties.

Recent Huntington Beach High graduate Leah Trella, who now attends UCLA, will be competing for “Team Sonic Surf” at the eighth annual competition. Trella is one of 52 of the top high school and college women’s water polo players, as selected by the USA Water Polo National Women’s Team coaching staff, who will compete at the tournament.

Huntington Beach Water Polo Club head coach Natalie Benson, along with Ericka Lorenz, are honorary captains for the weekend. Both are two-time Olympians in women’s water polo.

There will also be a 16-team invitational club tournament including top Orange County teams like SET, HBWPC and Golden West.

Huntington Beach tops rival

The Huntington Beach High girls’ field hockey team topped rival Newport Harbor, 3-0, on Tuesday at the Oilers’ newly renovated Cap Sheue Field.

Ashlyn Pooler, Corinne Clegg and Taryn Rescigno all scored, with assists to Meagen Good, Rescigno and Jessica Van Arsdale. Goalie Maelen Lockhart had six saves to help preserve the shutout.

Huntington Beach had previously topped Marina, 3-0, behind two goals from Rescigno and one from Pooler.

Gina Taglieri, Jordan Mulholland and goalie Lockhart all played well defensively.

Senior surf event on tap for Halloween

The 2009 Southland Senior Olympics surfing competition, for men and women 50 and older, will be held Oct. 31 south of the pier in Huntington Beach. The first heat starts at 7:30 a.m. Athletes will compete within five-year age groups, running from 50-54 to 75-plus. The registration costs are $25 and the final registration deadline is Monday.

For more information, call Chris Cole at (714) 374-1710.

— Matt Szabo