Hobie

The Laguna Beach 14-and-Under Girls' Water Polo team took the gold medal in the 10th annual Turbo Orange County Cup at Dana Hills High last weekend. Laguna opened the tournament on Saturday with a 10-6 win over Corona del Mar. Laguna followed up with a competitive, 11-6 victory against United. The game was tied 4-4 at the half, but Laguna pulled away in the second half to secure a spot in Sunday's semifinals. Laguna played a depleted Rose Bowl team Sunday morning and rolled to a 20-6 victory to advance to the finals against Saddleback El Toro (SET)

Hobie claimed the 2012 Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division postseason tournament by defeating VFW, 5-1, in the final at Riddle Field. Both teams advance to the District 55 Tournament of Champions, which starts Saturday at Chapparosa Park in Laguna Niguel. Hobie never trailed in the final. With one out in the first inning, Jack Wills was hit by a pitch and Josh McManus singled, before Jack Loechner doubled home both runners. A double by Thomas Garcia scored Loechner for a 3-0 lead.

Hobie, which claimed the Laguna Beach Little League regular season Majors Division championship, started the division's postseason tournament Tuesday and defeated Sportsworld, 15-1, in a four-inning game at Riddle Field. Hobie scored six runs in the first inning on consecutive hits by Josh McManus, Jack Wills, Jack Loechner, Thomas Garcia, Lance Stewart, Kyle McCombs and Will Lichtenstein. In the second inning, Hobie scored four more runs behind consecutive hits by Grady Morgan, Wills, McManus and Loechner, who homered.

Hobie collected its 11th win of the season by defeating Sportsworld, 5-1, Wednesday in a Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division game at Riddle Field. Jack Wills started the game for Hobie and allowed one hit and no runs in 2 2/3 innings. Jack Loechner threw the next 2 1/3 innings and gave up a run and two hits. Lance Stewart closed out the sixth and didn't allow a hit and was backed by two solid defensive plays by Josh McManus at second base. Christian Herry started the game for Sportsworld and pitched well through three innings.

The outcome of the Majors Division game between Team Hobie and VFW wasn?t decided until relief pitcher Garrett Burk set down VFW in its final at-bat as Hobie held on for a 5-4 victory in Laguna Beach Little League action Saturday at Riddle Field. Burk took over late in the game for starter Morgan Lebby whose strong pitching performance included six strikeouts and a key double-play in the sixth inning. Lebby got in 5 2/3 innings of work before being relieved by Burk. Cameron Hall hit a home run to help give Hobie a 2-0 lead.

Rotary and Hobie returned from spring break and showed little signs of rust from the layoff in a Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division game at Riddle Field. In fact, the teams were in top offensive form. They combined for 20 hits and 21 runs, with Rotary hanging on for a 12-9 victory. Rotary had 16 of those 20 hits, with Chris Lavery and Michael Hyden each having perfect nights at the plate. Lavery went four for four and Hyden went three for three.

Will Bonsey tossed a two-hitter and Rotary stayed alive in Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division post season play by defeating Hobie, 4-1, at Riddle Field. Bonsey didn't give up a hit after the second inning and recorded nine strikeouts in six innings of work. He also figured prominently in Rotary's scoring attack. In Rotary's first at-bat, Michael Maxsenti started a two-out rally by singling to left field. Bonsey followed with an infield grounder and when the throw to first base was off target, Maxsenti came around to score the game's first run. Hobie countered in the top of the second when Eli Viszolay and Austin Hilleman each singled, and Viszolay scored on Cole Kennedy's ground out to tie the score at 1-1. In the bottom-half of the third, Rotary took the lead for good.

In a pitching and defensive battle that wrapped up quickly — the game Saturday at Riddle Field took an hour and 15 minutes — Oysters rallied and slipped past Team Hobie, 2-1, in Majors Division action at Laguna Beach Little League. It was the second one-run victory recorded by Oysters in a week. Previously, they outlasted Rotary, 7-6, in a seven-inning affair. Oysters 2, Team Hobie 1 For the first five innings, Oysters had been shut out in hits and runs by an outstanding performance by Hobie pitcher Grifan Fair, and trailed 1-0 heading into their final at-bat.

Sandpiper and Team Hobie each collected recent victories at Riddle Field to remain tied atop the Tuesday League standings in the city of Laguna Beach Community Services Dept. Fall 16" softball program. Tuesday League Sandpiper rode a three-hitter by ace Chris Howell to defeat Ganahl Lumber. Sandpiper 7, Ganahl Lumber 2   Of the three hits, Bob Bonn hit a two-run home run for Ganahl Lumber in the final inning. Howell backed his pitching effort with a home run and single, Sean Bill hit a pair of home runs and Michael McKenzie homered for Sandpiper.

Hobie and VFW had their offenses in high-gear in their Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division battle, and the teams needed extra innings to decide a winner. Hobie ended up with a 16-15 victory at Riddle Field. Keaton Jones slugged three hits and Rex Strombotne singled twice to lead the Hobie hitting attack. Also adding key hits for Hobie were Cole Kennedy, Tyler Pierce, Eli Viszolay, Jackson Christy, Derek Knott and Austin Hilleman. Leading VFW both offensively and defensively were Jake Glazer, Robbie McKnight, Clay Steel, Logan Schoembs, Keenan Skinfil and Sebastian Schott.

The Laguna Beach 14-and-Under Girls' Water Polo team took the gold medal in the 10th annual Turbo Orange County Cup at Dana Hills High last weekend. Laguna opened the tournament on Saturday with a 10-6 win over Corona del Mar. Laguna followed up with a competitive, 11-6 victory against United. The game was tied 4-4 at the half, but Laguna pulled away in the second half to secure a spot in Sunday's semifinals. Laguna played a depleted Rose Bowl team Sunday morning and rolled to a 20-6 victory to advance to the finals against Saddleback El Toro (SET)

Christmas might be still a few weeks away, but Laguna Beach artist Randy Morgan got his present last week. After three years of not knowing if he would ever be able to complete his work, Morgan unveiled his latest piece that tells the story of Laguna's waterman culture. "As an artist, these kinds of things happen once in a lifetime," said Morgan, 62. Morgan was feted on Nov. 29 at the unveiling of his latest work, "Waterman's Wall," a 40-foot-wide, 12-foot-tall bronze sculptured mural.

After nearly 50 years in business, The Cottage will close its door after the property was sold. "We just have to get through this and finish," said owner Jennifer McCulley, who has owned the restaurant for the past 12 years and run it with her sister, Julie McCulley. Jennifer McCulley hopes the last day of business will be Dec. 26, but they are still negotiating that, she said. It could be mid-December, she said, adding that the sale is still in escrow. The new owners - she was mum on their names - will continue to use the space as a restaurant, McCulley said.

Peaking at the right time. That's what Crescent Bay Advisors did to win the Laguna Beach Little League AAA division postseason tournament. CBA took the division's top-seed into the Little League District 55 Tournament of Champions, and has won its first two Minor division games. CBA, playing on its own Riddle Field, opened tournament action Saturday and was able to subdue Rancho Niguel, 5-3, in eight innings. CBA returned Monday to face Lake Forest and, despite a frantic final inning, was able to emerge with a 7-4 triumph.

Hobie claimed the 2012 Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division postseason tournament by defeating VFW, 5-1, in the final at Riddle Field. Both teams advance to the District 55 Tournament of Champions, which starts Saturday at Chapparosa Park in Laguna Niguel. Hobie never trailed in the final. With one out in the first inning, Jack Wills was hit by a pitch and Josh McManus singled, before Jack Loechner doubled home both runners. A double by Thomas Garcia scored Loechner for a 3-0 lead.

Hobie, which claimed the Laguna Beach Little League regular season Majors Division championship, started the division's postseason tournament Tuesday and defeated Sportsworld, 15-1, in a four-inning game at Riddle Field. Hobie scored six runs in the first inning on consecutive hits by Josh McManus, Jack Wills, Jack Loechner, Thomas Garcia, Lance Stewart, Kyle McCombs and Will Lichtenstein. In the second inning, Hobie scored four more runs behind consecutive hits by Grady Morgan, Wills, McManus and Loechner, who homered.

With the outcome of a key AAA Division game on the line, Cooper Noriega came through for Crescent Bay Advisors. Noriega lined a two-out, 3-2 fastball out to left field for a game-winning, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning that lifted CBA to a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Morgan Stanley in Laguna Beach Little League action. The victory clinched the regular-season AAA title for CBA (11-3-1), which with the win also secured a spot in the upcoming District 55 Tournament of Champions.

Hobie collected its 11th win of the season by defeating Sportsworld, 5-1, Wednesday in a Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division game at Riddle Field. Jack Wills started the game for Hobie and allowed one hit and no runs in 2 2/3 innings. Jack Loechner threw the next 2 1/3 innings and gave up a run and two hits. Lance Stewart closed out the sixth and didn't allow a hit and was backed by two solid defensive plays by Josh McManus at second base. Christian Herry started the game for Sportsworld and pitched well through three innings.

Joseph Sweet's first home run will be one he is certain to remember. His swing with one out in the bottom of the sixth went for a walk-off home run and lifted Rotary to a hard-fought, 11-10 victory over Sportsworld in Laguna Beach Little League Majors division action at Riddle Field. The back-and-forth battle saw Sportsworld rally for three runs in the top of the sixth to tie the score at 10. Sportsworld took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Wesley Witteman's single scored Conner Brashier and Blake Burzell.

Travelers at John Wayne Airport will get a taste of Laguna Beach starting early next year with the addition of two local concessions in the newly renovated terminals: the Fresh Market and the Hobie Sand Bar. The Laguna Culinary Arts' Fresh Market, a fast-casual concept that serves chef Laurent Brazier's signature French Mediterranean cuisine, will offer paninis, salads, homemade soups and a variety of other choices. The chef drew inspiration from Mirepoix, the Laguna Culinary Arts restaurant in Laguna, which offers four-course prix fixe dinners three nights a week.