Boys beach volleyball The boys beach volleyball team started their league play last week against Uni at UC High. The Bucs lost their opening match of the season 4-1, with the win notched by Zander Caufield and Andy Knight.  Coach Nikki Caufield said of their opening match: "Uni has a strong program that plays in a lot higher division than us so we came in as an underdog. When we played them three years ago we didn't win a match. “We won one of the matches today and the teams of Ian Briski/Dusty Schraeder and Jackson Priest /Jake Smyrnos ended up losing by only a couple of points, which means that their games came down to one or two plays,” Caufield said. Caufield noted that overall, the boys played tough “I think if we were to play them again away from their home courts we could pick up a win," Caufield added.  The Bucs play their second league match against Cathedral at Cathedral High School. Caufield said of the prospects for the season: "We have a solid core of returning boys and a large group of new players that are steadily improving. We face the tough prospect throughout the season of having to play all of our matches ‘away’ because MBHS doesn't have on-campus sand courts like most of the other high schools.  “We are going to be doing a fundraiser this season to try to build on-campus courts and will be looking for community support,” Caufield noted. Girls volleyball The girls volleyball team, under head coach Steve Upp, is off to a solid 6-3 start. The Bucs won their first league match defeating Christian in three sets last Friday. This was a big win for a Mission Bay team that went 0-8 in league action only a year ago. Mission Bay was to meet Coronado and Patrick Henry this week, respectively. According to Upp, senior Bethany Kepner continues to lead the team in offense with impressive kill numbers. Junior Jesse Grigolite is leading the team in ace serves, while fellow junior Chloe Gallego leads the team in digs. “The team is improving with each match,” Upp noted. Field hockey The Bucs, under head coach Kris Auer, came into play this week with a record of 2-3. According to Auer, Emily Crissman is a goal-scoring machine. Clara Sandoval continues to be the engine in the center midfield. Auer noted that Sandoval leads by example every day and is a wonderful role model to all of the younger athletes. “Early in the season we let a couple close ones slip away,” Auer commented. “We could easily be 4-1. We are a young team and young teams make mistakes. My job is to minimize those errors and put us in a good position to be successful. We have shown tremendous growth in the last two weeks.” Mission Bay is slated to host Clairemont on Sept. 20 and visit Valhalla High Monday, Sept. 24. Football On the gridiron, Mission Bay, under first-year head coach Dane Roman, looks to snap a three-game losing streak when it hosts Vincent Memorial High 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21. The Bucs opened the season with a 38-14 victory over San Ysidro High. In the weeks to follow, Mission Bay has fallen to Eldorado High, University City High and Rancho Buena Vista High, respectively. Following its home date with Vincent Memorial High, Mission Bay will close out the month on Sept. 28 by hosting San Diego High.

At the 34th annual Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 15, I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) harnessed the power of people to combat ocean pollution by mobilizing an estimated 7,000 volunteers at 106 cleanup sites in San Diego County, including four on-water sites. Volunteers including residents, corporate groups, and civic organizations turned their appreciation for the environment into action for the planet by choosing to do their part to protect and enhance their local communities. During this three-hour cleanup, volunteers improved the overall health and beauty of the natural environment by removing an estimated 130,000 pounds of trash and debris from the San Diego County. Among the debris, there were several notable odd items collected during the cleanup including: a disco ball, a stuffed animal tiger, 641 golf balls at one location (they were returned to be reused), a snowboard, and fake eyelashes.  Volunteers also restored the local environment through beautification projects such as mural painting, vegetation trimming, mulching, trail restoration, tree planting, and weeding. While priming a storage container that was covered with a mural at the San Diego Youth Aquatic Center, Mission Bay Park’s Senior Park Ranger Karolynn Estrada-Sparlin, said, “I am looking forward to seeing the final project, for years this has been in my head but now it will be reality thanks to all of you.” Coastal Cleanup Day was an opportunity for the community members to conserve in more ways than one. As part of the effort to boost zero waste practices, ILACSD encouraged all youth and adult volunteers to be more sustainable by choosing to bring at least one reusable item for the cleanup like a water bottle, work bucket, or gloves – and many stepped up to the challenge. Volunteers had the opportunity to showcase their creativity and commitment to zero waste practices by decorating reusable buckets to enter the Bling Your Bucket Contest for a chance to win prizes while celebrating sustainability.  Coastal Cleanup Day also received attention from several of San Diego’s elected officials who visited cleanup sites in their respective districts including Congressman Scott Peters; State Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins; City Council members Barbara Bry, Lorie Zapf, Chris Ward, Myrtle Cole, Mark Kersey, Scott Sherman, David Alvarez, and Georgette Gomez; County Supervisor Greg Cox; Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina and Councilmember Mark West; and National City Mayor Ron Morrison.  ILACSD organizes Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego County in partnership with the California Coastal Commission as part of a global international event led by the Ocean Conservancy. Top tier supporters of Coastal Cleanup Day include the County of San Diego, Think Blue San Diego, The Coca-Cola Foundation, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Evans Hotels/The Bahia, and KFMB.  Coastal Cleanup Day is one of two annual countywide cleanups hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego that engages thousands of local families, community groups, and local businesses. Beyond countywide events, ILACSD continues to empower volunteers at hundreds of cleanups targeting specific neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces on an ongoing basis throughout the year. In 2017, ILACSD mobilized over 31,000 volunteers who removed half a million pounds of debris from San Diego County. For more information about upcoming cleanups, workshops, or zero waste tips, please visitCleanSD.org.

Heart of PB Restaurant Walk The Heart of PB Restaurant Walk will take place 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 12 showcasing the finest culinary delights east of Dawes Street. Spend the last days of summer with friends and family by enjoying the best of Pacific Beach's eclectic and international cuisine. Participating restaurants: Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream, Pacific Beach Cantina, Barrel Republic, Café Athena, Woodstock's Pizza, Jamba Juice, Cerveza Jack's, The Fish Shop, Vallarta Express, Costa Brava, Yogurt on the Rocks, The Broken Yolk, SD Tap Room, Tavern, Mr. Frostie, Buddy's Diner, and Freshii. Aloha Poke closes Chicago-based Aloha Poke Co., which debuted June 27 at 4465 Mission Blvd. in a brand new building where Der Wienerschnitzel once stood, has shuttered after just two months. The restaurant chain reportedly has been involved in a dispute with other poke restaurants, whom Aloha Poke was allegedly threatening with legal action for using derivations of the words "aloha" with “poke,” which Aloha Poke was claiming were an infringement on its company trademark. Since July, Aloha Poke reportedly has been sending out cease-and-desist letters to similarly named businesses, saying they needed to find new names, even longtime Hawaiian poke eateries. The negative attention has resulted in numerous viral posts accusing Aloha Poke of predatory business practices and culturally appropriating Hawaiian words and traditions. new ramen eatery coming Wokou Ramen & Yakitori is opening up a second location in Pacific Beach in early November. Wokou will occupy the current space that housed Promiscuous Fork at Ingraham and La Playa. The 2,800-square-foot space will be redesigned to feature indoor and outdoor seating and a yakitori grill facing the street. The bar will offer beer, wine and a wide selection of sakes and sake bombs. And, just as she did in the Carmel Valley shop, artist España Garcia will exhibit her signature wall illustrations coupled with Mike Dunn’s metalwork at the new location. Volleyball Tournament and Craft Beer Tasting The Old Mission Beach Athletic Club is holding its 10th annual Volleyball Tournament and Craft Beer Tasting from noon to 4 p.m. on Sept. 8. The 4-on-4 tournament will take place at Mariners Point, Mission Bay, with men’s, women’s, and co-ed divisions. This event is for adults 21 and older. Attendees and participants can sip on unlimited San Diego craft beer while watching the tournament in action. Second Chance Beer Co., Iron Fist Brewing, Thorn Brewing, and Bay City Brewing will be pouring in the beer-tasting area. Wristbands for unlimited craft beer can be purchased through Eventbrite. The tournament is meant for everyone, even those who don’t have experience playing in tournaments. In true OMBAC fashion, there will be awards for the winning teams and the best team uniforms.  For more information on the event or to register, visit ombac.org/volleyball. OMSurf 25th annual Classic Longboard Surfing Contest set for Sept. 15 Old Mission Beach Athletic Club will hold the OMSurf 25th annual Classic Longboard Surfing Contest on Sept. 15 on the north side of Crystal Pier. OMBAC is calling all surf enthusiasts to grab their vintage surfboards and gather for a nostalgic competition in Pacific Beach. Check-in for the contest will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the first heat paddle out at 8:15 a.m. All contestants must surf on 1969 or older longboards, 9-feet or longer, with no leash. There are separate divisions for Open, Wahine and Menehune (youth 16 years old and under). Proceeds from the event go to benefit Drowning Prevention Foundation of San Diego AKA San Diego Junior Lifeguards. Those who are interested in competing or watching may find more information at ombac.org/omsurf. Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 15 I Love A Clean San Diego is looking for 8,000 volunteers to participate at more than 100 sites across San Diego County on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon, as part of the 34th annual Coastal Cleanup Day. I Love A Clean San Diego has coordinated this event locally for 33 years and successfully mobilizes thousands of volunteers, while also supporting cleanup efforts in Tijuana. Volunteers of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to sign up for a site in their neighborhood and help leave a lasting impact on the entire region. For more information about sites and volunteer registration, visit CleanupDay.org. Last year, Coastal Cleanup Day volunteers removed 137,299 pounds of trash and recyclables from San Diego and Tijuana regions that otherwise would have polluted the beloved coastline and the Pacific Ocean. Each volunteer who brings a reusable water bottle, work gloves, and/or a bucket to collect litter significantly reduces the need for single-use bags and disposable gloves. San Diego Coastkeeper’s Seaside Soiree On Sept. 12, San Diego Coastkeeper hold its annual Seaside Soiree to celebrate clean water, a vibrant environment, and the community that makes it all possible. The event will mark the organization’s 23rd year of defending clean water for the communities and natural resources that depend on it, and will raise critical funds to support Coastkeeper’s important programs and projects. Taking place at theBali Hai on Shelter Island, guests of the Seaside Soiree will raise a glass to clean water while enjoying a front row, sunset view of San Diego Bay and the city skyline. A VIP reception will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m., with the general admission portion following from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will have a roaming buffet, cash bar, educational displays, some friendly competition in the form of a silent auction, and of course, the Bali Hai’s world famous mai tais. Tickets may be purchased at sdcoastkeeper.org. General admission tickets are $100. To reserve a table or sponsor the event, contact Stephanie Ritter at stephanie@sdcoastkeeper.org or 619-758-7743 ext 111.