Mira Costa surf team ends Huntington High’s run
Mira Costa’s Cody Purcell helped lead his team to one of its most successful seasons. He also won the South Bay Boardriders contest series junior division and finished second in the open division. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
by Isabella Berouty
Last month, for the first time in eight years, the Mira Costa surf team defeated perennial powerhouse Huntington Beach High School in a non-league meet. The last Costa team to beat Huntington included future pros Dane and Kelly Zaun and future college standout Dayton Silva. The current team’s depth, including its body boarders and women surfers accounted for its impressive, 99 to 69 victory, according to coach Tracy Geller.
Kyra Williams help bring depth to Costa’s powerhouse surf team. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
Mustangs Cody Purcell, Matt Hodges and Darby Dayton all won their heats. Alex Frye, Kyra Williams, Andrew Neal and Doug Golubovic also had podium finishes for the Mustangs.
Matt Hodges helped lead Costa to the Bay League title. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
The Huntington victory was just one of the 2016 season highlights, which also included the South Bay Surf League title and the NSSA team title.
“This year’s team has exceeded all expectations,” Keller said.
Charlotte Sabina helped Costa win the Bay League title and finished third in the SBBC women’s open division. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
Surfing is one of the few high school sports where women and men compete as a team. Costa’s women were a key to his team’s success this year, Keller said.
“Not many other teams have women matching the caliber of ours. We have girls on par with the guys,” Keller said.
Costa sophomore Barron Regan lines ups his next maneuver.
Keller credited the South Bay Boardriders Club with “breathing new life into the sport.” Each winter the SBBC hosts six contests. In recent years, the grom and junior divisions have regularly attracted over 100 young surfers. The club’s contests have been particularly successful in preparing female surfers for high school competition. Costa freshman Charlotte Sabina finished third in this winter’s SBBC open women’s division series and Kyra Williams finished ninth. Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach Middle School student Megan Smith placed second this month at the NSSA championshps at Salt Creek. Photo
Middle School’s Megan Seth won the open women’s division series. Two weeks ago Seth placed second in the NSSA Middle School competition at Salt Creek in San Clemente. Seth will be attending Mira Costa next fall. ER