The King of the Waves Gets a Wakeup Call From Dana Hills

We’ve got frigid waters off Orange County beaches, Rockin’ Fig is back from the national amateur championships in Florida, and the big shootout between the Dana Hills and Huntington Beach high school surf teams is now history.

First, let’s talk school contest. Dana Hills won, a major blow to Huntington Coach Andy Verdone. The defeat, at Huntington’s pier on Nov. 21, stunned Verdone, who praised Dana Hills Coach Junji Nakamura.

“(Nakamura) came down with a well-organized team,” Verdone said. “He outcoached me. He’s a genius. He came better prepared.”

Yo, Figgy, did you hear that? Verdone called another coach a genius! Fig was a member of Huntington’s 1974 championship team.

For Verdone to take a step back and say the guy outcoached him, that’s pretty heavy . Actually, the defeat comes when Huntington Beach thought it had the team of teams. There were two recent transfers, Justin Harcharic from Seal Beach and Mikey Reilly from Los Alamitos, and HB thought it would have the best team ever. And here they go and are upset.

The victory marks the first time that Dana Hills has beaten Huntington Beach since 1980. In Nakamura’s press release (yup, he sent one), he humbly called it “the best high school surf team contest of the CENTURY!”

Verdone said the showdown was the last heat. Huntington needed a sweep but came up short.

“They ended up winning by 5 points. How many points in all? Oh, don’t make me look it up. I’ve been trying to forget this.”

Wait until Jan. 24 for the rematch at Salt Creek . Both teams have been demolishing their opponents by 15 to 25 points. Huntington is unbeaten in the Sunset League, and Dana Hills remains undefeated in the South Coast league.

Fig, you think Dana Hills is going to win the national championship this year?

Naw. I’ll say this: Dana Hills better watch out. Because from everything I’ve heard, Huntington still has a pretty killer team, and it’s ready for revenge, despite the defeat. Watch HB take ‘em at the nationals!

I don’t know, Fig. They got a coach named Junji. That should be worth a few points.

Speaking of contests, Fig, how did you do at the U.S. Surfing Federation Amateur Championships? (Fig, a former national title holder, surfed in the senior men’s championships two weeks ago at Sebastian Inlet in Florida.)

Uhhh, I got sixth place.

Eeeeek! What happened?

Well, I was in the semifinals late in the day, and the wind was blowing 35 mph. Major whitecaps. I tried to get a few waves, but they just, like, crumbled.

Congratulations, however, are in order for Kim Hamrock, 34, of Huntington Beach, who successfully defended her women’s championship. Debbie Bradbury of Huntington Beach won first place in women’s bodyboard; Geoff Moysa of San Clemente won the individual paddle race and was a member of the winning paddle-race team.

Switching gears to the world title races: Graham Cassidy, the Assn. of Surfing Professionals’ executive director, said pro Lisa Andersen of Florida, who has been the points leader for women all year, will not compete in Hawaii this month.

Cassidy said Andersen suffered a herniated disc in her lower back and will try to salvage a world title at the final contest of the season in Australia early next year.

“This means the women’s title race is now back on in earnest,” Cassidy said.

Fig’s bummed by the news.

She’s been tearing it up all year. I know her back went out in Brazil and that she could barely surf down there. Before she got injured and pulled out, it was looking like a U.S. sweep for men’s and women’s pros with Kelly Slater and Lia.

As for Slater, the men’s event is the Pipeline Classic, going on through Friday. Slater won this event last year and has amassed so many contest points this season that if he makes the semifinals, Cassidy said, “it’s in the bag.”

Tell you the truth, the way Kelly’s been surfing this year, he’s got no problem. He’s more focused. Last year, he had plenty of distractions, like a knee injury, breaking up with his girlfriend, and his starring role in “Baywatch.” This year, he’s quit the TV program and he’s focused. Really a new character.

As for the cold: Water temperatures have been around an icy 55 to 56 degrees. I asked Fig how has he kept warm.

I’ve been wearing my fur-lined Speedos out there.

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Best Quote: “Nostalgia is nostalgia. But three fins hold you in.”--state parks ranger Doug (Doheny Doug) Harding, 43, who prefers longboards with three fins rather than one.

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Protest: The Long Beach/North Orange County Surfrider Foundation chapter is urging friends of the coastline to bring surfboards and join in Saturday at a protest against development of the Bolsa Chica wetlands. Meet at Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway from 9 to 11 a.m. The plan is to line the shoulder of the highway with people and surfers holding on to their boards. For more information: (714) 492-8170.