Marina downs Oilers, Edison beats Barons

Mike Sciacca

If any team entertains thoughts of winning the 2005 Sunset League

boys’ basketball title, it had better get used to games like Friday’s

tough league opener between host Huntington Beach and Marina.

The visiting Vikings bolted out to a 14-point halftime lead, saw

that advantage evaporate and turn into a three point deficit late in

the game, and then regrouped in time to pull out a 51-47 victory.

“Every game in our league played on the road is tough,” Marina

coach Roger Holmes said. “It seems like we always have tough games

when we play at Huntington. Tonight was no exception. Rich [Alvarez]

always does such a great job with his teams.”

It appeared that Friday’s game would be an exception to that norm,

however, as Marina went from a one point first quarter lead, to a

14-point halftime advantage.

Huntington began to chip away at that deficit in the third

quarter, and trailed by just seven points, 43-36, heading into the

fourth quarter.

The Oilers, taking advantage of Marina turnovers to gain momentum,

came up with a 15-0 run to forge a 46-43 lead with 3:30 left in the

game.

But Marina’s defense limited Huntington to just four more points.

Matt Molino triggered a 5-0 run to help the Vikings regain the lead

for good.

Molino finished with 15 points and had four assists.

Teammate Jeff Delaunay led all scorers with 17 points.

He also had seven rebounds and seven blocks.

The Vikings’ Troy Lewis added six points and five rebounds.

Matt Buckalew’s 16 points topped the Oilers and Andrew Nordin

scored 10.

Edison also opened up the Sunset League race with a road victory,

as the Chargers defeated host Fountain Valley, 48-37, in what Coach

Rich Boyce termed a “hotly-contested game.”

Fountain Valley was without its top player, senior forward Scott

Grant, who is out with a torn ACL, but the Barons still gave the

Chargers a battle.

“It’s good to get that first league game out of the way,” said

Boyce, whose team won its sixth straight to run its record to 13-3.

“Fountain Valley’s always a tough place to play at, so it’s great to

get this win.”

T.J. Lipold scored 13 points, Thomas Marcin had 12 points and Joe

Ziemann and Jeff Golden each had four assists.

Ocean View began defense of its Golden West League title wit ha

67-45 road win at Saddleback.

The Seahawks, who opened up a 16-point halftime lead, had four

players in double figures.

Clint Amberry led the way with 13 points, Brad Sweezy and John

Greiner each scored 11 and Diego Delgado scored 10.

In girls’ basketball, Edison began defense of its Sunset League

title with a 62-33 home court pounding of rival Fountain Valley.

The Chargers ran out to a 17-point first quarter lead and padded

its advantage to 24 points by the half.

Senior guard/forward Rebecca Kepilino, two-time MVP of the league,

single-handedly outscored the Barons by posting 40 points.

In another Sunset opener, Marina scored a 48-25 win over

Huntington Beach.

Erin Barney scored 15 points to lead Marina, and Rachael Maulit

scored 10.

Jasmine Erving’s 10 points paced Huntington Beach.

In girls’ soccer, Edison opened up Sunset League play with a 2-0

shutout of visiting Fountain Valley.

The teams were scoreless at the half, but second half goals by

Kaitlin Thulin and Jenny Minko lifted the Chargers to victory.

Amanda Shay and Cassie Becker combined for four saves in net to

recorded the shutout.

Huntington Beach also won its Sunset opener by a 2-0 score as the

Oilers blanked host Marina.

Juniors Megan Martinez and Kristin Fronke scored for the Oilers

and senior Heather Bystrum had five saves in getting the shutout.

In wrestling, Edison opened up defense of its Sunset League title

by taking down Fountain Valley, 56-24.

Collecting pins for the Chargers were Corey Tull (119-pounds),

Blake Allison(152) and Jimmy Hinds (160).

Joe Hirsch had a technical fall at 125, and in the night’s most

exciting match, Nick Abraham executed a five-point take down/near

fall with five seconds remaining to pull out an 11-10 win at

140-pounds.

In weekend action, Edison won the team title at the 32-team

Estancia Tournament, despite missing not having the services of

several key wrestlers due to illness.

Sophomore standout Garrett Drucker continued his dominance at

119-pounds by winning his division title. Romni Fuga won his third

tournament title this year by capturing the heavyweight division, and

was named “Outstanding Upper Weight Class Wrestler” of the

tournament.

Brandon Drucker (135), Allison (152), Hinds (160) and Jake Pinkham

(189) finished in second-place in their respective divisions, and Joe

Hirsch (125) earned a third-place finish.