Kovacevic scores a first for Breakers

Mike Sciacca

Ivan Kovacevic was known for his unmistakable presence on the

basketball court and for picking up quickly the game of volleyball

while at Laguna Beach High.

Opposing coaches found it difficult to defend the senior, and his

teammates looked to him as a leader. He brought his game every time

he took to the court and his play has been rewarded, as he has been

named the male athlete of the year in the Pacific Coast League for

the 2004-05 school year.

The award, which was started in the mid-1990s, was voted upon by

the league’s six athletic directors. Kovacevic, 17, becomes the first

Laguna Beach male athlete to win the honor, said Ron Schwartz, the

school’s athletic director.

“He’s a great athlete with a lot of natural ability,” Schwartz

said. “Not only that, but he’s a kid who is a year younger than most

other seniors. He was a dominating presence.”

During the basketball season this year, Kovacevic, a 6-foot-5

forward, averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds per game. He was named

co-MVP of the league and went on to earn all-CIF status for the

second straight year, this time, as a first-team member. He was a

second-team all-CIF pick in 2004.

“Basically, for us, he was unguardable,” said Corona del Mar High

boys’ basketball coach Ryan Curry, whose team split two exciting

league games this year with the Breakers. “He could always shut down

our best player and really knew how to play within himself and for

his teammates.

“What I’ve noticed is that he can beat you in a variety of ways.

He can score and he can rebound and play defense. He was all the

difference for Laguna.”

Kovacevic played volleyball for the first time this year. A middle

blocker, he was second on the team in kills and first in blocks. He

said the league award came as a surprise.

“First of all, I didn’t even know it existed,” he said. “I’m happy

to receive the honor and once it kicked in, once I heard that I was

the first Laguna athlete to win the award, I felt very proud.

“I loved playing both sports, although I love playing basketball

the most. I wish, though, that I had played volleyball much earlier

before my senior year, because I really liked it a lot.”

Kovacevic said his favorite sports memory this year came on the

basketball court, when Laguna won at Tesoro. Tesoro went on to win

the league championship, but that win had put Laguna right in the

thick of the title chase.

“That was a position we had never been in, and that’s one of the

top sports moments for me,” he said. “It was a great win for our

team.”

Kovacevic, who has a 4.55 GPA, has his last day of school at

Laguna Beach today, and will take part in the commencement ceremony

on June 23. He will attend Cal Berkeley in the fall.

“Walking on to the basketball team at Cal has become really

appealing to me, and it’s definitely something I’ll try to do,” he

said. “Volleyball also holds my interest and if basketball doesn’t

work out, then I’ll try out for a club volleyball team there.”