Breakers brace for first swing

Laguna Beach High’s baseball team officially launches its season on

March 7 at the Costa Mesa Tournament, but coach Mike Schubert will

get a first-hand look at his squad on Saturday when it hosts Orange

Lutheran in an 11 a.m. scrimmage.

Schubert will begin his fourth year as head coach with nine

starters back from a 2002 team that went 13-10 overall and tied for

third place in the Pacific Coast League.

Those 13 wins tied a school record for most in a season, matching

the records of the 1963 and ’57 editions -- two of the school’s three

baseball teams to win a league championship.

“The program has turned around and this could be the best team in

Laguna Beach history,” Schubert said.

And while Schubert has a plethora of senior leadership -- 10

seniors, including transfers Steve Harris and Vyrl Bieser who will

play their first and only year at the school in 2003 -- he says that

overall depth could be a problem.

Still, he sees his Breakers in the thick of the Pacific Coast

League race -- where Corona del Mar is considered a preseason

favorite -- and battling for the school’s first playoff berth since

2000.

That was Schubert’s first year at the helm.

Laguna Beach Breakers

League: Pacific Coast

Coach: Mike Schubert (4th year)

2002 record: 13-10 overall; 7-8 league (tied 3rd)

Key returners: Brian Beck, 1B/P/OF, 3-0 record, 1.35 ERA, 3 saves,

second-team all-league, Sr.; Chris Stansbury, P/1B, .404 avg., five

HR, 20 RBI, first-team all-league, Sr.; Dylan Murphy, SS, .338 avg.,

20 RBI, 2 HR, Sr.; Jonathon Cedeno, P/OF, 3-0 record; 0.45 ERA, Sr.;

Andy Whalen, OF, .333 avg., 12 RBI, Sr.; Blake Hite, C/P/IF, .393

avg., 14 RBI, Sr.; Scott Youngstead, OF/P, Sr.; Conley Sampson,

3B/P/1B, 10 RBI, Jr.; Brandon Hooper, 2B, 12 stolen bases, Jr.

Top newcomers: Alex Wilson, 3B/SS/OF, JV MVP, Jr.; Steve Harris,

OF, Sr.; Vyrl Bieser, P/OF, Sr.; Grant Harrell, IF/OF, Jr.; Aaron

Pickett, P/OF, Jr.; Dylan Metzler, OF/C, Sr.; Kevin Kelly, C/P,

Fresh.