Reaping rewards from a fun summer

Mike Sciacca

A road trip to Utah, a late-June excursion for the Laguna Beach

High girls’ varsity basketball team, was taken for the sole purpose

of playing a plethora of games at the University of Utah.

But that weeklong getaway six months ago served as more than just

a reason to play basketball: the Breakers used the time to bond as a

team.

That, head coach Stacy Howard said, could bode well for the

2002-03 season.

“More than anything else on that trip, I got to know these kids

and who they are away from the court,” said Howard, who this week

began her second season at the helm. “The girls really communicated

and they established friendships.

“It was about being young and having fun, and we laughed a whole

lot,” she said. “But we learned about basketball, too, and I learned

who can shoot, who can’t, and what areas of our game we need work on.

It was just an awesome trip.”

That trip included a schedule that saw the Breakers play a lot of

basketball: 10 games in three days.

In all, the summer season featured 35 games and travels found the

team heading to Palm Springs and San Diego.

But, despite the hectic schedule, Howard said it was good to be

playing again.

It was time to move forward.

Last year, Laguna Beach went 4-18 overall and, for the fifth

consecutive year, went winless in Pacific Coast League play.

Laguna Beach has dropped 51 consecutive league games, a streak

dating back to Feb. 4, 1997, when they defeated Aliso Niguel.

It’s a streak the Breakers are more than eager to break.

“My first year as head coach was definitely a big learning curve

for the girls and me,” she said. “We learned quite a bit and grew

from that season, and although our record might not indicate it, it

was a fantastic year.”

Howard, a Laguna Beach assistant for two years before taking over

head coaching duties from Michelle Miles, welcomes back five starters

from last year’s squad.

That group consists of senior post players Katie Gallagher, Lizzie

Friedman and Leslie Schmalzried, junior post Katie Sexton and

sophomore point guard Christina Mestre.

Friedman, who led the team in three of five statistical

categories, will sit out the first part of the season while mending a

badly cut toe. She missed this week’s Vernie Ford Tournament at

Fullerton High. She may return sometime next week, Howard said.

Schmalzried also led the team in three statistical categories and

was second on several other lists.

“I’m expecting a lot from Lizzy and Leslie,” Howard said. “Both

had fantastic summers, but with Lizzy’s cut toe, we’re not getting

the season off on the right foot -- so to speak.”

The rest of the Breakers’ squad consists of junior guards Aja

Roley and Deana Awadalla; a pair of players up from junior varsity,

junior post Summer Kendrick and sophomore power guard Andrea Ventura;

and newcomer Emily Friedman, a freshman guard and Lizzy’s sister.

Emily Friedman has a “big future in front of her,” Howard said.

“I’m really excited about this team,” Howard said. “We are

balanced and have strength inside and out for what seems like the

first time.

“Going winless in league the past five years is something we want

to end,” she said. “That is definitely on top of our goal list. We

have the talent to do some things. This is an incredibly,

hard-working group of girls who have worked their tails off to get

where they are.”