Breakers open title defense with sweep
The Laguna Beach girls’ tennis team successfully began defense of its Orange Coast League title Tuesday by sweeping host Costa Mesa, 18-0, in a league opener for both teams.
Six lines swept for the Breakers who improved to 5-1 overall.
“Everyone remained very focused and three girls, Kathleen Kimball, Iman Berri, and Summer Clawson, who normally don’t start, stepped up to play for three girls nursing injuries,” Laguna Coach Don Davis said.
Prior to launching its league schedule, Laguna defeated host El Toro Monday, 16-2. Kira Hamilton played one set in singles and won, to up her record to 13-0 in singles play this year. Davis said that No. 1 singles Hamilton and Summer Dvorak (5-0) have “been leading the way,” in singles action.
Ashley Fair (No. 2, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4) and Berri (No. 3, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0) swept in singles play. The Breakers also swept in doubles: at No. 1, Ashley Shelton/Madeline Loomis won, 6-0, 7-5, 6-0; at No. 2, Bailey Jaeger/Kelly Keller won one set, 6-2, and Keller/Clawson won two sets, 6-4, 6-4, and the No. 3 team of Malia Helms/Natasha Keces won, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
The Breakers took on Godinez in league play Thursday. The score wasn’t available at press time. Next week, they travel for a 3 p.m. nonleague game Monday at San Clemente, host Calvary Chapel in a 3 p.m. league match Tuesday at The Tennis Center in Costa Mesa, and visit league foe Estancia Thursday (3 p.m.).
Girls’ Volleyball
The Breakers picked up a nonleague win Tuesday over San Juan Hills, defeating the visiting Stallions in five sets, 21-25, 25-17, 25-23, 24-26, 15-12, at Dugger Gym.
Sabrina Stillwell had 14 kills and 14 digs, Sage Patchell 12 kills and 14 digs, Jamie Robbins 11 kills, Cameron Dorn seven kills and 3.5 blocks, Aspen Rocha 12 digs and 28 assists, and Briana Boyd had 11 assists for the Breakers (5-9).
Laguna Coach Raul Papaleo said Stillwell, Patchell, Robbins and Dorn “carried the offense.”
“We needed this win after a good performance at the Durango Classic,” Papaleo said. “We are playing a lot better when compared to the beginning of the season.”
The Breakers were in Las Vegas last week for the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas. They went 4-3 overall with wins over host Durango, O’Gorman (South Dakota), Chino Hills and Long Beach Wilson. They took seventh-place in the tournament’s Bronze Division.
Laguna is back in action at 6 p.m. next Tuesday for a nonleague match at Dana Hills. The defending Orange Coast League champion Breakers start league play Thursday (5:15 p.m.) at Costa Mesa.
Cross-Country
The Breakers competed at the 34th annual Woodbridge Cross-Country Classic last weekend at the Great Park in Irvine, and won team titles in both the boys’ and girls’ Novice divisions. Both teams placed five runners among the top 10 in their respective race.
The Laguna varsity girls’ and boys’ teams, ranked second and third, respectively, in CIF-SS Division 4, were idle last weekend.
Laguna senior Cameron Zuziak, a member of the Laguna boys’ varsity team, received an invitation to compete in the prestigious Sweepstakes Race, the main event of the invitational. Zuziak turned in a personal-best time of 15 minutes, 2 seconds Saturday night, the third-fastest time in Laguna cross-country history.
The Laguna freshmen boys, competing in their second high school race, finished third, overall.
The classic, the third-largest distance running invitational in the nation, drew 289 schools and more than 14,000 runners.
Below are some of the times turned in by the Breakers at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic:
Boys: Cameron Zuziak, Sr., 15:02; Dylan Miller, Fr., 17:35.1; Luc LaMontagne Fr. 17:35.2; Lucidi Massimo, Fr., 17:38.9; Sam Dameshek, Soph., 17:59.5; Ryan Whitlock, Soph., 18:22.4; Brody Seebass, Jr., 18:51.3; Timothy Laughlin, Fr., 18:51.8; Luke Colburn, Fr., 18:57.6; William Kramer, Soph., 18:59.2; Liam Duncan, Soph.,19:01.6.
Girls: Sabrina Flagstad, 21:34; Paige Vitolo, 21:45; Callista Helms, 22:20; Ellie Glade, 22:24; Natalia Szeibert, 22:47; Tiana Hoang, 22:55; Rachel Hunter, 22:57; Chloe Levine, 22:59.
Laguna competed Wednesday at the Orange Coast League Cluster. Results weren’t available at press time.
Boys’ Water Polo
The Breakers, the No. 1-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 3, scored a 15-9 nonleague win Sept. 18 over host El Toro. It was the fifth victory in seven starts for the Breakers who have played each of their first seven matches on the road.
Cade Baldridge and Jack Dodson both scored three goals , Aki Andersen (one goal) had a team-high four assists, and goalie Garret Hartley had 12 saves for Laguna.
The Breakers are currently competing at the South Coast Tournament which began Thursday, continues Friday and concludes Saturday. Games are being played at pool sites at Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar, Foothill and Santa Margarita. Placement games (eighth through first) will be played at Newport Harbor starting with the 8:30 a.m. eighth-place game. The tourney title game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.
“The South Coast Tournament is one of the premiere events of the fall for boys’ water polo in Southern California,” Laguna Coach Ethan Damato said. “The 32-team tournament is always an extremely deep talent pool and a very challenging tournament.
“We have a great seed going in and will get some very good games right of the gate (Thursday).
Laguna is the top seed in the Newport Harbor pool and opened Thursday against No. 8-seeded Bakersfield Garces Memorial. The score wasn’t available at press time.
Girls’ Golf
The Breakers played their first Orange Coast 4-way match Wednesday at the Mesa Linda Golf Course in Costa Mesa. Results from the match weren’t available at press time.
Laguna is back in league action next week for a pair of 3 p.m. 4-way matches starting with a Monday round at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. They’ll return to Mesa Linda for match action Wednesday.
Boys’ Sand Volleyball
The Breakers won fix of six matches Tuesday against Corona del Mar in Orange County Beach League play.
Match winners for Laguna: Nick Rieckhoff and Dane Olson, 21-13, 21-11; Adam Lythgoe and Cole Paxson won by forfeit; Tyler Alter and Pete Obradovich, 21-16, 21-11; Liam Christiansen and Tyler Jackson, 21-10, 21-15, and Rieckhoff, Lythgoe, Paxson and Olson won in a four-player match, 21-13, 21-17.
The Breakers previously won at every level in a Sept. 18 victory over Servite.
CIF Weekly Rankings
Boys’ Water Polo: Laguna Beach (No. 1, Division 3).
Girls’ Cross-Country: Laguna Beach (No. 2, Division 4).
Boys’ Cross-Country: Laguna Beach (No. 3, Division 4).
Twitter: @MikeSciacca