OCL tough for Breakers
The Laguna Beach High boys’ soccer team had a tough go of it in its first two Orange Coast League games.
Tuesday at Estancia High, the Breakers, playing their second league road contest of the week, fell behind host Costa Mesa at halftime and ended up saddled with a 2-1 defeat.
Charlie Warner scored in the second half for Laguna which had trailed, 1-0, at the half. Logan Eastman assisted the goal.
The setback left the Breakers 0-2 in league and 2-3-4 overall.
“This is a very disappointing result and one that, even at this early sage, makes it an uphill struggle to make the playoffs,” Laguna Coach Dan Richards said. “It’s definitely not the end of the world but clearly leaves very little margin for error moving forward.
“We did create some good chances and the goal Charlie [Warner] scored was an excellent strike. For the amount of chances we have been creating, we are definitely lacking a true difference maker going forward right now. Defensively, it’s disappointing to concede the goals the way we did but ultimately it was our own fault to allow Costa Mesa those chances.”
In their league opener Jan. 8 at Centennial Park in Santa Ana, the Breakers were shut out by defending league champion Godinez, the second-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 4, 2-0.
The Breakers are home Friday (6:30 p.m.) for a league game against Saddleback. They’ll also host Estancia at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday.
“The Saddleback game on Friday gives us a good opportunity to bounce back and get on track again,” Richards said.
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Girls’ Water Polo
The Breakers began their quest for another Orange Coast League championship by defeating host Godinez, 23-0, in a league opener Wednesday.
Senior center Keira Dailey led a balanced scoring attack with four goals. Senior attacker Haley Evans and sophomore attacker Evan Tingler both scored three goals, and senior utility Mia Salvini, senior attacker Natalie Selin and freshman attacker Sophie Legget each scored twice.
Laguna improved to 11-0 and stretched its winning streak to 63 straight.
“We had all 16 players play and 14 players scored in a good tune-up game before heading to Santa Barbara,” Laguna Coach Ethan Damato said. “We spent the game working on different aspects of our game, trying to get sharp for the upcoming Tournament of Champions.”
The Breakers retained their No. 1 raking in CIF-SS Division 1 by earning an impressive victory in a key, early-season showdown at Foothill Jan. 7. They came up with a big performance in the second quarter and went on to hand the second-ranked Knights an 11-5 defeat.
The Breakers broke away from a 2-2 tie by outscoring Foothill, 5-1, in the second quarter, and shut out the Knights, 2-0, in the final quarter.
Legget paced the scoring with five goals and had an assist. Junior lefty Bella Baldridge scored twice, had two assists and two steals, sophomore attacker Sophia Lucas a goal and assist, Selin scored once, Evans had a team-high three assists, Tingler two assists, and senior goalie Holly Parker seven saves.
The Breakers defeated Foothill for a second time in a week and second time this season: they beat the Knights, 10-4, in the championship final of the Holiday Cup Dec. 30.
“The game against Foothill was a big test for us,” Damato said. “We showed a lot of heart being able to go into their pool and beat them just a week after the Holiday Cup championship. Good win for us. “
The Breakers are up north Friday and Saturday to defend their title at the prestigious Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions. They also took on Dos Pueblos (No. 6, CIF-SS Division 1) in a nonleague game Thursday. The score wasn’t available at press time.
“This is, no doubt, the biggest test at this point so far of the season,” Damato said. “The best of the best are in this tournament which will make for five tough games this week. Excited for the test. “
The Breakers return to league play next Wednesday for a 3:15 p.m. home game against Costa Mesa.
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Girls’ Soccer
The Breakers were impressive in their first two Orange Coast League matches, winning both on the road.
They won their second league contest Tuesday by shutting out host Costa Mesa, 3-0. Freshman forward Blake Turner scored off an assist from sophomore midfielder Haylee Jarvis for a 1-0 halftime lead. The same duo teamed up again in the same roles in the second half to take the lead to 2-0, and junior defender Emily Addis ended the scoring with a goal off an assist from freshman right-side defender Shanai Auguis.
Senior Kara Dunne-Dombrink had six saves in 65 minutes in the cage, and junior Reno Sammons had two saves in the final 15 minutes, and Coach Bill Rolfing said the pair recorded a “fine shutout win.”
Rolfing called the win, which extended their win streak to six and lifted the Breakers to 7-3-2 overall, “hard fought.” He noted the leadership of sophomore defender Alden Kramer in the team’s midfield attack with support coming from senior Alyssa Pellow.
The Breakers are ranked ninth in CIF-SS Division 5.
“With three teams (Laguna, No. 4 Estancia, No. 8 Calvary Chapel) from the Orange Coast League ranked in CIF top 10 (Division 5), every match is critical,” Rolfing said. “The league style of play is fast and physical, and Costa Mesa was a worthy example. The ladies, however, were able to break their style down and get the win.”
The Breakers opened their league season Jan. 7 at Godinez and defeated the previously unbeaten Grizzlies, 2-1. They scored their goals in the opening 30 minutes of the match.
First, sophomore forward Shea Skenderian slipped the ball past the on-rush of the goalie to score with an assist going to junior midfielder Christine Johnson, and Johnson scored unassisted from 25 yards out in the 30th minute for a 2-0 lead.
The Grizzlies got on the scoreboard in the 60th minute but the Breakers’ tenacious defense, led by the backline defenders foursome of Auguis and fellow freshman Kerin Onodera and Addis and fellow junior Brynn Anderson, clamped down and shut down the Grizzlies attack the remainder of the way. Dunne-Dombrink finished with 12 saves and came up with several key saves down the stretch to preserve the lead.
The Breakers met Saddleback in league play Thursday. The score wasn’t available at press time. Next week, they face two, big league matches when they host Estancia at 5 p.m. Tuesday and go to Centennial Park in Santa Ana to face Calvary Chapel at 3:15 p.m. Thursday.
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CIF Weekly Rankings
Girls’ Soccer: No. 9, Division 5.
Girls’ Water Polo: No. 1, Division 1.
