Breakers still have hopes for title

COSTA MESA “” Smiles abounded on the Mesa Linda Course at Costa Mesa Country Club.

The Laguna Beach High girls’ golf team fell to rival Estancia Oct. 1 in a pivotal Golden West League match, 227-237. Yet the Breakers were impressed and Coach Val Quigley was too.

Mesa Linda is Estancia’s home course, after all, and Laguna Beach senior Grace Komoroczy did earn medalist honors with a two-over par 37, including two birdies.

“The girls played pretty well,” Quigley said. “They knew this was going to be a challenge, and they knew this was going to be a very important match. I think they came with their game faces on and they played their hearts out.”

Estancia, led by junior Ashley Peters (39), is now 5-0 in league while Laguna Beach is 4-1. The teams will meet again Oct. 20 at Bella Collina in San Clemente, which is the Breakers’ home course, where Laguna where likely try to salvage a co-league title for the third straight year.

The signs are promising. Sophomore Taylor Weiss shot a 42 against Estancia, the lowest score of her career. She had 15 putts and made four pars, which she said was really good for her.

“I’ve been more positive and I’ve been practicing hard,” Weiss said. “My drives have been really improved, and my chipping is much better.”

Junior Christianne Kinder shot a 51 for the Breakers and senior Jenni Coury shot 52. Quigley said the Breakers’ No. 5 and 6 golfers, Devin Altieri (55) and Laura Kawashiri (59), also recorded their lowest scores for a regular-length course.

“The girls take this match seriously and I think it was important for them to play well,” Quigley said. “I’m pleasantly surprised it was as close as it was.”

Komoroczy could have shot par or better but several putts late in the front nine at Mesa Linda rimmed out. She said Laguna Beach will be ready for the rematch with Estancia at the Breakers’ home course.

“I thought it was really fun,” Komoroczy said. “I thought as a team we stayed really focused, and we all tried our hardest. Next time, I think we’re going to win. I think we can improve.”

Estancia Coach Art Perry, meanwhile, said he wasn’t surprised with his team’s score,.

“We usually score between 217 and 227,” Perry said.

“We were on par with what we normally shoot, even though we had a couple of girls out sick.”

The Breakers rebounded for a forfeit victory over Westminster Tuesday. Westminster forfeited because it had just four girls to play, but Komoroczy shot an even-par 31 at the David L. Baker Course in Fountain Valley.

Weiss even improved her mark against Estancia, firing a 41, while Kinder scored a 42.

“[Weiss] continues her on-fire streak,” Quigley said. “All the girls shot under 50, which was nice.”

Laguna Beach played Costa Mesa on Thursday and continues league play at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday against Orange, at Bella Collina.