High School Roundup: Breakers make best of home track

Laguna Beach High was the site Monday of the Orange Coast League track and field preliminaries, and several Breakers gave strong performances on their home track to advance to league finals.

The league finals were held Thursday at Guyer Field. Finals results weren’t available at press time.

The top eight finishers in sprint events, and the top 12 finishers in distance events, advanced to Thursday’s finals. Seniors Drake Martinez (100-, 200-meter dash), who Laguna boys’ coach Scott Wittkop said “ran great,” and Spencer Anderson (110, 300 hurdles), both won two heats in the boys’ varsity competition.

“I was also impressed with Cale Airey and Charlie Warner,” for making finals as freshmen,” Wittkop said.

Airey advanced in the 400, and Warner advanced in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.

On the girls’ side, two Laguna athletes, Brielle Budroe (800) and Coco Putnam (300 hurdles) turned in the top times in their respective events.

Below are the prelims finishes for Laguna athletes who advanced to Thursday’s finals:

Girls

100 meter dash: 3. Tessa Hopper, 13.63; 4. Rose Niermeijer, 13.86; 7. Amy Hewlett, 14.02; 8. Sarah Ross, 14.09.; 200: 2. Janie Crawford, 27.19; 7. Tessa Hopper, 28.34; 8. Johana Abarca, 28.46.; 400: 3. Coco Putnam, 1:01.26; 4. Johana Abarca, 1:03.59.; 800: 1. Brielle Budroe, 2:29.71; 4. Natalie Kimball, 2:31.24.; 1,600: 1. Pearl Shoemaker, 5:18.58; 2. Janie Crawford, 5:24.67; 3. Livie Clark, 5:23.57; 6. Brenna Merchant, 5:33.16; 7. Natalie Kimball, 5:35.96.; 300 hurdles: 1. Coco Putnam, 47.49; 5. Monica White, 52.58; 7. Darby Winson, 53.44.

Boys

100: 1. Drake Martinez, 11.36; 4. Nathan Lancaster, 11.67; 6. Robert Clemons, 11.81.; 200: 1. Drake Martinez, 23.02; 3. Nathan Lancaster, 23.95; 8. Robert Clemons, 24.65.; 400: 8. Cale Airey, 55.07.; 800: 10. Mitch Kimball, 2:13.41.; 1,600: 6. Jack Crawford, 4:39.85; 9. Veda Rebollar, 4:48.61.; 110 hurdles: 1. Spencer Anderson, 15.94;. 6. Charles Warner, 18.13; 7. Andrew Goh, 18.66.; 300 hurdles: 1. Spencer Anderson, 42.35; 3. Charles Warner, 44.58.

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During Laguna’s final OCL dual meet of the season against Saddleback, Coco Putnam set a new individual record and the boys’ 4x100 relay team again set a new school mark on April 25. Putnam set the record in the girls’ 300 hurdles in a time of 47.41 seconds. The boys’ 4x100 relay team of Nathan Lancaster, Spencer Anderson, Drake Martinez and Robert Clemons, established a new mark in the event with a time of 43.35.

The Laguna girls defeated the Roadrunners, 92-31, and the boys’ team won by an 86-52 score.

At the Orange County Championships meet April 20 at Mission Viejo High, Janie Crawford set a Laguna school record in the triple jump with a jump of 35 feet, 7 inches.

Laguna girls who won individual events against Saddleback were: Tessa Hopper (100 meters); Janie Crawford (200, triple jump); Natalie Kimball (400); Livie Clark (800); Pearl Shoemaker (1,600); Jesse Bunting (100 hurdles); Coco Putnam (300 hurdles); Rose Niermeijer (long jump); Monica White (high jump); Jane Wallin (shot put).

Laguna boys who won individual events against Saddleback were: Drake Martinez (100, 200); Charlie Warner (300 hurdles); Spencer Anderson (110 hurdles); Avery Crowl (long jump); Kyler Pike (high jump); Nathan Lancaster (shotput).

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Boys’ Tennis

The Breakers’ top two singles players, Teague Hamilton and Morgan Lebby, the top two seeds in the Orange Coast League tournament, advanced out of Wednesday’s opening day of the tournament to reach the semifinals.

Semifinal and finals action were held Thursday. Results from both rounds weren’t available at press time.

Hamilton and Lebby both received first-round byes. Hamilton defeated No. 9-seeded Glenn Solis of Saddleback, 6-0, 6-0, to earn a spot in the singles semifinals. Hamilton faced No. 4-seeded Joseph Kidane of Estancia who on Wednesday defeated No. 5-see Zach Pratto of Laguna, 6-1, 6-0.

Lebby was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over No. 10-seed David Doran of Estancia. Lebby faced No. 3-seeded Hector Jimenez of Godinez in the semis Thursday.

The Laguna doubles team of Ryan Gee and Alex Duong also advanced to Thursday’s semifinals. The pair, the No. 4-seed, defeated No. 5-seed Kaimon Brust/Kyle Hastings of Estancia Wednesday, 6-1, 6-2.

Two other Laguna doubles teams were eliminated Tuesday. The team of Matt Meisberger/Tim Nguyen, the No. 7-seed, fell, 6-3, 6-3, to the No. 2-seed team of Erik Cerros/Sterling Gates of Estancia. The No. 8-seed team, Jeff Spitz/Andrew Koumas, lost, 6-1, 6-1, to the No. 1-seed team of Matt Thomas/Robert Marrone of Estancia.

Gee/Duong faced Thomas/Marrone in a Thursday semifinal.

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Swimming

The Breakers’ boys’ and girls’ varsity swimmers all advanced to Thursday’s Orange Coast League finals meet at Costa Mesa High. Results from the finals event weren’t available at press time.

The league prelims meet was Tuesday at Costa Mesa. The top 16 swimmers in each individual event advanced to Thursday’s finals. All relay team events were held Thursday.

Laguna swimmers to advance to either the championship or consolation finals, each listed below by finish in their respective individual events, were:

Girls

200-yard freestyle: 1. Makenzie Fischer, 2:00.68; 3. MacKenzie Baldridge, 2:08.08; 4. Daniella Lucidi, 2:10.33; Kirra Nash, 2:13.03.; 200 individual medley: 1. Lila Vera, 2:12.86; 3. Abby Cohn, 2:26.87; 4. Haley Evans, 2:31.94; 5. Ally Jochim, 2:32.73.; 50 free: 2. Lexi Del Toro, 25.099; 4. Faith Hale, 27.52; 5. Maggie Renner, 27.68; 9. Jenna Knott, 29.09.; 100 butterfly: 1. Lila Vera, 58.75; 3. Natalie Selin, 1:07.69; 4. Faith Hale, 1:10.02.; 100 free: 2. Makenzie Fischer, 55.20; 3. Lexi Del Toro, 55.76; 6. Sydney Saxe, 58.60; 9. Haley Evans, 1:03.07.; 500 free: 1. MacKenzie Baldridge, 5:38.03; 2. Daniella Lucidi, 5:41.99; 3. Kirra Nash, 5:46.47.; 100 backstroke: 2. Sydney Saxe, 1:07.88; 3. Natalie Selin, 1:08.02; 6. Maggie Renner, 1:12.10.; 100 breaststroke: 1. Abby Cohn, 1:13.57; 3. Jenna Knott, 1:16.41; 5. Ally Jochim, 1:18.56.

Boys

200 free: 1. Jack Dodson, 1:54.76; 3. Max Morgan, 1:57.15; 5. Aki Andersen, 1:58.34; 7. Trevor Collins, 2:01.36.; 200 IM: 1. Erik Juliusson, 1:58.69; 6. Trent Sadler, 2:12.62; 7. Caleb Scott, 2:13.22; 9. Henry White, 2:19.12.; 50 free: 1. 2. Cade Baldrige, 23.49; 3. Nolan Del Toro, 23.49; 8. Greyson Benson, 24.30; 14. Camron Hauer, 25.14.; 100 butterfly: 3. Rian Atherton, 59.27; 6. Nolan Del Toro, 1:00.17; 7. Jack Dodson, 1:01.72; 9. Trent Sadler, 1:02.31.; 100 free: 1. Cameron Karkosa, 50.00; 3. Max Morgan, 52.00; 4. Cade Baldridge, 52.60; 5. Greyson Benson, 52.80.; 500 free: 1. Erik Juliusson, 4:43.63; 2. Henry White, 5:17.88; 3. Trevor Collins, 5:27.67; 4. Sean Whitlock, 5:27.69.; 100 backstroke: 5. Branner Grimsley, 1:04.25; 6. Jakob Colladay, 1:05.07; 7. Graham Peleaux, 1:06.72; 9. Aki Anderson, 1:08.82.; 100 breaststroke: 1. Cameron Karkosa, 1:02.89; 2. Caleb Scott, 1:06.50; 7. Garrett Hartley, 1:11.18; 11. Luc Gregory, 1:18.87.

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Boys’ Golf

Three Breakers, Spencer Donovan, Tyler Metez and Mitch Wills, finished among the top 12 Tuesday at Skylinks Golf Course in Long Beach, at the Orange Coast League prelims tournament. The 12 advanced to the league finals Wednesday at Skylinks.

Donovan shot an 81 (par 72, 18 holes), Metez 82 and Wills 84 at prelims. Laguna Coach Scott Finn said the trio “shot below their season averages” to make the top 12, a feat he said was “very impressive.”

Metez shot a 78 Wednesday and was Laguna’s top finisher in sixth-place standing. Donovan shot 83 and Wills 89.

The league’s top four golfers advanced to next week’s first round of the CIF Individuals Tournament.

Also at Tuesday’s first-round tournament, John Grayden shot 85 and Troy Sullivan 91 for the Breakers.

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CIF Weekly Rankings (week of April 29)

Boys’ Volleyball: Laguna Beach No. 2, Division 2).