Breaker teams make debuts

Mike Sciacca

Rick McKee got his first “game” look at his first boys’ water polo

team at Laguna Beach High Tuesday.

The first-year coach admitted to being impressed by his initial

squad as it took on Foothill and Riverside Poly in a tri-meet at the

Laguna pool.

Laguna alternated quarters in playing Foothill and Riverside Poly.

Although the scrimmage does not count toward the Breakers’ regular

season record, the results indicated to McKee that Laguna will be a

team to be reckoned with in 2003.

“I was pretty impressed with how they played,” McKee said of his

team. “I thought they really played well against Foothill.

“Actually, I learned a lot from my players in this scrimmage.

There was a lot of great stuff that I saw but also, there were some

things that I saw that we need to work on.”

McKee’s first Laguna squad has a roster of 14 players, only five

of which are seniors.

One of those seniors is the lone returner from 2002: driver and

hole set Nima Mortazavi.

Mortazavi played well and showed his experience during Tuesday’s

scrimmage and junior utility player Ryan Faire also played solidly,

McKee said.

“We have a good balance of players on this team but we’re pretty

inexperienced,” McKee said. “Still, I feel this team has plenty of

talent to have a great season.”

Laguna’s regular season gets underway Tuesday with a home match

against La Habra.

But as a warmup to the beginning of the regular season, Tuesday’s

scrimmage against Foothill and Riverside Poly afforded McKee the

opportunity to get a better read on his club.

“The possibility of us winning league is definitely there,” he

said. “I also definitely see us heading into CIF.”

Laguna begins the boys’ water polo season with a No. 8 ranking in

the Division I preseason coaches poll.

Another Laguna fall sports team with high aspirations is the

girls’ tennis team.

The Breakers, who reached the CIF semifinal round a year ago, have

depth and experience and should be a serious contended for the

Pacific Coast League crown.

Sophomore Claire Rietsch and Loren Butterwick are two key

returners for Rick Scott’s squad.

Last November, Rietsch became the first freshman in five years to

win the PCL singles title.

The Breakers opened their season Thursday at Woodbridge and begin

their home schedule today against Sage Hill in a 3 p.m. match.

Another first-year coach making his debut this week is Lance

Stewart with the girls’ volleyball program.

Laguna figures to improved from last year’s struggles and is led

by Chloe Mertz, setter Joy Henderson and outside hitter Blakely Burns

and begins the new season ranked third in the Division IV-AA

preseason poll.

Laguna began its season Thursday at Dana Hills and next plays at

Brea Tuesday.

The Breakers’ cross country boys’ and girls’ teams each make their

season debuts Saturday at the Fast Track Shootout at Mount San

Antonio College in Walnut.

The Breaker boys are ranked sixth in the Division IV preseason

poll and the girls’ come in at No. 9.

Laguna’s girls’ golf team opened the season Wednesday against

Trabuco Hills at Aliso Viejo Golf Course. The Breakers played the

Mustangs again on Thursday and meet them a third time Wednesday,

again at Aliso Viejo Golf Course.