Water Polo Wins Pre-Season Tournament
Houlahan, Skylar Kidd, Jessie Rose, Ella Baumgarten, Imani Clemons, Nicole
Struss, and Emma Lineback. Front Row (L-R): Lauren Schneider, Morgan VanAlphen, Mikayla Lopez, Ava Houlahan, Molly Renner, Rachael Carver, Emma Singer, and
Kenedy Corlett.
The high school girls water polo season starts in a month and the Breakers are preparing for another title run. Last weekend under the banner of “SET Maroon,” Coach Ethan Damato’s team captured a major off-season tournament, beating Rose Bowl 10-8 in the Advance High School Division finals to win the 11th Annual Evan Cousineau Tournament.
The final major pre-season activity, the Foothill Fall Fling, is Oct. 26-27. The 23rd high school girls water polo season opens on Wednesday, Nov. 27 with
Murrieta Valley at Laguna. Since the fall of 2013, Laguna is 176-9, capturing
four D1 SSCIF titles. Laguna’s last league loss was in 2006.
Football (4-3)
Six Turnovers Sink Breakers 52-14
The contest on Friday, Oct. 11, at Kares Field in Irwindale appeared to be a competitive even game in the first half, but some lucky tipped passes and Laguna turnovers dug a hole the Breakers never emerged from.
The contest opened with the two teams exchanging scores as Rio Hondo scored on a short run while Laguna responded with an Andrew Johnson to Jack Pigott pass play for 57 yards and a score. After holding the Kares to three plays, the Breakers were marching and were down to the RHP’s 30-yard line when a tipped pass fell into Rio Hondo hands on the Kares’ 8-yard line and was returned 47 yards to set up their second score. Breakers then drove 30 yards on their next possession only to lose the ball on a fumble. The squad lost their fight early in the third quarter after their initial second half possession stalled near the 50. Rio Hondo’s last three scores all came off Laguna miscues. Jackson Golden’s late game 81-yard score from scrimmage was the 14th longest run in Laguna history.
UP NEXT: Laguna opens their Golden West Conference – Pac 4 play this Friday, Oct. 18, with Godinez (1-6) at Guyer Field. The Grizzlies are struggling again this season but the following weeks with Western (g-1) and at Ocean View (5-2) will be the challenge. Laguna’s CIF Division – D12 will only take the top 16 teams, with Laguna looking about 10th among those who should qualify. Breakers must win two of the three league games. Laguna Stats and the schedule can be found at the Laguna page on MaxPreps.com.
Cross Country
The Fresno meet – the 38th annual Roughrider Invitational is Friday, Oct. 18, at Woodward Park. The varsity boy’s teams will be running the 5K course – same run as used in the State meet. The girls will be competing in the OC Championships on Saturday at Oak Canyon Park.
Looking ahead – Riverside Invitational on the SSCIF course is Oct. 26 and the Sunset Conference finals are Nov. 2 on the Central Park course in Huntington Beach.
This week’s SSCIF Poll – Oct. 15:
Boys D4: Foothill Tech, 2 – Laguna Beach, 3 – Cathedral, 4 – South Pasadena, 5 – Glen Wilson/HH, 6 – Filmore, 7 – JSerra, 8 – Big Bear, 9 – Oaks Christian, 10 – La Canada
Girls D4: 1 – Foothill Tech, 2 – Covina & Orange Lutheran, 4 – Laguna Beach, 5 – El Segundo, 6 – Mayfield, 7 – South Pasadena, 8 – La Canada, 9 – JSerra, 10 – Portola
Girls Golf (2-13, 0-5)
Breakers lost to Marina 264-239 on Oct. 10 and to league leading Edison 236-181 on Oct. 15.
Girls Tennis (6-6, 1-1)
Laguna dropped their opening league match to Huntington Beach losing the tie-breaker on games won/loss 78-68 in a contest played on the local courts on Oct. 10. Sarah MacCallum won two of her three singles sets as did Kaitlyn Smith. Ella Pachl/Natalie Cenan swept their doubles matches 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 while the doubles team of Vanessa Gee/Faith Ackley won two of their three sets. The two teams will meet again in Huntington on Oct. 22. On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Laguna easily defeated Marina 16-2.
SSCIF D2 Poll for Oct. 15: 1 – South Torrance, 2 – Redondo Union, 3 – Woodbridge, 4 – Claremont, 5 – Los Osos, 6 – Los Alamitos, 7 – Santa Barbara, 8 – Laguna Beach, 9 – Dos Pueblos, 10 – JSerra. Others: Edison, San Juan Hills, Harvard-Westlake
Girls Volleyball (27-9, 6-0)
Breakers completed their Sunset Wave League play with an easy sweep of Newport Harbor on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Tar’s gym. Cambrea Hall was the kill leader in the 25-19, 25-13, 25-22 victory with 13 kills, while Piper Naess had 10 in limited play, Luisa LoFranco 7, Sophie Reavis and Ella Tyus 4 with Sophie Black adding 3. Soren Patchell only served in two sets picking up five aces and 20 assists.
Last Thursday, Oct. 10, the Breakers defeated second place Fountain Valley 25-18, 19-25, 25-13, 25-18 as Piper Naess had 18 kills, Cambria Hall 14 and Sophie Reavis 10. Naess also recorded three aces and 17 digs to help the effort.
At that contest, the squad was treated to a visit by Lynn Meade, the first volleyball coach in the CIF era who guided the Artists from 1968 through 1974, taking Laguna to the first three SSCIF playoffs. Her 1974 squad went 15-1 losing only in the quarters to Marlborough 10-15, 15-10, 14-16. Also attending was her chief assistant, Jan Fritsen, who provided the training expertise and was a decorated indoor player in the ’60s representing the US in international competition. Their dominant teams of the early ’70s provided the foundation for the Laguna’s successful program – 40 league titles in the past 48 seasons. Thirty of the teams since 1974, including 2019, have completed league play undefeated.
On Friday, the seniors were celebrated at the annual Alumni match celebrating the 48 seasons of CIF sponsorship. The Alumni squad started slowly but ended up challenging the youngsters losing 25-10, 25-22, 25-23. The fans in attendance were impressed by the tough digs and blocks both teams executed.
NEXT HOME MATCHES/SSCIF Playoffs: Playoff brackets will post Saturday, Oct. 19, about noon at www.cifss.org. D1 single elimination playoff matches will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, Qtrs on Wednesday, Oct. 30, Semi’s on Saturday, Nov. 2 and Finals on Nov. 9.
You can follow the team on Instagram at lbhsvarsitygirlsvb and statistics are posted on Max Preps. Also catch the individual match video highlights by searching for “Laguna Beach Girls Volleyball” on the search tab at www.hudl.com.
SSCIF D1 Poll Oct 14 : 1 – Redondo Union, 2 – Marymount, 3 – Mater Dei, 4 – Sierra Canyon, 5 – Mira Costa, 6 – Foothill, 7 – Vista Murrieta, 8 – Aliso Niguel, 9 – Long Beach Poly, 10 – Corona del Mar, 11 – Laguna Beach, 12 – San Juan Hills, 13 – Village Christian, 14 – Huntington Beach, 15 – Chaparral, 16 – Santa Margarita. Others: Bishop Montgomery, Esperanza, Lakewood, Los Alamitos, Murrieta Valley, Palos Verdes, San Clemente, Temecula Valley.
Boys Sand Volleyball (4-1)
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, at Main Beach, the Breakers swept Tesoro 7-0:
#1 Geste Bianchi-Jett Rocha won 21-11, 21-17; #2 Josh Meiswinkle-Brooker Frith won 21-5, 21-8, #3 Andrew Reavis-Charlie Pillsbury won 21-7, 21-9; #4 Trent Gilles-Oskar Hingel won 21-9, 21-19; #5 Lucas Kravitz and Trey Ovens won 21-15, 21-19. The four-man squad prevailed 28-24. The Varsity will host Santa Margarita on Tuesday, Oct. 22, on Laguna’s Main Beach courts.
Boys Water Polo (11-7, 0-3)
Breakers held off #15 Dana Hills 10-9 at the Dolphin’s pool on Oct. 11. Augie Renezedor got Laguna on the board early with a score at 6:43 in the initial period. Laguna led 5-3 at the half and 9-7 early in the fourth period never trailing in the contest. Toby Bumgardner and William Kelly each had three goals in the game.
UP NEXT: Breakers faced Newport on Oct. 16, then traveled to Northern California for a non-league game with Monte Vista (Danville) on Oct. 17 in Orinda. On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, Laguna is in Atherton for the North-South tournament at Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo Atherton. Representing the South this year are Harvard-Westlake, Loyola, Mater Dei, Oaks Christian, San Clemente, Santa Margarita, Woodbridge, and Laguna. Laguna opens with Miramonte on Friday morning.
SSCIF D1 Poll for Oct. 15: 1 – Harvard-Westlake, 2 – Newport Harbor, 3 – Loyola, 4 – Huntington Beach, 5 – Santa Margarita, Oaks Christian, & Orange Lutheran; 8 – Mater Dei, 9 – Palos Verdes, 10 – Woodbridge, 11 – San Clemente, 12 – Foothill, 13 – Corona del Mar, 14 – Laguna Beach, 15 – Dana Hills, 16 – Mira Costa, 17 – Los Alamitos, 18 – Riverside Poly, 19 – Dos Pueblos, 20 – La Serna (Top 8 will be D1, balance in D2 – Final poll/seeding is Nov.
