TOP OF THE CLASS Satellite High School Scorpions Take
Top Honors At The NSL High School Cup Central Florida Regionals By Allison Arteaga; Photos by Nate Adams
Surfers from three Space Coast high schools traded in their textbooks
for boards and jerseys on Tuesday, April 27th, as they gathered at Sebastian
Inlet to compete in the Central Florida regional championships of the National
Surf League’s (NSL) High School Cup.
Despite unimpressive swell conditions and waves that event judge Gordon
Lawson categorized as “pretty much nonexistent,” all the competitors were
stoked to get out of school and even more excited to fight for the day’s grand
prize: an invitation to the High School Cup National Championships this June at
Upper Trestles, CA.
NSL Executive Director Shaun Burrell flew out from California to run the
event, and he was almost as enthusiastic as the competitors. “I’m stoked,” Burrell said. “The kids are surfing good. As long as
everyone is having fun, I’m happy. That’s the main goal here.”
In the first round of Tuesday’s competition, which utilized NSL’s
innovative The Game format, Satellite High School, the two-time defending champs,
received a bye that automatically put them into the finals, leaving Cocoa Beach
Jr./ Sr. High School and Melbourne High School to duke it out for the remaining
spot.
The Cocoa Beach Minutemen took an early lead, beating the Melbourne Bulldogs
by five points in the first period, but in the second period, Melbourne
rallied, and it seemed like they might have the potential to make a comeback.
But those hopes were dashed in the third period, when the Minutemen pulled
through with another batch of solid scores, including a 7.0 by Nolan Tyler.
Cocoa Beach defeated Melbourne by 65.5 to 57.0 and earned the right to
face the Satellite Scorpions in the finals, with Forest Johnson of Cocoa Beach
winning Most Valuable Player for the game, while Nolan Tyler, a fellow
Minutemen teammate, won the Most Radical Maneuver award for his grab-rail air.
Tyler said he was pumped about his award but even more excited to get
the next game started. “My goal is to just do the same thing that I did last round and stay
focused, stay motivated, and just have fun,” he said.
Bulldogs Coach Frank Panzarino said he was proud of his team for
improving on last year’s performance, and Minutemen Coach Nick Piette said he
hoped that his surfers would be able to carry the momentum of their first win
into the finals.
As the culminating showdown between Satellite and Cocoa Beach kicked
off, it was immediately clear that both teams meant business. Scorpions Coach
George Seguna sent water coach and Sebastian local Travis Beckmann out into
the surf equipped with a waterproof walkie-talkie, and Minutemen water coach
Jonathan Cangianella scaled the side of the jetty and perched precariously over
sharp rocks as he shouted advice to his team.
In the game’s first period, Piette kicked himself for electing to send
his Cocoa Beach squad out into the water after Satellite. Some of the better
sets of the day came through during the Scorpions’ time in the water, but wave
conditions began to deteriorate immediately afterwards, leaving the Minutemen with
a much flatter first period, and their scores reflected it.
Surprisingly, in the second period, when both teams ran into wave
troubles, Satellite pulled out to a commanding lead on the strength of several
high-scoring rides, including an 8.0 by Chris Tucker and a 7.8 by Most Radical Maneuver winner Pete
Polanski. That gave the Scorpions a lead of more than 13 points before going
into the third and final period.
Cocoa Beach fought it out until the end, but Satellite’s surfers came
out on top with a convincing 67.2 to 50.5 victory, celebrating their third
consecutive invitation to the National Championships.
Just before his team took to the water for the finals, Scorpions Coach
George Seguna said that he and his squad were hoping for another chance to compete
in the National Championships. “Last year we gave the #1 seed a run for their money in the first round,”
he said. “It was so close.” And NSL Executive Director Shaun Burrell said he likes Satellite’s chances
for this year.
“I’ve been doing this for three years now, and every year it seems like
the kids just keep getting better and better. I think Satellite probably has a
good shot going out to California to beat some of the other teams.
They’re definitely strong.”
For more information on the National Surf League and its The Game
format, visit www.nationalsurfleague.com
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