Skateboarders show skills

Costa Mesa High junior Paige LaBare had plenty of good news Friday.

Earlier in the day, LaBare found out that she had been voted ASB senior class president next year at Mesa. When Friday night came, it was time to get on a skateboard and see her friends in that arena.

The ever-expanding National Scholastic Skateboarding League held its first contest of 2015 Friday at Volcom Skate Park in Costa Mesa, beginning its sixth season. Skaters from Costa Mesa, Estancia, Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high schools all competed, as well as Costa Mesa and Ensign middle schools.

LaBare, who is also in the middle of track and field season as a sprinter for Mesa, has fun at these competitions. She fits in, even with her pink helmet. She skated in both the bowl and street competitions Friday.

“It’s fun interacting with everyone,” LaBare said. “I’ve made so many friends, and just to skate with the guys, it’s like being one of the guys. They treat me like everyone else.”

LaBare finished fifth in the high school bowl skating competition, where Newport Harbor freshman Colby Franz was second. Edison’s Trent Bowman won the event.

Caden Ceriello of Costa Mesa Middle School was strong, finishing third in the middle school bowl and sixth in the street competition, followed by Ensign’s Riley Antonicic in seventh. David Mayr of Dwyer won the street competition, while Taj Thuemmier of Sowers won the bowl competition.

Donovan Liebelt of Fountain Valley won the high school street event, but strong rides were also had by Ryan Balkey (second), David Moya (fifth) and Max Caliger (sixth) of Newport Harbor.

Franz is an emerging rider for the Sailors, even after stopping skating for a couple of years before high school.

“I missed all my friends and all the good times,” Franz said. “I was doing pretty well [before], but not what I’m doing now. I’m just trying my hardest, doing what I can. I’m just trying to have more fun with it.”

The event was the first of three scheduled for NSSL this season. The second is April 24 back at Volcom, and the third on May 15 at Etnies Skate Park in Lake Forest. The league finals will also be at Etnies, on May 22.

Newport Harbor and Ensign Coach Andy Dicker, who works for Element and helps run the Element Skate Camp every summer, served as the event announcer.

Riders ran the gamut Friday, from experienced to newbies. Ensign eighth-grader Nic Ginorio said he’s been riding for a matter of months. He hit his head during the street competition, but he was fine.

“They were just like, ‘Hey do you want to be on a team?’” Ginorio said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah for sure, I’m down’ … It’s definitely fun to have a competition. People see it as just a hobby, but it’s an opportunity to show people that this is our lifestyle.”

The opportunity is definitely there to improve. Look at Estancia senior Juan Alvarado, who competed in both the bowl and street competitions Friday but said he definitely prefers the street competition.

“When he first started, he couldn’t skate at all,” NSSL Founder/President Katrina Foley said. “He would slide on his bum into the bowl and the skate in the bottom.”

Now Alvarado more than holds his own. But beyond the results, the contests seem to mostly be about camaraderie.

“It’s friendly,” LaBare said. “There’s a lot of friends that I have out here.”