LBHS Sports Update
Girls Win Big in Junior Olympic Water Polo
Six members of the Laguna Beach High School girls water polo team played a part in helping the SET (Saddle
back-El Toro) Water Polo Club capture the gold medal in the 44th annual USA Junior Olympics girls 16U championship division on Sunday, Aug. 3.
A sell out crowd at the UC Irvine pool watched SET win a hard fought final against a top notch club from Commerce, with the final horn signaling a 6-4 victory for the girls from south Orange County. It was a magical finish to a four day, eight game tournament. SET only lost one match to the very same Commerce team that put the team into the loser’s bracket, forcing them to claw their way back into the finals.
The SET 16U team is comprised of girls from Laguna Beach, El Toro, San Clemente, Irvine, Trabuco Hills and Hanford. Laguna Beach was represented by Holly Parker (sophmore), a goalie who was named the MVP of the division; Brighid Burnes (junior); Taylor Julson (junior); Haley Evans (sophmore); Natalie Selin (sophomore); and Bella Baldridge (freshman). High school coach Ethan Damato is assisted by Trevor Lyle, both of them Laguna alumns.
Coach Damato also had a big day on Friday, Aug. 9 as he married Laguna’s swimming coach, Keri Johnson.
Fall Sports Ready to Start
Girls volleyball is practicing getting ready for the Queens Court tournament in Anaheim on Aug. 24-25 at the ASC. Breakers will compete in the 16-team elite division against Capo Valley, Chaparral, Corona del Mar, Dana Hills, Dos Pueblos, Los Osos, Marlborough, ML King, Mater Dei, Oaks Christian, Rancho Cucamonga, Santa Margarita, Tesoro, Vista Murrieta, and Yorba Linda. JV and frosh soph teams will also be competing. New coach Raul Papaleo will have the varsity roster set before the tournament. First home match is against Santa Margarita, Thursday, Sept. 5 at 5:45 p.m., in Dugger Gym.
