Breakers Surprise at Summer Tournament
In a preview of what hopefully will be a successful high school swim season, Laguna Beach’s Breakers competed in the top summer tournament for California high school teams this past weekend at Corona del Mar.
The boys division featured the top 48 teams from San Diego, So Cal, and NorCal while the girls division hosted the top 32 state teams. This is the only tournament where Southern California and Northern California girls teams can play against each other since their high school seasons differ; northern schools swimmers compete in the fall and the southern schools in winter.
Laguna girls finished 5-1, beating Capo Valley, 20-3; Coronado, 16-6; Clovis West, 13-4; Murrieta Valley in the quarter final, 14-5; Newport Harbor in the semi final, 9-7; before losing to Foothill 7-5 in the championship game.
Laguna played without the team MVP from last year, Makenzie Fischer, who was playing the in the US Women’s Open tournament to help prepare for the Junior World Championships in Greece. Makenzie will be the youngest member of the team, which features mostly college freshman and sophomores.
Breakers played only one senior, goalie Jenna Knott, and were lead in scoring by two incoming freshman, Aria Fischer and Bella Baldridge. The squad included sophomores Haley Evans, Natalie Selin, and Ally Jochim; and juniors Brighid Burnes, Taylor Julson and Daniela Lucidi. Sophomore goalie Holly Parker played the second half of every game as well to round out the squad.
Laguna boys also had a great tournament beating Acalanes, 14-4; Santa Barbara, 11-6; Villa Park, 10-6; and Bellarmine Prep, 8-7. The team lost to eventual champion Harvard Westlake and Division I power Long Beach Wilson. The 10th overall finish was the team’s second best finish in the six-year tournament history. The Breakers were led by youth, playing only two seniors, Trevor Collins and Rian Atherton. The squad included juniors Jack Dodson, Aki Andersen, Cade Baldridge, Nolan Del Toro, Garret Hartley (G), Greyson Benson, Trent Sadler, Connor Hauer and sophomore Jakob Colladay.
HS State Championship Tournament History
Girls –
2008 – 1st (first year of tournament)
2009 – 3rd
2010 – 5th
2011 – 9th
2012 – 12th
2013 – 2nd
Boys
2008 – 26th (first year of tournament)
2009 – 22nd
2010 – 13th
2011 – 9th
2012 – 17th
2013 – 10th
