Elite captures tourney title

The Huntington Elite (T.H.E.), the 12-and-under Gold All-Star team from Huntington Beach Girls Softball, swept its way to a division title June 14-16 at the Fountain Valley All-Star Summer Classic tournament.

In this final tournament leading up to the upcoming Amateur Softball Assn. Central “B” District Championship, T.H.E. powered through a competitive field of opponents. Coach Mark Fullbright’s team opened the tournament with a tie game (4-4) against Whittier folowed by a 9-0 shutout of Rancho Peñasquitos in pool play. In the elimination rounds, T.H.E. dominated Arcadia, 13-2, and defeated Fountain Valley, 6-1, to move on to face Glendora in the championship game.

In the final, T.H. E. jumped out to an 8-1 lead by the end of the fourth inning and ended up with a 9-6 victory.

During the tournament, the T.H.E. lineup hit five home runs and scored 41 runs. Defensively, the team gave up 13 runs.

T.H.E. is: Aly Fullbright, Makayla Nieto, Sage Malvin, Danika McKee, Megan Ryono, Malia Cockrell, Kelly Ryono, Jennifer Swartz, Malia Temple, Serah Villegas, Serena Starks. Coaches: Mark Fullbright, Greg Villegas, Don Ryono, Van Starks.

— Reader submission

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Youth Soccer

Kiss My Grass, a U19 girls’ soccer team from AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) Region 5 in Fountain Valley, will head to Hawaii next month to participate in the 32nd Annual Rainbow Soccer Tournament. The tournament will take place on Oahu from July 4-7 at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Team members include; Mallory Weinheimer, Jordi Emrich, Alyx Merickel, Kaitlyn Pitoniak, Kaitlin Hungate, Toni Abad, Jenny Soliman, Vivien Bayless, Tian Luong, Kendra Martinez, Desiree Fisher, Bri Emerzian, Cami Stevens, Kalei Hauber, Brittney Stevens, Alicia Arnett, Nicole Minnicucci, Alex Capuano and Kaitlyn Ramirez. The team is coached by Hank Schellingerhout and Steve Merickel.

“I have coached many of these girls since they were five years old and so we couldn’t think of a more fitting way for these girls to wrap up their AYSO careers than with this trip” Coach Steve Merickel said. “For most of these girls this will be their last hurrah in AYSO soccer as they will be heading off to college in the fall.

“It was a lot of hard work fundraising for this all year, but well worth it.”

— Reader submission

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Sand Soccer

The Avengers won the girls’ U12 Surf division championship at the Sand Soccer Tournament at Huntington City Beach.

The 7 vs. 7 tournament was held June 8-9.

The Avengers went undefeated in four matches to win the title. Their run to the crown included a 10-4 victory in game No. 3 over a D.R.E. team that was the reigning champion. In their final game, the Avengers blanked the Vegas Girls, 8-0.

The flight consisted of five teams with each team playing a total of four games.

The Avengers are: Lily Elisha, Alyssa Gilchrest, Brynna Brainard, Kaylyn Hiroshige, Kennedy Chavez, Alijah Giampietro, Blake Turner, Angel Cervantez, Rosa Rodriguez, Hannah Mohasesi and Sammie Serrano.

— Reader submission