Mission Viejo

The Fountain Valley/Huntington Beach Five Star Dirt Dog White travel baseball team was somewhat of a Cinderella story. Playing in Cooperstown, New York, the 12-year-olds had been together for only a month. They were playing against teams that had been together for years. Yet, the slipper fit for the Dirt Dogs Sunday, as they captured the 12-year-old Cooperstown All-Star Village tournament championship by beating the Mission Viejo Thunder, 13-12. The Dirt Dog White team had previously been beaten by Mission Viejo in the week-long tournament, 11-3.

Editor?s note: These people have been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. As with all suspects, they are considered innocent until proved guilty. Jacob D. Sinayoko, 39, Banning Jamie L. Parrott, 24, Huntington Beach Patrick M. Bailey, 26, Long Beach Myles Q. Gregory, 24, Fountain Valley Pamela A. Libby, 47, Huntington Beach William Lenihan, 40, Huntington Beach Shantel M. Corbin, 21, Huntington Beach Rigoberto V. Garcia, 21, Santa Ana Lauren A. Avallone, 25, Huntington Beach Michael Sanchez, 26, Trabuco Canyon Steve Brandon, 44, Huntington Beach Simon M. Semaan, 45, Long Beach Nathan J. Todd, 20, Costa Mesa David B. Hunt, 26, Huntington Beach Fabio R. Rodriquez, 40, Anaheim Karen A. Murchison, 44, Huntington Beach Young K. Kim, 27, Los Angeles Yanal A. Shuqom, 23, Aliso Viejo Eric Guzman, 23, Paramount Morgan A. Brutocao, 18, San Juan Capistrano Armen M. Gabriel, 32, Long Beach Mary Beth Cisowski, 40, Mission Viejo Sean L. Gray, 36, Anaheim James A. Ridley, 27, Cypress Violeta Porras, 52, Pomona Raul Huerta, 23, Baldwin Park Mark Broom, 23, Santa Ana

HUNTINGTON BEACH --- Sometimes the curveball didn’t curve and went behind the Ocean View batter. But, too often, it found the strike zone Sunday. South Mission Viejo pitcher Wesley VandenBranden shut down the Ocean View bats for much of the day as South Mission Viejo posted a 5-1 victory in the Little League Section 10 9/10-Year-Old All-Star tournament. South Mission Viejo advanced to the championship series Tuesday, while Ocean View will face Aliso Viejo tonight (Monday)

For this upcoming Memorial Day, I present the story of two men. One is searching for a path back in time to touch the spirit of his father. The other wants to help him get there. Ron Grubbs lost his dad at 4 years old. The Grubbs were stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro. On Nov. 18, 1950, Ron’s dad, 1st Lt. Willard M. “Bill” Grubbs, was part of a four-man flight aboard a USMC Beechcraft SNB-5. The plane was returning to El Toro from Arizona on a routine training flight.

Edison High was the lone local school to emerge safely from the opening week of play in the CIF Southern Section girls? basketball playoffs. The No. 3 Chargers (22-4) won their first two postseason games to earn a Division II-AA date Wednesday with host Centennial of Corona. The result of that game wasn?t available at press time. The winner of that game moves on to face the winner of another Wednesday quarterfinal game between Mira Costa and Buena in a semifinal match-up at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Five local girls’ basketball teams begin the final leg of the 2008-09 season at 7:30 tonight when they play first-round games in the CIF Southern Section playoffs. On Friday, one area boys’ hoops team begins its drive for a Southern Section championship. Three others — Edison, Huntington Beach and Marina — opened postseason play Wednesday.   Girls’ Basketball Division IA Marina, the No. 3 team from the Sunset League, opens tournament play hosting Mission Viejo.

During the holiday break, the Ocean View High boys? basketball program reached another major milestone. When the Seahawks edged an 11-3 Mission Viejo team, 40-39, Saturday at Capistrano Valley High, the school earned its 600th victory. Jim Harris, who coaches the team with his son, Jimmy Harris, a former All-CIF player for the Sehawks, has been court side for each one of those victories. In his 31 years guiding the program, Harris? teams have combined to amass a 600-248 all-time record.

Pulling off one of the early upsets in the girls’ prep basketball season, the Huntington Beach Oilers won the Hoops Challenge at Fountain Valley High on Saturday by upending Woodbridge, 56-40, in the tournament final. Noelani Viloria scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds and went on to be named to the all-tournament team. Teammate Meghan White hauled in 14 rebounds and shut down the Warriors’ inside game. The win moved Huntington to 5-0 overall. The Oilers currently are in Phoenix playing at the NIKE Tournament of Champions.