High Schools: Locals on upward path
Two former Corona del Mar High boys’ soccer standouts are teaming up on the pitch for another team overseas this month.
Jack McBean and Grady Howe left for Spain on Sunday,April Fool’s Day. This is no joke, though.
The two are with the Los Angeles Galaxy under-18 academy team that will compete at the Real Sociedad XXVII Youth Invitational Tournament.
McBean, who signed a professional contract with the Galaxy as a sophomore striker last year, and Howe, a midfielder bound for UCLA after his senior year at CdM, look to help the Galaxy academy team finish strong in its youth international tournament debut.
The team plans to spend the first three days at the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s official training complex. The Galaxy has a warm-up match against Rayo Vallecano before traveling to San Sebastian to begin play in the eight-team tournament on Friday.
McBean is also part of the U.S. under-20 men’s national team.
The Newport Beach-based Orange County Volleyball Club under-18 girls’ team traveled to Atlanta last week without its best player, setter Cinnamon Sary, a Newport Harbor senior.
Three other local seniors raised their level of play, rallying the club almost every time until it reached the finale of the Big South Junior National Championships Qualifier on Sunday.
Tampa Bay Juniors Black swept Orange County Volleyball Club, 25-17, 25-18, in the best-of-three title match in the open division, but Coach Charlie Brande said Newport Harbor libero Tatum Norton, outside hitter Kasey Thompson and CdM middle blocker Britton Taylor excelled during the three-day tournament.
Brande said Norton, who’s bound for Oregon, battled back problems, Thompson, bound for Hawaii Pacific, a bad ankle, and Taylor, bound for UC Santa Barbara, not having Sary to set her up because the USC-bound Sary was dealing with an ankle injury.
The trio helped the club go 8-2 and advance to the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships in Ohio on June 28-July 1.
Coach John Emme’s CdM baseball team is doing well, ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 poll, and so are three of his former players.
Emme posted on the Sea Kings’ alumni Facebook page about Eric Eadington and Jake Lemmerman, members of the Sea Kings’ CIF Southern Section Division IV championship team in 2004, and Matt Hauser on Monday.
“Great day for [CdM] baseball [on Sunday]!” Emme’s post read. “Eric Eadington pitched a scoreless ninth for the Dodgers and in the bottom of the same inning, Jake Lemmerman had a pinch-hit at-bat.
“All the while Matt Hauser is knocking at the door for the Minnesota Twins!”
The current Sea Kings have a first-place showdown in Pacific Coast League play at defending champion Beckman on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
The Patriots and CdM are both atop the league standings at 4-1. The Sea Kings won the first meeting at home against Beckman, 3-2, on March 16.
Steve Astor is in his first season as the Newport Harbor boys’ volleyball coach, but not much has changed since he replaced longtime coach Dan Glenn.
The Sailors keep winning and they’re contending in the Sunset League again.
The defending champion Sailors are coming off an impressive come-from-behind five-set win at Los Alamitos. They travel to face their toughest league opponent in Huntington Beach on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m.
The Sailors and Oilers share first place at 3-0. Huntington Beach, ranked seventh in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 poll, is the league favorite.
The Estancia baseball team has two crucial Orange Coast League games this week. The games are also against the same team.
Estancia plays Calvary Chapel, which is in first place in league at 5-0, one game ahead of Estancia.
Estancia faces Calvary Chapel on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Windrow Community Park’s Ryan Lemmon Stadium in Irvine. On Thursday, Estancia plays host to Calvary Chapel on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
Estancia’s lone league loss came at home to Calvary Chapel last week.
The Sage Hill baseball and boys’ volleyball teams are ranked in the CIF Southern Section polls this week.
The baseball team, which is 6-5-1, is No. 10 in Division 6, and the boys’ volleyball team, which is 8-6, is No. 8 in Division 6.
The CdM boys’ volleyball team is No. 2 in Division 2. The Sea Kings are 14-4.
Twitter: @DCPenaloza
Twitter: @DCPenaloza
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