H.B. Nitro win streak reaches 18 games

The H.B. Nitro, a boys’ under-11 AYSO-PLUS soccer team from Region

143 (North Huntington Beach/Westminster), rolled past its competition

this year by sweeping to an undefeated league season, an 18-game

winning streak and the championship of the recent Surf City

Tournament.

After a slow start, Nitro (21-1 overall) caught fire in the Orange

County AYSO-PLUS league, where it outscored opponents, 65-9, and

finished with a 15-0 mark.

The squad followed up league play by posting a 3-0 record at the

Surf City Tournament, despite playing “up” a year in the 12-year-old

division.

It’s only blemish this season came back in August in the final of

the Costa Mesa Tournament, where it lost to Tustin-PLUS. But Nitro

returned the favor during the league season, where they finished in

first place and Tustin (12-2-1) wound up in second.

Nitro led the league in goals scored and fewest goals allowed.

“This was a unique experience with a great group of kids,” said

Nitro coach Phil Urabe, who was assisted by Jeff Morrison. “We had

great team chemistry and the players were very dedicated. It was a

lot of fun to coach these boys.”

Nitro’s offensive firepower came from strikers Austin Flood and

Brett Urabe. Steady play in the midfield was supplied by Cody

Annella, Andrew Arredondo, Brandon Robinson, Anthony Said and Austin

Simpkins.

Keying the defense were fullbacks L.J. Brewster, Austin Burke,

Austin Lee, Kevin Moses and Matt Urabe. Matt Janelli and Michael

Marsh shared goal-keeping responsibilities.

In girls’ AYSO soccer action:

Region 55

Under-10 Division

Red Hawks 5; Tsunami Strikers 1

Red Hawks 2, Hot Shots 1

Coach Eddie Sanchez’s Red Hawks capped an undefeated season by

beating the Tsunami Strikers and the Hot Shots in the league

playoffs.

In a semifinal game, the Strikers opened with a quick score. Late

in the second half, Alexa Vellanoweth scored two goals and the Hawks,

led 2-1, at the half.

The score remained the same entering the fourth quarter, where the

Red Hawks exploded for three goals. Christina Sanchez gave the Hawks

a little breathing room with a goal to make the score 3-1, and Dana

Rutkin iced the game with two goals to finish off the Strikers.

The final against the Hot Shots was a tense defensive battle. The

Hot Shots scored first, and it remained 1-0 entering the 4th quarter.

Sanchez scored immediately and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. The

teams entered double overtime. There was no score in the first

overtime but midway through the second overtime, Rutkin, playing

sweeper, stole the ball near the Hawks goal. She dribbled down the

sideline and sent a long pass to Vellanoweth. Taking the ball at

midfield she beat two defenders and scored the winning goal.

Red Hawks goalies Sarah Martin and Summer Driessen thwarted the

opposition with numerous saves.

The Red Hawks’ roster includes Sabrina Desisto, Rachel Distler,

Jillian Doke, Amanda Feiwell, Taylor Goodban, and Morgan Renaud,

In girls’ National Junior Basketball action:

Untouchables 27, Fountain Valley 19

The Untouchables, an NJB Division II girls’ team, opened its

season with a 27-19 victory over Fountain Valley.

Devon Shinn led all scorers with 17 points, Nikki Richelli had six

points and Sarah Wilkinson scored six points.

Each Untouchable scored as Tessa Broder, MacKenzie McCollum,

Jessica Moore and Lisa Mouren-Laurens had two points each.

The Untouchables’ defensive effort was led by Shinn, Wilkinson and

Moore, who had numerous steals and helped keep Fountain Valley’s

offense off balance throughout the game.

Untouchables 28, South Huntington Beach 26

The Untouchables outlasted their South Huntington rival at Ocean

View High.

Devon Shinn stole the ball and went the length of the court for a

lay-in with 15 seconds for the decisive score.

Shinn had 14 points and 13 steals, Nikki Richelli had six points

and six rebounds and MacKenzie McCollum had seven rebounds and two

points, Jessica Moore had seven rebounds, Kayla Pacot had four

rebounds and four steals and Tessa Broder had four points.

In girls’ fastpitch softball, the South Huntington Beach

10-and-Under Bat Breakers went undefeated during winter ball and

capped a 31-0 season by winning the West Garden Grove Turkey

Tournament.

They posted wins over Cypress No. 4 (9-0 and 7-1), West Garden

Grove No. 2 (4-1), South Huntington Beach No. 1 (7-0), West Garden

Grove No. 2 (2-1) and West Garden Grove No. 5 (6-2)

Pitchers Taylor Dennison and Sammy Cordova gave strong

performances on the mound. Offensively, Lauren Deats, Nicole

Zapotoczny, Sarah Wood, Jessica Plaza, Madeline Moore, Lindsay

Stovall, Rachel LoGrasso, Carissa Sherman and Amber Cazares led the

way.

Dennison pitched solid seven innings and went two for two with an

RBI.

Other Bat Breaker runs came on RBIs from Cordova, Zapotoczny,

Plaza, Moore and Bonham.

The Bat Breakers are coached by Art Cordova, Rich Dennison and

Frank LoGrasso