Breakers blank Eagles

The Laguna Beach boys’ tennis team took its first step in its attempt to repeat as Orange Coast League champion by blanking host Estancia, 18-0, in the league opener for both teams Tuesday.

Sweeps in singles play came from No. 1 Jake Michaels (6-1, 6-0, 6-0), No. 2 Benito Romeo (6-1, 6-1, 6-0) and No. 3 Teague Hamilton (6-0, 6-0, 6-0), and in doubles from No. 1 Hutton McKenna/Morgan Lebby (6-1, 6-0, 6-3), No. 2 Owen Weber/Austin Loomis (6-2, 6-1, 6-1) and No. 3 Taylor Davidson/Nick Le (6-0, 6-2, 7-5).

“I think the boys are playing great tennis,” first-year Laguna Coach Peter Davidson said. “I think our guys are really rallying around Jake Michaels, who’s a senior and showing leadership qualities.

“Jake has been really strong at No. 1 singles. Benito (Romeo) is another senior and a solid player and Teague Hamilton has shown dramatic improvement. He’s just a sophomore and he’s going to be a dominant player. He’s mentally into it. He’s focused and he practices hard. He’s beating guys that Jake and Benito are beating, and that’s great to see.

“As for our doubles, Hutton McKenna, who’s a junior, is the leader of our doubles teams. Morgan Lebby, his partner, is a really good player. Owen (Weber) and Austin (Loomis) are a great team at No. 2 doubles and our third team of Taylor (Davidson) and Nick (Le) is really improving. All of our doubles teams are really strong.”

Laguna next week has three league matches in a three-day period, starting with a Tuesday road match against Godinez at Santa Ana Valley High. The Breakers come back Wednesday to host Estancia and on Thursday travel to face Costa Mesa. All three matches start at 3:15 p.m.

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Swimming

The Breakers were imperssive Wednesday in their Orange Coast League opener, setting both school and season-best times in a double victory over host Estancia.

The Laguna girls scored a 120-43 victory over the Eagles. Senior Taylor Capobianco swam a season-best 2 minutes 4.7 seconds in the 200 freestyle and dropped one second from her time in the same event in a March 17 meet against Mission Viejo. Junior Melena Masson won the 500 free in 5:34.47.

The Laguna boys also defeated Estancia by a 120-43 score in a meet where junior Billy Wild broke his own school record in the 100 butterfly (set in 2009) with a time of 54.74. Senior Spencer Dodson turned in a season-best time of 1:57.59 in the 200 free and just missed the CIF consideration time for Division III, Coach Kari Jonhnson said. Junior Erik Henrikson tied for first in the 50 free amd junior Nolan McConnell recorded his best time (51.94) to date this season in the 100 free. McConnell missed CIF consideration by .04 seconds, Johnson said.

“Our team looked great,” said Johnson, whose squads host league foes Saddleback and Calvary Chapel today in a 3:15 p.m. tri-meet. It’s their final meet until the Mission Viejo Invitational on April 2.

In the junior varsity meets Wednesday, the Laguna girls were 61-37 winners over Estancia and the Breaker boys won by a 95-13 score.

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Track & Field

The 2011 Laguna Beach Trophy Invite was held Saturday at Guyer Field. Trabuco Hills won the girls’ varsity title, with Laguna finishing fifth. Servite won the boys’ division with Laguna placing 11th. At the frosh/soph level, Edison won the girls’ division (Laguna was 12th) and Trabuco Hills won the boys’ division (Laguna was eighth). Fifteen events were scored.

Below are top 10 finishes turned in by Laguna athletes:

Boys’ frosh/soph 3,200 meter run: Stone Riff (10 minutes 28.10 seconds, ninth)

Girls’ frosh/soph 100 meter hurdles: Jessie Bunting (20.20, seventh); Monica White (20.58, eighth)

Girls’ varsity 100 meter hurdles: Hanna Jonus (19.11, sixth)

Boys’ varsity 110 meter hurdles: Chrisian Menes (17.89, fifth)

Girls’ varsity 1,600 meter run: Natasha Strickland (5:14.50, third)

Girls’ varsity 4 by 100 meter relay: Laguna Beach “A” team (52.60, fifth)

Boys’ varsity 4 by 100 meter relay: Laguna Beach “A” team (47.38, seventh)

Girls’ varsity 400 meter dash: Alex Kempler (1:03.41, seventh)

Girls’ frosh/soph 100 meter dash: Tessa Hopper (14.21, eighth)

Boys’ frosh/soph 1,600 meter run: Mitch Kimball (4:55.68, 10th)

Boys’ frosh/soph 800 meter run: Kevin Tovar (2:09.19, third)

Girls’ varsity 800 meter run: Beverly Ronses (2:33.51, seventh)

Boys’ varsity 800 meter run: Tyler Nichols (2:05.03, ninth)

Girls’ frosh/soph 300 meter hurdles: Monica White (54.02, seventh); Haleigh Burnett (54.27, eighth)

Girls’ varsity 300 meter hurdles: Christa French (51.29, second-place); Hannah Jonus (53.10, seventh)

Boys’ varsity 300 meter hurdles: Christian Menes (43.83, eighth)

Girls’ frosh/soph 200 meter dash: Tessa Hopper (28.98, sixth)

Boys’ frosh/soph 200 meter dash: Reece Barton (24.73, seventh)

Girls’ varsity 200 meter dash: Marisa Merchant (28.67, sixth)

Girls’ varsity 4 by 400 meter relay: Laguna Beach “A” team (4:24.63, fourth)

Boys’ varsity 4 by 400 meter relay: Laguna Beach “A” team (3:41.49, seventh)

Boys’ varsity shot put: Ricky Delatorre (40-fee, 1.75 inches, ninth)

Girls’ frosh/soph shot put: Ashlyn Alter (23-8.0, eighth)

Boys’ frosh/soph long jump: Bryce Williams (16-7.50, 10th)

Boys’ frosh/soph high jump: Kailar Pike (5.4, tie-third); Bryce Williams (5-2, tie-sixth)

Girls’ varsity high jump: Christianne Kinder (5.0, first)

Girls’ varsity triple jump: Sam Knapp (26-10, 10th)

Boys’ varsity triple jump: Donovan Tetsuka (36-0.75, eighth)

Boys’ frosh/soph triple jump: Bryce Williams (36-6, fifth); Joey Gallo (36-5, sixth)

Boys’ varsity discus throw: Ricky Delatorre (115-08, seventh)

In the Eric Hulst Memorial 3,200 Meter Run, named in honor of one of Laguna’s late, great athletes, Ashlee Powers of Corona del Mar won the girls’ race in 10:57.97 and Jantzen Oshier of Trabuco Hills topped the boys’ run with a time of 9:15.10. Laguna’s Natasha Strickland earned a fourth-place finish in the girls’ race with an 11:20.06.

The 2012 date for the Trophy Invite has been set for March 17, with the addition of the pole vault competition.

Laguna is scheduled to run Saturday at the Mt. Carmel/Asics Invitational. Next week, the Breakers have a pair of 3 p.m. home league meets Tuesday against Saddleback and Thursday versus Godinez.

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Boys’ Volleyball

The Breakers took on rival Corona del Mar in a nonleague match Tuesday and suffered a 25-18, 26-24, 25-17 loss to the visiting Sea Kings. Robbie McKnight had 16 kills for Laguna.

In previous action, Laguna dropped its five matches at the Orange County Championships tournament at Edison. The Breakers lost to JSerra, Corona del Mar, Esperanza, Servite in the ninth-place quarterfinals and Orange Lutheran in the 13th-place semifinals.

Laguna opens Orange Coast League play next week at Estancia Tuesday and home to Saddleback on Wednesday. Both matches start at 5:30 p.m.

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Boys’ Golf

The Breakers went 2-1 in the past week, beating Calvary Chapel and Ocean View, with the loss coming to Estancia.

Andrew Palmer shot 36 and won medalist honors in a 213-219 win over Cavlary Chapel at Aliso Viejo Country Club. Palmer also was medalist with at 37 at the same course in a 213-221 win over Ocean View. On Tuesday, the Breakers fell to Estancia, 204-219, also at Aliso Viejo.

Latguna is scheduled to play Wesminster Monday at Meadlowlark Golf Course in Huntington Beach and hosts Aliso Niguel Tuesday at Aliso Viejo Country Club.