Pilot Cup opens today

Today is the day many grammar school students have been waiting for:

An opportunity to play organized soccer for their school in the Daily

Pilot Cup at the Costa Mesa Farm Complex.

The fourth annual event, the brainchild of tournament director

Kirk McIntosh, will feature 95 teams representing some 23 schools

within the Newport-Mesa area in the five-day tournament that runs

through Sunday.

About 1,800 to 1,900 kids will be involved in the

single-elimination tournament for third- and fourth-grade boys and

girls and fifth- and sixth-grade boys and girls. Kaiser has the most

entries of any school with 10 teams.

Seeking repeat championships this year will be Rea’s boys in both

divisions, Kaiser’s 5-6 girls and Andersen’s 3-4 girls.

Virtually every public grammar school in Corona del Mar and

Newport Beach, Costa Mesa’s Eastside and private schools, such as

Carden Hall, Harbor Day, Mariners Christian, Our Lady Queen of

Angels, St. John The Baptist, St. Joaquim’s and Prince of Peace, are

participating.