Youth water polo

Blaze

At the Ventura League Championships, July 31–Aug. 1, the co-ed Blaze squad finished second to South Coast for the silver medal. Michelle Armstrong and Spenser Joy each scored for the Blaze. Goalie Kyle Wollerts had eight blocks and two steals.

In earlier games Blaze went 3-0, outscoring opponents 30-18, while defeating Gold Coast B, the Camarillo Titans and Golden Bay. For the tournament, Helen Zukin and Joy led the Blaze with eight goals apiece. Armstrong posted seven goals and Shaun Organista had six markers.

Other members of Blaze are Zoe Kirker, Aaron Foulk, Torrey Plana, Matt Organista, Jordan Ekola, Louie Ramirez, Raul Loza-Cervantes, Jacob Kimsey, Gabriel Gauthier, Conrad Kurth, Tosh Hebert, and Tanner von Winkelmann.

Signups for the August session are in progress. Register at [email protected] or call

637-0250.

Boys (Junior Olympics)

In Orlando, Fla. last month, the Santa Barbara boys’ U-16 water polo team finished in sixth place out of a field of 43 clubs.

The team members were Kevin Kuga, Tyler McManigal, Zachary Korte, Hunter Hamaker, Jeff Cole, Mike Willis, Sage Wright, George Lee, Eric Schwarberg, Keenan Hunt, Liam Farrell, Aaron Schu, Kenny Constantinides, and Ian Blumenthal. They were coached by Joe O’Brien and Rich Griguoli.

Foresters—National Baseball Conference World Series

Back in Wichita, for the ninth time in the last 10 years.

Santa Barbara advanced to the finals in the winners’ bracket Monday with a 5-3 decision over the Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftains. This marks the first time the Foresters have been in the winners’ bracket of the finals. Last year, en route to their American National championship, they battled out of the losers’ bracket.

Adrian Alaniz hurled 7 1/3 innings for his fifth win of the year against no losses. Kevin Cassidy and Brandon Sloan held the Chieftains in relief. Coming back from a 4-1 deficit Sunday, the Foresters edged the Seminole (Okla.) Rebels with a run in the ninth inning. Chris Pettit hit a one-out single and moved to second after Nick McCoola was hit by a pitch. Pettit streaked home with the game-winner when Dooley Prince hit a grounder to short. The shortstop forced McCoola, but his throw to first sailed high. Prince had three hits while Pettit, Aaron Bates and Chris Malec each had two.

On Saturday the Foresters used the long ball to defeat the San Diego Stars 6-0. Charlie Boyce tossed 8 1/3 innings and Brandon Sloan relieved, fanning the two batters he faced.

Bill Hart and Matt Wilkerson each stroked round-trippers, while Malec and McCoola had doubles.

The Foresters, American defending champions, opened their 2004 title defense Aug. 5 with a 1-0 victory over the Vienna, Va. Senators. Travis DeBont drove in Bates with a single in the second inning, and Tim Schoeninger, starter and finisher, did the rest. He pitched a complete game, allowing five hits while walking no one.

In their four victories at Wichita (through Monday), Santa Barbara tallied 19 runs and banged out 40 hits.

Little League World Series

In August, all Little League roads lead to Williamsport, Penn. While half of the 10 American and Canadian regional winners in the 11-12 age group have yet to be determined, all of the winners from six regions outside the U.S. and Canada have been established.

Morgantown, from North Carolina, won the Southeast Regional Saturday with a 7-4 decision over Columbus, Ga. In Indianapolis Sunday at the Midwest Regional, Davenport Iowa Northwest rallied from three runs back to trim Robinsdale, Minn., 5-4. Iowa hurler Trevor Kenyon tossed a complete game while striking out eight. Owensboro South from Kentucky. won the Great Lakes Regional on Monday, also in Indianapolis, against Highland, Ind., 3-0. It was the Cole Sturgeon show as he went the distance, six innings, and fanned 17 of the 18 batters he faced.

Kutno, Poland will be sending its first-ever team to the World Series after it defeated Vilnius, Lithuania, 7-0, in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Regional. Pabao from Willemstead, Curacao, which blanked Aruba North, 6-0 will be the Caribbean representative to the World Series. Latin America’s regional entry will be Panama City’s Cardundu. They got past another Panama City team, Chiriqui, 1-0. Mexico will be represented by Linda Vista, a Guadalupe squad, by virtue of their 4-0 win over Mala Torres, also from Guadalupe.

Representing Asia will be Shou-Tien from Taiwan as they edged Sendai Higashi from Japan, 7-5. Sendai finished second in 2002 to Valley Sports America in Louisville, Ky. Saipan, from the Northern Marianis Islands, nosed out Jakarta, Indonesia, 4-3, and earned the right to represent the Pacific region.

Youth volleyball league

Registrations are being accepted for the United States Youth Volleyball League for kids 8-14. The league will begin Sept. 21 and continue for eight weeks. The fee is $125 until Aug. 25. Multiple child discounts and financial aid are available. Instruction and league play will be held at Girsh Park. Further information may be obtained by calling 888-988-7985 or by visiting www.usyvl.org.

Golf

Santa Barbara Classic

In the 44th annual Santa Barbara Classic Sunday, on the Santa Barbara Golf Club’s par-70 layout, Steve Lass and Scott Helton posted a 58 for a two-day total 126 to win the event. A pair of former San Marcos standouts, Tyler Ley and David Siordia, notched a 127 for second. Winning the overall net with a 120 was the brother tandem of Terry and Barry Fallesen.

What’s your sports view? Have a comment or want to promote an event? Contact me at 968-6411 or at [email protected].