Youth tourney set to start

Michael Mutrie is hoping that this is the first of many.

Beginning Tuesday, the Surf City Showdown, a boys’ lacrosse tournament, gets underway at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex.

It’s the first such tournament hosted by Huntington Beach Blackhawks Youth Lacrosse, and Mutrie envisions more to follow.

“We’re really looking forward to hosting the two-day event and hope that this grows into a yearly staple here in Huntington Beach,” said Mutrie, president of Huntington Beach Blackhawks Youth Lacrosse. “This is a great venue to showcase lacrosse. This is a sport that is growing leaps and bounds in Orange County.”

Mutrie said that the tournament, presented by the Orange County chapter of U.S. Lacrosse and Warrior Lacrosse, features three main divisions and 24 total teams who are primarily based in Orange County.

Six teams will vie for the 5th-6th Grade title, eight teams for the 7th-8th Grade championship and eight teams for the high school crown. Two teams are entered in the 3rd-4th Grade division which Mutrie said will be run “more like a clinic.”

Both Huntington Beach and Marina are entered in the High School Division. Huntington Beach Blackhawks Youth Lacrosse will have teams compete in the 3rd-4th, 5th-6th and 7th-8th divisions.

Mutrie said he had to turn down teams from Northern California, Nevada and Utah for the tournament but plans to expand next year’s event.

The teams in each division are as follows:

3rd-4th Division: Tustin Tigers; HB Blackhawks.

5th-6th Division: Crush; Killer Bees; FCA SoCal U13; OC Lax-Gaynor; HB Blackhawks; OC Lax-Arkison.

7th-8th Division: OC Lax Orange; Crush; FCA SoCal U15; Westside Warriors; HB Blackhawks; Silverfin Select; Crush II; OC Lax-Driggs.

High School Division: Huntington Beach; Marina, Woodbridge; Crush JV; Scripps Ranch Flyers; Golden Hawk Lax; Diablos; Westside Warriors.

Games begin at 9 a.m. on Day 1 of the tournament Tuesday and again at 9 a.m. Wednesday. The 5th-6th and 7th-8th grade title games will be played at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday followed at 5:45 p.m. by the High School Division final.

All game will be played at fields 1-through-4 at the sports complex.