MHS Surf Team is Back in the Water

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Ryder Sturges

Surfers Ryder Sturges and SJ Murphy gained top finishes for the Malibu High School Sharks surf team at the Scholastic Surf Series Los Angeles/Santa Barbara High School Division 1 meet on March 8 at the Ventura Fairgrounds. 

Sturges captured first place in the men’s shortboard, while Murphy, a Malibu High freshman, came in second place. 

Malibu surf coach Scott Lewis said he is proud of their performances.

“Congrats to them. They persevered through the rough conditions,” said Lewis, the team’s first-year coach. “I’m so proud of them.”

The team’s score and ranking at the event were not available at press time. 

The performance in Ventura came after a four-month hiatus from competitive waves due to unseemly weather conditions cancelling scheduled events. Malibu opened the surf season last fall with strong performances at meets in October and November, but bad weather led to the cancelations of meets in February and the first weekend of March. 

At an early morning practice at Zuma Beach on March 5, Lewis said he and his team are excited to be competing again.

“It’s just been too many months,” he said. 

During the March 8 event, Malibu surfed against teams from Dos Pueblos, Oak Park, Palisades, San Marcos, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Ventura. 

Along with Sturges and Murphy, surfer Frankie Seely also performed well at the meet. Seely, one of the top female surfers in the state, finished in first place in the first round of the women’s shortboard and women’s longboard. 

Dale Rhodes, head coach for the middle school team, said when heading into surf meets, he, Lewis and the surf team managers preach education. 

“First off, it’s all about having fun,” said Rhodes who, along with Lewis, has a background in professional surfing. “At the end, it is a collaborative score. We win together. We lose together. We try to put an emphasis on teamwork and showing up. When you are not in the contest, you are rooting – team spirit.”

The surf team’s season began on Oct. 19 in Oxnard Beach Park at a meet. Malibu fell 68.5 to 63.6 to Ventura in the event, but had standout performances from a few surfers. Murphy came in fourth in the men’s shortboard and Henry Jenkinson came in fifth. Colby Park finished in fifth place in the men’s longboard. 

At the Nov. 2 meet at Leo Carrillo State Beach, Malibu rang up 80.5 points — the highest score of any team at the meet. Jenkinson finished second in men’s shortboard, while Sturges finished sixth. Parker finished second in men’s longboard and Seely came in first place in women’s longboard and third in women’s shortboard. Chase Carlson finished sixth in coed bodyboard. 

Lewis said he is expecting big things on the waves from Jenkinson. He called Sturges “outstanding.”

“He is going to end up being better than just about anybody,” he said. “He has the speed, the power and the flow.” 

Lewis also praised Murphy.

“Good things are coming for him,” he said.

Lewis said the key to any of the squad’s members to excel is to have dedication, consistency and attitude. 

Malibu assistant manager Lydia Graham, whose son, Quinn, and daughter, Crystal, surf with the Sharks, said her kids are excited to have good surfing weather again. 

“It’s a great scene to be a part of,” she said. “They see their friends, they see other kids surfing from up and down the coast. It is a great community connection.” 

May 16-18, the Malibu surf team will compete in the Scholastic Surf Series State Championships at San Onofre State Beach in San Clemente. 

Last season during the event, Malibu tied for fifth in the men’s shortboard and men’s longboard. Malibu tied for third in the women’s shortboard and tied for fifth in the coed bodyboard.

“Hopefully everyone is able to stay focused, and we do our best,” said Sturges.

The surf team will hit the waves at the Ventura Fairgrounds again on March 15. The meet starts at 8:30 a.m.