San Clemente

An early season battle between two highly ranked prep boys' volleyball teams from different divisions took place Wednesday in San Clemente that needed five sets to decide a winner. Laguna Beach, the third-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 2, had San Clemente, the top-ranked team in Division 1, on the ropes during the nonleague match, but the host Tritons were able to pull out a 25-23, 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 17-15 victory. It was the first loss of the season for the Breakers (2-1)

Mike Sciacca The Laguna Beach Little League's 11-year-old All-Star team ventured into the District 55 All-Star Tournament at Wagon Wheel Park in El Toro Saturday with high hopes. Those hopes were dashed early by San Clemente, which posted a 10-0 victory in a first-round game. San Clemente played an error-free game on defense and its offense took advantage of several Laguna Beach defensive mistakes to advance to the Winner's Bracket. Mike Townsend broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the second inning with a towering, grand slam home run, which ignited San Clemente's offense.

The Laguna Beach boys' seventh-grade All-Net National Junior Basketball team capped its first full month of Winter League play with a 4-0 record after Sundays' 44-34 victory over San Clemente. Marcus Hairston and Clay Knapp each scored 11 points, Dalton Sype had 10, and Kevin Buck finished with 9 points to pace Laguna. Hairston scored eight of his points in the first quarter to lead Laguna to a 17-7 lead. The second-half scoring of Knapp, Buck and Sype, along with the defensive play of Warren Murrel, kept Laguna in command.

The Laguna Beach boys? water polo team had San Clemente?s number. Not once, but twice, within a four-day period. On Tuesday, the Breakers traveled south to face the host Tritons in a nonleague match and emerged with a 15-12 victory. That win came on the heels of the teams? first meeting this season, which came Saturday at the South Coast Tournament. In that match, Laguna came away with an 8-6 triumph. The two wins avenged a CIF playoff loss last fall to the Tritons.

For the second time in the past five days, two south county powerhouse programs met in boys’ volleyball. And just as it did on Saturday, Laguna Beach rocked San Clemente on the court. The Breakers again got the best of the visiting Tritons Wednesday by winning three of five games, 25-20, 29-27, 23-25, 19-25, 15 -11, at Dugger Gym. Five days prior, Laguna had defeated San Clemente 2-1 to win their pool at the Orange County Championships tournament at Fountain Valley High.

The Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo made one of their major goals of the 2008-09 season come to fruition Wednesday at the William J. Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine. The Breakers now have a bigger prize in mind. Laguna secured a spot in Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division II championship game by overpowering South Coast League champion San Clemente, 19-8. The win, their second of the year against the Tritons — they routed their rivals from down south, 15-3, on Dec. 23 — puts the Breakers up against Montebello in Saturday’s 3:45 p.m. final at the Woollett Center.

Home proved to be sweet for the Laguna Beach High boys' water polo team Tuesday. The Breakers played their first home match of the season Tuesday and came up with a big victory as they defeated San Clemente, 14-5. San Clemente came into the match ranked eighth and Laguna was ninth in the CIF-Southern Section Division II poll. The win was stirring in that Laguna was coming off a 25th-place finish at last weekend's South Coast Tournament. "Going into the game I was confident that we were beginning to play well together," Laguna Beach Coach Rick McKee said of Tuesday's home opener.

After an exhilarating hometown victory the previous week over northerly nemesis Newport Beach, the Laguna Beach High School Surf Team suffered a tough loss against San Clemente at Salt Creek on Tuesday. However, following a season-long pattern, Laguna had some stellar individual performances. Among them was junior Taylor Pitz, who continues to shine brightly for Laguna with her sharp surfing and seemingly unshakable poise. Against San Clemente, Taylor slashed her way to another first-place finish in the girls?

A paddleout and services were held Thursday to remember a San Clemente man who died after diving off Laguna's Picnic Beach on May 27. Andrew Brislen, 40, was found tangled in a kelp bed about 200 yards offshore. Michelle Brislen, his widow, organized the morning paddleout in his honor at North Beach in San Clemente. A service followed nearby at Ole Hanson Beach Club at 4 p.m. She said she wants her husband to be remembered for his positive outlook, sense of humor and zest for life.

Friday Track & Field (2 p.m.) Laguna at Irvine Invite Boys' Tennis (3 p.m.) San Clemente at Laguna JV Tennis (3 p.m.) Laguna at San Clemente Softball (3:15 p.m.) Laguna vs. Newport Harbor (at Costa Mesa Tournament) Coed Swimming (3:15 p.m.) San Clemente at Laguna Baseball (TBA) Laguna at Newport Elks Tournament Boys' Volleyball (TBA) Laguna at Foothill Tournament * Saturday JV Baseball (11 a.m.)

An early season battle between two highly ranked prep boys' volleyball teams from different divisions took place Wednesday in San Clemente that needed five sets to decide a winner. Laguna Beach, the third-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 2, had San Clemente, the top-ranked team in Division 1, on the ropes during the nonleague match, but the host Tritons were able to pull out a 25-23, 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 17-15 victory. It was the first loss of the season for the Breakers (2-1)

Friday Track and Field (2:30 p.m.) Laguna at Irvine/Asics Invitational Baseball (3 p.m.) Westminster at Laguna (Newport Elks Tournament) * Saturday Softball (11 a.m.) Laguna vs. La Quinta (Costa Mesa Tournament) Swimming (noon) Laguna at Los Alamitos Coed Relays JV Baseball (11 a.m.) Laguna vs. Orange (Garden Grove Tournament) * Monday Softball (TBA) Laguna at Laguna Hills Tournament Tuesday Boys' Tennis (3 p.m.)

Two Laguna Beach athletes Cutter Clawson and Kolton Freeman played key roles for the Baseball Performance Academy Team Rawlings Elite Under-11 team in national tournament play. Clawson, a left-handed pitcher and first baseman, and Freeman, a third baseman and outfielder, were in Marietta, Ga., last week for the Travel Ball Select 11U National Championship. The tournament drew the top 24 teams nationally. Team Rawlings, ranked third nationally, finished 5-2 at the tournament, which ended July 11. Team Rawlings scored pool-play victories over the 20th-ranked Dallas Tigers of Texas (7-5)

Friday Track & Field (2 p.m.) Laguna at Irvine Invite Boys' Tennis (3 p.m.) San Clemente at Laguna JV Tennis (3 p.m.) Laguna at San Clemente Softball (3:15 p.m.) Laguna vs. Newport Harbor (at Costa Mesa Tournament) Coed Swimming (3:15 p.m.) San Clemente at Laguna Baseball (TBA) Laguna at Newport Elks Tournament Boys' Volleyball (TBA) Laguna at Foothill Tournament * Saturday JV Baseball (11 a.m.)

The Laguna Beach High boys' volleyball team is gearing up for a big weekend. The Breakers are one of 32 teams competing at the Foothill Volleyball Classic, which starts Friday. The two-day event concludes with championship-round action. Matches will be played at Foothill, Tustin, Beckman and Canyon/Anaheim. Laguna is the No. 1-seed in Pool 1, which also includes Beckman, Mission Viejo and St. Bernard. The other top pool seeds are Los Alamitos (Pool 2), Dana Hills (Pool 3), Orange Lutheran (Pool 4)

The Laguna Beach girls' water polo team ran its record to 5-0 on Dec. 22 by defeating San Clemente, 11-7, in nonleague action. The Breakers, ranked sixth in Division 1, turned a 2-0 first-quarter lead into a 4-2 halftime advantage over the host Tritons, who are ranked sixth in Division 2. Lexie Del Toro led the Breakers in scoring with four goals and the junior attacker also had an assist. Junior attacker Mackenzie Baldridge scored three goals and had an assist and a steal. Sophomore goalie Jenna Knott recorded nine saves and had two steals.

A paddleout and services were held Thursday to remember a San Clemente man who died after diving off Laguna's Picnic Beach on May 27. Andrew Brislen, 40, was found tangled in a kelp bed about 200 yards offshore. Michelle Brislen, his widow, organized the morning paddleout in his honor at North Beach in San Clemente. A service followed nearby at Ole Hanson Beach Club at 4 p.m. She said she wants her husband to be remembered for his positive outlook, sense of humor and zest for life.

The public is invited on Sunday to an event at Unique Tan called Bronze for a Cause, a fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Man of the Year nominee Ben Medina. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) hosts annual nominations and awards for Man and Woman of the Year in their different chapters. Medina is one of 13 nominees in the area. Unique Tan Owner Sherry Lee Meredith heard about Medina's nomination on Facebook and wanted to help him raise funds for his campaign.

Laguna Beach fell into a two-game hole Wednesday against San Clemente and couldn't recover as the Breakers dropped a 25-21, 25-15, 25-27, 25-20 nonleague boys' volleyball match to the visiting Tritons. Robbie McKnight had 30 kills and Alek Burk added 14 kills, Troy Donenfeld had 13 digs and Jack Winn 56 assists for Laguna, which fell to 7-3. Travis Wilson had 17 kills for San Clemente, which improved to 5-0. "We played well but just didn't play long enough to get the win against a team ranked fourth in the county," Laguna Coach Lance Stewart said.

Taylor Pitz reigns again Laguna Beach High's Taylor Pitz won the High School Women's division title Saturday and Sunday to repeat as champion at the 2011 National Scholastic Surfing Assn. Interscholastic State Championships at the Huntington Beach Pier. Pitz easily captured the division, taking the crown with a score of 12.67 to outdistance runner-up Kulia Doherty of San Clemente who had 8.37 points. Edison's Anise Guzman (6.50) was third, Shelby Detmers (6.33) of Newport Harbor was fourth, Sarah Locke (5.50)