Pipeline
Pipeline
Costa, Peninsula in title duel
by Mike Purpus
|
Chadwick's Grady Gamble and Sane Gallas
work out against Torrance Monda morning at the Hermosa pier. Chadwick
forfeited because injuries left the team short of competitors. Photos
by Kevin Cody
|
A few dark horses have come out of the whitewater to challenge
Peninsula High, the defending South Bay High School Surf League champions as
the season passes the half-way mark.
Bishop Montgomery is the most improved team. In the girls division
summer has come early this year. That’s Summer Alvarez who surfs for Bishop
in in the girls as well as the boys shortboard divisions. In the boys John Scully
seems to be Bishop’s X-Factor. This grommet is very aggressive on set waves.
Torrance High is hanging in there but lacks consistency.
Chadwick is caught in a riptide. The Palos Verdes School has
a hot shortboard team but no bodyboard or girls surf teams. It only has one
surfer on it's longboard team. The school faculty doesn't consider surfing a
sport. It's too bad. Otherwise, they could be a real threat.
North Torrance has had some exciting moments with Jessica "Lets
scare the judges to death" Dale taking on some eight-foot faces. Matt St.John
and David Perkins almost joined the Space Program, getting launched when hit
by three foot-backwash the same day. The sets were scraping the bottom of the
Manhatten Beach Pier. Sophmore, Bonnie Sandbakken of El Segundo not only made
it out but took off on four eight-foot faces. AJ Lester made the only three
waves out of over a hundred wipeouts that day.
Kelly Moore, John Joseph Junior and Ed Solt are at the head
of the pack for South High. Kelly has a new board and is really surfing strong.
John Junior, or little JJ, is showing amazing style on a longboard. He's not
just the best bodyboarder anymore.
Redondo High joins South and San Pedro High in a fight for
the wild card spot. Redondo is looking good with Elin Selicki and Jamie Miestrill
winning all their heats so far. Bodyboarder ,Dan Dorn got at least a five second
tube ride on a six-foot barrel.
He was spit out with perfect tens by every judge at the Hermosa
Pier. San Pedro also has a good girls team. Hot goofy-footer. Tony Adams seems
to be the real star of the team.
Mira Costa and Peninsula High are power packed with hot surfers.
Last week was the ultimate face off. The surf was four-foot and good. The beach
at 27th Street in Manhattan Beach was packed with parents, photographers, students
and spectators. Costa's John Balk and Peninsula's Mark Evans and Chris Bredesen
Jr. created a real log jam in the longboard division. Costa's Mike Siorida surfed
well in both longboard and shortboard. Peninsula' Ted Travis and Matt Kelley
were evenly matched against Kenny Brelchesharier and Sean Chapman. Peninsula's
Kira Galemin and Ashley Ellisan were just as hot as Costa's Missy Gibson and
Lisa Foresberg.
Good waves. Great surfing. It was a shame that one school had
to lose. Palos Verdes Peninsula won by one point.
The competition continues through January. ER
