PLHS SAILING TEAM CLINCHES YET ANOTHER CUP
The PLHS sailing team, fresh from its National Championship Mallory Cup (fleet race) win on San Diego Bay, headed to Seabrook, Texas over the Memorial Day weekend to wage another challenge for the Baker Cup (team race) — and won again.
The Baker Cup event required each of the 11 participating schools to sail three boats in each race with no more than nine student sailors on its roster. With six persons needed to race, teams were allowed three alternates to adjust for wind conditions and other variables.
Races were sailed in 13 foot-plus FJ (Flying Junior) dinghies. 
A different team-scoring system left the Pointers atop the standings with a 14-3 record. Second was Annapolis High School (13-4), and St. George’s School finished third (11-6).
Skippers Trevor Hecht, Will La Dow and Scott Sinks — all seniors — finished their prep careers. Crew members included juniors Jennifer Johnston, Mercedes McPhee, Rebecca and Johannes McElvain. Sophomore Megan Lansdale completed the Pointers’ eight-person team.
This marks the seventh Baker Cup win for PLHS since 2003.
— Scott Hopkins J.A., CORTEZ RACING SLATE SECOND ANNUAL SAILING REGATTA
Junior Achievement of San Diego County and Cortez Racing Association (CRA) will team up for the Junior Achievement Regatta from Marina Cortez at Harbor Island on Saturday, June 14. CRA, a nonprofit organization that promotes sailboat racing, announced Junior Achievement as this year’s charity beneficiary.
 The annual regatta will benefit Junior Achievement’s programs that teach kids how to get a job, start a business and how money works. The nonprofits invite the San Diego community for a fun day on the water and a terrific afterparty.
Sailing will begin at noon. Following the race, Marina Cortez, located at 1880 Harbor Island Drive, will host the afterparty.
Register at www.cortezracing.-com. For more information, visit www.jasandiego.org. PLHS SWIMMER SCORES ALL-AMERICAN TIMES IN POOL
PLHS swimmer Jason O’Brien’s attempt to set a county record at the recent CIF finals fell short, but the USC-bound senior still turned in All-American times.
O’Brien finished second in Div. II in both the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle events, qualifying for All-American status in each.
His time of 1:39.44 in the 200-meter is the 56th-fastest time in the U.S. this year. 
In the 500-meter, his time of 4:22.70 in the 500-meter ranks as the sixth-fastest time in the nation to date. O’Brien had set his eyes on the county record (4:21.10), which he beat at a meet in Texas earlier in the season.
In both CIF events, O’Brien was bested by Mt. Carmel senior and Auburn University-bound Grant Schenk, who won the 200-meter by 1.41 seconds and the 500-meter by 0.61 of a second.
Ironically, the winning 500-meter time in Div. I was nearly eight seconds slower than O’Brien’s time.
— Scott Hopkins