High School Roundup: Laguna perfect in league

The Laguna Beach High boys’ water polo team won its second Orange Coast League game in as many starts Wednesday by defeating host Sage Hill, 20-4.

Twelve Breakers scored led by a game-high four goals from Trent Sadler. Aki Andersen, Cade Baldridge, Jakob Colladay, Julian Bridy, and Jack Dodson (four assists, three steals), all scored twice.

Laguna, ranked sixth in CIF Southern Section Division 2, evened its record at 8-8.

“The guys looked loose and played with a lot of confidence,” Laguna Coach Ethan Damato said. “We had 12 different people get in the scoring column and had 13 assists as a team. It was fun to see the guys play well and have fun doing it.”

Laguna took on Murrieta Valley Thursday. The score from the nonleague game wasn’t available at press time. The Breakers host Coronado in a 4 p.m. nonleague game Friday.

The Breakers return to league play Wednesday, at home against Estancia at 3:15 p.m.

Also Wednesday, USA Water Polo Women’s National Team Head Coach Adam Krikorian announced the rosters and coaches for the upcoming Futures 50 Classic tournament, which will be held Oct. 25-27 at Foothill High. Damato was selected as the head coach of Team Athens, and two current and one former Laguna Beach players are on the rosters

The four rosters were divided up with each featuring a mix of athletes from all levels of the USA Water Polo National Teams. The teams were named after the four locations to offer women’s water polo in the Olympic Games.

Former Laguna standout Annika Dries, a 2012 U.S. Olympic gold medalist now at Stanford, has been named captain of Team London, which also includes current Laguna player, Aria Fischer. The freshman’s older sister, Makenzie, a junior at Laguna, is on the Team Beijing roster.

“It’s very exciting to get a chance to coach athletes at that level and be a part of the event,” Damato said. “I have coached a handful of the girls on my team, so it will be great to coach those girls again and great to get to know the top players in our sport.

“I think it’s a great event for women’s water polo and I’m very proud to be a part.”

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Girls’ Tennis

The Breakers made it a two-match sweep of Orange Coast League rival Estancia and in the process moved a step closer to repeating as league champions by defeating the host Eagles, 14-4 Tuesday. The match marked the return of Bailey Jaeger to the Laguna lineup. Jaeger had been out of action due to a wrist injury.

Jaeger teamed with Natasha Keces to play two sets at No. 2 singles, and the pair won both (6-1, 6-0). The third set at No. 2 was won, 6-0, by Brigette Thomas/Cameron Anderson.

The Breakers swept in doubles action. At the No. 1 line, Sarah Nederlander/Maddy Loomis won, 6-2, 6-0, and Shawna Yang/Olivia Morrison won, 6-2. At No. 3, Stephanie Tat/Malia Helms won, 6-1, 6-1, and Helms teamed with Anna Heitmann to win the third set, 6-2.

Kira Hamilton won two sets (6-1, 6-0) at No. 1 singles, and Ashley Fair picked up two points (6-0, 6-0, 3-6), at No. 3 singles.

With the win, Laguna, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division 2, improved to 7-0 in league and 10-4 overall.

In a league match played Oct. 10, Laguna routed Saddleback, 17-1. No. 1 Iman Berri (6-0, 6-0, 6-1) and No. 2 Kathleen Kimball (6-0, 6-0, 6-0) swept in singles, and Thomas, at No .3 singles, won two of three (0-6, 6-1, 6-0). In doubles, No. 1 Fair/Keces (6-0, 6-0,(6-0), No. 2 Tat/Helms (6-0,(6-0,(6-0), and No. 3 Bo/Morrison (6-0, 6-3, 6-1), swept.

Laguna took on Santa Margarita in a nonleague match Monday, and lost, 14-4, to the Eagles, the ninth-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 1.

The Breakers played host to Calvary Chapel Thursday, but the score wasn’t available at press time. Next week, they close out league play with three matches starting with a home match Monday against Sage Hill at Balboa Bay Club. They play host to Godinez Tuesday, and travel Thursday to Costa Mesa. All three matches start at 3 p.m.

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Girls’ Volleyball

The Breakers won their 75th consecutive league match Wednesday by sweeping visiting Costa Mesa, 25-9, 25-14, 25-12, at Dugger Gym. Sophomore outside hitter Sage Patchell had nine kills and four digs and sophomore middle blocker Kelsey Paul had six kills and five digs for the Breakers, who haven’t lost in 50 matches played against the Mustangs.

The only Costa Mesa win in the series, which Laguna leads, 51-1, came via forfeit in a match that wasn’t played.

Sophomore setter Aspen Rocha had 13 assists as Laguna completed the first half of OCL play 5-0, good for sole possession of first place.

The Breakers, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division 1-A, are 14-9 overall.

In a league match Monday at Godinez, Laguna won all three sets by the same 25-18 score against the Grizzlies. Patchell had nine kills and seven digs, junior defensive specialist/libero Brooke Borges had 15 digs, sophomore outside hitter Katelyn Carballo had five kills and seven digs, and Rocha had 17 assists and eight digs.

Laguna next week starts the second half of OCL play with a 5:30 p.m. Tuesday match at Saddleback. The Breakers also are on the road Thursday for a 4:30 p.m. match at Estancia.

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Girls’ Golf

An Orange Coast League cluster meet was played Monday at Mile Square Park, classic course (par 34), in Fountain Valley. Laguna played against host Calvary Chapel, and defeated the Eagles, 209-222. Posting one of the top team scores of the year, the win kept the Breakers undefeated (7-0) in league to clinch a tie for the title, and upped their overall record to 8-4.

MaryKate Quellmalz topped Laguna’s scoring with a 38. Jackie McMahon shot 39, followed by Leslie Dwight (41), Murphy Thompson (43), Jamie Hendrickson (48), and Audrey Curtis (56).

Natalie Mattison of Calvary Chapel shot two under par 32 for medalist honors.

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Cross-Country

The boys’ and girls’ teams turned in successful showings Saturday at the Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park in Fresno.

The Laguna girls finished in second place among 31 teams in the Small Schools division. Times and placements for the Breakers competing in a field of 207 runners, were: Janie Crawford (19:13, fifth place); Brenna Merchant (19:16, 17th); Natalie Kimball (19:33, 22nd); Eliza Romero (19:41, 30th); Pearl Shoemaker (19:59, 45th); Greer Jacobs (20:13, 57th), and Bailey Shoemaker (21:38, 109th).

Girls’ Coach Steve Lalim said this year’s team turned in the fasted time (1:37.42) of any previous Laguna girls’ team that competed at Woodward Park.

The previous top time, 1:39.00, had been set by the 2009 team.

Lalim said that individual, Crawford ranks third, Merchant fourth, Kimball seventh, Romero eighth, and Pearl Shoemaker 13th, all-time for times posted at Woodward Park.

“The girls ran very well,” Lalim said. “They raced with a sense of urgency, got out aggressive early, and really ran with a lot of guts. I’m really proud of their performances.”

The Laguna girls this week shot up to No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 rankings.

“Being ranked No. 2 is a sign that things are going in the right direction, and it’s very exciting,” Lalim said. “However, we are not going to get wrapped up in where we are ranked. We’re going to continue to focus on what we can control, working hard and staying healthy, putting ourselves in a position to be successful at CIF.”

The Laguna boys placed fifth in the Small Schools division. Times and placements for the Breakers: Cameron Zuziak (15:54, seventh); Casey Koprowski (16:14, 27th); Drake Butler (16:46, 31st); Mason Pitz (17:03, 55th); Veda Rebollar (17:27, 73rd); Grant Barton (17:32, 83rd), and Ian Ring (17:47, 110th).

“It was a very successful day, and we can’t wait to race there again with a [CIF] state title on the line,” said Coach Scott Wittkop, whose Breakers are ranked fourth in CIF Southern Section Division 4.

Several Laguna runners will compete Friday at the 46th annual Orange County Championships at Irvine Reginal Park. Lalim said some of the varsity girls will run at 4:05 p.m., and the girls’ frosh/soph and girls’ junior varsity teams will run at 3:20 and 4:50, respectively.

Wittkop said only the boys’ JV and frosh/soph teams will compete starting at 3 p.m.

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CIF Weekly Rankings

Football: Laguna Beach, No. 9, Southern Division.

Girls’ Volleyball: Laguna Beach, No. 3, Division 1A.

Girls’ Tennis: Laguna Beach, No. 3, Division 2.

Girls’ Cross-Country: Laguna Beach No. 2, Division 4.

Boys’ Cross-Country: Laguna Beach No. 4, Division 4.

Boys’ Water Polo: Laguna Beach, No. 6, Division 2.