Napper Breaks Cypress’ 16-Year Empire Title Drought

David Napper of Cypress won the Empire League individual cross-country title in 16 minutes 2 seconds on the 3.05-mile course Wednesday at Irvine Regional Park.

The victory by Napper, a junior, gave Cypress its first individual champion since 1984, when William Feliciano won the title.

Salvadore Herrera, another junior, was second in 16:16 for Loara. Napper, Herrera and Josh Pena, who took third for Loara, qualified for the Southern Section individual finals.

Katella won its 11th consecutive Empire League team title, finishing with 40 points, Cypress was second (65) and Loara third (74). The top three teams advanced to the Southern Section finals.

In the Orange League finals:

Sophomore triumphs--Valencia sophomore Juan Robles won in a course-record 15:37 over 3.05 miles at Craig Park for the first-place Tigers (17 points), who beat Brea Olinda (59) and third-place Anaheim (76). Valencia’s Lee Ray Ocampo finished second in 16:01.

In the Empire League girls’ cross-country finals:

Cypress wins--Michelle Icban, a Cypress senior, defended her individual title, covering the 3.05-mile course at Irvine Regional Park in 18:57. Cypress finished with a team score of 37. El Dorado was second (59) and Loara third (67).

In the Orange League finals:

Thune repeats--Jenny Thune won in a course-record 18:50 on Craig Park’s 3.05-mile course to win her fourth individual league title and lead Brea Olinda (19 points) to the team championship over Valencia (66). Magnolia and Savanna tied for third at 83.

Brea’s Kathy Sepulveda (19:26) and Amber Kuhnel (19:28) finished second and third.

In the Serra League individual golf finals:

Sanders wins--Jenn Sanders, a Rosary freshman, won the individual title by shooting a 12-over-par 143 at Western Hills Country Club. Santa Margarita’s Megan Mulhaupt was second at 153.

In nonleague golf:

No. 9 Esperanza 154, Claremont 164--Junior medalist Melissa Lox shot a 49, and teammate Lyndsay Holst 50 for the Aztecs (14-4) at par-36 Marshall Canyon.

In the Empire League tennis championships:

Top players advance--El Dorado’s Kim Dao and Katella freshman Christine Ricohermoso, the league’s top two seeded players, each won her quarterfinal match, 6-0, 6-0, and will advance to the semifinals at 2 p.m. today at the Anaheim Tennis Center.

In the Sea View League tennis finals:

Lingman, Exon advance--Woodbridge’s Susanna Lingman and Elizabeth Exon each swept her quarterfinal match, as did Newport Harbor’s Megan Hawkins and Kelly Nelson. Semifinals begin at 12:30 p.m. today at the Balboa Bay Club and the finals are at 3 p.m.

In Orange League girls’ volleyball:

Savanna 3, Magnolia 1--Kristy Fox had 30 assists and sophomore Tordra Sessions had a match-high 14 kills for the Rebels (4-14, 2-8), who won, 15-13, 15-1, 12-15, 15-9. Brandi Jones had eight kills for Magnolia (4-12, 0-10).

Valencia 3, Western 0--The Tigers (14-2, 10-0) won their 78th consecutive Orange League match and 12th straight league title with a 16-14, 15-9, 15-4 victory. Junior setter Jackie Francois had 28 assists, Michelle Whiteman had a match-high 13 kills and Alexis Cooley had six blocks. Western is 9-7, 7-3.

In the Golden West League:

Tustin 3, Westminster 0--Elizabeth Smith had 14 kills and seven aces for host Tustin (7-7, 4-4), which won, 15-4, 15-3, 15-3.

In Century League boys’ water polo:

Canyon 11, Santa Ana Valley 4--Host Canyon (18-8, 3-2) clinched third place in the league and a playoff berth.

Chris Meyer had five goals and Jon Pease two for the Comanches, who led, 6-2, after three quarters, but put the game away with a five-goal fourth quarter.

Goalie Miguel Franco had nine saves for Santa Ana Valley (17-7, 2-3).

In the Sea View League:

No. 1 Newport Harbor 11, Aliso Niguel 2--Ryan Cook had four goals, Kyle Bean two and five others had one goal each for host Newport Harbor (23-5), which led 9-1 at halftime.

Sailor goaltenders Shawn Johnson and Brandon McLain combined for 10 saves.

In the Sunset League:

No. 7 Los Alamitos 8, Esperanza 5--The Griffins clinched the Sunset League title. Tyler Drake had three goals and Joe Gentner had two for Los Alamitos (14-12, 5-0), which led, 4-0, at halftime and never trailed.

Brian Rock had three goals for Esperanza (14-10, 3-2).

Goalies Andy Gentner of Los Alamitos and Brian Ricci of Esperanza each had 10 saves.