Oilers earn title the hard way

The Sunset League boys’ volleyball match between Huntington Beach

High and Fountain Valley had everything you’d expect from a showdown,

including plenty of drama on the final night of the regular season.

The first-place Oilers, who held a one-game lead over both the

Barons and Aztecs in the standings, nearly squandered away an

outright title but did rally to a 14-16, 4-15, 15-11, 15-12, 15-13 victory.

That triumph gave Huntington the league crown with a 7-1 record.

Fountain Valley, which in its previous match had dropped Esperanza

from a share of the league lead by beating the Aztecs, could have

gained a share of the Sunset title by beating the Oilers.

With the match tied at two games apiece and the teams deadlocked

at 13-13 in the fifth and deciding game, Kenny Marquardt’s kill broke

the tie and then Marquardt scored the final point to clinch the match

for Huntington.

In baseball action, Ocean View did something no other team had

been able to do this season: beat Pacifica.

Grant Theophilus’ complete-game victory included eight strikeouts

and limiting the Mariners to just four hits in a 2-0 nonleague home

win.

Ocean View, which won its 20th game of the season, scored both of

its runs in the fifth inning.

Jeff Roth started the bottom of the inning on a single, stole

second and went on to score on a Pacific throwing error. Pat Pupura’s

squeeze bunt scored pinch runner Brett Burda.

Edison moved a step closer to a possible Sunset League title with

a 12-5 victory over visiting Huntington Beach.

Garrett Young’s big game included a home run and single and two

RBIs.

Starter David Huff, one of five Edison players to take the mound,

notched the pitching win to improve his record to 9-1.

Previously, Edison rode the pitching of Tommy Palica to blank

Huntington Beach, 3-0.

Palica gave up five hits and struck out eight and was able to get

the pitching win only when Robbie Blauer broke a scoreless game with

a two-RBI single in the sixth inning.

Jacob Luque’s two-run home run in the first inning propelled

Marina to an important, 5-4 victory at Los Alamitos.

Luque finished the game three for three and junior Brooks Walling,

in relief of starter J.J. Valicenti, recorded the pitching win and

improved to 3-1.

The win kept Marina a game back of Edison in the league standings.

At the Golden West League girls’ swim finals, Ocean View’s Martine

Brode was a two-time winner as she captured the 50-freestyle in 26.38

and the 100-free in 58.04.

In boys’ golf, three local athletes qualified for the CIF Southern

Regional following the completion of the Sunset League final.

The top six finishers in the individual competition advanced to

compete at this week’s Southern Regional.

Huntington Beach’s Derek Zellmer finished with a 140 to win the

Par 144 event at El Toro Golf Course.

Oiler teammate Joey Benedetti placed third with a 142 and Marina’s Daniel Chin was fourth with 146.

In diving, Marina claimed two Sunset League team titles by winning

both the boys’ and girls’ competition.