Grand Pre, Rieckhoff are MVPs

Laguna Beach senior outside hitter Paulette Grand Pre and senior opposite/setter Alex Rieckhoff were named co-Most Valuable Player for the Orange Coast League, in voting by league coaches.

In addition, Breakers junior outside Chanel Stewart and sophomore setter Allison Palmer were named first-team all-league.

Grand Pre, headed to William & Mary, led Laguna Beach (17-10) for the second straight year in kills. This year she had 303, despite missing time with a back injury, and also led the team in digs (234).

Rieckhoff, a Brown University commit, was second on the team with 227 kills, as well as 146 assists.

Stewart had 195 kills for the Breakers. Palmer led the team with 733 assists as well as 39 service aces.

Second-team honorees for the Breakers included junior middle blocker Mackenzie Hester and sophomore middle blocker Caroline Holte.

Laguna Beach won the Orange Coast League for the fourth straight year and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals, where they fell to eventual champion Dos Pueblos for the second straight year.

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BOYS’ WATER POLO

Laguna Beach sophomore Nolan McConnell was named Orange Coast League MVP after he scored a league-high 110 goals this season.

McConnell was joined on the first team by senior teammates Robbie Quellmalz and David Brunner, as well as junior Spencer Dodson.

McConnell, a lefty driver, was fifth in Orange County with his total of 110 goals. He also had team-highs of 54 assists and 55 steals.

Dodson was second on the team with his 54 goals scored, also adding 37 steals. Quellmalz, a center, had 50 goals for Laguna Beach, while Brunner tallied 42 goals and had 32 steals.

Second-team honorees for Laguna Beach included sophomore goalie Erik Hendrickson, as well as senior defender Robert Chew and senior driver Zach Riegler.

In team awards, Chew, Quellmalz and Brunner were honored as team captains, Hendrickson was named Defensive Player of the Year and Dodson named Offensive Player of the Year. Reigler and Quellmalz earned the Coach’s Award, and Chew and Brunner won the first annual Wooden Award.

The Breakers won the league for the fourth straight year and finished 19-12 after losing to Montebello in the CIF Southern Section Division III semifinals for the second straight season.

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GIRLS’ TENNIS

Senior Maddie Jaeger, the league singles champion, was also named league MVP. In doubles, all-league honorees for the league champion Breakers included seniors Allison Azera and McKenna Nokes, junior Bianca Sganga and sophomore Claire Jaeger. Claire Jaeger also received the league sportsmanship award.

Laguna Beach also handed out team awards at its banquet Sunday. Among the honorees were Claire Jaeger (MVP); Kate McMahon, Azera and Claire Jaeger (Sportsmanship); Taylor Nederlander (Rookie of the Year); Sganga and Maddie Jaeger (Most Inspirational); Lia Berger (Most Improved); Lauren Michaels (Hardest Worker); Haley Moss (“True Grit” Toughness Award); Nokes (Ironman award) and Nederlander and Maddie Jaeger (Breaker Coach’s Award).

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BOYS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

Junior Matt Neev was named Most Valuable Runner of the league, and joined on the all-league team by seniors Tommy Newton-Neal, Andrew Shapero, Richard Mattingley and Jake Johnson, as well as junior Aaron Swartz.

Neev won the OCL title in 15:10 for the Breakers, who won league, CIF Southern Section and State Division IV titles.

Team awards for the Breakers included Blake Hofmeister (MVP); Sean Pigden (Most Inspirational); Newton-Neal (Most Improved); Mattingly (Coach’s Award) and Shapero (Coach’s Award).

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GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

Breakers sophomore Natasha Strickland was named MVP of the league after winning the league finals race in 18:22. She was joined on the all-league team by seniors McKenna Nokes, Gerry Artman and Parker Yamasaki, junior Beverly Ronses and sophomore Marisa Merchant.

Laguna Beach won its third straight league title, going on to finish sixth in the CIF Southern Section, and fifth at the CIF State meet, in Division IV.

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GIRLS’ GOLF

Laguna Beach senior Grace Komoroczy and junior Christianne Kinder were named first-team all-league, while senior Jenni Coury and sophomore Taylor Weiss earned second-team status.

Komoroczy finished second in the league individually to Estancia’s Ashley Peters, and the Breakers also finished second in league to the Eagles.

Komoroczy advanced to the CIF Southern Section Girls’ Individual Championships.