Boys’ Soccer Preview: Laguna seeks fourth straight CIF berth
The Laguna Beach High boys’ soccer team is getting ready to launch its 2014-15 season.
The Breakers, under Coach Dan Richards, welcome back 11 varsity players from a 10-win 2013-14 squad that took second place in the Orange Coast League, and reached the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs where they were eliminated by eventual division champion Baldwin Park.
This year, Laguna is moving up to Division 4, and will be seeking its fourth consecutive trip to the CIF-SS playoffs.
“I’m really excited about this season and the team,” Richards said. “There is a bit of an unknown entity feel to our program this year due to the amount of young players we have on the roster, and the fact that we lost a number of players not only due to graduation but to the United States Soccer Development Academy, as well.
“There is a great opportunity for some of our players to step up to the plate and have a huge impact on the team. We have a lot of talented yet inexperienced players so it’ll be fun to see how they grow and adapt through the course of the season.”
Laguna Beach Boys’ Soccer
Head coach: Dan Richards (5th year)
League: Orange Coast
CIF Division: Division 4
Last year’s overall record: 10-5-4
Last year’s league finish: 7-2-1 (second-place)
2014 CIF playoff results: Second-round Division 5 playoffs (lost to eventual champ Baldwin Park).
Returning varsity players: Zach Jacobs (Midfield, Sr.); Charlie Warner (Defender, Jr.); Logan Eastman (MF, Jr.); Edward Willette (MF/Forward, Jr.); Willy Wheeler (F, Sr.); Tobie Grierson (MF/DEF, Sr.); Zach Finklestein (DEF, Sr.); Tommy Ressler (F, Sr.); Bobby Briggs (MF, Jr.); Ben Kieswetter (DEF, Jr.); Bruce Knill (DEF/MF, Soph.).
Returning with honors: Zach Jacobs (first-team all-league); Charlie Warner (second-team all-league); Willy Wheeler (second-team all-league).
Varsity newcomers: Sterling Butler (DEF, Fr.); Blake Bunce (goalie, Soph.); Kaio Campos (MF, Jr.); Carson Cushing (DEF/MF, Fr.); Dominic Droulez (G/MF, Sr.); Jesse French (F, Soph.); James Langton (MF/F, Fr.); Dexter Russo (MF/F, Soph.); Isaac Shields (F, Sr.); Dylan Wolf (DEF, Soph.).
The schedule: “Our nonleague schedule is going to be a very big test and give us a good insight as to where the team stands going into league play,” Richards said. “We have games against some of the big (CIF) Division 1 schools (Aliso Niguel, Dana Hills, Tesoro, Trabuco Hills) which we know will have great depth on their squads due to the size of the schools. We also play Santiago (Garden Grove) who was highly ranked in our division last year and a favorite going into last season’s playoffs. Playing against El Dorado and Beckman will give us games against schools that are likely to be similar to what we will face during the Orange Coast League, and both have great coaches running their programs and will really be challenging matches.”
2014-15 Schedule
Dec. 1: at El Dorado, 3 p.m.
Dec. 3: Dana Hills, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 5: Northwood, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 10: Trabuco Hills, 6 p.m.
Dec. 12: at Tesoro, 6:15 p.m.
Dec. 15: at Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.
Dec. 17: Beckman, 6 p.m.
Dec. 19: Santiago (Garden Grove), 4:45 p.m.
Jan. 7: Crean Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.
Jan. 9: Saddleback Valley Christian, 4:45 p.m.
Jan. 14: *Costa Mesa, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 16: *Saddleback, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 21: *at Estancia, 5 p.m.
Jan. 23: *at Calvary Chapel, 3:15 p.m.
Jan. 28: *Godinez, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 30: *at Costa Mesa, 5 p.m.
Feb. 4: *Estancia, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 6: *at Saddleback, 3:15 p.m.
Feb. 10: *at Godinez, 3:15 p.m.
Feb. 12: *Calvary Chapel, 6:30 p.m.
(*denotes league game)
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Twitter: @MikeSciacca