Big Cats 13-1 in regular season

The sixth-grade boys’ National Junior Basketball All-Net team, the Newport-Mesa Big Cats, ended its regular season in first place with a 13-1 record.

The Big Cats advance to the Super Sectional Tournament this weekend in Orange County. They are vying to advance to the All-Net national tournament March 26-27 at Cal State Fullerton.

The Big Cats include: Chase Garbers, Colin Pipkin, Mitch Haly, Will Rodosky, Jacob Jones, Chase Furey, Matthew McDonald and Connor Kincaid. The team is coached by Mike Flamson.

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Mariners Christian School Roundup

Girls’ volleyball captures title

The Mariners Christian School eighth-grade girls’ volleyball team avenged its only loss of the season by beating Harbor Day in the Coastal Athletic League championship match.

The victory gave the Dolphins their first championship in girls’ volleyball after five seasons in the league. The two teams met only a week ago in the final match of the regular season, when Harbor Day won in three games.

The Dolphins were missing two starters in that game, including Brooke Schweitzer and Mallory Beane. The team was at full strength in the championship and needed all of them to overcome the excellent team in Harbor Day.

“I knew it was going to be a real battle tonight,” said Tami Grove, Mariners head coach and the mother of Logan Grove, one of the Dolphins’ key players. “Harbor Day is very good and it took our best to beat them tonight. It’s a credit to their team and their coach for the job they are doing.”

The Dolphins were led by the excellent serving and playmaking of Logan Grove and Beane. Kristen Kienhle was excellent at the net providing several key blocks throughout the match. Anna Chin was steady throughout and was the glue that kept the team working together. Schweitzer and Emma Cubeiro were both highly effective in the attack, adding several kills each. Other key performances came from Ellie Reid and Brooke Olson.

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Mariners beats Calvary

The Mariners eighth-grade boys’ basketball team improved its record to 8-3, 4-1 in league by defeating first-place Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana. The win put the two schools tied up at the top of CALOC Division I. Jake Haar led all scoring with 33 points, including five three-pointers. John Mooers had a stellar game netting six crucial points including three free throws at a critical moment in the game.

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Seventh-graders split

The Mariners seventh-grade boys’ basketball team split two recent games by defeating Harbor Day, 44-22, in a nonleague game. Mariners lost at Calvary Chapel and had three key players out with the flu. Taso Marcopulos, Connor Deverian and Mitch Dean continue to lead the team in scoring and rebounds.

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Sixth-graders keep on winning

In the elementary division, the Mariners sixth-grade boys’ basketball team continued its winning ways against Huntington Christian, 45-35. Colin Pipkin led all scoring with 22 points and Seifu Pierce led the team with eight rebounds and eight points.

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NJB girls win title

The Newport-Mesa NJB Blue Thunder fifth-sixth-grade girls’ team won the championship for its bracket in the NJB Championship Series.

After a regular season with just four losses, the Blue Thunder advanced to the championship and over a two-week period took on and beat excellent teams from Los Alamitos, San Juan Capistrano and Aliso Niguel.

The Blue Thunder’s last game ended with a victory and the bracket championship Sunday in San Juan Capistrano.

Julia Ackerman, Hunter Gantos, Missy Taylor and Emily Armijo, as playmakers, set up the offensive attack, while Orianna Rousseau, Callie Kennedy and Sarah Farley assisted the scoring and playmaking. Rebecca Bailey and Kate Hampton dominated the boards defensively and offensively, while adding to the scoring attack.

A dream team of soccer teammates, the Blue Thunder were coached by Bill Lyon and Rick Taylor.

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