Laguna prep roundup

Four-time defending CIF Southern Section girls’ tennis champion

Laguna Beach High opened its new season on Tuesday and the Breakers

posted an 11-7 victory over visiting Woodbridge.

Jackie Reed and Katie Ochwat, the Breakers’ No. 1 doubles team,

swept past Woodbridge’s three doubles teams by scores of 6-3, 6-0,

6-1.

In singles action, No. 1 Camerin Barron-Sandman, No. 2 Claire

Rietsch and No. 3 Lorren Butterwick each won two of three matches.

In cross country, Laguna Beach took part in their first meet of

the season, the Laguna Hills Invitational, on Saturday.

Temperatures were in the 80s that day and the heat and humidity

caused medical problems for several of the athletes, caused race

delays and brought paramedics and the Fire Department to the course.

The meet drew 50 Southern California high school athletes.

In the boys’ varsity competition, Breaker seniors Brendan Bowler

and Nathan Greene came in fifth and ninth place, respectively. Bowler

finished with a time of 16:30 and Greene used an impressive sprint

near the race’s end to finish with a time of 16:50.

Sophomore Sean Fuszard set a personal best time of 17:21.

“It was tough. It was very hot and very painful. I overcame the

pain and ran my hardest,” he said.

Laguna Beach’s boys’ freshman team repeated last year’s

performance as it again captured first place in the invitational. Tim

Sanchez finished ninth overall in a time of 18:32 to lead the

Breakers.

The Breakers’ boys’ water polo team launched its season with a big

win as they defeated visiting Esperanza, 8-5, last Friday.

Bobby Marquette paced Laguna’s offense with three goals followed

by the two-goal scoring of Nima Mortazavi and Nich McConnell. Driver

Bryan Early scored the other Breakers goal.

Hugh Sandys recorded 10 saves as the Breakers dealt Esperanza

(1-1) its first loss.

In girls’ volleyball, two of Southern California’s top programs

got together on Sept. 12 at Newport Harbor High, where the host

Sailors took on Laguna Beach in a season opener.

The Breakers, playing without injured starter Joy Henderson,

dropped a 15-6, 15-3, 15-10 match to the top-ranked team in Division

II-AA.