Newport-Mesa girls capture league title

The Newport-Mesa “California Girlz” softball team won the championship of the Aliso Viejo 8U “Fall Ball” league last weekend.

The team went undefeated during league play to win the championship, outscoring opponents 75-18 over the nine-game season.

The Aliso Viejo “Fall Ball” league consisted of 10 teams from the cities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Capistrano Valley, San Clemente and the Newport-Mesa area.

The California Girlz team featured Madison Santley, Audrey Tumbarello, Jacqueline Knox, Lexie Jordan, Sydney Jensen, Mary Mackel, Monique Martin, Jacqueline McNeill, Zoe Stern, Anne Gibson and Brittany Murphy.

The team was coached by Mike Santley, Steve Tumbarello and Kevin Knox.

The team’s three league-leading pitchers — Madison Santley, Audrey Tumbarello and Jensen — collectively struck out 45% of the 117 batters they faced during the season.

The California Girlz were prolific at the plate as well: Madison Santley (17 hits and 13 runs batted in, including two home runs), Audrey Tumbarello (14 hits, 11 RBIs, including three home runs), Jensen (12 hits and six RBIs), Jacqueline Knox (11 hits and seven RBIs), Jordan (nine hits and seven RBIs), Martin (eight hits, and seven RBIs), Mackel (seven hits and seven RBI’s), Stern (four hits, and five RBIs), Gibson (four hits and two RBIs) and Murphy (two hits and two RBIs).

After every game, the team celebrated its wins with silly string, or water balloons, which were all part of the girls’ run to the championship.

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Back-to-Back Champions

Newport Coast Elementary School won the Newport City Flag championship (fifth-sixth grade) for the second consecutive year with a perfect record of 9-0 on Friday.

The perfect season completed a back-to-back unbeaten run, as the school also won last year with a record of 8-0-1.

The following players played on both championship teams: Charlie Blower, Connor Buchanan, Cameron Kormos, Jake Meyer, Hayden Thompson and Parker Warden. Coach Ethan Machado guided both teams.

The 2010 championship team also featured August Jeffrey, Kyle Petrucci, Josh Colo, Ethan Assar, Jordan Pakzad, Guy Arbizzani, Bryce Clabaugh, Anthony Fanticola and Kevin Kobrine.

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Newport takes second

The Newport Lightning Basketball Club’s boys’ sixth-grade team continued its strong fall season claiming second place at the Focus Basketball Halloween Fest 2010 in Anaheim over Halloween weekend.

In pool play, the Lightning beat High Desert Crush, 50-35, Mercadel Basketball, 41-35 and JSK Hoops, 46-17, to advance to the championship game.

In the championship game, the Lightning faced familiar foe Surf City Hoops. The game was very close until the final five minutes when Surf City pulled away for the win.

Zach Blaine, Collin Pipkin, Spencer Haly, Chase Garbers, Will Rodosky, Connor Kincaid, Chase Grippo, Max Nanula, Chase Furey and Tyler Flood led the team to the runner-up finish.

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