Boys Basketball (25-3, 10-0) LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Breakers are seeded second in the 32-team 3AA single elimination playoffs and played the first round on Wednesday, Feb. 14, hosting Santiago/Corona. Should the Breakers defeat the Sharks they would either host Twentynine Palms (20-8) or travel to Summit (18-11) in Fontana on Friday, Feb. 16. Quarterfinals are at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20 with either Leuzinger or Long Beach Wilson the most likely opponent. Semi’s will be Feb. 23 and the finals are on March 2 or 3.
Breakers must advance to semifinals to qualify for the state playoffs. Breakers are still ranked sixth in Orange County (OC Register) and #22 in Southern California (LA Times)
Last week Laguna concluded their 12th and final year in the Orange Coast League with a pair of one-sided blow outs. On Tuesday, Feb. 6, the Breakers defeated Estancia 79-29 at the Eagles gym. The starters were limited to play only in the first (30-10) and third (27-5) quarters. Blake Burzell scored 21, Charlie Rounaghi 13, Grady Morgan 13, and Nolan Naess 12. Also scoring were Owen McMurray with 9, Brooks Hogenauer with 6 and Adam Armstrong with 4. On Wednesday, Saddleback was defeated 91-42 with the starters limited to playtime only in part of the first (30-2) and third (30-16) quarters. Blake Burzell and Grady Morgan each scored 17 points followed by Willie and Charlie Rounaghi each with 11 and Nolan Naess with 10. Charlie Rounaghi set the career steal mark in the contest.
This year the Breakers outscored their Orange Coast League foes 734 to 323 in the 10 league games for an average margin of victory of 41.1 points. Laguna went 99-15 over the 12 seasons in the league with 10 conference crowns.
Breakers regular season mark of 25-3 in a new school record. The all-time win mark including playoffs is 27 victories set in 1962.
Girls Basketball (0-24, 0-10)
Season concluded on Feb. 7 with a 51-17 loss to Saddleback (9-14, 4-6) at Dugger Gym as the Breakers finished winless for the fourth time in the 45 seasons of CIF sponsored girls basketball. Mia Pitz was the leading scorer this season with 122 points while Evelyn Kilburg led with three-point shots and Madilyn Garwal was the top rebounder with a school record 293 rebounds. The girls were 50-64 in their 12 season of Orange Coast League play and will be in the more competitive Sunset League next season.
Boys Soccer (9-6-4, 4-3-3)
Laguna season ended with league play as the Breakers finished fourth in the Orange Coast League and were shut-out from the playoffs as no-at large spots were available in Division 4. Last week the Breakers lost on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at league champion Estancia as the Eagles scored in the final minutes to take the game. On Thursday Costa Mesa tied Estancia 1-1 to knock the Breakers out of third place and the playoffs despite Laguna’s easy 3-1 victory over third place Saddleback (13-8-1, 5-4-1). Laguna finished their 12-year run in the Orange Coast League with a 42-49-23 overall league record. Next season the Breakers will be in a much tougher league as all Sunset League members are either D1 or D2 squads.
Girls Soccer (10-9-2, 8-1-1) LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Breakers took care of business as the squad defeated Saddleback 4-0 on Feb. 7 at Guyer Field. Laguna finished the regular season ranked ninth in Division 4 and opened the playoffs this past Tuesday facing either Crean Lutheran or Ocean View, who played in a Tuesday wild card match. Should the favored Breakers advance, they would probably travel to # 8 Pacifica/Oxnard on Wednesday, Feb. 21, with quarterfinals slated for Saturday, Feb. 24, possibly at Guyer Field.
This is the 37th season of girls soccer at Laguna with the past seven seasons providing four conference titles and seven straight trips to the playoffs. Laguna has made it as far as quarters three times – 2000, 2015 and last season.
Breakers all-time playoff record is 11-9-2.
Girls Water Polo (21-2, 4-0) LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Laguna closed out the regular season last week with a pair of games as the JV and varsity reserves easily defeated Saddleback 25-3 on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Roadrunner’s pool. Senior Kyla Whitelock along with freshmen Katelyn Kolberg, Skylar Kidd, and Mikayla Lopez each scored three goals. Haley Parness and Kyla Whitelock provided goal keeping duties. Breakers concluded their 12 years of Orange Coast League play a perfect 47-0.
On Friday in the fog, Laguna concluded their regular season with a sound 10-3 defeat of # 7 San Marcos in a contest played at Dos Pueblos High School. The contest was originally scheduled for Jan. 11, but was postponed due to road closures resulting from the January floods. Laguna jumped out to a quick lead as Sophia Lucas drew a five meter penalty shot opportunity on their second possession with Alex Peros delivering the goal 90 seconds into the contest. Lucas scored on the next possession off a Claire Kelly pass and Evan Tingler made it 3-0 on the next try off a Rachael Carver pass. Less than a minute later a Tingler pass to Lucas put the Breakers at 4-0 just past the midway mark in the initial quarter. The Royals never threatened and everyone had a chance to play except for starters Isabel Riches and Alana Evans, who were ill. Thea Walsh had 10 saves in her 3 ½ quarters of work. Breakers have now gone 130-6 over the past five seasons playing a full top tier schedule.
Playoff Schedule:
Division 1 playoffs opened with the Breakers facing San Marcos on Thursday, Feb. 15 at Newport Harbor. Should Laguna prevail, the semifinals will be Wednesday, Feb. 21, at Irvine’s Woollett Center (5 or 7PM). The winners then advance to the finals on Saturday, Feb. 24 (most likely 5:30 p.m.) while a third-place game for the semifinal losers on Friday, Feb. 23. All eight Division 1 playoff teams will participate in the State Regionals on March 2-3.
Wrestling (1-5)
Three Laguna players advanced to the Coastal Division individual tournament to be held on Feb. 16-17 at Westminster High School. Sergio Castellanos finished third in the Orange Coast League Individual Finals at the 126 lb weight class while Miles Stripling (132 lb) and Sunzar Kakar (120lb) finished fourth in their weight category. Nine leagues make up the Coastal Division with a total of 27 wrestlers competing in each weight category.
