Los Alamitos

A second-half rally nets a 12-10 victory.Having played Los Alamitos goal-for-goal during the first half of play, the Laguna Beach Water Polo Age Group under-12 boys' team erupted in the second half and went on to post a 12-10 victory. Nolan McConnell set the pace for Laguna by scoring the team's first two goals. He scored again in the third period. Trevor Collins also scored three goals, each coming off a fastbreak and a lob over an outstretched goalie. Spencer Dodson scored twice, once on an acrobatic, spin-around-the-back shot.

The Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo girls' 14-and-Under team picked up some added momentum for the upcoming national Speedo Cup tournament by winning the Southern Pacific Age Group zone championship last weekend. Laguna won four consecutive matches to claim the title, culminated with a 3-2 victory over rival Los Alamitos in the final at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Laguna 3, Los Alamitos 2 Both teams emerged unbeaten from round-robin play to contend for the title on Sunday.

For the first time, Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo will be sending a team to the Speedo Cup Tournament. The girls' 14-and-Under team became the program's first squad to accomplish the feat when it won four straight games last weekend at the Speedo Cup Qualifying Tournament of the Southern Pacific Zone — the largest such zone in the nation. Twelve zone champions from throughout the nation will meet in Columbia, Mo., in mid-November to compete in the Speedo Cup. The Speedo Cup is the official National Age Group Championship sanctioned by United States Water Polo Inc. and is a tournament for players in eighth-grade or lower.

Laguna seeks softball coaches The Laguna Beach High athletic department has opened up a search to land head coaches for its softball program at the varsity and junior varsity levels. The positions are open immediately. Interested parties can contact the school's athletic director, Ron Schwartz, at (949) 497-7773, or by e-mail at Breakersad1@aol.com. Youth water polo teams win The Laguna Beach 12-and-under girls' and 14-and-under girls youth water polo teams posted victories over Los Alamitos.

Jackson Stillwell hit his shot and the Laguna Beach boys' Division 2 squad, Team 2, hit its stride Saturday to record one of its best victories of the National Junior Basketball season. Stillwell connected on a jumper at the buzzer and Laguna pulled out a 31-30 victory over the Laguna Hills "Arizona" team. Laguna Team 2 used a 1-3-1 zone press in the second half, which keyed the win and evened its record at 4-4. Laguna Team 2 hosts the Laguna Hills "UC Santa Cruz" team at 1:40 p.m. Saturday at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach.

In weekend round-robin competition, the Laguna Beach Water Polo Club's girls' eighth-grade-and-under team posted victories over Corona del Mar and Los Alamitos, before losing to Newport Beach. Laguna defeated Corona del Mar, 7-5, took care of Los Alamitos, 9-4, but fell, 6-5, to Newport Beach. Laguna Beach 7, Corona del Mar 5 Dylan Conroy posted three goals and Hanna Fait scored twice to lead Laguna in scoring. Single goals were scored by Annika Dries and Kacky Brown.

The Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo girls' under-14 teams went 2-1-1 at last weekend's Speedo Cup qualifying tournament in Laguna Beach. Laguna competed in a bracket that included Newport Beach, Los Alamitos, TRAP, SoCal and OC Split. OC Split won the tournament and qualified to compete at the Speedo Cup finals scheduled for mid-November in St. Louis, Mo. Laguna Beach 2, Newport Beach 2 Laguna, which couldn't capitalize on some early scoring opportunities, finally crashed the scoreboard when Jesse Holechek drilled in a goal three minutes into the game.

Under-14 team wins three of four matches.The Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo girls' under-14 team won three of four matches at the league tournament to finish in second place. In addition to Laguna, the tournament included Socal, TRAP, Chino Hills, Los Alamitos A, Los Alamitos B, Riverside, Newport Beach and Cal Baptist in action at the Heritage Park Aquatics complex in Irvine. Laguna 11, Los Alamitos B 1 In its first match of the tournament, Laguna's Jessica Shusko scored two early goals in just over a minute of play, and the rout was on. Jesse Holechek and Riley Duncan also scored goals in the first period to pad the lead to 4-0. Holechek, Duncan and Yoshi Andersen each finished with two goals, and Melena Masson scored once.

Friday Girls' Tennis (3 p.m.) Aliso Niguel at Laguna (Laguna Invitational) Boys' Frosh/Soph Water Polo (TBA) Laguna at Mater Dei Tournament Football (7 p.m.) Saddleback at Laguna Frosh/Soph Football (3:15 p.m.) Saddleback at Laguna * Saturday Girls' Tennis (9 a.m.) Laguna Invitational Cross-Country (TBA) Laguna at Clovis Invitational Boys' Frosh/Soph Water Polo (TBA) Laguna at Mater Dei Tournament * Monday Girls' Golf (2:30 p.m.)

Playing up an age group and in its final event before leaving for the Junior Olympics, the Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo girls' 14-and-Under team finished runner-up in the 16-U bracket of the John Hale Tournament in Murietta. Laguna competed against 16-U teams from Empire, Elite, Stanford, Los Alamitos and Chino Hills. The team, coached by Chad Beeler and Ethan Damato, compete the first week on August at the Junior Olympics. Laguna 14, Empire 1 Laguna cruised in its tournament opener last Friday, getting three goals each from Yoshi Andersen, Kelsey Thorton and Candyce Schroeder, and single goals from Riley Duncan, Kaitlyn Waidley, Lida De Groote, Melena Masson and Jessie Holechek.

For as tremendous the journey has been to date, the season now comes down to a single game for the Laguna Beach High girls' water polo team. The Breakers have reached their ultimate destination, the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine but not yet, they say, their ultimate goal. It's been a simple goal, to win a CIF Southern Section championship, but never an easy one. The Breakers, the target of many a team in 2014, have put themselves to do just that. Top-seeded Laguna will return to the Woollett Center Saturday for its final game of the season, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship final, three days after the Breakers took care of Los Alamitos, 12-5, at the same pool site they have been working and fighting toward to reach at the end the season.

One down, three to go. The top-ranked Laguna Beach girls' water polo team began its bid for a CIF Southern Section championship Wednesday by taking on Marina. The Breakers once again bolted to a big, early lead and went on to overwhelm, as they have many a previous opponent, the visiting Vikings, 23-5, in a first-round Division 1 game. Laguna faced a 20-win Marina squad that was enjoying a breakout season. But the Breakers made quick work of the Vikings (20-10), the fourth-place team from the Sunset League and an at-large entry to the playoffs.

Friday Girls' Tennis (3 p.m.) Aliso Niguel at Laguna (Laguna Invitational) Boys' Frosh/Soph Water Polo (TBA) Laguna at Mater Dei Tournament Football (7 p.m.) Saddleback at Laguna Frosh/Soph Football (3:15 p.m.) Saddleback at Laguna * Saturday Girls' Tennis (9 a.m.) Laguna Invitational Cross-Country (TBA) Laguna at Clovis Invitational Boys' Frosh/Soph Water Polo (TBA) Laguna at Mater Dei Tournament * Monday Girls' Golf (2:30 p.m.)

Jackson Stillwell hit his shot and the Laguna Beach boys' Division 2 squad, Team 2, hit its stride Saturday to record one of its best victories of the National Junior Basketball season. Stillwell connected on a jumper at the buzzer and Laguna pulled out a 31-30 victory over the Laguna Hills "Arizona" team. Laguna Team 2 used a 1-3-1 zone press in the second half, which keyed the win and evened its record at 4-4. Laguna Team 2 hosts the Laguna Hills "UC Santa Cruz" team at 1:40 p.m. Saturday at Thurston Middle School in Laguna Beach.

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PALOS VERDES ESTATES? It was the biggest nonleague game of the year for the Laguna Beach High girls? water polo team. The word ?over-prepared? didn?t exist. ?We?ve been preparing and talking about Palos Verdes all year long,? Coach Ethan Damato said. ?I have like 10 films on them.? What did exist though at Palos Verdes High was quite a gap between the Breakers and the host Sea Kings. Second-ranked Laguna served notice that it should be the favorite to defend its CIF Southern Section Division II title after defeating top-ranked Palos Verdes, 10-5, on Jan. 29. The Breakers (15-5)

They were the third-seeded team in the tournament, and after the smoke had cleared they placed third overall. But it was still just a tad disappointing for the Laguna Beach High girls? water polo team over the weekend at the California State High School Championships. Laguna felt like it had the talent to win the tournament, and was within a goal of advancing to the final. But the Breakers were denied in the semifinals by Los Alamitos, 6-5, on Sunday morning at Corona del Mar High.

The Laguna Beach Water Polo 12-and-under girls’ team won the Commerce tournament over the weekend, beating three teams in a single day of competition Saturday. The girls started off slowly in the first game against Tustin-based SOCAL, but found their rhythm by halftime and won, 11-1. They then topped tournament host and powerhouse, Commerce, 12-4, although Commerce created some matchup problems. Laguna faced a familiar Los Alamitos foe in the finals, but won, 14-3, despite having just one substitute.

Fresh off its CIF Southern Section Division II championship, the Laguna Beach High girls? water polo team is competing in the Masters Tournament that begins today at four pools throughout Orange County. The 16-team tournament features finalists from each of the six division championship games, plus semifinalists from Division I and at-large teams. Laguna Beach, the No. 3 seed, plays against No. 14 Arroyo Grande today at 2:30 p.m. at Santa Margarita High. Should the Breakers win, they?

The Laguna Beach High girls? water polo team has reached the final leg of its season. The Breakers? goal is simple: win a CIF Southern Section championship. Laguna began Division II postseason play Thursday at home against wild-card game winner Thousand Oaks. The score, however, wasn?t available at press time. A win over Thousand Oaks would advance top-seeded Laguna to a second-round game Saturday against the winner of the Thursday first-round match between Canyon of Anaheim (Century No. 1)