Manhattan Beach Open

It was a different feeling for Rachel Wacholder when she took the sand last weekend in Manhattan Beach. For the first time in nearly two years, the former Laguna Beach High volleyball star would compete in an Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament without being teamed with Elaine Youngs. The two, who had been a force on the women's tour for the past 18 months, ended their playing relationship earlier this month. Wacholder said that personality differences played a role in their split, and "something" that happened in Paris during recent international tournament play also contributed to the decision.

The Assn. of Volleyball Professionals' Crocs Tour returns to the southland Thursday with the Manhattan Beach Open. Laguna Beach High alums Rachel Wacholder (1993) and Dain Blanton (1990) will compete in the women's and men's events respectively. Qualifier-round competition begins Thursday at the south side of the Manhattan Beach pier. The main draw competition starts Aug. 11 and continues both Aug. 12 and Aug. 13. Wacholder and Blanton will not begin competing until Fri., Aug. 11. The men's final is Sat., Aug. 12 and the women's final is Sun., Aug. 13. Both finals will be televised by NBC. Wacholder, who lives in Redondo Beach, and teammate Elaine Youngs are the No. 2 seed in the women's tournament, behind No. 1-ranked Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

Laguna Beach's Rachel Wacholder and partner Angie Akers finished in a tie for ninth-place at last weekend's San Diego Open, the sixth stop on the 2004 Assn. Of Volleyball Professionals Nissan Series. Wacholder and Akers, the women's sixth-seed, lost to No. 11 seed Tanya Fuamata/Heidi Ilustre, 21-17, 19-21, 12-15, in winner's bracket play. Prior to that loss, the pair opened the tournament with a 21-17, 21-11 win over No. 20 seed Kristen Schritter/Helen Reale in Contender's Bracket action.

For the fourth time in five tournaments during the 2004 Assn. of Volleyball Professional Nissan Series, former Laguna Beach High athlete Dain Blanton and teammate Jeff Nygaard have finished third. The duo advanced last Sunday to the semifinal round of the Manhattan Beach Open, where they fell to the team of Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings, 15-21, 23-21, 13-15. It was the pair's fourth, three-game match in a row. Blanton and Nygaard won five matches, overall, and both of their losses came to Fuerbringer and Jennings.

Wacholder, Turner reach semis The oldest beach volleyball event ? the Manhattan Beach Open, which is the considered the top stop on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Crocs Tour ? celebrated its 46th year with a four-day tournament that ended Sunday. Laguna Beach High products Rachel Wacholder (Class of 1993) and Dain Blanton (1990) competed at the event. Wacholder and partner Tyra Turner, the No. 4 seed, reached the women's semifinals but were eliminated from the title chase following a 16-21, 21-15, 15-11 loss Saturday to top-seeds and eventual champion Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

OCEAN CITY, Md. ? Laguna Beach resident Whitney Pavlik and teammate Stacy Rouwenhorst finished tied for ninth at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Ocean City Open last weekend. Pavlik and Rouwenhorst split $3,960 for their finish, which is the third straight AVP tour stop at which they?ve been seeded 12th and ended up tied for ninth. At Ocean City, Pavlik and Rouwenhorst topped No. 21 Kathleen Olsovsky and Jenny Pavley in their opening match, 24-22, 21-11, before falling to No. 5 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 21-15, 21-19.

In the final Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Croc Tour event of the 2008 season, Rachel Wacholder (Laguna Beach High, 1993) and partner Tyra Turner (Fort Myers Beach, Fla.) advanced to the fourth round of Contender?s Bracket play before being eliminated from title contention for the women?s tournament crown at the Manhattan Beach Open on Sunday. The pair, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, forfeited their fourth-round match to the No. 12 team of sisters Katie and Tracy Lindquist of Huntington Beach.

Whitney Pavlik of Laguna Beach and her partner Jenny Kropp won the women's title Sunday at the historic Manhattan Beach Open. The duo was the No. 1-seed in the 51st year of the tournament and backed that ranking by not dropping a game at the tournament. Pavlik and Kropp, the top-ranked women's team on this year's U.S. tour, defeated No. 5-seed Tracy Jones (Huntington Beach) and Jennifer Fopma (Bellflower), 21-13, 22-20, in Sunday's final. Pavlik and Kropp received $18,000 for their victory and will have their names inscribed on a bronze plaque that will be placed alongside plaques of past tournament winners at the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Junior Breakers Volleyball Clinics, a series of youth volleyball classes presented by Laguna Beach High boys' volleyball Coach Scott Panaro, start Oct. 3 at the North Gym on the Laguna Beach campus. The clinics are designed for boys ages 14 and younger and of all skill levels. Clinic dates and costs are: Oct. 3-28 (eight classes, $200); Nov. 4-18 (five classes $125); Nov. 25-Dec. 19 (eight classes, $200); Oct. 3-Dec. 19 (21 classes, $450); Oct. 3-Dec. 16 (10-11classes, one per week, $275)

Junior Breakers Volleyball Clinics, a series of youth volleyball classes presented by Laguna Beach High boys' volleyball Coach Scott Panaro, start Oct. 3 at the North Gym on the Laguna Beach campus. The clinics are designed for boys ages 14 and younger and of all skill levels. Clinic dates and costs are: Oct. 3-28 (eight classes, $200); Nov. 4-18 (five classes $125); Nov. 25-Dec. 19 (eight classes, $200); Oct. 3-Dec. 19 (21 classes, $450); Oct. 3-Dec. 16 (10-11classes, one per week, $275)

Four Laguna Beach High teams are ranked in this week's CIF Southern Section polls. The Laguna girls' volleyball team, which started play Thursday, holds down the No. 1-ranking in Division 1-A. The football team, which begins its season Friday at Bolsa Grande, is ranked fourth in the Southern Division. The boys' water polo team, the two-time defending Division 3 champion, has moved up to Division 2 and is ranked fourth. The Breakers start their season Sept. 7 at eighth-ranked Villa Park.

Volleyball camps available The second of three summer volleyball camp sessions run by Laguna Beach High boys' volleyball Coach Scott Panaro starts Monday and runs through Thursday at Laguna Beach High. The final camp session is Aug. 20 through 23. Camps are from 4 to 7 p.m. at Dugger Gym and are open to players in grades sixth through 12th. The cost is $165 per camp. Registration information can be found at http://www.lagunabeachcity.net . * Pavlik, Kropp, third at shootout Whitney Pavlik of Laguna Beach and playing partner Jenny Kropp had their undefeated run in the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series come to an end Sunday at the Milwaukee Shootout in Wisconsin.

Whitney Pavlik of Laguna Beach and her partner Jenny Kropp won the women's title Sunday at the historic Manhattan Beach Open. The duo was the No. 1-seed in the 51st year of the tournament and backed that ranking by not dropping a game at the tournament. Pavlik and Kropp, the top-ranked women's team on this year's U.S. tour, defeated No. 5-seed Tracy Jones (Huntington Beach) and Jennifer Fopma (Bellflower), 21-13, 22-20, in Sunday's final. Pavlik and Kropp received $18,000 for their victory and will have their names inscribed on a bronze plaque that will be placed alongside plaques of past tournament winners at the Manhattan Beach Pier.

OCEAN CITY, Md. ? Laguna Beach resident Whitney Pavlik and teammate Stacy Rouwenhorst finished tied for ninth at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Ocean City Open last weekend. Pavlik and Rouwenhorst split $3,960 for their finish, which is the third straight AVP tour stop at which they?ve been seeded 12th and ended up tied for ninth. At Ocean City, Pavlik and Rouwenhorst topped No. 21 Kathleen Olsovsky and Jenny Pavley in their opening match, 24-22, 21-11, before falling to No. 5 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 21-15, 21-19.

HUNTINGTON BEACH ? With friends and family watching her every move over the weekend, it seemed like a good occasion for Whitney Pavlik to have one of her best tournaments of the year. The Laguna Beach resident delivered at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Huntington Beach Open, tying her best result of the season as she tied for ninth place on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier. Pavlik and partner Stacy Rouwenhorst were seeded 12th, but they delivered an upset Friday afternoon in the winner?

In the final Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Croc Tour event of the 2008 season, Rachel Wacholder (Laguna Beach High, 1993) and partner Tyra Turner (Fort Myers Beach, Fla.) advanced to the fourth round of Contender?s Bracket play before being eliminated from title contention for the women?s tournament crown at the Manhattan Beach Open on Sunday. The pair, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, forfeited their fourth-round match to the No. 12 team of sisters Katie and Tracy Lindquist of Huntington Beach.

It was a different feeling for Rachel Wacholder when she took the sand last weekend in Manhattan Beach. For the first time in nearly two years, the former Laguna Beach High volleyball star would compete in an Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament without being teamed with Elaine Youngs. The two, who had been a force on the women's tour for the past 18 months, ended their playing relationship earlier this month. Wacholder said that personality differences played a role in their split, and "something" that happened in Paris during recent international tournament play also contributed to the decision.