WINTER SPORTS UPDATE
BOYS BASKETBALL (8-3)
Laguna had a break in competition since their last game on Dec. 2 and were in action this past Wednesday at long-time rival San Clemente. The Breakers host Aliso Niguel on Friday, Dec. 15, at Dugger Gym and travel to highly regarded Dana Hills on Dec. 21. The December schedule closes out after Christmas with the Coast Holiday Tournament at Estancia. Next month, the final Sunset Conference tour begins on Jan. 3 at Los Alamitos.
GIRLS BASKETBALL (2-7)
The squad continues to face a challenging schedule, dropping three games recently. On Dec. 6., they lost 61-28 to Mark Keppel (Alhambra) in the Orangewood Tournament, and on Dec. 9, they lost to Tustin 40-31 in the tournament, with Katie Cheng scoring 22 points in the effort. On Dec. 11, they were swamped by Whitney 83-39, with Alex Grombchevsky scoring 17 for the Breakers and Elaina Seybold providing 10 rebounds.
The December schedule will conclude in the Ocean View Tournament next week with games against Norco, Marina, and La Quinta/Westminster. The Sunset Conference run opens on Jan. 4 at Los Alamitos.
BOYS SOCCER (1-5-1)
Breakers dropped a trio of non-league matches, falling 1-0 at Irvine on Dec. 6, 2-1 at home to Laguna Hills on Dec. 8 and 4-2 at University on Monday, Dec. 11. In matches remaining in December, they played St Margaret’s on Dec. 13, Tesoro on Dec. 15 and El Modena on Dec. 20. Sunset Conference play begins on Jan. 3 with Los Alamitos in a 6 p.m. match at Guyer Field.
GIRLS SOCCER (4-1)
The Breakers defeated St Margaret’s on Dec. 7 at Guyer Field on goals by Hayes Frith and Sanae Mitsuka. On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Breakers won their opening matches in the Best of the West tournament at Laguna Hills, defeating Kennedy 1-0 on a goal by Molly Riehle, followed that afternoon with a 3-0 win over Serrano. Against the Diamondbacks, Breaker goals were by Molly Riehle, Sydney Ford and Kaylyn Stringham. Tournament play continues on Dec. 19 with a match against Royal (Simi Valley) and a non-league match on Dec. 19 at Dana Hills before the winter break.
GIRLS WATER POLO (2-2)
The Breakers were thrashed 15-4 by #1 Orange Lutheran on Dec. 6 at Orange Coast College with another tough shooting day, making only four of twenty shots. The squad bounced back the following day with a strong team effort, defeating #10 JSerra 15-8 at the loser’s pool. Kara Carver scored seven goals against the Lions, while Presley Jones added three scores, four assists, five steals and three drawn ejections to the effort. Ava Knepper was stellar in her contributions, with two goals, three assists, and four steals, while Emerson Hensley added three goals, four assists to her contribution. Siena Jumani recorded six saves.
Sunset Surf League play opened on Tuesday as the Breakers lost a tough 11-10 contest at Newport. Laguna plays their entire league schedule on the road due to the inadequate size of the local pool, which was obsolete even when it was built in the early 1990s.
Against the Tars, Laguna scored first on a Presley Jones goal at the 4:49 mark off a pass from Kara Carver. Newport tied the contest over a minute later and took a two-goal lead in the closing seconds of the period. Until very late in the third period, the Breakers could not tie the contest until two goals in succession by Kara Carver knotted the game at eight each with just 26 seconds remaining in the period. Early in the final period found Laguna down again by two goals, but the team battled back to tie the game at 10 with 3:31 remaining and had a great Ava Knepper shot miss in the closing seconds to force OT. The two teams meet again in league play on Jan. 16 at Newport.
Upcoming games: Senior Day was held on Thursday, Dec. 14, with Huntington Beach, and the team traveled to Oaks Christian this Saturday, Dec. 16, in a very challenging non-league contest. Play will then resume on Dec. 29 in the Bill Barnett/Newport Holiday Cup.
WRESTLING (1-0)
Breakers won their Varsity Boys Dual against Huntington Beach 44-36 this past Tuesday, Dec. 12, at Dugger Gym. Breaker grapplers included 106 pound Mason Mikulin, 10th grade, wins by Pin 113-Jackson Lawsky, 12th grade, wins by Pin 120-Barron Zepeda, 12th grade, wins by Pin; 126- John Rivas Henrici, 12th grade, wins by Technical Fall 150-Caedman Welch, 12th grade, wins by Decision 12-8 157-James Kramer, 11th grade, Wins by Pin 165-Coby Busick, 9th grade, wins by Pin (First year wrestler); 215- Mateen Najafi, 10th grade, Wins by Pin (First year wrestler).
Also, for the first time in the school’s history, Laguna had two girls compete in wrestling, both competing at the varsity level. Sasha Walshe, 9th grade and first-year wrestler, wins 12-9. Also, first-year wrestler Vanessa Kirstein, 11th grade, lost by Pin.
Have a note/question on Laguna sports/correction/update? E-mail Frank at [email protected].
Looking for the 2023-24 High School schedules and scores? Check Laguna Beach High School on the Max Preps website.
