Kolohe Andino in familiar waters at U.S. Open of Surfing event

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Brazilian surfer Alejo Muniz is hoisted off the sand as he celebrates his win at the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Women’s final winner Carissa Moore is carried to the awards platform at the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Brazilian surfer Alejo Muniz holds up his nation’s flag after winning the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Brazilian surfer Alejo Muniz competes in the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. Muniz later won the competition. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Thousands gather at the Huntington Beach pier as surfers compete in the Vans US Open of Surfing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Crowds gather for the action. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Derrik Kapalla of Sharper Studios shapes a surfboard. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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A woman surfs the crowd during the Modest Mouse concert. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Kelly Slater, an 11-time world champion, rides a wave in the men’s third-round competition. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Kelly Slater runs up the beach after competing in his third-round heat. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Vincent Duvignac of France rides a wave during third-round action at the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Surfer Hodei Collazo stretches on the beach before his third-round heat. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Peanut rides in his customized bike trailer driven by Ray and Marge Hernandez of Riverside, who were attending the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing competition in Huntington Beach. (Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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C.J. Hobgood poses for a picture with a fan after competing in the third round. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Kolohe Andino of San Clemente completes a maneuver during third-round action. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Charles Martin stretches under the pier before competing in the men’s third round. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Dax McGill of Hawaii starts a bottom turn during the junior women’s semifinals of the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Crowds gather near the Huntington Beach Pier for the surfing contest and more. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Tyler Wright of New South Wales, Australia, paddles to catch a wave during the women’s second round. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Sage Erickson of Ventura navigates her way through the Huntington Beach Pier during the women’s second round. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Sage Erickson of Ventura signs an autograph after competing in the women’s second round. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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U.S. surfer Taylor Clark stretches before competing in the junior men’s quarter finals. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

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Spectators line the Huntington Beach Pier for a view of surfers during the first round of competition on the south side of the pier. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Zeke Lau of Hawaii high steps along the beach to warm up just before his heat in the first round of competition. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Ella Moss, 4, gets a ride along the beach from professional surfer Sonny Garcia after his first-round heat. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

By Andrew Gastelum

July 27, 2013 4:12 PM PT

Kolohe Andino grew up as just one of the thousands of spectators on the shore of Huntington Beach gazing at the heroes of the U.S. Open of Surfing.

But at 19, Andino enters Sunday as one of the favorites to be carried through the crowd with a U.S. Open title.

Kolohe translates into “troublemaker” in Hawaiian, which is exactly what he’ll try to be in a sport defined by its legends, including San Clemente surfing icon Dino Andino, who just happens to be his father.

“I’ve surfed here a lot growing up through the amateur ranks, and I would come up here pretty much every weekend as a kid,” Andino said. “I grew up with these kind of waves. I’m from just down the street so I’m comfortable here.”

Rather than live in the shadow of the legends around him, the teenager is creating his own legend, making it to the final day of the U.S. Open for the second time in his young career after making the semifinals in 2011. And why not steal the spotlight after 11-time world champion Kelly Slater and world No. 1 Julian Wilson vacated it? They failed to qualify for the final day, which includes the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals all within five hours.

In fact, Andino took on Wilson twice in three days and lived to surf another day.

After the turmoil of the first five rounds, Andino remains the only Southern Californian left in a quarterfinals that is stacked with four surfers ranked in the top 10. But the No. 17-ranked pro is looking to go from local boy to hometown hero a la Brett Simpson, the Huntington Beach native who won in 2009 and 2010.

“I’ve always dreamed of being at the end of this event,” Andino said. “In 2011, I made the semifinals, and it was almost like a dream coming true. Definitely there’s something special to it.”

Andino and his fellow Red Bull poster child Jordy Smith are the only two remaining surfers to have won every heat of the tournament. The two friends are on opposite ends of the bracket, meaning a showdown in Sunday’s 1:15 p.m. finals is starting to look more like a possibility than a pipeline dream.

“He’s an incredible surfer, and he’s had some really good heats,” Smith said of Andino. “It just looks like he’s been building a lot of momentum. I’m really hoping we can meet in the final.”

The 25-year-old Smith, who was victim to one of Simpson’s legendary title runs, said he hopes to use his finals experience from 2010 to claim the $100,000 prize.

“You’ve just got to stay hydrated, maintain your focus and make sure you’re amped,” the No. 2-ranked surfer said. “I’d love to get it this time.”

Andino, meanwhile, is just along for a ride that’s been all but smooth as a hero among his heroes.

“Even if I just make the final I’d be stoked,” Andino said with a laugh.

andrew.gastelum@latimes.com

twitter.com/andrewgastelum