Playoff success for Laguna
The Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo and girls’ soccer teams successfully opened postseason play by posting big victories this week.
Top-seeded Laguna took its first step Wednesday toward a third consecutive CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship by cruising past visiting Irvine, 20-3, in a first-round game.
Senior Haley Evans, junior Bella Baldridge and sophomore Sophia Lucas each scored three goals to lead 11 Breakers in the scoring column. Sophomore Evan Tingler and freshman Sophie Leggett both scored twice. Senior Holly Parker (three) and sophomore Thea Walsh (six) shared goalie duties and combined for nine saves.
The two-time defending Division 1 champs ran their record to 26-2.
Irvine, the third-place team from the Pacific Coast League, finished its season 15-14.
The Breakers move on to a division quarterfinal game Friday and will play at 2 p.m. at Mater Dei. The Monarchs (21-7), the second-place team from the Trinity League, beat Sunset League runner-up Newport Harbor, 6-3, in a first-round game Wednesday.
The division semifinals are next Wednesday, and the championship game is Feb. 27.
•The Laguna girls’ soccer team tasted success in its playoff opener Tuesday by winning a Division 5 wild-card game. The Breakers scored twice in the second half to break away from a 1-1 halftime score against visiting Redlands Arrowhead Christian to post a 3-1 victory at Guyer Field.
During pregame introductions, Laguna Coach Bill Rolfing said the program honored former Laguna Beach High student-athlete Marc Pitz (Class of 1984) who died Monday after battling pancreatic cancer. He said Pitz, father and uncle to several current and former Laguna Beach High athletes, played in the school’s boys’ soccer program.
Anika Pitz wore her uncle’s jersey number (No. 7) for the game and, fittingly for the special occasion, the junior forward scored the opening goal of the match.
Her goal came off an assist from sophomore midfielder Haylee Jarvis.
Rolfing call it a “special night” for his Breakers who dedicated the match to Marc Pitz.
The Breakers took over the second half by launching multiple attacks in shutting down the Eagles (Ambassador League No. 3). Freshman forward Blake Turner scored the winning goal off an assist from Emily Addis, and sophomore forward Shea Skenderian posted an insurance goal with Jarvis notching her second assist of the match.
Senior goalie Kara Dunne-Dombrink registered eight saves.
Rolfing said junior Emily Addis and freshman Kerin Onodero provided structure in the middle, praised the midfield ball distribution from sophomore Alden Kramer and senior Alyssa Pellow, and offensive attacks from Turner, Skenderian, senior Maddy Kristensen and junior Christine Johnson.
The victory on a special night put Laguna, the No. 3 team from the Orange Coast League, at 12-5-5 and sent them on to a first-round playoff game at Hemet Tahquitz Thursday. The score wasn’t available at press time.
“Tahquitz will be a formidable opponent,” Rolfing said of the Titans who won the Mountain Pass League title.
Last year, Laguna upended Hemet of the Mountain Pass League in a second-round playoff game.
The Laguna-Tahquitz winner advances to a second-round game next Tuesday and will face the winner of the Thursday first-round game between Calabasas Viewpoint and Alta Loma.
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Boys’ Soccer
The Breakers headed into the offseason on a winning note, thanks to their 1-0 Feb. 11 victory over visiting Calvary Chapel in an Orange Coast League finale for both teams.
Sterling Butler scored in the second half to lift the Breakers to the win, their first of the OCL season which came on Senior Night at Guyer Field.
Goalie Dante Amodeo came up with key saves to secure the victory.
“It was great to end the season with a win and a good way for our seniors to finish their Laguna Beach High careers,” Coach Dan Richards said. “Being able to field a starting 11 of all seniors was very special with their parents and families in attendance.
“The game itself had some good moments and Sterling’s goal to win it was a well-struck free kick. Calvary also had some good periods of play and forced Dante [Amodeo] into a couple of good saves as well.”
The Breakers ended league play 1-6-3, and went 3-7-7 overall for the season.
“The year was, of course, disappointing on a results front, but shouldn’t take anything away from the hard work the boys have put in over the season and the impact these seniors have had on the program during their time at Laguna Beach,” Richards said. “Despite not getting the wins we needed to make playoffs, it seemed like every game was very close but we just couldn’t find a way to be on the right end of the final score.
“There are still positives we can take from the year and just means we know what we need to improve upon next season to get us back around the top few spots which we have been accustom to for the last few years.
“We know the OCL is always a very strong league and we wish those that made the CIF playoffs the best of luck and hope one of them can bring back the division title.”
