Chargers stay on ride and still lead the pack

There was plenty riding for the Edison High baseball team in its recent Sunset League encounter with Newport Harbor.

Edison kept its grip on first-place in the standings with an 8-1 victory over visiting Newport Harbor Friday. Sophomore right-hander Kurt Heyer recorded the win as the Chargers improved to 10-1 in league.

Edison also clinched a CIF playoff berth with the victory.

“We’re winning because of the typical reasons,” Edison Coach Steve Lambright said. “We’re pitching really well, playing good defense and getting hits when we need them.

“Pitching-wise, Greg Davis and Kurt Heyer have stepped up big-time.”

The Chargers travel to Los Alamitos for a key game Friday against the second-place Griffins.

In Sea View League action, Huntington scored the final three runs of the game to defeat visiting Northwood, 4-2. Junior Sean Clarke hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1. junior Clayton Prestridge doubled twice and senior John Miranda doubled.

Junior Calvin Drummond, the starter, got the win and junior Derek Neugebauer, the second of four Oiler pitchers, got the save.

In Golden West League action, Ocean View won three games in the last week to stay atop the league standings.

The streak began with a 12-1 pasting of Saddleback. Junior Scott Baxter went two for two with two RBI and junior Sean Burleson went three for four with a double and five RBI. Sophomore Andrew Bynum picked up his second win of the year.

Next came a 12-2 triumph over visiting Westminster. The Lions took a quick lead as lead-off hitter Kenny Chapple homered on the first pitch of the game off of Seahawks starter Sean Burleson. But Burleson settled down from that point on and went on to strike out 10, gave up four hits and no walks in six innings.

Senior Chris Katsuki doubled and drove in three runs in a three-for-three performance, seniors Ryan Schulenburg and David Baron each went two for three with a double, Baxter doubled and singled to account for three RBI and Burleson finished two for four with a home run and three RBI.

The Seahawks also polished off Westminster a second time, this time winning by a 6-3 score Friday as Baxter and Burleson again proved too much for the Lions.

Baxter started the game on the mound and threw 5 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before surrendering a hit to the Lions’ William Montes. He also contributed at the plate going three for four with two doubles. Burleson doubled, had a sacrifice fly and drove in two runs.

Baron doubled twice and senior Mike Fuentes went two for three with two RBI.

Ocean View, which improved to 10-1 in league and 15-7-1 overall, plays a key game today at second-place Orange.

In boys’ track and field

An 18-year drought hinged on the outcome of the 4 x 400 relay race for the Huntington Beach High boys track and field team in its Sea View League finale against Woodbridge Wednesday.

Needing valuable points to record a victory, the Oilers did just that when the team of Gabe Terrassas, Taylor Wright, Evan Sebastian and varsity captain Joshua Smith won the race to secure the program’s first winning season in 18 years.

The young Oilers — just three seniors are on the roster — finished 3-2 in league and compete Friday at the league finals meet at Woodbridge High.

“We grew to realize that track and field is not an individual, but truly a team sport,” Oilers Coach Rick Glenn said. “A lot of the guys ran races that they may not have wanted to do, but did to help the team score points, which led to a winning season.”

Season highlights began when the Oilers finished first out of 17 teams to win the title at the Herb Wyre Invitational in early-March. In April, the 4 x 200 team of Joey Fleming, Nick Gordon, Joshua Smith and Trevor Carroll finished eighth, and the 4 x 400 team of Wright, Smith, Terrassas and Carroll was 11th in the high school division at the Mount SAC Relays.

Senior Stephen Gabbard is one of the top 10 shot put athletes in CIF, sophomore Kamal Singh is one of the top distance runners in the county, sophomore Joey Fleming is the No. 2 sprinter in league and fourth in the county, Smith is No. 2 in the 400-meters and fourth in the 200-meters in league and the Oilers’ 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 teams both are tops in league.

“I’m very optimistic about the future of our team and am really looking forward to see how the lower level teams progress as well as incoming freshman who will contribute to program,” Glenn said. “I want to build Huntington Beach High to become a local track and field powerhouse and am looking forward to being here for years to come. I’m very happy with the amount of progress in only my second year as head coach.”

In girls’ track and field

Huntington dropped its final Sea View League match of the year Wednesday when the Oilers were edged by visiting Woodbridge, 76-69.

Turing in top finishes for he Oilers were freshman Jenny Pilecki in the 800 (2:24), senior Bonnie Sorensen in the long jump (18-feet), senior Laura Boggeln in the shot put (38-1), junior Sarah Hernandez in the discus (110-1), senior Chrissy VanDoornum and sophomore Allison Koressel in the triple jump (11-0).

Huntington finished 3-4 overall and 2-3 in league.