Top 10 Sports Stories of 2009: Queens of the pool

Girls from Laguna Beach — high school and younger — accomplished great things in the pool in 2009.

They earned a CIF title, a CIF runner-up and a Junior Olympics crown. The accomplishments occupy three of the spots on the Top 10 Sports Stories of 2009.

Throw in great success in various sports from football to volleyball to tennis, and the Breakers had a great year, as well.

Here at the Top 10 Sports Stories of 2009, as reported by the Coastline Pilot:

1 Girls’ water polo team breaks throughGirls’ water polo team breaks through

The Breakers had come close to winning a CIF title before, losing in the Division II finals and semifinals, respectively, by a single goal each time. But this year they wouldn’t be denied, topping Montebello, 9-5, in the Division II championship game.

Coach Ethan Damato’s squad was led by a particularly strong senior class, including Annika Dries (Stanford), Taylor Dodson (Cal), Natasha Schulman (UCLA) and Sarah Zuziak (UC Santa Barbara). Dries was the Orange Coast League Most Valuable Player and Division II Player of the Year.

The Breakers, whose only four losses came to Division I schools, were ranked atop Division II all year.

“It’s kind of funny, because I started playing with Taylor in age-group, seventh grade, when I first started water polo,” Dries said. “Then I started to know Natasha in eighth grade, as we started playing with the national team. And I’ve known Sarah since seventh grade, when we started playing. When you think of it in just one game, it’s ‘OK, great, we beat Montebello, 9-5.’ But when you take it out of the perspective of my whole water polo career, it’s kind of funny how it’s all led up to this point.

“That makes it more emotional. During the game, I have to be not as emotional. But, after the game, I just looked back and said, ‘Wow. We did this together.’ It’s been a great ride.”

2 Boys’ cross-country wins stateBoys’ cross-country wins state

This was another team that was led by a dominant senior class and wouldn’t be denied.

After capturing a CIF Southern Section Division IV title, the Breakers boys’ cross-country team dominated in winning the Division IV state title, the program’s third and first since 2004. Laguna Beach junior Matt Neev finished second individually at state, followed by seniors Blake Hofmeister in fifth, Andrew Shapero in 11th and Tommy Newton-Neal in 16th.

The performances helped the Breakers distance themselves from second-place McFarland on their way to the state crown.

“The dominant feeling of this state championship was relief,” Coach Dave Brobeck said. “It was probably the hardest state championship because we were favored. In ’89 and 2004, we weren’t expected to be there. This go-round, it just felt really good, a great punctuation mark to finish a nearly perfect season.”

3 Football team gets paybackFootball team gets payback

The game sat there on the schedule for the second straight year: Costa Mesa at Laguna Beach, for all the Orange Coast League marbles. On Nov. 13, the Breakers football team took care of a bit of unfinished business, topping the Mustangs, 49-34, to win league for the first time since 2006.

Costa Mesa had overcome a 22-0 deficit the year before to win that final game, and league.

The Breakers, who fell to Beckman in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs, were led all year by record-breaking players like junior quarterback Austin Paxson, junior receiver Chris Paul and senior running back Alec Jaffe.

“I felt like we were getting a little closer [to a league title] every year,” said Coach Jonathan Todd, in his third year as head man at his alma mater. “The kids worked hard and got what they deserved. The theme of the night was kind of, ‘Don’t be denied.’ ”

4 Skimboarding successSkimboarding success

Several locals broke through on the skimboarding scene in 2009. Laguna’s Brandon Sears won the Victoria Skimboards World Championship of Skimboarding for the first time in July, topping fellow locals Sam Stinnett, Bill “Beaker” Bryan and Paolo Prietto.

It was also a breakthrough year for Stinnett, the Laguna Beach High junior who won his first pro event at the Oktoberfest in Newport Beach in October. But it was Bryan, the skimboarding legend who has won “The Vic” 14 times, who took the United Skim Tour overall title for the second straight year.

5 Stellar swimmingStellar swimming

It was business as usual for the Laguna Beach High girls’ swim team, but history was made on the boys’ side. Both squads captured Orange Coast League titles in May, which was a repeat for the girls but the first boys’ swimming league title in school history, dating back to 1961.

The boys used top swims by Preston Head, David Brunner and Tommy Renner to help claim the title.

The girls, meanwhile, went on to finish second at the CIF Southern Section Division III finals at Mt. SAC. Seniors Annika Dries, Chelsea Wild, Taylor Dodson and Andrea Reigel broke the meet record in the 200-yard freestyle relay, finishing in 1 minute, 39.45 seconds.

“They wanted to beat that record and they smashed it,” Coach Kari Johnson said. “That’s so huge for Laguna. This aquatics season has been amazing. A CIF record in the relay, and second place in CIF. At the start of the year, I never imagined we would get second in CIF.”

6 Boys’ tennis makes noiseBoys’ tennis makes noise

A magical CIF playoff run was in the cards for the Breakers boys’ tennis team. The Orange Coast League champions started the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs as the sixth seed but upset No. 3-seeded Whitney and No. 2 Cate on their way to the finals, where they lost to top-seeded Cerritos.

A powerful singles lineup led by Jake Michaels, Chris Lavery and Benito Romeo helped lead the way to the first CIF final for boys’ tennis since a Rick Leach-led team made it in 1983.

“This is really cool for the team, and for our school and even for our town, you know?” Michaels said. “I think Laguna Beach is a force to be reckoned with in Division IV.”

7 Smith does it againSmith does it again

She wasn’t able to train much in the weeks leading up to it, but that was OK. Laguna Beach resident Cheryl Smith seemed to win the 2009 Orange County Marathon on pure talent, finishing in 3:07:04 to win it for the third time. Smith, 29, went on to win the Long Beach Marathon in October and is training for a possible Olympic push in 2012.

“What it does for me is it gives me a sense of stability, when everything else in my life is a little wacky and not stable,” Smith said. “Running provides a sense of, ‘OK, at least I can count on this.’ My running is my place to go for that feeling of consistency. It’s something to ground me. It’s kind of like my friend out there. Me and the pavement, having a grand ole time.”

8 Boys’ volleyball team is tops in SoCalBoys’ volleyball team is tops in SoCal

After winning the Orange Coast League title, the Laguna Beach High boys’ volleyball team was upset in the CIF Southern Section Division II semifinals against Royal of Simi Valley.

Laguna got another chance, though, and made the most of it by winning the inaugural CIF Southern California Regional Division III title. The Breakers swept Francis Parker in the championship match.

The upcoming year looks promising for the Breakers, as well, as key players like Scottie Chapel, Travis Woloson and Robbie McKnight will all be back. Chapel and Woloson were co-MVPs of the Orange Coast League.

9 Boys’ hoops team celebrates perfectionBoys’ hoops team celebrates perfection

It was something that had been done only once in school history, but the Laguna Beach High boys’ basketball team did it in February. The Breakers went undefeated in league play — 8-0 in Orange Coast League — a feat that hadn’t been done since 1953.

Seniors Ryan Lawler and Dylan Roley played big roles in the success of Coach Bret Fleming’s team. They were named co-MVPs of the Orange Coast League for the Breakers (21-6), who were upset in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A playoffs.

“It was a great group of kids who made a decision to invest the time and work hard, to reach the level of success they had,” Fleming said. “This group also was very team-oriented. They really pulled for one another. There were no egos, no selfishness. It was really a fun group to work with. They really grew as a team since last spring.”

10 Golden girlsGolden girls

The Laguna Beach Water Polo Club 12-and-under girls had gone back and forth with friendly rival Newport all year.

But, in the biggest match of the year, the Laguna girls delivered, winning, 4-2, in the Junior Olympics Platinum Division championship in August at Stanford University.

Laguna was seeded fourth but got the job done against top-seeded Newport. Laguna’s Sandonica Mwangi was named tournament MVP for the team, coached by Chad Beeler, Scott Baldridge and Erich Fischer.

Team members included Annabella Baldridge, Makenzie Fischer, Aria Fischer, Daniela Lucidi, Holly Parker, Haley Evans, Katie Stanton, Brigid Burnes and Maia Borisoff.

“It was amazing to see the improvement,” Stanton said. “It’s really surprising, but really exciting. We believed we can do it.”