NEWPORT-MESA SPORTS STORIES TO LOOK FOR IN 2008:

One may have described 2007 as the Year of the Anteater.

In 2008, UC Irvine will be hard-pressed to duplicate its success in athletics from last year, yet the overriding story to watch for in the upcoming year could be summed up in one word: Beijing.

A couple of former Newport Harbor High stars are sure to be making headlines while they compete in the Olympics this year. Aaron Peirsol, often referred to as The Backstroke King, will be back at it in the pool, vying for gold once again. And, Misty May-Treanor, an icon on the beach volleyball scene, is poised to be standing the highest on the podium.

At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Peirsol captured three golds, winning the 100- and 200-meter backstroke and contributing to the world-record-breaking 400 medley relay team.

Back in March, Peirsol bettered his world record in the 100 back, winning the title at the FINA World Championships in 52.98 seconds. But he’ll have some work to do in the 200 back. At the World Championships in Australia, Peirsol failed to win the 200 back for the first time since the 2000 Olympics.

Fellow American Ryan Lochte broke Peirsol’s world record in the 200 back, finishing in one minute, 54.32 seconds. Peirsol’s former record was 1:54.44.

Peirsol had been under his own world-record pace through 150 meters, but Lochte passed him over the last 50 meters. Peirsol finished second in 1:54.80.

No doubt Lochte will be on Peirsol’s mind as he trains for his events, scheduled for Aug. 9-24.

May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh seem to have formed the perfect pair. They won Olympic gold with an undefeated run in 2004. It was another banner year for them in 2007. And, they’ll be looking for more success in Beijing, Aug. 9-22.

Here are more stories to watch for in 2008:

HIGH SCHOOLS

 Corona del Mar boys’ basketball: Will the Sea Kings win back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division III-A championships in Coach Ryan Schachter’s second year?

With senior center Stefan Kaluz, bound for Brown University, and senior guard Joe Eberhard, the Sea Kings seem to be at least a contender to defend their championship.

They begin Pacific Coast League play Jan. 9 when they play host to Beckman at 7 p.m.

 Josh George: Will the Newport Harbor High 145-pound senior wrestler advance to the CIF State championships for the first time?

George is 21-0 and has already won championships this season at the Eagle Invitational at John Glenn High, and the Andrew Pena Tournament at Irvine High.

He’ll wrestle in the Estancia tournament Friday and Saturday.

 Larry Hirst: Will the Newport Harbor boys’ basketball coach step down after 13 years to watch his son play basketball for Edison High?

Hirst might leave the program for a hiatus after the 2007-08 campaign.

 Corona del Mar football coach: Who will be hired to replace Dick Freeman, who was fired after 12 seasons on Dec. 7?

The answer is expected to come by the end of January as the coveted opening has drawn more than a dozen applicants.

 Matt Barkley’s future: The Newport Beach resident, who is the star quarterback for Mater Dei, will have his choice to play anywhere. Will he follow in the footsteps of former Mater Dei great Matt Leinart and go to USC?

Barkley, the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, has his senior year to play in the fall. But he may verbally commit before the season begins.

 Newport Harbor water polo: Will the Sailors’ boys’ and girls’ teams each claim CIF Southern Section titles in the same school year.

The girls are 8-1 and figure to contend for the Division I crown that the boys won in the fall.

COLLEGES

 UC Irvine baseball: Can the program, under first-year coach Mike Gillespie, match or exceed its breakthrough season of 2007 with a new coach.

The former USC coach will try to guide the Anteaters back to Omaha, site of the College World Series, where they attracted attention for their run to third place last year.

Standout pitcher Scott Gorgen, named to the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America first team, and outfielder Ollie Linton return as key leaders for UCI, which opens the season Feb. 22 at Nevada.

Certainly April 4-6 will be dates circled on the Anteaters’ calendar. That’s when UCI will play host to Cal State Fullerton and former head coach Dave Serrano will make his first appearance back at Anteater Ballpark.

 Vanguard women’s basketball: Will the team respond to last year’s postseason disappointment, and the loss of four starters from that team?

Kelly Schmidt, Lacey Burns, Rachel Besse and Tiari Goold were all seniors who helped lead the Lions to the NAIA semifinals last year with a 31-0 record, before they were upset.

Despite the losses, reigning NAIA Player of the Year Jessica Richter and a talented cast of newcomers and former reserves, have helped the Lions earn the No. 2 national ranking thus far.

The Lions will play their first home game of the new year Jan. 8 against Concordia at 5:30 p.m.

 Mike Izzi: Can the newly hired UCI athletic director revitalize a department still faced with overcoming continued financial belt-tightening.

Izzi, who generated millions as an associate athletic director in charge of development at Stanford, will begin his work at UCI this month.

One of the reasons former athletic director Bob Chichester cited for his resignation was continuing budget cuts.

Izzi will have that challenge immediately. He is scheduled to start his job Tuesday, but he said he will use January as a transition month and plans to be in the office full time no later than Feb. 1.

 UCI men’s volleyball: Will the reigning NCAA champions play well enough to avoid watching this year’s Final Four from the Bren Events Center stands?

Coach John Speraw’s Anteaters, ranked No. 5 in the nation, will begin defense of their national championship against Cal Baptist Wednesday at Crawford Court.

Many believe a third straight trip to the Final Four is too much to ask, after the loss of four All-Americans from last year’s squad.

But Coach John Speraw’s proven ability to get the most out of his players, leaves some clinging to optimism.

 Pat Douglass: He should be able to secure the six victories needed to pass Bill Mulligan atop the UCI men’s basketball program’s all-time career coaching wins list.

But will Douglass, 158-146 in his 11th season at UCI, find a way to guide the Anteaters (5-8 after their first win away from campus Sunday) to the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth?

 Courtney Ford: The Orange Coast College sophomore is poised to cement her position as the greatest player to ever play for the Pirates.

She has scored 1,053 points, tied for third all-time at OCC. She trails only Lisa Schumaker (1,130 points from 1985-1987), and Jamie Shine (1,060 points from 1994-96).

— Compiled by Steve Virgen