Breakers Win Tournament of Champions
Girls Water Polo (16-1)
Laguna continued to dominate Girls Water Polo with another tournament title last weekend as they defeated #2 Newport Harbor 8-3 last Saturday to take the 21st annual Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions at the Dos Pueblos pool in Goleta. It was the Breakers’ 16th title in 19 tries in the “Big Three” in-season tournaments that are held each year featuring the top 10 teams in Southern California. Since 2014, Laguna is 79-3 in these events and have captured more titles than any other school.
On Thursday evening, Laguna opened play defeating Long Beach Wilson 16-2 as the Breakers used their entire 19-player squad in the contest. Emma Lineback scored five goals to top the 11 players scoring. Ava Houlahan contributed two assists and five steals.
In the quarterfinals, Laguna topped San Diego’s #2 team, Carlsbad, 12-3 as Rachael Carver’s two early scores were key in the contest. That victory set up the rematch with Foothill on Saturday morning that Laguna rallied for a 9-8 victory.
Breakers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Knights starting with a goal by Emma Lineback off a pass from Rachael Carver on their opening possession. After Molly Renner added a second score with less than three minutes gone in the quarter, Foothill stormed back after Laguna substituted many of their field players to forge a quick 4-2 lead. Laguna was only able to cut the lead by one score in the second period as Molly Renner scored with just 1:22 remaining off a Nicole Struss pass. In the third period the contest was tied at 4, 5, and 6-6 before Foothill took their last lead at 7-6 on a power play with just seconds remaining in the third period. Breakers scored on their first possession of the final period after Jesse Rose won the sprint and Emma Lineback fed a great pass to Molly Renner to tie the score. Midway in the quarter after three change of possessions, Jessie Rose pulled of a steal then drew a 5-meter penalty that Emma Lineback converted for an 8-7 lead. Nicole Struss added the final score with just over two minutes remaining and the squad held off Foothill despite a late gift of a 5-meter penalty goal in the final minute.
The finals were anticlimactic as Laguna dominated the Tars from the start to hand the Sailors (12-4) their 14th straight defeat to Laguna in a streak dating back to 2014. Molly Renner was named the tournament MVP, while Emma Lineback was also named to the all-tournament team. The big Foothill win was a team effort with some great second half play from Kenedy Corelett, Jessie Rose to complement the starters, Van Alphen, Struss, Carver, Singer and Renner. Lauren Schneider (a freshman) was brilliant in goal.
While the Varsity was busy in Santa Barbara, the JV finished second to #20 Santiago/Corona in the Varsity 6th Annual Diamond Bar tournament. The squad defeated the following varsity teams: D3 #7 Canyon/Anaheim 12-5, D3 #5 Palos Verdes 11-9, San Diego #4 La Jolla 7-4 before falling to D1 #20 Santiago/Corona 12-11 in the finals at Citrus College.
Breakers were at Corona del Mar this past Thursday and will meet Newport Harbor for their second-round meeting on Jan. 21 at Newport. The final major in-season tournament is the 25th Annual Southern California Championships in Irvine beginning on Jan. 30. Breakers have made the last six finals winning five titles.
SSCIF Poll for Jan. 13: 1 – Laguna Beach, 2 – Newport Harbor – 3 – Foothill, 4 – San Marcos, 6 – Santa Margarita, 7 – Mater Dei, 8 – Los Alamitos, 9 – Agoura, 10 – Corona del Mar, 11 – Oaks Christian, 12 – Mira Costa, 13 – Harvard-Westlake, 14 – Santa Barbara, 15 – Long Beach Wilson, 16 – Redondo, 17 – Murrieta Valley, 18 – San Clemente, 19 – Dos Pueblos, 20 – Schurr, 22 – Santiago/Corona, 22 – Huntington Beach.
Statistical leaders after 17 games:
Goals: 46 – Lineback, 34 – Renner, 32 – Struss, 23 – R Carver, 20 – Morgan Van Alphen
Assists: 34 – R Carver, 29 – Lineback, 21 – Singer, 17 – Rose, Renner
Steals: 26 – R Carver, 20 – A Houlahan, 19 – Renner, 18 – Lineback, 16 – Rose
Drawn Exclusions: 29 – Struss, 17 – Clemons, 16 – Lineback, 13 – Carver, 8 – Renner, Singer
Saves: Schneider 78, Denny 10, Parness 5
Boys Basketball (13-7)
Breakers used a balance scoring attack on Friday, Jan. 10, to surprise Corona del Mar 62-24 in a non-league cross-over contest played at the Sea King gym. It was Laguna’s first win at CdM (13-5) since 2004, but the Breakers still trail the series 33-15. Nolan Naess scored 16, and Willie Rounaghi had 14 points, as did Brooks Hogenauer. Lucas Kravitz added 12 and Chase Hall 6 to round out the scoring. Laguna’s big edge was an 11-point differential in points off turnovers. This past Wednesday, the Breakers gave up a home court contest to Los Alamitos dropping a 54-52 game to the Griffins. Naess had 23 points, Kravitz 11, Rounaghi 10 and Hall 8 for the scoring.
League play begins on Friday, Jan. 17, at Marina (9-13). Laguna travels to Fountain Valley (11-6) on Jan. 22 and host Huntington Beach (5-15) on Jan. 24 to complete the first of two rounds.
Girls Basketball (9-12)
Laguna continued to struggle in their Sunset Conference non-league crossover games with the Surf League, losing 51-20 to Edison (12-9) on Jan. 9 and 62-12 to Huntington Beach (15-5) on Jan. 14. Wave League play began on Jan. 16 at Fountain Valley. Barons are 11-11, Marina 4-16, and Newport Harbor 10-10 to round out the four-team group.
Boys Soccer (4-5-1)
Laguna upset Edison 3-2 on Jan. 8 to hand the Chargers (11-3-1) ranked at the time #4 in D1. On Friday, Jan. 10, the Breakers lost a tough 3-2 match to Corona del Mar (7-3) on the Sea King campus. Next home match is Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. against Huntington Beach (5-6-3).
Girls Soccer (4-4-3)
Short-handed due to illness, Laguna lost 4-0 to Edison on Jan. 9 and at Huntington Beach on Jan. 14.
