FOOTBALL (9-2)
The Breaker opponents Westminster (D-11), Charter Oak (D-8), and El Dorado (D-7) are in the CIF semifinals this weekend, with the results having a possible effect on the league placement for 2024. It still looks like Orange, Aliso Niguel, Fountain Valley, Northwood and Dana Hills will be in the football league with Laguna next season.
CROSS COUNTRY – Girls at CIF FINALS on Saturday
SSCIF Finals are this Saturday, Nov. 18, at Mt San Antonio College, with the D4 girls running in race #10 for the day at 11 a.m. The Breakers must finish at least seventh in the 16-team field to qualify for the State meet on Nov. 25.
For more information, visit the girls’ website at www.lbxc.org and the boys’ at www.lagunabeachcrosscountry.com.
GIRLS TENNIS (20-3) CIF CHAMPIONS!
A Team Effort Earns the Breakers the Program’s 12th CIF Team Title
Last Friday, Laguna captured the D-2 Title with a nail-biting 10-8 victory over Calabasas at the Claremont Club in Claremont. Team tennis comprises three singles players and three doubles teams, with competition played over three rounds. The Set score was tied at 3-3 after round one and 6-6 after round two. At that point, the Breakers had a comfortable lead in games won, the tie-breaker advantage if the final score ended at 9-9.
In the final round, Jessica MacCallum completed her sweep, defeating the Coyote’s #3 player 6-0, while sister Rebecca took care of the opponent’s # 1 player 6-2. The stress came when two of Laguna’s doubles teams quickly lost 6-0 to narrow the game’s advantage, but Lola Sabol and Chloe Balliet won their set 6-3 to seal the overall team win. In the last set, still in play – Hannah Nguyen captured the win 6-3 over the #2 singles player for the exclamation point to the Breaker team victory. Seven of the nine players who competed for the Breakers in the match are expected to return for the 2024 season.
This is the 49th year of CIF-sponsored girls’ team tennis playoffs – Laguna has made the semifinals 21 times, made final appearances, and now has 12 team titles. Laguna last won in 2005 when they were the dominant program in Southern California. The team title was the school’s 49th Southern Section banner in 90 sports seasons at the high school.
BOYS WATER POLO (18-14) – Breakers FALL IN D1 FINALS IN SUDDEN DEATH
Huntington Beach 10, Laguna 9 – (3OT Sudden Death)
Laguna battled Huntington Beach in an epic contest last Saturday, Nov. 11, at the new and impressive aquatics facility at Mt San Antonio College, falling to the Oilers on a “golden goal” in the third overtime period.
Breakers stayed true to form, falling behind early before battling back to make it a game with goals by Diego Audebert’s first of five scores and Maxwell Schlaich. Down 5-4 at the intermission, Laguna jumped out to an 8-5 lead and held it late into the third period before the Oiler’s rally finally tied the game late in the fourth period. In the overtime session, Laguna scored on a 5-meter penalty shot by Eli Taub, but the Oilers tied it up in the second three-minute overtime to force sudden death. Huntington scored on an outside shot seconds into the final period for the win. The squad played a great game against a larger and deeper opponent. Tyler Swenson was outstanding in the cage, with a number of difficult stops. Dylan Williams was a big factor with key assists, steals, plus a score in the third period. Goals: 5 – Audebert, 2 –Schlaich. 1 – Williams, Taub Saves: 12 – Swensen
Laguna 12, Foothill 11- (2 OT)
The semifinal contest played on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Knight’s pool was a rematch of last year’s semifinal contest, but Laguna battled back this year to prevail after two overtime periods. True to form, the Breakers trailed 3-0 early in the contest but tied the game with just over a minute remaining in the initial period on a goal by Cade Anderton. Laguna took a brief lead on another Anderton score to silence the overflow crowd soon after, but the contest went back and forth with five lead changes as neither team could pull away. Breakers rallied in the final period to force the extra periods on goals by Gavin Goode and Diego Audebert and took a quick two-goal lead in the extra periods. The final Foothill score came in the closing seconds, with the outcome secured.
Goals: 4 – Anderton, Audebert, 2 – Goode, 1 – Williams, Schlaich. Saves: 14 – Swensen
STATE D1 QUARTERFINALS – JSerra 23, Laguna 3
The Breakers 2023 season concluded in their first State Regional contest with a loss to the Nations’ #1 program on Monday, Nov. 14 at the Lion’s pool. Both teams substituted freely, giving the entire roster plenty of play time.
Breakers return a nucleus of good players in 2024, led by Dylan Williams and Gavin Goode.
WINTER SPORTS – In Progress
Coach Rus Soobzokov’s varsity basketball teams opened play this past week:
Boys Basketball: The 90th season opened on Nov. 13 at the Ocean View Tournament, where Laguna defeated Mayfair 61-52 behind 27 points by Dylan McEachern and 19 from Jack Halvorson. The Breakers faced Tesoro in the quarterfinals on Nov. 15.
Girls Basketball: Breakers opened the season with a 41-33 win over Godinez on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at Dugger Gym. Scoring details were not available at press time. The Breakers are at Woodbridge on Nov. 20.
Other Winter Sports
Boys Soccer: Breakers vs. Northwood on Nov. 17
Girls Soccer: Breakers at Beckman on Nov. 30
Girls Water Polo: 2nd Annual Alumni Game on Nov. 22 at 3 p.m.
Wrestling: Breakers vs. Huntington Beach on Dec. 13
Boys Age Group Club Volleyball
Former Laguna Varsity Head Coach Doug Mauro and Stanford great Steve Blue are now coaching a 13’s team for Laguna Coast Volleyball Club, bringing a local youth program back to Laguna after 20 years. Leif Hanson’s program has already provided the girls’ indoor program at Laguna with skilled players and is looking to help the boys’ program stay competitive. For more information, contact Hanson at [email protected].
Have a note or question about Laguna sports? 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.
, Charter Oak (D-8), and El Dorado (D-7) are in the CIF semifinals this weekend, with the results having a possible effect on the league placement for 2024. It still looks like Orange, Aliso Niguel, Fountain Valley, Northwood and Dana Hills will be in the football league with Laguna next season.){kind=link}