HIGH SCHOOL SURF: PV wins in Battle of Torrance Beach, Purcell-led Costa beats Penn
by Ed Solt
In the South Bay Scholastic Surfing Association, no teams are as equally matched as South High and Palos Verdes High. It’s been a back and forth battle between two the surf teams since PV High reopened a decade ago. Last year, fired up by a sneaker-set from freshmen Parker Browning during the last heat, South won the exchange by seven points.
In the second week of the SBSSA season, the rivalry continued November 4th at Torrance beach–also the practice location of each team. With both teams possessing local knowledge, no team had the advantage making the contest even tighter.
“It was the first real northwest swell of the winter,” said league director Richard O’Reilly. “The swell was filling in through the morning. With each heat, overhead sets were more and more consistent.”
After a dismal and flat September and October, Torrance Beach’s sandbars have disappeared. Waves with shape or corners were scarce.
“There were lots of Kodak courage on display as guys tried to drop in and pull into the close-out sets. As a result, three surfboards snapped,” he said. “Because it was so walled, the judges were scoring high on maximized barrel time and size.”
In the first heat of the Men’s Shortboard division on the first wave, PV’s Rodney Buck got things with a huge rollercoaster. He won by stylishly pulling into a frontside barrel. While he looked good in the process, the collapsing crystal clear lip offered no openings demolishing Buck on the inside.
In the second Men’s Shortboard heat, Spencer Paine put the Spartans on the board. He placed second with a couple of quick taps off the top and pulling into a gung-ho close-out tube ride. By connecting the inside rights (the only waves with shape) with a quick couple of turns, PV’s Will Allen placed first.
South struck back in the Women’s shortboard division. As it seems always to happen in this division, the set’s doubled in size increasing the chance of taking gas. The lady’s survival rate became the judging criteria. Sascha Recht and Jessie Gaudet placed first and second by connecting from the outside.
Allen and Buck continued the PV tradition of surfing in multiple disciplines. Buck won the longboard heat with a near impossible cheater five recoveries on a head high set. Sticking to the better shaped inside, Buck hung five on the lefts for second place.
Midway through the contest, PV was up 48 to 36.
In the prone act of wave riding, walled conditions and barrels perfectly fit the bodyboarding mindset.
“You could hear the crowd cheer on every drop in,” O’Reilly said. “It was one of the most entertaining heats of the morning.”
South’s Colby Petty and PV’s Chad Brown exchanged grinding sandy frothing tubes. Brown won by consuming the gnarl-burger with an overhead barrel. Petty finished in 2nd place.
In the women’s longboard division, gassings continued. Overhead sets bombarded unsuspecting surfers washing them to shore.Gaudet again finished second. PV’s Emma Anderson won the division. She connected the inside rights with small cross steps to the nose.
After wiping out on a pitching overhead barrel and swallowing a gallon of seawater, PV’s Sean St. Pierre bounced back with a huge floater for the win in heat three of Men’s shortboard. South’s Sean Tallman placed second with a slash off the top on a one-maneuver wave.
Parker Browning filled the same role as last year–the Aroldis Chapman (minus the tacky mohawk and star neck tattoos) of the team. This year, the closer again stepped to the challenge.
“Parker Browning had the maneuver of the day – a very clean air reverse on a smaller inside right – one of the few waves with any open face,” O’Reilly said.The sophomore’s style is beyond his years. Browning’s, carving, pumps, barrel rides, off the lips, hair flips, even wipe-outs are aesthetically pleasing.
His ability to find an open face and make a close-out day look good is a perfect example of Browning’s stand-out status and what helped him score the contest’s highest heat total.
Browning’s teammates followed his lead. Brett Kraus took second, and Ethan Lee placed third, but to no avail.
“The final score was very close (only a 4 point difference). With South going 1st 2nd 3rd in the final heat emphasizes the team aspect of these contests,” O’Reilly said. “If just two surfers from South had placed two spots higher the contest would have been tied.”
Final Score: PV 86, South 82
San Pedro vs. North High/West High/Bishop Montgomery
San Pedro High raided the North High/West High/ Bishop Montgomery combination surf team 91 to 71 in SBSSA’s B league.
Top pirate Wyatt Kircher blew minds by dropping anchor on NWBM scoring the highest total.
“Kircher was another standout surfer of the morning who managed to find a couple of longer waves allowing some turns,” said O’Reilly.
Week 1: Mira Costa vs. Peninsula
Mira Costa crushed Peninsula in the first head-to- head contest of the SBSSA 2016-2017 surf season on October 26th at 26th st. Manhattan Beach. The reigning league champions showed no weakness on their home court finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in five of the eight heats.
“The Mira Costa girls were particularly dominant,” said O’Reilly. “Kyra Williams, Megan Seth, Lauren Freidrich and longboarders Peri Nathan and freshmen Sophia Arky will be the team to beat.”
This season might as well be a victory lap for Costa Senior Cody Purcell. After dominating the last three years and winning this year’s kick-off classic, Purcell is almost unbeatable. He scored the highest heat total. His teammate Alex Fry followed him with the second highest heat total.Cole Yoshida stood out for Peninsula. He scored the highest heat total for the Panthers.
Final Score: 116-45
El Segundo vs Torrance
Just south down the beach in the SBSSA second league, El Segundo High demolished Torrance High 101 to 41. Shane Frontino continues to be the soaring eagle winning both the longboard and his shortboard heat for El Segundo. ER
Results:
South vs. PV
Heat 1 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 5 | Bodyboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Luke Humphrey | 3 | 4 | Red | Luke Humphrey | 3 | 4 | |
Yellow | Jesse Menendez | 5 | 2 | Yellow | Colby Petty | 2 | 5 | |
Blue | Luke Pond | 6 | 1 | blue | Jacob Davis | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 7 | Total | 12 | |||||
Orange | Rodney Buck | 1 | 6 | Orange | Chad Brown | 1 | 6 | |
Green | Trevor Khan | 4 | 3 | Green | Rodney Buck | 5 | 2 | |
White | Lucas Barajas | 2 | 5 | White | Federiko Knaudt | 6 | 1 | |
Total | 14 | Total | 9 | |||||
6:45 | 7:45 | |||||||
Heat 2 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 6 | Girl’s Longboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Spencer Paine | 2 | 5 | Red | Kelly Gibson | 3 | 4 | |
Yellow | Jack Prentice | 6 | 1 | Yellow | Jessie Gaudet | 2 | 5 | |
Blue | Alec Estrada | 5 | 2 | Blue | Tess Rigler | 6 | 1 | |
Total | 8 | Total | 10 | |||||
Orange | Briggs Peus | 3 | 4 | Orange | Emma Anderson | 1 | 6 | |
Green | Will Allen | 1 | 6 | Green | Sarah Fairbrothers | 5 | 2 | |
White | Nicolas Wapner | 4 | 3 | White | Zoe Colomer | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 13 | Total | 11 | |||||
7:00 | 8:00 | |||||||
Heat 3 | Girl’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 7 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Hunter Richardville | 6 | 1 | Red | Sean Tallman | 2 | 5 | |
Yellow | Sascha Recht | 1 | 6 | Yellow | Jack McCaw | 4 | 3 | |
Blue | Jessie Gaudet | 2 | 5 | Blue | Peter Park | 6 | 1 | |
Total | 12 | Total | 9 | |||||
Orange | Sophia Traversi | 5 | 2 | Orange | Chad Brown | 3 | 4 | |
Green | Savannah Scriven | 3 | 4 | Green | Sean St Pierre | 1 | 6 | |
White | Emma Anderson | 4 | 3 | White | Barrett Winnaman | 5 | 2 | |
Total | 9 | Total | 12 | |||||
7:15 | 8:15 | |||||||
Heat 4 | Men’s Longboard | Place | Points | Heat 8 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Luke Pond | 5 | 2 | Red | Parker Browning | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Luke Humphrey | 3 | 4 | Yellow | Ethan Lee | 3 | 4 | |
Blue | Nathan Critchett | 4 | 3 | Blue | Brett Kraus | 2 | 5 | |
Total | 9 | Total | 15 | |||||
Orange | Will Allen | 2 | 5 | Orange | Charlie Winkworth | 5 | 2 | |
Green | Rodney Buck | 1 | 6 | Green | Andrew Laurin | 4 | 3 | |
White | Luke Marshall | 6 | 1 | White | Sean Ely | 6 | 1 | |
Total | 12 | Total | 6 | |||||
San Pedro vs. NWBM
Heat 1 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 5 | Bodyboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Hunter Kamppila | 5 | 2 | Red | Noah Steen | 5 | 2 | |
Yellow | Logan Fourmy | 1 | 6 | Yellow | Ryan Posad | 2 | 5 | |
Blue | Chris Carey | 6 | 1 | Blue | Wyatt Kircher | 3 | 4 | |
Total | 9 | Total | 11 | |||||
Orange | Patrick Breen | 4 | 3 | Orange | Nathan Draves | 1 | 6 | |
Green | Zach Babbitt | 3 | 4 | Green | Ryan Linderman | 6 | 1 | |
White | Jacob Albright | 2 | 5 | White | Neal Draves | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 12 | Total | 10 | |||||
6:45 | 7:45 | |||||||
Heat 2 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 6 | Girl’s Longboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Ben Terrazas | 6 | 1 | Red | Daniella Clark | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Zack Guerr | 3 | 4 | Yellow | Kaya Milos | 2 | 5 | |
Blue | Evan Maes | 2 | 5 | Blue | Emilee Clark | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 10 | Total | 14 | |||||
Orange | Scott | 5 | 2 | Orange | Karlie Clark | 3 | 4 | |
Green | Nate Baker | 1 | 6 | Green | Jessica Paraz | x | ||
White | Pavle | 4 | 3 | White | Rachel Olender | x | ||
Total | 11 | Total | 4 | |||||
7:00 | 8:00 | |||||||
Heat 3 | Girl’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 7 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Daniella Clark | 2 | 5 | Red | Shane Milos | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Lina Dumas | 3 | 4 | Yellow | Artoe Gonzalez | 3 | 4 | |
Blue | Kaya Milos | 4 | 3 | Blue | Noah Steen | 5 | 2 | |
Total | 12 | Total | 12 | |||||
Orange | Sienna James | x | Orange | Keith Stinson | 6 | 1 | ||
Green | Sophia Strauss | x | Green | Ryan Posad | 2 | 5 | ||
White | Rachel Olender | 1 | 6 | White | Jackson Anderson | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 6 | Total | 9 | |||||
7:15 | 8:15 | |||||||
Heat 4 | Men’s Longboard | Place | Points | Heat 8 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Evan Maes | 6 | 1 | Red | Wyatt Kircher | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Tommy Milin | 1 | 6 | Yellow | Tommy Milin | 3 | 4 | |
Blue | Shane Milos | 2 | 5 | Blue | Sammy Padilla | 6 | 1 | |
Total | 12 | Total | 11 | |||||
Orange | Jacob Albright | 3 | 4 | Orange | Brennan Krall | 2 | 5 | |
Green | Alex Mills | 5 | 2 | Green | Alex Hunnicutt | 5 | 2 | |
White | Zach Babbitt | 4 | 3 | White | Niko | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 9 | Total | 10 | |||||
MCHS vs. PENN
Heat 1 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 5 | Bodyboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Chad Coons | 1 | 6 | Red | Cooper Garner | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Zach Rosenberg | 2 | 5 | Yellow | Trey Mahan | 4 | 3 | |
Blue | Shane Moseley | 4 | 3 | blue | Beck Cherry | 2 | 5 | |
Total | 14 | Total | 14 | |||||
Orange | Zachary Springer | 6 | 1 | Orange | Roman Morelli | 5 | 2 | |
Green | Cole Yoshida | 3 | 2 | Green | Ranger Woodland | 6 | 1 | |
White | Noam Elroi | 5 | 4 | White | Patrick Woodland | 3 | 4 | |
Total | 7 | Total | 7 | |||||
6:45 | 7:45 | |||||||
Heat 2 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 6 | Girl’s Longboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Cody Purcell | 1 | 6 | Red | Peri Nathan | 3 | 4 | |
Yellow | Ben Hara | 5 | 2 | Yellow | Kyra Williams | 1 | 6 | |
Blue | Kieran Walls | 2 | 5 | Blue | Sophia Arky | 2 | 5 | |
Total | 13 | Total | 15 | |||||
Orange | Matt Amano | 6 | 1 | Orange | Minami Yamaura | x | ||
Green | Adam Lazarus | 4 | 3 | Green | Isabel Frandsen | 4 | 3 | |
White | Nick Frasso | 3 | 4 | White | Skye Perranoski | 5 | 2 | |
Total | 8 | Total | 0 | |||||
7:00 | 8:00 | |||||||
Heat 3 | Girl’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 7 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Kyra Williams | 2 | 5 | Red | Andrew Neal | 3 | 4 | |
Yellow | Megan Seth | 1 | 6 | Yellow | Danny Charvat | 1 | 6 | |
Blue | Lauren Freidrich | 3 | 4 | Blue | Nick Cerofici | 2 | 5 | |
Total | 15 | Total | 15 | |||||
Orange | Skye Perranoski | 5 | 2 | Orange | Thomas Esson | 4 | 3 | |
Green | Isabel Frandsen | 6 | 1 | Green | Samuel Jennings | 6 | 1 | |
White | Cami Masuda | 4 | 3 | White | Bless Goya | 5 | 2 | |
Total | 6 | Total | 6 | |||||
7:15 | 8:15 | |||||||
Heat 4 | Men’s Longboard | Place | Points | Heat 8 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Andrew Neal | 1 | 6 | Red | Alex Fry | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Danny Charvat | 2 | 5 | Yellow | Billy Atkinson | 2 | 5 | |
Blue | Alex Fry | 3 | 4 | Blue | Ryland Hart | 3 | 4 | |
Total | 15 | Total | 15 | |||||
Orange | Orange | Colin Macleod | 4 | 3 | ||||
Green | Cloe Yoshida | 4 | 3 | Green | Joshua Belofsky | 6 | 1 | |
White | Colin Macleod | 5 | 2 | White | Casey Escobar | 5 | 2 | |
Total | 5 | Total | 6 | |||||
El Segundo vs. Torrance
Heat 1 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 5 | Bodyboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Victor Knapp | 1 | 6 | Red | Danny Boulgarides | 3 | 4 | |
Yellow | Brandon Arellano | 4 | 3 | Yellow | Jacob Samia | 1 | 6 | |
Blue | Sean Tennien | 6 | 1 | blue | Garret Pulsipher | 2 | 5 | |
Total | 10 | Total | 15 | |||||
Orange | Haven Jarrel | 2 | 5 | Orange | Charles Bueyukian | 5 | 2 | |
Green | Timmy Kacius | 3 | 4 | Green | Kimu Fitisemanu | 4 | 3 | |
White | Ryan Brainard | 5 | 2 | White | ||||
Total | 11 | Total | 5 | |||||
6:45 | 7:45 | |||||||
Heat 2 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 6 | Girl’s Longboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Chase Wood | 1 | 6 | Red | Taylor Stone | 2 | 5 | |
Yellow | Gavin Lueck | 2 | 5 | Yellow | Porter Maese | 1 | 6 | |
Blue | Cooper Sutherland | 3 | 4 | Blue | ||||
Total | 15 | Total | 11 | |||||
Orange | Sam Waters | 4 | 3 | Orange | Maddy Watson | 3 | 4 | |
Green | Aidan Morvice | 6 | 1 | Green | Jeanna Axton | 5 | 2 | |
White | Nestor Ramirez | 5 | 2 | White | Sonnie Garcia | 4 | 3 | |
Total | 6 | Total | 0 | |||||
7:00 | 8:00 | |||||||
Heat 3 | Girl’s Shortboard | Place | Points | Heat 7 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Taylor Stone | 3 | 4 | Red | Lukas Roscoe | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Porter Maese | 2 | 5 | Yellow | Jacob Samia | 3 | 4 | |
Blue | Blue | Adam Masson | 4 | 3 | ||||
Total | 9 | Total | 13 | |||||
Orange | Maddy Watson | 1 | 6 | Orange | Sam Boden | 2 | 5 | |
Green | Clair Korzon | Green | Isaiah Galeon | x | ||||
White | Sonni Garcia | White | Lukas Schmit | x | ||||
Total | 6 | Total | 5 | |||||
7:15 | 8:15 | |||||||
Heat 4 | Men’s Longboard | Place | Points | Heat 8 | Men’s Shortboard | Place | Points | |
Red | Chase Wood | 3 | 4 | Red | Shane Frontino | 1 | 6 | |
Yellow | Victor Knapp | 4 | 3 | Yellow | Ramzy Latif | 3 | 4 | |
Blue | Shane Frontino | 1 | 6 | Blue | Nate Hogsten | 2 | 5 | |
Total | 13 | Total | 15 | |||||
Orange | Nestor Ramirez | 5 | 2 | Orange | ||||
Green | Noah Lickhalter | 2 | 5 | Green | ||||
White | Sam Waters | 6 | 1 | White | ||||
Total | 8 | Total | 0 | |||||