Tars fall

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Sharon Wolfe’s manipulations with an

injury-riddled girls field hockey team finally caught up with her

Saturday as the Huntington Beach High Oilers took third place at the

Tournament of Champions with a 2-0 victory over her Newport Harbor

Sailors.

Susan Lear (12 saves) and Bitta Jansma were All-Tournament selections

for the Sailors, who found themselves shut out for the fifth time in the

last six games as they settled for an overall record of 10-4-3.

Harbor’s losses were twice to champion Edison and once to Marina and

Huntington Beach in the tournament.

Wolfe cited the standout play of Lear and Jansma, as well as Paige

Thompson and Heather Metcalf, among others, for the bulk of Harbor’s

success.

Saturday’s loss to Huntington Beach at Pleasant View School was

typical, the Sailors without standout starter Kim Erickson because of a

tweaked neck, as well as four or five others who played through despite

nagging injuries.

“Our versatility and cohesiveness kept us afloat during the season,”

said Wolfe, who loses 10 seniors to graduation. “We just played with a

lot of heart and intensity.”