HIGH SCHOOL SURF: PV wins in Battle of Torrance Beach, Purcell-led Costa beats Penn

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South’s Parker Browning executing the maneuver of the contest. Photo courtesy SBSSA

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.

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PV’s Sean St. Pierre sets up for the barrel ride. Photo courtesy SBSSA

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

Kyra Williams

Kyra Williams

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
 

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