High School Sports Update

Roadrunners Spoil Homecoming Game 38-31

By Frank Aronoff | LB Indy

Football (1-6, 0-2)

Laguna bounced back from the failure at Costa Mesa to battle Saddleback (4-3, 2-0) right to the end in the homecoming game played last Friday, Oct. 17, before the usual large crowd at Guyer Field. There were moments it looked like the home squad would have folded, but the Breakers pushed the visitors to the final minute with some gutsy plays.

Laguna was unable to move the ball in their initial series but Saddleback only had to go 35-yards for their first score after a good punt return gave the Roadrunners great field position.

The home team quickly responded with Nick Krantz bolting 66 yards up the middle on a terrific run.

Saddleback scored next on a long 13-play drive and after an exchange of possessions, Laguna came back with a 41-yard field goal by sophomore Bruce Knill, already among Laguna’s best kickers of all-time. Breakers had a great chance in the final minutes of the first half to keep pace, but after driving to the Saddleback four-yard line, they settled for a field goal that was just wide.

In the second half, the visitors took the opening kickoff and drove 80-yards in six plays to quickly push their advantage to 27-10. Laguna seemed to struggle on their next two possessions, missing another field goal try. Then the squad became energized with just under two minutes remaining in the period as Rick Blaser recovered a Saddleback fumble by Bryan Salcido on the Roadrunner 34-yard line. Three plays later, Bruce Knill ran for 11 yards and it was a 10 point game. The Roadrunners came back to open the fourth period with a 47-yard drive but Laguna defensive plays forced a field goal.

Bruce Knill kept the fans in the game taking the ensuing kickoff 87 yards to the Roadrunner seven. A couple of Laguna penalties almost killed the opportunity until Jack Simon hit Brett Tracy for the score, closing the gap to 30-24.

Saddleback came back with Salcido redeeming his fumble for what would be the winning score. The visitors completed their points with a two-point conversion pass pay. Still the Breakers were not finished. The next possession featured a fourth down 67-yard bomb to Bruce Knill, but ended up empty. Breakers held Saddleback to eight yards and Carter Monacell returned the punt 40-yards to set up Laguna’s last score. On a fourth and six play, Jack Simon hit Rick Blaser with a sharp pass for the final points. Finally with just under a minute, Saddleback recovered the Laguna on-side kick to end the game.

Up next – Laguna travels to Estancia on Friday, Oct. 24 as the Eagles (5-2, 2-0) are the favorites for this year’s title. Breakers and Estancia have met 25 times since 1966 with Laguna holding a slim 13-12 advantage including seven of the past ten meetings.

 

Saddleback	14	7	6	11	38
Laguna Beach	7	3	7	14	31

S – Leon 3 run (Oropeza kick (8:47 1^st Q)

L – Krantz 66 run (Knill kick) 8:05 1^st Q

S – Medina run (Oropeza kick) 4:07 1^st Q

L – Knill 41 FG 6:35 2^nd Q

S – Salcido 24 pass from Rojas (Oropeza kick) 2:10 2^nd Q

S – Leon 1 run (run failed) 10:25 3^rd Q

L – Knill 11 run (Knill kick) 1:11 3^rd Q

S – Oropeza 25 FG 10:57 4^th Q

L – Tracy 6 pass from Simon (Knill kick) 8:55 4^th Q

S – Salcido 26 run (Reyes pass from Rojas) 5:44 4^th Q

L – Blaser 7 pass from Simon (Knill kick) 0:50 4^th Q

 

LB	S
1st Downs	17	21
Rush/Yds	32-153	56-365
Pass Yds	219	92
C-A-I	14-29-0	8-20-0
Plays/TYG	61-372	76-457
Fumbles/Lost	1-0	2-1
Return Yds	40	16
Punts/Ave	3-25.0	1-36.0
Penalties/Yds	7-55	7-58
TOP:	23:22	24:38

 

Rushing- Krantz 6-72, Knill 7-24, Simon 7-23, French 7-22, Bruncardi 4-18, Monacell 1-(6)

Passing- Simon 27-14-0 219 yards 2 TDS 144.4 rating Team 2-0-0

Receiving- Tracy 9-111 1TD, Bruncardi 2-30, Armstrong 1-4, Knill 1-67, Blaser 1-7, TD

Punt Returns- Monacell 1-40

Kickoff Returns- Hayes 2-44, Krantz 1-27, Knill 3-129

Punting- Simon 3-75, 25.0

 

Milestones:

• Nick Krantz has rushed for 550 yards thru 7games, season total ranks 23^rd all-time
• Bruce Knill 6 career field goals ranks tied for 6^th

Career scoring total is 94 pts – tied for 27^th

Career kick scoring at 67 points is 6^th

Career Extra Points at 43 ranks 4^th

 

Alumni Notes – Where are they NOW:

Robert Clemons III (2009-12) scored on a 68 yard bomb Saturday to help Yale defeat Colgate while Drake Martinez (2010-12) scored on a 70-yard run in Saddleback College’s contest with Grossmont. Martinez is a two-way player for the Gauchos.

 

Boys Sand Volleyball (5-1)

Breakers are nearing the playoffs with a win last Wednesday, Oct. 15 in Newport.

Breakers 8.5, Orange Lutheran 0

1) W-Nick Rieckhoff & Cole Paxson 21-9, 21-23, 15-9

2) W-Reed Donenfeld & Dane Olson 21-16, 21-14

3) W-Liam Christensen & Pete Obradovich 21-16, 21-5

4) W-Tyler Alter & Tyler Jackson 21-8, 21-19

5) W-Connor Brashier & Josh McManus (OL forfeit)

4-man team of Rieckhoff, Paxson, Donenfeld and Olson won 21-15, 21-8

 

This past Tuesday, Laguna faced the “Monarchs” (2-3) a team not officially sanctioned by the parochial school the students attend. Laguna, Newport and Huntington still have the best records at 5-1 for the 14 schools participating. 

Girls Golf (9-5, 9-0) LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Laguna wrapped up the Orange Coast League team title with a 202-242 thrashing of Estancia on Oct. 15 at Mesa Linda in Costa Mesa. MaryKate Quellmalz led all golfers with a 37 over nine holes. Also participating for Laguna was Halle Redfearn – 38, Leslie Dwight – 41, BellaRose Robinson – 41, Hailey McCullough – 45, Hannah Burnett – 45, and Lindsey Lowell – 54

On Monday, Oct. 20 at Mesa Linda, Halle Redfearn won the annual Orange Coast League individual crown in a sudden death playoff hole over her teammate MaryKate Quellmalz.

The final standings and 27-hole two-day scores were:

1. Halle Redfearn, Sr. Laguna Beach 123
2. MaryKate Quellmalz, Sr. Laguna Beach 123
3. Melissa Cruz, Fr. Calvary Chapel 126
4. Maddie Njust, So. Calvary Chapel 133
5. BellaRose Robinson, Fr. Laguna Beach 135
6. Bella Rosete, So. Estancia 140
7.    Leslie Dwight, Sr. Laguna Beach 140
8. Paige LaBare, Jr. Costa Mesa 143
9. Hannah Burnett, Jr. Laguna Beach 149
10. Hailey McCullough, Jr. Laguna Beach 154
11. Laura Morel, Sr. Estancia 158
12. Catie Webster, Sr. Costa Mesa 167

Redfearn becomes just the third ladies golfer to win the league individual crown, joining Sasha Spear in 2006 and Grace Komoroczy in 2009.

Girls Volleyball (11-10, 5-0)

Laguna overcame the flu and recruiting trips that hammered the team last week to extend their league match win streak to 85. On Monday, Oct. 13 the Breakers defeated Calvary Chapel 25-10, 25-19, 19-25, 25-16 dropping only their fourth set in the past eight seasons. Laguna was missing top hitter Sabrina Stillwell and lost the service of # 2 hitter Jamie Robbins to the stomach flu during the second set. The Breakers adjusted by the final set with Aspen Rocha and Katelyn Carballo providing the firepower for the win. On Wednesday, Oc. 15, Laguna’s 17 services aces proved key as the Breakers defeated the host Grizzlies (10-5, 2-3) 25-9, 25-10, 25-10.

Next week Laguna hosts Estancia on Tuesday and travel to Calvary on Thursday, Oct 30.

SSCIF D-IIAA Poll for Oct 20: 1 – Village Christian, 2 – South Torrance, 3 – Laguna Beach, 4 – Pasadena Poly, 5 – North Torrance, 6 – Brea Olinda, 7 – Chadwick, 8 – Arroyo Grande, 9 – South Pasadena, 10 – Valley Christian/Cerritos. Others: Mayfield, Downey, Esperanza, Westridge.

 

 

 

 

Girls Tennis (14-3, 8-0)

Laguna split a pair on non-league matches and swept their Orange Coast League play to continue on the march to the D-II playoffs that begin in November.

Laguna dropped a 11-7 match to Division 1 power Santa Margarita on Monday, Oct. 13. Summer Dvorak swept the # 1 singles winning her matches 6-0, 6-0, 6-1, but the Breakers lost three very close doubles matches that proved the difference.

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Laguna swept Godinez 18-0 and defeated second place Calvary Chapel/Santa Ana on Thursday 15-3 for Laguna’s 89^th consecutive league match victory dating back to September 2005.

This past Monday, Laguna defeated D-II #9 ranked Sage Hill 11-7 as the Laguna doubles teams of Ashley Shelton/Madeline Loomis, Bailey Jaeger/Kelly Keller, and Malia Helms/Natasha Keces swept the Lightning teams to secure the victory.

SSCIF D-II Poll for Oct 20: 1 – Valencia/Valencia, 2 – Beverly Hills, 3 – Murrieta Valley, 4 – William S. Hart, 5 – Vista Murrieta, 6 – St. Margaret’s, 7 – Laguna Beach, 8 – La Reina, 9 – Sage Hill, 10 – Hemet, others: Granite Hills, Rim of the World.

Boys Water Polo (14-4, 2-0)

Laguna started play last week with a 22-2 rout of Estancia on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at the Eagle’s pool. The victory was the Breaker’s 42^nd consecutive league win dating back to 2006. Ten different Laguna players scored in the game led by Trent Sadler with six goals and six steals. The following day before an overflow crowd at the local pool, Laguna held off Murrieta Valley 11-6 in a hotly contested matchup. Due to the overall evaluation of their league strength, both programs find themselves in D-III for this season, clearly ranked well above the remaining teams.

Quick shooting Cade Baldridge got the contest going with two scores just after two minutes gone in the contest. Jakob Colliday made it 3-0 before Murrieta got on the board off a power play at the four minute mark. Baldridge and Jack Dodson closed out the scoring for the period as Laguna took a 5-1 advantage into the second quarter. Murrieta chipped away in the second period scoring twice as Laguna seemed unable to connect on their clear shots. Baldridge scored early in the third period for Laguna to take a 6-3 lead but the Nighthawks countered on their next possession to pull within two. After a Nolan Del Toro goal was disallowed for encroachment within the two-meter line, the visitors quickly scored to pull within one. The Breakers settled down when Aki Anderson’s pass was sent to the cage by Trent Sadler and it was now 7-5. Sadler continued the scoring with a lob shot early in the fourth period and scored again to make it 9-5. Baldridge and Dodson both scored on sweeps before Murrieta Valley was able to tally their final goal. Nighthawks still lead the all-time series 5-3.

On Saturday, Laguna hosted OC # 10 Los Alamitos in a non-league match at the local pool. The series that dates back to 1977 has been dominated by the Griffins, but 2014 is a different year as the Breakers controlled the tempo in the second half to win 14-4. The Breakers entered the period up only 5-3 but Jack Dodson scored within the first minute off a Connor Hauer pass to make it 6-3 and Nolan Del Toro scored seconds later off a toss by Jackob Colliday to make it 7-3.

Breakers open play on Friday, Oct. 24 with Menlo School in Atherton, Calif. The big match next week is Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 3:15 p.m. at Costa Mesa for the 2014 league title. The Mustangs (11-6, 2-0) feel they can challenge Laguna after gaining eligibility of some recent transfers.

SSCIF D-III Poll for Oct 20: 1 – Laguna Beach, 2 – Murrieta Valley, 3 – Montebello, 4 – Capo Valley, 5 – Aliso Niguel, 6 – Trabuco Hills, 7 – La Canada, 8 – Moorpark, 9 – Yorba Linda, 10 – Chaparral