El Toro

Kathy Courtney of Laguna Niguel opined that El Toro is a "done deal" and that we should "move on." However, I have the feeling that had Measure W lost, she would be carping for even yet another vote. In fact, that's been happening over the past eight years. After four tries, El Toro opponents finally were able to simultaneously pass an initiative and have one court uphold it. Now they want to silence dissenting opinions. Maybe El Toro is indeed a "done deal."

Eron Ben-Yehuda HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The El Toro airport debate may be raging in South County, but its not flying here, as only two residents showed up Tuesday for a meeting at City Hall on what many consider to be the most pressing land use issue in Orange County. Locals should be concerned about the fate of the former Marine base, said Peggy Ducey, executive director of the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, which sponsored the meeting, because building an international airport will have a "ripple effect" throughout the county.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Huntington Beach, as expected, took care of business Friday night. Now, the Oilers can turn their full attention to El Toro. Huntington set up an early-season showdown in the chase for first place in the Sea View League Friday by defeating visiting Woodbridge. The Oilers used a big second half to pull away from the Warriors to win for the fourth time in as many league starts, 62-48. The victory put Huntington at 17-3 overall and sends the Oilers onward to a Wednesday game against defending league champ El Toro.

The Sea View League boys? basketball race will be decided tonight. The Huntington Beach Oilers made certain that the title chase would go to the end of the regular season by scoring a thrilling, 67-65 overtime victory over visiting El Toro before a full house at Huntington. The win moved the Oilers to 7-2 in league and pulled them to within a game of league-leading El Toro, which suffered its first league loss in falling to 8-1. A win by the Chargers would have allowed them to repeat as league champion.

Huntington Beach coach Eric Lo said during preseason camp that the first three games of the season would tell him a lot about his 2011 football team. Games against El Toro, Corona del Mar and Foothill, two of whom were the Oilers' rivals when they belonged to the Sea View League two years ago, figured to test Huntington right out of the gate. Lo did learn something Friday at Cap Sheue Field: his team can win the close one. Huntington never trailed against El Toro but the Oilers had to withstand a barrage of passes - 55 of them - from Chargers quarterback Conner Manning, and a late comeback attempt, to post a 23-21 season-opening victory.

The 2012 high school football season gets underway this week for four local schools: Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Marina and Brethren Christian. Three of those schools - Fountain Valley, Marina, Brethren Christian - open their campaigns with home games. Huntington, Fountain Valley, Marina, and the rest of the Pac-5 Division teams move from the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division to the Southwest Division this year. Below is a brief capsule look at this week's openers. * Thursday Huntington Beach vs. El Toro, 7 p.m., Trabuco Hills High: A young Huntington Beach team starts its season in south Orange County against a seasoned El Toro squad that has several big-time players returning from a 2011 team that set several school records.

Huntington Beach Coach Eric Lo said during the preseason that the first three games of the season would tell him a lot about his 2011 football team. Games against El Toro, Corona del Mar and Foothill, two of whom were rivals when the Oilers belonged to the Sea View League, figured to test Huntington right out of the gate. Lo did learn something last Friday at Cap Sheue Field: his team can win the close one. Huntington never trailed against El Toro, but the Oilers had to withstand a barrage of passes - 55 of them from Chargers quarterback Conner Manning - and a late comeback attempt to post a 23-21 season-opening victory.

TODAY Girls' Soccer (3 p.m.) Edison at Marina Huntington at El Toro Saddleback at Ocean View Wrestling (4 p.m.) Marina at Edison (5:30 p.m.) Ocean View at Santa Ana (6:30 p.m.) Trabuco Hills at Huntington Girls' Basketball (7 p.m.) Edison at Marina Huntington at El Toro Saddleback at Ocean View FRIDAY Wrestling (3 p.m.) Edison, Marina at Five Counties Tourney (at Fountain Valley High)

Four members of the Huntington Beach High boys’ basketball team recently were named to the 2008 All-Sea View League boys’ basketball team, Coach Fabian Luna announced. The all-league team was selected by the head coach at each of the league’s six schools. Seniors Nick Becker and Trevor Carroll, and junior Zach Kimber made the first team. Nick Neser, a junior, was a second-team selection. During the 2007-08 season, Becker, who became the school’s all-time leading scorer, averaged 20 points per game and was the league’s leading scorer.

Edison (4-1) 21 El Toro 18 30 Capo Valley 7 42 Dana Hills 21 10 Mater Dei 42 35 Servite 33 Fountain Valley (3-2) 24 Dana Hills 18 17 LA Carson 14 27 La Mirada 35 29 Warren 32 33 Trabuco Hills 0 Huntington Beach (2-3) 14 Downey 35 27 Hueneme 45 17 Capo Valley 0 6 Mission Viejo 23 21 Dana Hills 3 Marina (5-0) 12 Paramount 3 26 Newport Harbor 18 21 Mayfair 13 41 Westminster 0 19 El Toro 10 Ocean View (4-1)

As the Loara Tournament, one of the top prep baseball tournaments in Orange County, moved into its final stages of a week's worth of competition, local teams Edison, Fountain Valley and Marina picked up victories on Tuesday. Edison edged La Mirada, 3-2, Fountain Valley blanked El Toro, 5-0, and Marina pinned a 2-0 defeat on Long Beach Wilson. The Barons were one victory away from playing from the tournament title. Edison: The Chargers ran its record to 2-1 and moved into the Loara Tournament consolation semifinals by coming back from a 2-1 deficit, to down La Mirada, 3-2. Joey DeMarco, Johnathan Freedman and Jake Scott each had an RBI in the win. Starter Noah Kronfly earned his first pitching win and Tyler Jones got the save.

Senior forward Marisa Teng scored 16 points Tuesday for Fountain Valley, but the Barons were edged by host El Toro, 55-51, in nonleague girls' basketball action. Teng connected on five three-pointers for the Barons, who took a one-point lead (42-41) into the fourth quarter. Senior guard Jasmine Matar and junior forward Emily Krause both scored eight points for the Barons. In previous play, Fountain Valley went 2-2 at the Segerstrom Tournament and finished in ninth place. The Barons started the tournament with consecutive losses to Woodbridge (64-28)

The 2012 high school football season gets underway this week for four local schools: Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Marina and Brethren Christian. Three of those schools - Fountain Valley, Marina, Brethren Christian - open their campaigns with home games. Huntington, Fountain Valley, Marina, and the rest of the Pac-5 Division teams move from the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division to the Southwest Division this year. Below is a brief capsule look at this week's openers. * Thursday Huntington Beach vs. El Toro, 7 p.m., Trabuco Hills High: A young Huntington Beach team starts its season in south Orange County against a seasoned El Toro squad that has several big-time players returning from a 2011 team that set several school records.

The Edison High football program once again starts its summer season at the 2012 Nike Air Strike passing tournament at Dana Hills High. The Chargers are one of 12 teams in the single-day event Saturday. The teams will be split into four pools. Pool A: Chaminade, Dana Hills, Oaks Christian, Tesoro; Pool B: Alemany, Mater Dei, Mission Viejo, Upland; Pool C: Capistrano Valley, Long Beach Poly, Narbonne, San Clemente: Pool D: Edison, El Toro, Loyola, Santa Margarita. Edison opens pool play at 9 a.m. against El Toro, then has games against Santa Margarita (10:30 a.m.)

ANAHEIM - The Huntington Beach High girls' basketball team had nearly enough firepower in its arsenal to knock off another giant. Three days after taking down second-ranked El Toro, third-ranked Huntington Beach gave top-ranked Summit all it could handle in Friday's CIF Southern Section Division 1A championship game at Anaheim Arena. The SkyHawks scored the final five points of the game to pull out a 56-51 victory to give the school its first Southern Section title in girls' basketball.

HUNINGTON BEACH - At about the midway point of the third quarter of Tuesday's CIF Southern Section Division 1A boys' basketball game between Huntington Beach and El Toro, it appeared that Huntington was about to make a game-changing move on the visiting Chargers. Trailing throughout the second-round contest, the Oilers, who had been outmaneuvered and outgunned for much of the night, got to within nine points of the El Toro lead. It was then, though, that the lights were turned out for good by the Chargers.

Huntington Beach Coach Eric Lo said during the preseason that the first three games of the season would tell him a lot about his 2011 football team. Games against El Toro, Corona del Mar and Foothill, two of whom were rivals when the Oilers belonged to the Sea View League, figured to test Huntington right out of the gate. Lo did learn something last Friday at Cap Sheue Field: his team can win the close one. Huntington never trailed against El Toro, but the Oilers had to withstand a barrage of passes - 55 of them from Chargers quarterback Conner Manning - and a late comeback attempt to post a 23-21 season-opening victory.

Huntington Beach coach Eric Lo said during preseason camp that the first three games of the season would tell him a lot about his 2011 football team. Games against El Toro, Corona del Mar and Foothill, two of whom were the Oilers' rivals when they belonged to the Sea View League two years ago, figured to test Huntington right out of the gate. Lo did learn something Friday at Cap Sheue Field: his team can win the close one. Huntington never trailed against El Toro but the Oilers had to withstand a barrage of passes - 55 of them - from Chargers quarterback Conner Manning, and a late comeback attempt, to post a 23-21 season-opening victory.

Just four games in, and the Sunset League baseball race is full of suspense. Marina High Coach Paul Renfrow might be the least surprised. “This is my 27th year, and nobody’s ever won the league undefeated,” he said. The same will be true this year, although Edison (3-1 in league) does have a showdown at Newport Harbor (also 3-1) at 3 p.m. today. The winner will take outright possession of first place in league — but there’s still a long way to go. Edison 5, Fountain Valley 1: The Chargers rebounded from a loss to Esperanza on Friday, topping their rivals Tuesday at Edison.

Huntington Beach (5-3, 2-1) vs. El Toro (5-3, 2-1), 7 p.m.: Huntington Beach was unable to move the ball offensively against Trabuco Hills last week and lost to the Mustangs, 51-10. Starting quarterback Sean Guite was held to 109 yards passing and running back Jack Dilbeck ran for 64 yards. Senior Kaller Roemer led the team with his 105 all-purpose yards. El Toro, fresh off a 28-17 victory against Woodbridge, hopes to extend its winning streak to three against the Oilers.