National Surf League - The Game » Huntington Beach High School

2010 High School Cup Video Highlights

NSL — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:32:23 +0000

Huntington Beach High Wins NSL High School Cup National Title

NSL — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:34:45 +0000

The best high school surf teams in the nation gathered this past weekend at Upper Trestles for the 5^th annual National Surf League (NSL) High School Cup National Championship featuring the “Game” format. With a new south swell delivering 3-4 foot sets all day and glassy conditions, the Huntington Beach High Oilers took home their first ever NSL High School Cup national title by out dueling the San Dieguito Academy Mustangs in a display of some of the most progressive and innovative surfing ever seen in amateur competition as judged by a highly qualified judging crew of professional surfers.

Huntington Beach earned their way into the final game with a decisive win over defending champion Mira Costa High School in the quarterfinals and taking down Newport Harbor High in the semi-finals. San Dieguito academy advanced to the final with a win over Malibu High in the quarterfinals and surviving a late surge from San Clemente High in the second semi-final. This setup a rematch of the 2007 High School Cup final game in which San Dieguito took the national title over Huntington Beach.

The coin toss was won by San Dieguito Academy and Mustang coaches Oly Norris and Jeremy Sherwin decided to surf in the bottom of each period, sending out Huntington Beach High coached by Andy Verdone into the water first. HB High Oilers starters Christian Saenz, Kyle McGeary, Evan Kane and Derek Peters opened the game with all scoring 5 points and above and posted a solid total period score of 23 points.

San Dieguito Academy opened the bottom of the first period with a flurry of set waves. Mustang starters including JD Lewis, Derrick Disney, Zane Norman, and Austin Rowe all dropped solid scores of 5.5 and above. JD Lewis caught a set wave from the top of the Uppers line-up and ripped the bag out of the wave with a series of carves and fins-free re-entries complete with a claim back to the ecstatic Mustang fans on the beach. Lewis’ wave score of 8 points pushed San Dieguito to a 26-point total and a three-point lead without calling a single timeout.

The Oilers answered back in the top of the second in a major way with Christian Saenz dropping a 6.5 and Jack Boyes getting substituted in on a wide peak set wave for a 5.5. Then the set of the entire 2-day event appeared on the horizon and Derek Peters scratched his way outside into position and on to the biggest wave of the day. Peters launched into a series of stylish bottom turns and radical off-the-tops all the way down the point and finished with a double-fist pump claim to the Huntington Beach dugout for a 9.5 wave score – the highest of the event. But the Oilers were not done yet. Kyle McGeary took off the next wave and launched a full rotation air 360 for an 8.0 wave score and earning the Game’s Most Radical Maneuver. Huntington finished the period with a huge score of 29.5 points.

“I was in perfect position and was super stoked after the wave because I felt like it put our team back into the Game,” said Game MVP Derrick Peters on his 9.5 wave score in the second period. “I like the Game format better, everyone gets hyped up and it raises the performance level.”

The Mustangs looked to answer the Oiler charge in the bottom of the second, however the ocean stopped cooperating with the team and big scorers JD Lewis and Derrick Disney were only able to drop scores of 4 and 5 points respectfully. Coaches Norris and Sherwin used three timeouts in the period to try and get the rhythm of the ocean on their side. Zane Norman scored a 6.0 with some clean backside snaps and Matt Lewis came off the bench to score a 5.0. With no scores in the excellent range, San Dieguito finished the period with just 20 points and behind by 6.5 points.

Huntington solidified their lead in the top of the third with a Christian Saenz scoring a 6.5 with a series of quick backside snaps on a mid-range set wave. Peters dropped a 6.0 wave score with McGeary and Evan Kane both dropping 5.0 scores for a 22.5 total period score and 75 points total Game score, putting the pressure on the Mustangs to deliver in the bottom of the 3^rd and final period.

To win the game, San Dieguito Academy would need to score 29.5 points in the bottom of the final period. Derrick Disney did his part dropping a 7.0 on an inside running right with a series of Parko-esque stylish power snaps. Lewis and Norman each scored 6.5’s, but the team needed to average 7.5 wave scores to take the win and were left hoping for a flurry of waves similar to Huntington’s pivotal 2^nd period. With no timeouts remaining and no set waves on the horizon the Mustang players could only sit in the lineup as the clock counted down to zero. Final score: Huntington – 75, San Dieguito – 68.

“We had a huge 2^nd period and that made the difference for us,” commented Huntington Beach High coach Andy Verdone, still dripping wet after receiving an ice bucket shower from his team. “The Game format is unreal – no hassling, no fighting, the kids are out there performing for their teammates, there is no other format like it.”

The National Surf League’s staff of professional surfers including head judge Austin Ware, Micah Byrne, Chris Abad, Kyle Knox and CT Taylor judged the Games.

Special thanks goes to California State Parks for opening Upper Trestles to these talented high School surf teams. Also Outdoor Event Specialists, Dante Giuliano, Austin Ware, Nick Bricker, CT Taylor, Omar Etcheverry and Zach Keenan for their contributions to making the season a success.

Results:

Saturday, June 12, 2010:

Quarter-Final Game #1
- Newport Harbor High def. Carlsbad High (65-59)
Quarter-Final Game #2
- Huntington Beach High def. Mira Costa High (60.5*-56.5) * 6:41 remaining
Quarter-Final Game #3
- San Dieguito Academy def. Malibu High (66-58)
Quarter-Final Game #4
- San Clemente High def. Santa Cruz High (65-64.5)

Sunday, June 13, 2010:

Semi-Final Game #1
- Huntington Beach High def. Newport Harbor High (75-72.5)
Semi-Final Game #2
- San Dieguito Academy def. San Clemente High (68.5-68)
Final Game Box Score:

	P1	P2	P3	Final
Huntington Beach High School	23	29.5	22.5	75
San Dieguito Academy	26	20	22	68

Most Valuable Player (MVP) – Derek Peters, Huntington Beach High School

Most Radical Maneuver (MRM) – Kyle McGeary, Huntington Beach High (Huge full-rotation air 360)

Huntington Beach High Wins High School Cup Regional

NSL — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:57:02 +0000

Huntington Beach High Gets Sweet Revenge Over Rival Newport Harbor High

The National Surf League (NSL) hosted the NSL High School Cup Orange County Regional in fun 2-4 foot surf at Goldenwest Street in Huntington Beach, CA.

Participating surf teams from Edison High, San Clemente High, Huntington Beach High and Newport Harbor battled for a spot in the High School Cup Championships using the NSL’s innovative Game format.

The final game came down to a rematch of the 2009 regional final between Huntington Beach High School and defending champion Newport Harbor High School.

The Huntington Beach High Oilers lead by coach Andy Verdone won the coin toss and decided to surf in the bottom half of each period, sending out the Ryan Simmons-lead Newport Harbor High Navigators into the water first.

A flurry of south-swell bombs opened the top of the first period. Newport showed their depth with substitutes Blake Davis and Bobby Okvist answering the call from coach Simmons by dropping 5.0 and 7.5 scores respectfully. Jared Cassidy caught a mid-range set wave and weaved his way into an overhead hollow shore break section, getting completely covered and coming out sending the Newport dugout and fans into a frenzy. Cassidy’s tube ride earned him a 7.0 and the Navigators finished the opening period with 25 points.

The long lulls in-between sets contributed to a slow start for Huntington in the bottom of the first period. Each team has five timeouts to use in the Game to wait out these lulls, however Coach Verdone elected to keep the timeouts in his pocket. Christian Saenz caught a long set wave and caved his way through the shore break finishing with fins-free blast and a 6.5. Towards the end of the period, Kyle McGeary took off on a wedging right and launched a huge torqued-out air 360 and landed it for an 8.0 and earning the Game’s “Most Radical Maneuver” from the judging panel of professional surfers. The Oilers responded to the Navigators opening period and finished with 24.5 points and all five timeouts remaining.

Newport came out strong again in the top of the second period with Jared Cassidy finding the tube again in the shore break to score another 7-point ride. Blake Davis was substituted in to score a 6.0 contributing to an overall period score of 22 points for the Navigators.

Derek Peters started strong for Huntington’s half of the second period with a series of powerful backside snaps from the outside all the way through the shore break for a 6.5 score. Other Huntington starters pulled together just average scores, bringing their period total up to 20 points. Coach Verdone called two timeouts in the last minute of the period to improve the low scores, but nothing came and the Oilers were left trailing after two periods by 2.5 points.

The incoming tide and inconsistent south swell caused havoc for the top of Newport’s final period. Three of the four Navigator starters scored only in the 4-point range, with Jarred Cassidy looking for a score in the shifting lineup. Coach Simmons called his final timeout with 3:22 remaining to give Cassidy, who scored 7-point rides in the two previous periods the opportunity for a big score. The timeout expired and regulation time resumed counting down with no forth score, Substitute Blake Davis caught a right-hander to the north, however coach Simmons did not call him in and the score of 5 points did not count. Time expired and Newport finished the final period with a disappointing 12.5 points.

With the shocking turn to the Game, Huntington Beach High only needed 15.5 points to win the Game in the bottom of the final period. Christian Saenz and Derek Peters both dropped 5-point rides with Kyle McGeary and Evan Kane sealing the Game and trip to the championships for Huntington Beach with six and a half minutes remaining on the clock.

Huntington Beach High School will now move on the NSL High School Cup National Championships at Upper Trestles on June 12^th and 13^th.

A special thanks goes to Dante Giuliano from Outdoor Event Specialists, City of Huntington Beach lifeguards, participating high schools, parents, coaches and the local community for supporting high school surfing. Our staff – Micah Byrne, Justin Swartz, Jessie Evans, Zachary Keenan, and Austin Ware.

Final Game Box Score:

	P1	P2	P3	Final
Newport Harbor High School	25	22	12.5	59.5
Huntington Beach High School	24.5	20	15.5	60*

*GAME WON with 6:38 remaining

Most Valuable Player (MVP) – Derek Peters, Huntington Beach High School

Most Radical Maneuver (MRM) – Kyle McGeary, Huntington Beach High (Mega torque air 360)

Remaining 2010 NSL High School Cup Schedule:

Date:	Region:	Location:
June 12-13	Championships	Upper Trestles, San Clemente, CA