Jurewitz Comes On Strong for Peninsula

Alex Jurewitz is lending her newfound strength to the Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula girls’ tennis team.

Jurewitz has been working out once a week with Mark Hoffman, a strength and conditioning coach, since last December, and the Panthers are reaping the benefits.

“I feel really good about this season,” Jurewitz said. “I really wanted to be one of the main contributors this year and give the team someone they know they can count on.”

Jurewitz, the Panthers’ No. 1 player, is 29-3 this year, and Peninsula (10-0, 3-0) is ranked No. 5 by The Times.

Her workouts with Hoffman have helped Jurewitz lose about 10 pounds, improve her speed and increase her stamina. Those factors, combined with weekly sessions with her private coach, Robert Lansdorp, have built up confidence and aided Jurewitz’s recovery from surgery in May 2002 to repair a torn meniscus in her left knee.

-- Lauren Peterson

Orange County is home to some of the most competitive water polo programs in the Southland, but those teams in Southern Section Division IV might be the most evenly matched.

Goleta Dos Pueblos, ranked No. 5 in the division, beat No. 2 Santa Barbara San Marcos, 14-10, in a Channel League game on Tuesday. San Marcos will try to regroup today when it plays host to the division’s top team, Santa Barbara, in another important league game.

The Division IV Marmonte League, once dominated by Simi Valley and Agoura, is very unpredictable. Simi Valley Royal edged No. 4 Newbury Park, 8-7, in sudden death on Oct. 1, but Agoura came back to top Royal by a goal one week later.

Agoura lost the next day to No. 10 Thousand Oaks, which had been beaten four days earlier by Newbury Park in the fifth-place game of the El Segundo tournament.

-- Dan Arritt

Don’t place too much stock in the finishes of the Fountain Valley boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams in the Central Park Invitational in Huntington Beach last Saturday.

With the Orange County championships being held at Irvine Regional Park this Saturday, many of Fountain Valley’s top runners did not compete at Central Park.

The Barons finished third in the Division I boys’ race with a team that included only two of their top seven runners. The girls placed fourth with only three of their top seven.

-- John Ortega

Brynn Cameron, a two-sport standout at Newbury Park, has committed to USC for women’s basketball. Cameron also excels in volleyball.

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Top Performers

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

* Sheila Young, Santa Fe Springs St. Paul: Had 17 kills and 10 blocks for the visiting Swordsmen in a 25-14, 27-29, 25-16, 25-14 Del Rey League victory over Long Beach St. Anthony.

BOYS’ WATER POLO

* Michael Bury, Newport Harbor: Scored seven first-half goals for the No. 7-ranked Sailors, who led, 10-2, at halftime, en route to a 16-7 Sea View League victory over Aliso Niguel.

* Adam Hewko, Anaheim Servite: Scored five goals for the No. 1-ranked Friars in a 15-7 nonleague victory over La Canada.

GIRLS’ TENNIS

* Tania Mahtani, Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula: Swept, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 1 singles in a 16-2 nonleague road victory over No. 7 Dana Hills. The No. 5-ranked Panthers won all nine singles sets and seven of nine doubles sets.

GIRLS’ GOLF

* Angela Park, Torrance: Shot a one-under-par 33 and earned medalist honors for the No. 9-ranked Tartars in a 188-251 Ocean League victory over Santa Monica at Penmar Golf Course. Park has shot below par in six of her last seven rounds.

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For more scores and highlights:

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