Pilot Cup features big field

Get your soccer balls out; it’s that time of year again. The eighth annual Daily Pilot Cup will be featuring a record-high 148 teams, which trounces last year’s total of 130.

Pilot Cup Director Kirk McIntosh had to add a Bronze Division for boys’ third- and fourth-grade division and the girls’ third- and fourth-grade division because of the larger field.

“It’s growing by leaps and bounds,” McIntosh said of the tournament that starts today and ends June 6.

The Daily Pilot Cup is made up of teams from elementary schools in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Even though the Cup has a record number of participants, Davis, Killeybrooke and Paularino will not have teams in the event this year.

“Many of our students are involved with teams and they have schedules that conflict,” Killeybrooke Principal Kathy Sanchez said. “In terms of getting commitment, every year we try to get an assistant to help with directing. It’s just tough. But it’s our goal to be in it every year.”

Last year, Davis, one of the largest elementary schools in the district, had its fifth- and sixth-grade boys disqualified from the tournament. Davis petitioned to have all its teams play in the Silver Division last year. But McIntosh said there should be a team in the Gold Division because the school is so large and clearly needed to be in the top division.

So Davis entered a Gold Division team and two Silver Division teams in the boys’ fifth- and sixth-grade division, but the team did not show up for the Gold Division games. Instead, Davis had two teams in the Silver Division.

“They only had two teams and put a phantom team in the gold to show they were cooperating,” McIntosh said. “They intentionally cheated. It was obvious.”

McIntosh disqualified Davis from the boys’ fifth- and sixth-grade Silver Division.

This year, no teams from Davis signed up.

“I think it’s some kind of political ploy or protest,” McIntosh said.

The 148 teams will be vying for a championship in each division. All Gold Division championship games are at the Costa Mesa Farm Complex on Sunday, starting at 12:30 p.m. with the boys’ fifth- and sixth-grade title game. Mariners Christian will try to defend its championship.

The girls’ fifth- and sixth-grade title game is at 2 p.m. Our Lady Queen of Angels won last year.

Jason Kornfeld

and Steve Virgen