Volleyball players being watched
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) recently announced the first annual Boys’ High School Senior All-America volleyball athlete Watch List for the 2011-12 season.
The watch list includes 74 players from 13 states including four Mira Costa players along with others who are members of local club teams. The list serves as the starting point for the Boys’ High School Senior All-America selection process.
In May, the AVCA will name 20 student-athletes as an All-American, with 10 players being selected to both a First Team and Second Team.
Members of the Manhattan Beach Surf team named to the list are libero Parker Boehle (Loyola), middle blocker Driss Guessous (Loyola), outside hitter Nick Porterfield (Loyola), setter Michael Saeta (Pasadena Poly) and outside hitter Alex Slaught (Loyola).
Players to watch from the Southern California Volleyball Club are setter Grant Cederquist (Mira Costa), setter Michael Mullahey (Loyola), outside hitter Christopher Orenic (Mira Costa), middle blocker Alex Stephanus (Vistamar) and libero/defensive specialist Brooks Varni (Mira Costa).
Mira Costa setter Jackson Carr, who plays for Highline Volleyball Club in Long Beach, was also named to the watch list.
Gymnastics team strikes gold
Representing Torrance’s Studio West Gymnastics, five athletes from local schools captured first place in the Level 8 Team All-Around Competition at the recent State Gymnastics Championship held at Soka University in Irvine. The finish qualified the team for the 2012 Region 1 Gymnastics Championship in Reno featuring the best gymnasts from Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Northern California and Southern California.
Competition included all six Olympic events: High Bar, Parallel Bar, Floor, Pommel, Rings and Vault. Team members are Nicholas Benson (Chadwick Middle School), Sebastian Park (Peninsula High School), Douglas Meyer (Mira Costa High School), Stephen Shen (Peninsula High School), Nick Horner (Palos Verdes High School) and coach Heinz Schulmeister.
Cyclists off to fast start
Members of the South Bay Wheelmen cycling club began the racing season with strong performances led by Jeff Krivokopich, who placed 2nd in the general classification for category-5 men at the San Dimas Stage Race. The race consisted of a road race, a critierium, and a time trial in which Krivokopich placed 2nd, 8th, and 3rd respectively.
Krivokopich continued his winning ways the next weekend by placing 1st in the Palos Verdes Hill Climb Time Trial category 5 men’s race. South Bay Wheelman Spencer Yee finished 2nd in the Time Trial category-5 race and Bruce Steele placed 3rd in the 60+ men’s Time Trial. At the Torrance Criterium, Yee placed 2nd in the category-5 men’s race and Deo Asuncion placed 1st in the men’s 45+ race.
Julie Riccardi placed 2nd in the Women’s Category 1-2-3 race at the Rosena Ranch Criterium.
Handicap hard to overcome
Formula Drift driver Fredric Aasbo, of Hermosa Beach, recorded the fastest lap in the 36th Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the Long Beach Grand Prix with a time of 1 minute, 47.107 seconds.
One of four pros in the field of 18, Aasbo could not overcome the 30-second handicap given the professional drivers who have won the race only 16 times. Aasbo was the first pro to cross the finish line but placed fourth overall behind winner Adam Carolla, who completed the 10-lap race in 18:29.315.
