NEXT LEVEL JORDY

By Brandon Petersen

Sunday at Black's felt like an exhale. After two days of monster sets, buzzer beaters, and sunburned nerves, Westcliff walked away with something special — second place overall in a 32-team field, the best finish in program history at the NSSA season opener.

Point Loma Nazarene, the reigning national champs, took the win with 211 points. But Westcliff's 148 wasn't just a number. It was proof the Warriors are climbing.

The weekend was a showcase of what's coming next. New faces clicked. Veterans delivered. And the energy, as head coach Lucas Taub put it, "was second to none."

He wasn't exaggerating — 12 out of 12 Warriors advanced past Round 1, another program first.

Let's Talk Jordy

People say, "Jordy will be Jordy," but the idiom isn't holding lately. Jordy of 2025 is some sort of uber-Jordy.

Yes, Collins won the gold individually, but he also put on a masterclass. From the first round, he looked locked in — huge rail turns, smart wave choice, near-perfect timing. He dropped a 9.43 in Round 3, then kept scoring nines like they were routine.

And then came the final.

"Jordy paddled into a wave that looked impossible," Westcliff head coach Lucas Taub said. "Stalled deep in the barrel, vanished completely — and then, boom, there he was, rocketing out as the beach erupted."

The judges lit up the scoreboard: 9.77. When it was over, Collins had posted an 18.20 out of 20, edging out Point Loma's Hudson Saunders and David O'Keefe to win the event.

"He puts this team on his back event after event," Taub said. "As a coach, watching Jordy be the captain he is is second to none."

Julian's Arrival

If Jordy's the hammer, Julian Seyffert might be the silent killer.

The Portuguese exchange student's weekend started rough — sketchy first heats, some close calls. But every round, he grew stronger. By the time he hit semis, he was slicing rails like a veteran.

"When he made that semi, I shed a tear," Taub said. "You see your athletes make the trek across the world for something bigger, and Julian knew what his purpose was from the get-go this weekend."

Seyffert made the final alongside Collins and finished fourth overall out of 127 men. For a debut, that's a statement.

Taylor's Ten

The moment belonged to Taylor Stacy.

On a well-overhead set, she threw two massive backside turns that stunned the beach — and seconds later, the judges dropped the only perfect 10 of the entire event.

"Typical Taylor fashion," Taub said. "She had a few tough heats but muscled through every round. I'm super proud of her."

Stacy fought her way into the women's final, finishing fourth overall. Her scoreline — 6.03 in the final — doesn't tell the story, sometimes you don't find a wave.

But the 10 she earned earlier in the day will live a while in Black's memory.

The Influx of Talent

Every program talks about new blood. Westcliff's actually delivered it. Nine newcomers joined this year's squad, and they made their presence felt.

Niyah Rosen surfed an excellent first-round heat. AnnaBella Lopez powered through her opener. Logan Watson and Jeremiah Lantz both pulled off last-second buzzer beaters to keep their runs alive.

"The team vibe on the sand all weekend was electric," Taub said. "Now it's time to fix a few mistakes and lock into Huntington. Quick turnaround, but we're ready."

Still Rolling

By the time the easy-ups came down Sunday, Westcliff had done something no other program outside Point Loma could — plant its flag firmly among the elite.

Jordy Collins was crowned champion. Julian Seyffert and Taylor Stacy made finals. Every athlete advanced out of Round 1.

Westcliff Surf isn't chasing the wave anymore. They're setting it.

Next stop: Blaze's backyard – Surf City.

See you in HB next weekend!

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