NSSA - National Scholastic Surfing Association

The National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and assist its members in their interest to learn and develop the fundamentals and skills of surfing competition while competing in structured and quality events. The NSSA promotes the qualities of discipline and competitive excellence while supporting the merits of academic achievement to young surfers. The NSSA strives to provide a fun surfing experience for all of its members.

The NSSA is one of the few national youth sports organizations that require its participants to maintain academic standards in order to compete. Since 1978, the NSSA program philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand. More than 80 NSSA events are run nationwide that culminate with the annual National Championships which is regarded as the highest profile youth surfing event in America.


SOUTHWEST EXPLORER #8 AT HB'S NINTH STREET SANDBAR

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 | Written by Janice Aragon

NSSA SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

EXPLORER SEASON EVENT #8

NINTH STREET, HUNTINGTON BEACH

FEBRUARY 23-24, 2008

CONDITIONS: Chest high waves on Saturday building to heavy double overhead sets by Sunday afternoon.   

 

KYLE KENNELLY PREVAILED IN THE HEAVY CONDITIONS.

 

The Southwest Conference Explorer Season continued with event #8 at the Ninth Street sandbar in Huntington Beach.  Saturday’s preliminary rounds were held in chest high waves and sunny skies but on Sunday a hefty winter storm came barreling through Southern California bringing rain and a potent WNW swell.  Sunday morning’s heats started in the 1-2 foot range and by the time the finals started at 3pm, the surf had built to a heavy 8-12 feet with vicious close-out sets and powerful sweeping currents.  Huntington Beach High School senior Kyle Kennelly was stoked on the sizeable conditions in his neck of the woods and used his local expertise to take the Men’s final.  Brent Reilly continued to be a winning machine and no-one has been able to stop him.  His victory in the Explorer Juniors division this weekend puts his victory count up to seven in Southwest Conference competition.  He is the leader in his age category winning six of the last seven events and has been dominating in every condition thrown his way from waist high Church, to six foot Seaside bowls to double overhead raging Huntington.  By the time the Boy’s final hit the water, the sets were increasing to the double overhead range and the current was violent.  With only a few minutes rest from a demanding Juniors final, Luke Davis paddled out in the Boys final and was getting stifled.  Josh Giddings was holding down the lead and closing in on his first NSSA win.  But in the final moments, Luke decided that the final belonged to him when he dug deep taking off on a grinding righthander and pulling off two solid turns which netted him a 7.0 score, enough to overtake Josh by a half point.  Luke’s “never-say-die” performance gave him his fifth win in the Explorer Boy’s category and he will build an almost insurmountable lead in the ratings.  In the Menehuene’s HB’s Johnny Elles took his first win of the season in a tiebreak decision with Taylor Clark.  Alexa Frantz scored her fourth victory of the season in the Women’s and Melina Smith took her third win in the Girls.  Jon Warren won the Masters, Barry Deffenbaugh is back on the scene killing it in the Seniors division and Tim Senneff took his second win in the Super Seniors.  Cole Robbins only took off once in the Longboard final but his 8.5 score was enough to secure the win. 

 

TRIPLE DUTY

Mike Gillard: 3rd Seniors, 4th Super Seniors, 2nd Longboard

 

DOUBLE DUTY

Dane Zaun: 3rd Mens, 3rd Juniors

Nick Suhadolnik: 6th Mens, 6th Juniors

Luke Davis: 1st Boys, 5th Juniors

Taylor Clark: 2nd Menehuenes, 5th Boys

Barry Deffenbaugh: 1st  Seniors, 5th Masters

Scott Whitmer: 2nd Seniors, 4th Masters

Tim Senneff: 1st Super Seniors, 4th Seniors

 

THE SCOREBOARD

RESULTS

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE EXPLORER #8

NINTH STREET, HUNTINGTON BEACH

 

EXPLORER MENS

1.  Kyle Kennelly-Huntington Beach 8.0

2.  Tanner Long-Encinitas 7.5

3.  Dane Zaun-Hollyglen 6.5

4.  Makito Shito-Newport Beach 4.0

5.  Victor Done-Newport Beach 3.0

6.  Nick Suhadolnik-Solana Beach 1.0

 

EXPLORER JUNIORS

1.  Brent Reilly-Carlsbad 13.5

2.  Evan Kane-Huntington Beach 9.5

3.  Dane Zaun-Hollyglen 7.0

4.  Dale Timm-Solana Beach 6.0

5.  Luke Davis-Capistrano Beach 4.0

6.  Nick Suhadolnik-Solana Beach 3.5

 

EXPLORER BOYS

1.  Luke Davis-Capistrano Beach 8.5

2.  Josh Giddings-San Clemente 8.0

3.  Breyden Taylor-San Juan Capistrano 7.5

4.  Sam Branker-San Clemente 7.0

5.  Taylor Clark-Encinitas 6.5

6.  Zane Norman-Encinitas 6.0

 

EXPLORER MENEHUENE

1.  Johnny Elles-Huntington Beach 9.0 tiebreak

2.  Taylor Clark-Encinitas 9.0 tiebreak

3.  Kanoa Igarashi-Huntington Beach 8.0

4.  Jacob Davis-Capistrano Beach 6.5

5.  Colin Moran-Costa Mesa 6.0 tiebreak

6.  Jake Saenz-Huntington Beach 6.0 tiebreak

 

EXPLORER WOMENS

1.  Alexa Frantz-San Diego 8.0

2.  Chandler Parr-Santa Monica 5.5

3.  Taylor Pitz-Laguna Beach 5.0

4.  Chelsea Byland-San Clemente 4.5

5.  Marissa Shaw-San Clemente 3.0

6.  Winnie Riley-Ocean Beach 2.0

 

EXPLORER GIRLS

1.  Melina Smith-San Clemente 6.0

2.  Emmy Merrill-San Clemente 5.5

3.  Paige Ortiz-Huntington Beach 5.0

4.  Shelby Detmers-Long Beach 4.5

5.  Kirra Kehoe-Santa Monica 2.5 tiebreak

6.  Charlotte Shanahan-San Clemente 2.5 tiebreak  

 

EXPLORER MASTERS

1.  Jon Warren-Costa Mesa 7.5

2.  Randy Cutshall-Torrance 5.5

3.  Rick Takahashi-San Diego 4.5

4.  Scott Whitmer-Gardena 2.0

=5.  Barry Deffenbaugh-Huntington Beach 0.0

=5.  Jimmy Quintanilla-Duarte 0.0

 

EXPLORER SENIORS

1.  Barry Deffenbaugh-Huntington Beach 10.0

2.  Scott Whitmer-Gardena 9.0

3.  Mike Gillard-Coronado 8.0

4.  Tim Senneff-Del Mar 5.0

5.  Rusty Phillipy-Cardiff by the Sea 4.0

6.  Neil Bern-Carlsbad 2.5

 

EXPLORER SUPER SENIORS

1.  Tim Senneff-Del Mar 8.5

2.  David Winslow-Encinitas 8.0

3.  Rick Larson-Huntington Beach 7.5

4.  Mike Gillard-Coronado 6.5

5.  Rick Fignetti-Huntington Beach 6.0

6.  Jeffrey O’Donnell-Canoga Park 4.5

 

EXPLORER LONGBOARD

1.  Cole Robbins-Carlsbad 8.5

2.  Mike Gillard-Coronado 5.0

3.  Andy DeLorme-Newport Bay 4.0

4.  Scott Brandenburg-San Clemente 3.5

5.  Cody Ulrich-San Clemente 1.0

6.  Eli Gillis-San Clemente 0.5