Irvine Has One More CIF Title

The Irvine boys’ swim team came from behind Monday to win the CIF Relays for the sixth consecutive season at Long Beach Belmont Plaza.

The Vaqueros trailed by six points before the final event, the 200-yard medley relay, but won the race in 1 minute 39.60 seconds. The victory gave Irvine 192 points. Huntington Beach Edison finished second with 186 points, Santa Margarita was third with 108 and Long Beach Wilson was fourth with 98.

Irvine also won the 200 breaststroke relay in 1:52.24. The only other team to win more than one event was Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley, which only entered three events but won two -- the 200 butterfly relay (1:38.23) and the 200 backstroke relay (1:41.03).

Dan Arritt

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Second-ranked San Clemente, with tournament most valuable player Brian Thornton running the offense from his setter position, defeated third-ranked Huntington Beach, 15-13, 15-12, in the Division I boys’ volleyball title match in the Orange County Championships at Huntington Beach Edison.

Huntington Beach got off to a 7-0 lead in the first game with solid blocking.

But San Clemente rallied, getting a dink from outside hitter Brett Simpson to tie the score, 13-13, an ace from middle blocker Braden Dejong for its first lead of the game and the winner on a lift call against Huntington Beach.

Huntington Beach pulled to within 8-7 in the second game, but San Clemente used two Huntington Beach errors, a kill by middle blocker Hunter Gillane and an ace from Thornton for a 12-7 lead. The Tritons were never seriously threatened again.

Dejong led San Clemente with 12 kills. Outside hitter Kenny Markwardt had 10 kills for the Oilers.

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In the Division II final, Long Beach Millikan defeated Irvine, 15-13, 15-10.

Irvine led 6-0 in the first game but Millikan outscored the Vaqueros, 13-5, for a 13-13 tie.

After several sideouts, the Rams clinched the game on an ace by Jordan Riddell.

Millikan led, 7-6, in the second game, then pulled away with seven consecutive points.

David Coats and Jeremy Moena had seven kills apiece for the Rams.