A year full of highlights

"It's definitely a good way to go out," said senior opposite Robbie McKnight, who went on to make the All-CIF team along with teammate Troy Donenfeld. "It's a big accomplishment. We worked hard for it."

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September-December

Records continued to fall once the 2011-12 school year rolled around.

In football, the Breakers, who finished the regular season ranked eighth in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division poll, became just the third Laguna team to win 10 games in a season. The last Laguna team to accomplish the feat was the 1987 (10-2) squad. They also became the first Laguna team since 1964 to reach the CIF semifinals.

The Breakers, who finished third in the Orange Coast League, lost in the Southern Division semifinals in November to second-ranked Corona del Mar, which went on to win the division title. In the postseason, the Breakers walloped Anaheim, 49-13, and outlasted third-ranked Segerstrom 51-40, to become the third Laguna team in school history to win two CIF games. The 1946 and 1962 teams also won two postseason games.

Senior Norton Penney, junior Drake Martinez, junior Larry Stewart and junior Spencer Anderson were named first-team all-league.

"The kids had a real good year," Laguna Coach Mike Churchill said. "I think the early success we had helped the kids build on that."

In girls' golf, the Breakers finished second to Estancia in the Orange Coast League and had three players named to the 2011 all-league team. Senior captain Taylor Weiss was a first-team player who finished runner-up to league MVP Cassie Stevenson of Estancia for the league's individual title. Niko Morok of Laguna was fifth at the league tournament and also made first team. Vivian Mendoza was eighth at league finals and made the second team.

In girls' volleyball, the third-ranked Breakers won another Orange Coast League championship with yet another undefeated league run and reached the semifinals of the CIF-SS 1-A playoffs. There, they were eliminated by second-ranked Corona del Mar. Senior setter Allison Palmer, who will play next year at Arizona State, and freshman outside hitter Alyse Wallace-Ford were named All-CIF Southern Section for Division 1-A.

Palmer also was named the 2011 Orange Coast League Most Valuable Player. Wallace-Ford and seniors Caroline Holte and Marina Paul were named first-team all-league.

Lance Stewart, who coaches both girls' and boys' basketball at Laguna, stepped down as boys' head coach in early December. He was replaced by Scott Panaro.