High School Roundup: Laguna’s quest for repeat begins

The Laguna Beach High boys’ water polo team took its first step toward another possible CIF Southern Section championship Wednesday by handling visiting Temecula Chaparral, 18-9, in a Division 3 first-round game at the Laguna pool.

Defending champion Laguna, the No. 2 seed in the division behind Murrieta Valley, advances to face Yorba Linda, champion of the North Hills League. The seventh-ranked Mustangs extended their season by defeating ninth-ranked Simi Valley Royal (Coastal Canyon League No. 2), 11-4, in another first-round game Wednesday.

Laguna (16-13) will host the Mustangs at noon. The winner goes on to play in a division semifinal match Wednesday at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine.

“Yorba Linda was one of the only top 10 teams we didn’t play this year,” Laguna Coach Ethan Damato said. “They have a good team and have had a very good season.”

Jakob Colladay led the Laguna charge Wednesday, scoring seven goals with two assists and a steal. Jeff Rubino and Colton Gregory both scored three goals, and Sebastian Jacobs (two assists), Camden Benson, Will Clark, Luc Gregory and Peter Weiland each scored once.

Goalie Gordon Pike had eight saves, two assists and a steal.

The Breakers held the Pumas scoreless in the opening quarter where they jumped out to a 6-0 advantage.

“The guys came out very sharp in the first quarter and got off to a good start,” Damato said. “We were proud of the guys getting the win but are definitely looking to improve and learn going forward. We know we need to play a full four quarters if we want to play for a championship and that’s what we took from [Wednesday].

“We are playing our best water polo of the season at the right time of the year. Excited for Saturday.”

Prior to the playoffs, Laguna closed out its regular-season schedule with nonleague games against Capistrano Valley and Newport Harbor.

In a Nov. 5 game at Capo Valley, the Breakers scored three goals and held the third-ranked Cougars scoreless in the fourth quarter, to pull out to a 9-6 win. Colladay (three steals) led the scoring with four goals and Rubino (two steals) scored twice. Jacobs (two assists, three steals), Luc Gregory (assist) and Judge Washer (assist) each scored once, Benson had two assists and two steals, and Pike seven saves.

Capo Valley (Sea View League champion) won its Division 3 playoff opener Wednesday, 15-4, over San Marino (Rio Hondo League No. 2). The Cougars play a quarterfinal game Saturday at Vista Murrieta (Southwestern League No. 2). If the Cougars and Breakers win Saturday, they’ll meet again in a Wednesday semifinal in Irvine.

In its regular-season finale, Laguna went to Newport Harbor Nov. 6 and was outscored, 6-1, in the second half and dropped an 11-4 game to the Sailors (No. 7, Division 1).

Newport Harbor (Sunset League No. 2) lost its Division 1 playoff opener Wednesday, 11-10, to ninth-ranked Long Beach Wilson (Moore League champion).

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Girls’ Volleyball

The Breakers opened CIF-SS Division 2AA playoff action Tuesday and swept visiting Cerritos Valley Christian, 25-4, 25-17, 25-17, at Dugger Gym.

Outside hitter Sage Patchell had 12 kills and five digs, outside hitter Katelyn Carballo 10 kills and 10 digs, middle blocker Cameron Dorn 10 kills and two digs, defensive specialist Kendyl Brennan seven digs and three assists, and setter Aspen Rocha 28 assists and six digs.

The Breakers, ranked fifth in Division 2AA, won for the 20th time in improving to 20-10 overall, and won their 12th-consecutive match by sweep.

The Laguna program is 41-1 all-time in opening round playoff matches.

The victory sent Laguna into a second-round match Thursday against PAC 8 League runner-up and 10th-ranked Arroyo Grande. The score wasn’t available at press time. The winner of Thursday’s contest advanced to a quarterfinal match Saturday to face either Yorba Linda (North Hills League No. 2) or fourth-ranked Mayfield (Prep League No. 2).

Division semifinal matches are Tuesday.

The Breakers ended regular-season play Nov. 5 against Sage Hill. Carballo had 11 kills and 13 digs, Rocha 25 assists, and opposite Jamie Robbins 11 kills and five digs as the Breakers swept the visiting Lightning (No. 4, CIF-SS Division 3AA), 25-21, 27-25, 25-20.

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Girls Tennis

On their home courts, the Orange Coast League champion and seventh-ranked Breakers had their season come to an end Nov. 6 after a 15-3 loss to Big VIII League champion and 10th-ranked Riverside M.L. King in a second-round match of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs.

Kelly Keller, OCL singles champion, won two of three sets (6-2, 2-6, 6-0) at No. 1 singles, and OCL doubles champs Natasha Keces and Ashley Fair scored the other point (3-6, 6-7 (3-7 tiebreaker), 6-2) at No. 1 doubles for Laguna.

“The girls played tight during the first round before settling down and playing well,” Laguna Coach Don Davis said. “We played six, very close sets that we lost, when we needed to win them all in order to make the match close.”

The Breakers also played at home in their postseason opener Nov. 4 and defeated Simi Valley (Coastal Canyon League No. 3), 15-3. Keces/Fair (6-4, 7-5, 6-0) and Malia Helms/Iman Berri (6-3, 6-2, 6-4) earned sweeps at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, respectively, and the No. 2 doubles team of Chloe Stuart/Ashley Shelton won two of three (6-4, 6-7 (6-8 tiebreaker), 6-1). In singles, Keller (3-6, 6-0, 6-0), No. 2 Kathleen Kimball (3-6, 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker), 6-1), and at No. 3, Summer Clawson (6-2) and Lina Gleizer (7-5) both scored a point.

The second-round loss was only the fifth loss of the season for the Breakers who finished 15-5.

“This team was the most cohesive group of all my teams during my five seasons and regardless of our lineup or results, the girls always came together in support of each other,” Davis said.

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Cross-Country

Laguna teams will compete Saturday at The CIF Southern Section Cross-Country Championships prelims meet at Riverside Golf Course in Riverside. All division finals are Nov. 21 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. The 26th annual CIF State Championship Meet is Nov. 28 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

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Girls’ Water Polo

At the Fall Fling preseason tournament last weekend, the Breakers went 5-0 and won the championship.

The tournament was played Saturday and Sunday at pool sites at Foothill and Santa Margarita and included 24 teams from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

The Breakers defeated Los Alamitos (14-5) and Agoura (14-2) in pool bracket play, beat Corona del Mar (13-4) in the quarterfinals, and Santa Barbara San Marcos (11-2) in the semifinals. In the tourney final, the Breakers defeated Orange Lutheran, 9-6.

The Breakers, two-time CIF-SS Division 1 champion, begin their 2015-16 season Dec. 3 at Rosary.