Breakers claim girls’ polo crown

A busy, but fruitful, past week for the Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team was capped Wednesday with a 20-2 victory against Costa Mesa.

The win completed an undefeated championship run for the Breakers in the first year in the Orange Coast League. It was their first match since assuming the No. 1 spot again in the CIF Southern Section Division II poll.

Annika Dries had four goals, three steals and two assists, Jessica McKee added three goals, five assists and five steals, Breanna Duplisea, Taylor Dodson and Erin Reid each had three goals, three assists and three steals, Natasha Schulmann scored twice with two assists and four steals and Lexi Ross had two goals, three assists and two steals.

Celia Huling recorded five saves.

It was the second 20-2 win posted by Laguna in three days.

On Monday, Laguna defeated visiting Mission Viejo in nonleague play, 20-2. The Breakers held a 4-1 lead after the opening quarter and then shut out the Diablos in the second quarter while building a 10-1 halftime advantage.

Laguna also shut out the Diablos, who were ranked No. 8 in Division II, in the fourth quarter.

Seven Breakers scored in the one-sided match, with Jessica McKee leading the way with five goals. Four players — Duplisea, Dries, Dodson and Ross — each scored three goals, Reid scored twice and Schulmann had one goal.

Huling had 10 saves.

Laguna showed its power last weekend at the 32-team Southern California Championships in Irvine, where the Breakers earned a third-place finish.

“The girls and the parents are very excited about our finish,” Laguna Coach Chad Beeler said. “We were flat at the Santa Barbara tournament two weeks ago and I think we came out and made it clear at this tournament, that we’re a better team than the one that played in Santa Barbara.

“No excuses, but we had some players sick in Santa Barbara, but everyone was healthy and ready to go in Irvine.”

Laguna posted a 4-1 record at the tournament, its only loss (11-7) coming against eventual-champion Foothill in the semifinal round. The Breakers had reeled off consecutive victories over Esperanza, Santa Barbara and Montebello, before falling to the Knights, who are ranked No. 1 in Division I.

Laguna capped the tournament by gaining a measure of revenge on Agoura (No. 2, Div. II) in the tournament’s third-place game, outscoring the Chargers, 3-1, in the final quarter to pull out an 8-7 win.

Agoura had edged the Breakers, 10-9, in the opening round of the Tournament of Champions in Santa Barbara on Jan. 19.

McKee topped the Breakers with five goals and added an assist. Duplisea scored twice and assisted three other goals. Dries scored a goal, Reid had three steals and Huling five saves.

Laguna began its impressive tournament run with an 8-3 win over Esperanza. Dries scored twice and came up with five steals, McKee also had two goals and Huling turned away 10 shot attempts by the Aztecs.

The Breakers went on to knock Santa Barbara out of the No. 1 spot in the Division II poll by recording a 9-4 win over the Dons.

Duplisea and Dries led the offensive attack with three goals and McKee had two. Defensively, Dodson led the team in steals with four and Huling had 10 saves.

Equally impressive for the Breakers was their performance in their next outing, an 11-9 triumph over Montebello, the then-No. 2 team in Division I. Dries led Laguna in scoring with five goals.

Laguna closes out its regular season with two more matches, beginning today with a 3:45 p.m. home nonleague contest against Tustin. At 11 a.m. Saturday, the Breakers get one final tune-up before the start of the CIF playoffs next week when they play at Corona del Mar.

The Sea Kings, who finished runner-up to Foothill at the tournament, are now ranked second in Division I.

“We need to play a good match in order to keep the momentum going for the playoffs,” Beeler said. “It’s going to be a tough match.

“We’re excited to be No. 1 in our division again. It gives us our confidence back.”