Boys’ Water Polo: Laguna Beach the best in CIF Southern Section Division 3

IRVINE — Ethan Damato has got to be getting used to these pool plunges.

He’s done this now on five occasions, but it hasn’t gotten old.

The latest dip came on Saturday night, moments after his Laguna Beach boys’ water polo team captured the CIF Southern Section championship. The top-seeded Breakers did it by turning away the challenge of No. 3-seeded Montebello, 12-8, at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine.

It’s the third CIF title for Damato, in his seventh year as Breakers head coach, and the program. He also has taken the Laguna girls’ team to two Southern Section titles including the Division 1 crown last spring.

“I’m just really proud of these guys,” a soaking-wet Damato said poolside. They have a ton of heart and were resilient all season. It’s just a great group of seniors and a great group of guys, all-around.”

Laguna (25-6) never trailed against Montebello. In fact, in four playoff games, the Breakers never trailed. The previously scored easy victories over Vista Murrieta (21-3), Aliso Niguel (19-6), and fourth-seeded Capistrano Valley (16-7) in the semifinals on Wednesday.

Senior Cade Baldridge’s close range goal in the first minute of the game gave Laguna a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, senior Jack Dodson scored with Laguna holding a man-up advantage, to put the score at 2-0.

The Breakers were in front, 3-2, after one quarter but Almont League champion Montebello (24-4) came back in the second quarter to tie the score. Senior defender Mark Maranjo skipped a shot into the lower left-corner of the cage to knot the score at 4-4 with 2:56 to go in the half.

From then on, Laguna, behind a tenacious defense, controlled the match.

Laguna answered Maranjo’s goal just 14 seconds later. Senior Connor Hauer fed Baldridge in the middle, and Baldridge fired into the net to put Laguna in the lead for good. Senior Jakob Colladay came up with a take away in front of the Laguna cage with just over a minute left in the half and at the other end, Dodson scored from in close to extend the lead to 6-4. The Breakers struck again with 17 seconds on the clock when senior Aki Andersen fired in a shot off a nice feed from senior Nolan Del Toro. The score sent the Breakers into the break holding a 7-4 advantage.

Anderson scored again 58 seconds into the second half, taking a pass from Baldridge for the score. The score went to 9-4 with 5:41 to go in the third quarter when Dodson came up with a steal at mid-pool, then fed Colladay who skipped a rocket shot that angled up and over Montebello goalie Ian Hernandez.

The Oilers got a goal back when Naranjo scored with 3:40 left in the quarter, but senior Trent Sadler scored his only goal of the game with 1:17 on the clock. Sadler’s score allowed Laguna to go into the fourth quarter up, 10-5.

Montebello drew to within 11-7 early in the fourth quarter on a goal by Joseph Ojeda, and the Oilers had three consecutive chances to further cut into their deficit, but couldn’t. One shot hit the crossbar, Dodson came up with a field block to the right-side front of the Laguna goal and with 3:12 left, Breakers senior goalie Garret Hartley, who again had an outstanding match, blocked Ojeda’s shot attempt.

The Breakers made it 12-7 when Andersen slipped a pass to the middle of the pool to Dodson who in turn planted a shot into the lower-right corner of the cage with 3:12 to play.

“I thought we played great defense all game,” Damato said. “Garret (Hartley), in the two biggest games (Capistrano Valley, Montebello) of the year, had his two biggest games.

“This was a great win for us. Montebello is a really scrappy, good team, and they play an intelligent style of water polo.”

Dodson led all scorers with four goals to go with an assists and two steals. Andersen scored three goals and had a pair of assists and two steals. Baldridge also scored twice with an assist and steal, Colladay added three assists to his goal, Hauer had an assist and steal to go with his goal, and Hartley registered 12 saves.

The Breakers end the season where they began it: ranked No. 1.