There’s not much new under the sun, as the old saying goes, but there was a new twist to be found on the home hardwood Friday night as the CHS Boys Basketball Team powered their way past Escondido Charter 76-21.

Leading by the score of 64-14 at the end of the third quarter, the Islanders one-sided lead triggered a running clock for the fourth quarter. A new rule instituted last year, reads that if a team leads by 40 or more points at the end of three quarters of play, that the final stanza will be played with a running clock, with no timeout for free throws or other stoppages of play.

Coronado was aided by the fact that the White Tigers were without their best inside player and the fact that the Islanders pitched a 25-0 shutout in the third quarter. Coronado Head Coach Sandy Dillon was hampered in his efforts to find playing time for some members of this team by the quickly moving final quarter.

Liam Cronan led Coronado in scoring with 16 points and the quick shooting guard also contributed six steals. Chas Marks added 14 points and nine rebounds, with Matt Oakley chipping in with 10 points, seven rebounds and five steals. Sophomore center Krishna Samperio added seven points and four rebounds to the winning mix.

The Islanders were credited with 29 steals on the evening and honesty compels me to report that they gave the ball up the ball themselves via the unforced turnover several times as well. Coronado, used to having a defender nearby in practice at all times, found themselves wide open repeatedly on offense. As in, no one within five feet of the ball, wide open. But, a win is a win.

"The night before they hung in there with San Dieguito Academy for three quarters," Dillon said of Escondido Charter. "We’re still banged up. It looks like Cole McLean may have hurt his knee again and Erik Karlsson is also hurt again." The good news is that senior Benson Lorden is roughly 10 days away from returning to action, as his broken arm seems to be healing on schedule. Center JJ Pontes will get a medical update on his broken ankle later this week.

Dillon was pleased with the play of his point guard Geoff Worley. "Geoffrey played very well. He’s a superior defender and he played within himself offensively. All three of the sophomores (Blake Malkemus, Joshua Williams and Samperio) played very well. Malkemus had five rebounds in limited minutes." Juniors Alex Rowan and Matt Fowler also received praise from Dillon. "That was Alex’s first varsity game and he played very, very well. I was very happy with him. Offensively Fowler played well. He plays hard, he really does."

Twelve of the 13 Islander players who earned floor time Friday night scored and 11 of the Coronado baker’s dozen were credited with at least one rebound.

This week Coronado participates in the annual Small Schools Tournament. They start play Wednesday against San Pasqual Academy, which was the runner-up in CIF Division V in 2005-06. Wednesday’s game is slated for 2:45 pm at La Jolla Country Day. The balance of the tournament bracket depends on whether or not the Islanders win. Suffice to say they will play four games from Wednesday through Saturday.

The opposite end of the spectrum prevailed in Coronado’s home game Saturday afternoon, a 37-25 defensive-minded scrum against the Kearny Komets. At the outset of the game, Kearney’s full court press caused the Islanders some problems and helped propel the Komets to an 8-5 lead. As the first quarter concluded, Coronado had figured out the press and was starting to earn better scoring chances.

"We got there, but we didn’t convert the opportunities," said Head Coach Toler Goodwin of his team’s offensive approach. "And we didn’t make free throws in the first half. We wanted to be more aggressive and create opportunities using our press. We wanted to get outnumbered situations, like 3-on-1 or 3-on-2 breaks, and create easy baskets and free throws."

Kearny’s post player Te’Ahnalin Harris was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points, but Coronado made her earn every point. "I thought Melissa Humphrey had a great game defensively," Goodwin said. "She showed some defensive awareness when we put her on Harris. Melissa limited the opportunities she had and continued to make her work hard. Overall, Melissa picked up the assignment and did a good job on her."

In a low-scoring game, there are usually many rebounds to be snared and the Islanders front line helped in that regard. "Angela Strohbeck, Arrielle Luna and both Emilys (Emily Bell and Emilie Waickwicz) did a pretty good job rebounding and playing defense," Goodwin added. "For the most part, we kept Kearny off the glass. To limit them to 37 points is what we have to do to win. We had scoring opportunities close to the basket in the first half. We have to convert when we have those opportunities."

This week the Islanders have one game, a Tuesday evening affair at University City, with the starting time of 5:30 pm. Next week Coronado has four games on their schedule, including a Tuesday matchup (Dec. 12) at home with Julian at 6:30 pm. Next Wednesday (Dec. 13) they travel to Mar Vista for a 7 pm tip-off.

This week that the Islanders host their annual Junior Varsity eight-team tournament, which will run from Wednesday through Saturday. Coronado’s first game will be played Wednesday at 4:30 pm against Our Lady of Peace; The Islanders don’t play Thursday and Friday’s game time and opponent will depend on their tournament record to that point.

Once again this season, Your Natterer is coaching one of the Coronado Middle School Boys Basketball teams, this time the ‘A’ squad. We practice from 5:45 to 7 am in the CHS gym, somewhere between four and five days a week. I like to think that once your system gets over the initial shock of the early morning starting time for practice, that it’s actually a pretty good way to begin the day.

Through the 10 practices held thus far, we have had a 95 percent attendance rate, which is reflective of the team’s level of commitment to the sport and to each other.

The team is comprised of eight eighth graders and four seventh graders and includes the following players: Alex Bookout, Caleb Crispell, Hayden Deitrick, Jason Fielder, Collin Green, Cameron Mahdavi, Jack Mikesell, Jake Nicholson, Andrew Ovrom, Harley Ralph, Jose Sanchez, and Alex Wood.

Usually when you have six seniors graduate, four of whom were starters, there is grave concern among the coaching ranks the following year. Not so much with the 2006-07 CHS Girls Water Polo Team, which Head Coach Dave Throop describes as "the deepest, fastest and most talented team I have been around."

Throop inherits the mantle of Resident Zen Master among the CHS Coaching Staff with the departure of Volleyball Coach Phil Trotter. So, if Throop is willing to say for public attribution that his team is loaded, watch out.

Throop elaborated on his team. "We have two goals this year. The first is to work absolutely as hard as we can. The second is to maximize your role and know that there will be opportunities. We have the best goalie tandem in the county in Morgan Ronimus and Alex Adamson. We also have six seniors who will all contribute. They are Katie Estrada, Molly Patrick, Danielle Goldblatt, Maggie Sosnowski, Lauren Corcoran and Ronimus."

The 17 person squad also includes juniors Carly Hoshko, Sabrina Anonas, Alana Burgess, Lenea Smith, Hannah Sebenaler, and Ali Rodgers. Sophomores are Kathryn Bailey and Adamson. The freshman class is represented by Ashley Young, Kelly Ronimus (Ronimus the Younger) and Hillary Estrada (yes, Estrada the Younger).

The season, which commences the week of Dec. 11, opens with a bang. Wednesday of that week, Coronado hosts University City at 3 pm at the Coronado Aquatics Center. Friday Coronado travels to The Bishop’s School for a 3 pm contest against their Western League rival.

"We have a couple of early games, which we don’t usually have," said Throop of the scheduling change from past years. "Then we go on hiatus (from the game schedule, not practice) and circle the wagons to see what works and what doesn’t. The girls are really working hard and I really like where we are."

In many ways similar to the just concluded Boys Water Polo season, Coronado, Bishop’s and La Jolla figure to reside atop both the Western League standings, and the CIF Division II playoffs seeding pairings as well. "The fourth through seventh teams in the Western League would beat most teams in San Diego," said Throop. "University City is an up and coming team."

The seniors on the team are starting to make their college selections. Patrick has signed to attend Cal Berkeley, while Ronimus will attend UCLA. Goldblatt plans to attend San Diego State, while Sosnowski, Corcoran and Estrada are still in decision-making mode.

Throop concluded by saying, "This is a very, very unique group. We are all fortunate to be a part of that."

CHS Girls Soccer Head Coach Kiko Medina is in the somewhat unique position of having 21 athletes on his varsity roster, with only two of them being seniors. Kelly Walsh and Kylie Cusick are the lone representatives of the CHS Class of ’07 on the team. Both will get plenty of playing time in the midfield in Medina’s 4-4-2 offense.

Colleen Burns and Leah Hatheway are the attacking forwards for the Islanders. Other midfielders include: Becka Runyon, Katie Ferrar, Brianna Baszak, Mackenzie Coutts, and Andrea Davis.

Defenders include Rosie Harris, Sandy Shepherd and Courtney Ryan. Lauren Shuffett is the starting goalie. She is ably backed up by Kaitlyn Nehrwerth.

The Islanders’ season started with a 1-1 tie with Helix High School. The Coronado goal was credited to Hatheway. The junior striker found the net again Saturday in the first round of the Baron’s Tournament, helping lead her team to a 2-1 victory over Apple Valley. Coutts accounted for the other Islander goal.

Monday Coronado will play Mt. Carmel in the Barons Tournament, a matchup that Medina describes as "a tough test for us." Coronado’s other game this week is a Thursday contest at Mar Vista at 5 pm. That game is also part of the Barons event.

The season outlook in the always tough Western League looks promising and Medina thinks the Islanders will wind up in the upper division of the league. "Cathedral Catholic and University City should be strong. UC didn’t lost too much. La Jolla is also going to be tough to beat this year."

Another reminder that Thursday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 pm, there will be a Gourmet Chocolate Tasting event at Coronado Middle School. The cost is $30 per person in advance and $40 at the door.

Joining the festivities will be Peter Sandberg, the owner of Blue Bridge Coffee Roasters, located in Coronado. Sandberg will provide samples of the coffee he roasts right here on the Island.

Net proceeds will be going to the Islander Sports Foundation and Coronado Youth Softball. For ticket information, please call Mark McNary at 522-0200 or E-mail Mark at jmcnary@san.rr.com. Satisfy your sweet tooth, learn about different varieties of coffee, and contribute to worthy causes all at the same time.

My only concern about the San Diego Chargers is that they are using up roughly a decade’s worth of good luck on the first dozen games of the 2006 season. Now 10-2 and seemingly in control of their own destiny, the Bolts are receiving every possible call from the officials. LaDainian Tomlinson continues to impress and is receiving well-earned national notoriety, which is difficult to do 3,000 miles away from New York City.

The San Diego Padres can’t be serious about obtaining Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox, can they? It would be worth the price of admission to watch Ramirez hit, which would be negated by being forced to watch him play left field in spacious Petco Park.

If you haven’t seen former La Costa Canyon basketball star Chase Budinger play for the University of Arizona yet, be sure to tune in next time the Wildcats come to a television set near you. The talented 6-foot, 7-inch forward is already playing at an NBA level.

Congratulations to J.D. Laaperi, who has taken over as CHS Boys Basketball Junior Varsity head coach. He replaces Robbin Adair, who will now assist Head Coach Sandy Dillon with the Varsity team for the balance of the year. In addition to his duties as basketball coach, Adair has coached the CHS Boys and Girls Tennis Teams to a combined total of over 1,000 victories.