Breakers tame Tesoro, 52-34

Mike Sciacca,

The Laguna Beach High girls’ basketball team could get used to

this winning thing.

After going winless the previous five years in Pacific Coast

League play, the Breaker squad won its second league game in its last

three outings, routing Tesoro, 52-34.

Contributions in the victory came from every angle, including 18

points and nine rebounds by Lizzy Friedman and 12 points by Deana

Awadallav.

Laguna, however, wasn’t as fortunate Tuesday night against

visiting University, which outscored the Breakers by eight points in

the final period and pulled away to a 64-51 victory.

Freshman Emily Friedman nailed four of Laguna’s five three-point

baskets and led the way with 18 points.

Leslie Schmalzried finished with 12 points on five of seven

shooting attempts from the field and added five rebounds.

Aja Roley topped the Breakers in rebounding with eight boards.

In boys’ basketball, Laguna Beach led after each of the first

three quarters in its Pacific Coast League game with Tesoro, but

could not maintain that advantage down the stretch. Hosts the Titans

emerged with a 49-41 victory.

Kyle Hogan led Laguna with 15 points. Alex Norfleet followed with

12 points, six of which came from three-point range.

“We made improvement in the fact that we led after 24 minutes but

we need to find a way to play and score for 32 minutes,” Laguna coach

Rob Cullinan said. “We need to get those two wins to get into the

playoffs. This team is capable if we can get back to playing hard and

focused.”

Laguna was dealt a 66-53 road loss by Calvary Chapel.

The two setback put the Breakers at 0-4 in league play heading

into this week’s games with University and Corona del Mar.

The Breakers had a poor shooting night against Calvary Chapel,

hitting just 16 of 35 field goal attempts and 18 of 30 free throw

shots.

A few of Laguna’s bright spots were: a season-high 11 points from

Taylor Willhoit, who hit three of four free throw attempts and had a

dunk on a four for four shooting night; Austin Sands scored nine

points and came up with 15 rebounds and five blocked shots; and Kyle

Hogan had another double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in

addition to a season-high five assists despite playing most of the

game with a deep thigh bruise.

Freshman Jeff Clark had a season-best seven points and hit all

three of his shot attempts, including one from three-point range.

In girls’ water polo, Corona del Mar, the top-ranked team in

Division II, doubled up on fifth-ranked Laguna, beating the visiting

Breakers, 16-8.

Addison Doud, Annie Nelson and Annie Preble each scored twice for

Laguna and Lina Moore and Liz Roolidge both scored once.

Over the past weekend, Laguna nearly came up with an upset of

Riverside Poly at the TYR Cup held at Esperanza High but lost a

heartbreaking 10-9 sudden death game.

Preble scored five goals and goalie Lina Moore, who finished with

16 saves, scored on a length-of-the-pool shot.

Doud scored twice for the Breakers who defeated Montebello, 13-10,

in a first round match.

Laguna went on to win the fifth-place game by downing Rancho

Bernardo, 7-5. Preble scored three goals, Doud had two and Roolidge

and Katherine Gordon each scored once.

Moore finished with 14 saves.

In boys’ soccer, Laguna fell to host Calvary Chapel, 5-1. Hunter

Wells scored the lone Breakers’ goal.

In girls’ soccer, Tesoro jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead and

went on to hand visiting Laguna a 4-0 loss.