The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) kicked off its 2012 Beach Volleyball Tour hosting two tournaments in the South Bay where 20 local players took home medals.
In the Easter Classic held at Dockweiler State Beach in El Segundo, Emma Smith (Manhattan Beach) and Cait O’Connell (Huntington Beach) won silver medals and the Manhattan Beach team of Presley Forbes and Sunny Villapando won bronze in the girls 14U division.
In the girls 12U competition, Kelli Barry (Manhattan Beach) and Harper Goldfarb (Long Beach) captured gold while Amber Wall (Manhattan Beach) and Katherine Libby (Rancho Palos Verdes) won the bronze.
In the Spring Classic Open held in Manhattan Beach on Sunday, Kieran Coughlin (Manhattan Beach) and Chase Klein (Pacific Palisades) were silver medalists in the boys 18U division.
In the boys 16U competition, Blake Markland (Manhattan Beach) and TJ DeFalco (Huntington Beach) defeated Riley Moore (Manhattan Beach) and Jack Payne (Pacific Palisades) in the championship match.
Five athletes from the South Bay medaled in the girls 14U division including Smith and Mima Mirkovich (Irvine) who defeated Forbes and Villapando to win the gold medal. The Hermosa Beach duo of Avery Hazelrigg and Chloe Newton finished third.
In an all-Manhattan Beach championship match, Casey McGarry and Roy McFarland knocked off Sam Jones and Rob Mullahey for the gold medal. Lane Krai (Redondo Beach) and Luke Nassif (Palos Verdes Estates) were silver medalists.
The next local tournament will be the Isadore Dockweiler Open on Sunday, April 29 at Dockweiler Beach. The event begins at 9 a.m. and is open to boys and girls in 10U, 14U, 16U and 18U divisions. Entry fee is $63. For more information, contact Gino Grajeda, ggrajeda181@msn.com or visit www.aaubeach.org.
