Defense gets it done
Midway through the first quarter of Wednesday’s CIF Southern Section Division 3 semifinal game between Laguna Beach and Mira Costa, Laguna Coach Ethan Damato shouted a direct order at his sluggish Breakers.
“Play offense!,” he screamed toward the water.
Damato had good reason to deliver such a wake-up call.
He also had the chance to settle himself a bit over the next three quarters, thanks to his defense.
Top-ranked Laguna overcame a stagnant start at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine to conjure up just enough offense and ride a dominating defensive performance to score a 5-2 victory over fifth-ranked Mira Costa.
Orange Coast League champion Laguna moves on to Saturday’s division final, where the Breakers will face second-ranked Damien of La Verne. The Division 3 final is 5 p.m. at the Woollett Aquatics Center.
Damien defeated third-ranked Palos Verdes, 11-9, in the division’s first semifinal game Wednesday.
The Breakers (26-6) were making their third straight semifinals appearance but recorded their first victory in the Final Four, all three appearances under Damato.
Laguna is in a division final for the first time since 1996, “my first year of school at Laguna,” Damato said, and only third time — the first appearance was in 1974 — in program history.
Laguna has been runner-up to the title in their previous two championship game appearances.
“You know, we lost two years in a row in the semifinals and we came out a little tentative,” Damato explained. “I was yelling because we weren’t moving around on offense. We were waiting for things to happen. I even had a big talk with our guys before we started the second quarter.
“We came to life in the second quarter and never looked back. That was great to see. And our big man, Tyler (Mancuso), came ready to play today.”
Tyler Mancuso scored three straight goals in the second quarter that allowed Laguna to wipe out a 1-0 deficit. Mira Costa had taken a 1-0 lead just 36 seconds into the game on a shot by attacker Julian Monk. But from that point on, the Mustangs, the second-place team from the Bay League who finished the year 22-9, wouldn’t score again until a skip shot by Trevor Tarte settled into the net when Laguna was in a man disadvantage with 58 seconds left on the clock.
To say the Laguna defense was outstanding would be an understatement.
To say that Breakers goalie Erik Henrikson turned in an absolute stellar performance in the cage, would be fitting.
Time and again, and on a few occasions where Mira Costa enjoyed a man advantage, the senior frustrated the Mustangs with big block after big block.
“The last two years in the semifinals, I went into those games thinking too much and got into my head,” said Henrikson, who registered 15 saves. “This time, I just tried to relax a little, and it worked. I also got a pep talk from coach (Damato) before the game and that helped me get into a zone.
“After they scored that first goal, I told myself, ‘that’s the last one.’ ”
Monk’s goal at the 6:24 mark of the first quarter would be the only goal scored by the Mustangs over the next 26:26 of the match.
“Defensively, we were outstanding and Erik was phenomenal,” Damato said.
“We didn’t want our guys to not get into a one-on-one with Miller, because he’s such a great player,” Damato said of Mustangs utility player Jake Miller, who was held scoreless. “We did a nice job of taking him out of the game.”
Laguna drew even with 5:34 left in the second quarter when Mancuso, double-teamed by Monk and Charlie Manclark, drilled a sideways shot into the net. Henrikson then blocked a shot by Tarte on Mira Costa’s next trip down pool and 20 seconds later, Spencer Dodson fed Mancuso for the go ahead goal.
Later in the quarter, Henrikson came up with another solid stop that led to Dodson setting up Mancuso for his third goal of the quarter.
Laguna led, 3-1, at the half.
“We were sluggish and slow in the first quarter, but we got fired up for the second quarter,” Mancuso said, referring to Damato’s pep talk. “I don’t think they (Mira Costa) were ready for me. They were concerned with Nolan (McConnell) and Spencer, and I was pretty much left open.”
Laguna and Damien will play a rubber match Saturday, this one having bigger implications — a CIF championship — than the first two meetings between the teams this year.
The Spartans, champions of the Sierra League, scored a 16-15 home pool victory against Laguna on Oct. 22. A week later, the Breakers got even by scoring a 9-8 win in the championship game of the Hank Vallenkamp tournament at Servite.
“We need to play a little bit better than we did today and we need to execute better,” Damato said of Saturday’s showdown. “And I think we will. The kids are ready.”
Laguna began postseason play Nov. 10 and routed the Temple City Rams, 20-5. Last Friday, the Breakers took care of seventh-ranked Aliso Niguel, 14-4. Mancuso scored a game-high five goals, McConnell had four goals and four steals and Henrikson had 16 saves in the win over the Wolverines.