Laguna’s Ross named league’s best in girls’ water polo

Senior utility player Lexie Ross was named the Most Valuable Player of the Orange Coast League for girls’ water polo, in voting by league coaches.

Ross, headed for Stanford, finished the season with 48 goals, 31 assists and 36 steals. The Breakers’ team captain, also the team’s only senior, helped lead Laguna (22-9) to yet another league title and all the way to the CIF Southern Section Division II championship match.

Juniors Jessie Holechek, Jessica Shusko and goalie Etianne Manetta, as well as sophomore Yoshi Andersen, joined Ross on the first team.

Holechek was the Breakers’ leading scorer (56 goals) and also led the Breakers with 33 assists and added 46 steals. Shusko, a talented defender who almost always guarded the opposition’s best player, ended up with 25 goals, 21 assists and 39 steals.

Manetta made 229 saves this year for the Breakers, including a career-high 18 in the season opener against Edison. Andersen had 45 goals, 20 assists and a team-high 48 steals.

Laguna junior Riley Duncan, sophomore Melena Masson and freshman Lexi Del Toro all earned second-team all-league status.

BOYS’ SOCCER

The Breakers finished winless in league play, but four players earned All-Orange Coast League status.

Sophomore goalie Alec Williams, senior defender Matt Anderson and junior forward Sam Stinnett all made the first team. Junior Christian Alberan, a defender, made the second team.

For Williams, it was the second straight year he earned all-league status; he was second-team a year ago.

Coach Patrick Coyne’s club, considerably younger and less experienced than a year ago, finished 4-17-1, 0-9 in league.

Estancia won the league title, but Calvary Chapel senior Mitch Pfautz was named league MVP.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Four Breakers earned All-Orange Coast League status, with sophomore forward Marina Paul and senior defender Christina Gardilcic on the first team.

Senior forward Jessie Good Man and senior defender Kelsey Peterson earned second-team status.

Laguna finished 6-10-6, and 3-2-3 in league, good for third place. The Breakers lost in overtime to Bloomington in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs.

Gardilcic (San Francisco State), Good Man (Union College) and Peterson (University of Chicago) will all play soccer in college.

Sophomore Danielle Duron of league champion Calvary Chapel was named MVP.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Junior guard/forward Emily Writer earned first-team all-league status and junior center Samantha Garner was a second-team honoree.

Writer averaged 22.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the Breakers. She was sixth in Orange County in scoring and broke her own single-game record, scoring 53 points against Costa Mesa on Jan. 26. It is her second straight first-team all-league selection.

Garner landed on the all-league second team for the second straight year after averaging 7.9 points per game. Laguna finished 5-19, 1-7 in league. Senior Bridget Madrigal of league champion Godinez was named league MVP.