Poloists fall short against Panthers

Mike Sciacca

A young Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team gave a veteran

Peninsula squad all it could handle Wednesday in the semifinal round

of the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs at Mira Costa High.

Although the Breakers put up a valiant fight, the second-seeded

Panthers pulled out a 4-2 victory to advance to Monday’s division

championship game at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

It was the third meeting of the season between the two schools,

which each owning a victory prior to Wednesday’s showdown.

Laguna, which reached the semifinal round for the second

consecutive year, had its season end at 21-10 overall.

“I was very proud of the girls and the effort they gave today,”

Laguna Coach Rick McKee said” “A huge difference was that Peninsula

had seniors on their team fighting for their lives in what could have

been their last high school game. But our girls certainly gave it

their all the entire match.”

Laguna never led and trailed, 2-0, in the first quarter before

Alison Wallis netted a goal to make it a 2-1 game.

It was still 2-1 at the half after the teams battled through a

scoreless second quarter.

Jessica McKee’s third quarter goal proved to be the last scoring

for Laguna.

The Breakers’ Alana Thomson had “ an outstanding game” in goal,

Rick McKee said, and finished with 12 saves.

In defeat, the Breakers were complimented by Peninsula Coach,

Mitch Yamamoto.

“After the game, their coach commented to me that he didn’t want

to play us next year,” McKee said.

With its rotation returning intact, Laguna should be one of the

division favorites next year.

The Breakers have played the past six weeks without leading scorer

Addison Doud, who has been out of the lineup due to illness.

Laguna had advanced to Wednesday’s semifinal after upsetting

third-seeded El Dorado, 10-9, in a quarterfinal match.

Kat Gordon’s goal in the second overtime spelled the difference in

the hard-fought game.

The host Breakers trailed, 8-6, through three quarters of play.

“That was a very, very exciting win for us,” Rick McKee said. “We

were down three goals in the first half but the girls pulled together

as a team. They worked very hard and just never quit, never gave up.”

Breanna Duplisea led Laguna’s attack with four goals, each coming

on a penalty shot.

Jessica McKee had two goals and assisted three others, Annie

Nelson scored twice and Elizabeth Rooklidge had one goal.

Thomson finished with 13 saves.

Laguna began the playoffs with a 10-2 rout of visiting Cypress.

The Breakers rolled from the start, turning a 4-0 first quarter

lead into an insurmountable, 9-0 advantage by the half.

Jessica McKee’s five goals led a Laguna onslaught that also saw

Rooklidge score twice and Duplisea, Gordon and Nelson each get a

goal.

Thomson recorded 10 saves.

“It was a very, very good year for the girls,” said McKee, who was

in his first year as head coach of the program. “They exceeded all

expectations and the future looks bright for this team.”