Briefs: Local surfer No. 1

Courtney Conlogue, a Sage Hill School product, won the Estoril Surf & Music Billabong Girls Pro completed Saturday in Praia do Guincho, Portugal.

Conlogue, who claimed the $4,500 winner’s purse, defeated fellow Californian Lakey Peterson in the 30-minute main event final. She has $51,550 in winnings on the tour this season.

Conlogue solidified her No. 1 position in the Assn. of Surfing Professionals Women’s Star rankings. She has 11,720 points, well ahead of No. 2-ranked Sage Erickson (7,640).

The tour concludes Aug. 1-6 at the Nike U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.

— From staff reports

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Thornton stands out

Former UC Irvine All-American setter Brian Thornton helped the U.S. men’s national volleyball team defeat Brazil, 25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 26-24, Sunday in FIVB World League action in front of 17,846 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

It was the first loss in league play for Brazil, ranked No. 1 in the world.

Thornton played the entire match for Team USA, which lost in four games to Brazil on Saturday.

The Americans are 4-2 in the World League, while Brazil is 5-1.

Team USA, which also includes veteran setter and Corona del Mar High product Kevin Hansen, will face Poland on Friday and Saturday in Hoffman Estates, Ill., near Chicago.

It faces Brazil in Tulsa, Okla., June 24-25, then takes on Puerto Rico in Long Beach on July 1-2.

— From staff reports

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Bernatz collects honor

Newport Beach resident Connor Bernatz, a four-year starter for the University of San Francisco baseball team, won the Troy Nakamura Kipono Aloha Deep Love Award given to the Dons’ player who best exemplifies commitment to the team and the program.

Bernatz, a right fielder who earned first-team All-West Coast Conference recognition for a second season in 2011, helped the Dons win the WCC title and advance to the Los Angeles Regional at UCLA. They finished 32-25.

Bernatz, who played in every game and started all but one this season, hit .292 with 62 hits, two home runs and 24 runs batted in.

He was successful on seven of eight stolen-base attempts and scored 33 runs. He set a school single-season record with 14 sacrifice hits as a senior.

A Freshman All-American in 2008, Bernatz finishes fifth in school annals in career at-bats (715), sixth in doubles (46), tied for seventh in hits (216) and ninth in extra-base hits (58). He is a candidate for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

— Barry Faulkner

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Morrow wins derby

Corona del Mar High outfielder Will Morrow won a $500 gift certificate from a bat company.

The bat he used in the Home Run Derby at the 15th annual Ryan Lemmon Foundation Senior Showcase worked pretty well on Saturday.

Morrow won the home run contest and then went one for one, walked once and scored twice, helping the Pacific Coast League All-Stars defeat the Freeway League All-Stars, 12-3, at Windrow Park in Irvine.

Two other CdM seniors invited to the game were catcher Clark Cashion and center fielder Brian Ford.

Judy Johnson, head of the Sea Kings’ parent booster club, said Cashion was unable to play because he is recovering from a broken leg he suffered during the season.

Johnson said Ford declined the invitation because he attended his brother’s college graduation.

— David Carrillo Peñaloza