CROSS COUNTY
Wade Jurkowski was Laguna boys’ top runner at the Woodbridge Invitational last weekend at the Great Park with a 16:28 over the 3-mile course. On the girl’s side, Hayden Joseph was the top runner at 17:57, followed by Karina Pitz at 18:34. Next up is the league cluster meet on Oct. 2 in Silverado. Boys are in the Pacific Hills League with Irvine, Sage Hill and St. Margaret’s, while the girls will compete with the same schools plus Rosary. For more information, visit lbxc.org for girls team info and lagunabeachcrosscountry.com for boys.
FLAG FOOTBALL (5-6, 3-4)
Laguna moved into a tie for fifth place in league play with a pair of recent victories. On Sep. 18, they defeated Portola 14-13 at Guyer Field, with Lakelynn Welch catching six passes and scoring two touchdowns. On defense she was credited with 10 flag pulls. This past Monday, they defeated Irvine 18-6 at the Vaqueros campus. Hayden Henning-Crane was 16 for 31, 253 yards and three touchdowns as quarterback. Maeve Mani had four receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Breakers faced Northwood (4-2, 6-3) this past Wednesday and travel to Sage Hill (3-4, 5-6) on Monday. The Breakers meet league leader Woodbridge (7-0, 12-5) on Oct. 2.
FOOTBALL (5-0)
Breakers Defense Stops El Dorado 40-0
Laguna’s defense recorded their third straight shutout, extending their scoreless string to 13 quarters, the longest since 1950 and the third longest in school history with the shutdown of El Dorado (2-3) last Friday night at Guyer Field.
The Golden Hawks had a good defense that made the Breakers earn their points, which was helped by some key errors by the visitor’s offense.
El Dorado was stopped on their first possession and forced to punt, but the fumbled punt attempt gave Laguna the ball on the Golden Hawk 33. A big-time scamper by Jackson Kollock was the first of six Laguna scores. Teams traded the next four possessions before the Breakers started a short drive from the Hawk 34 to score in a seven-play effort to open the second quarter. In the ensuing kickoff, El Dorado fumbled the return with the recovery by Will Kimball. Five plays later it was 21-0.
The Golden Hawks re-grouped and then started a 65-yard, 16-play drive to get back into the game. Seven times, including five tries within the three-yard line, were stopped by the Laguna defense, ending the drive as the clock expired for the half. Credit Wyatt Bogdan, Fletcher Liao, Hudson Mills, Redmond Chesley and Henry Rounaghi in the goal-line effort.
The second half opened with a great defensive effort by El Dorado, which forced Laguna to punt on their first second-half possession. The Hawks were unsuccessful with their first attempt and had to punt from their 37-yard line. Wyatt Bogdan broke through the line to block the punt, and Grant Regal scooped up the loose ball for a 27-yard return for the score.
On the next possession by El Dorado, the second play was a pass attempt intercepted mid-field by Grant Regal. Breakers responded with a 5-play drive aided by an El Dorado penalty to extend the lead to 34-0. The point after try was blocked. Jack Hurst did his usual magic in the final period, hitting Noah Tompson for a 23-yard touchdown play for the game’s final points.
THIS WEEK: a bye
Breakers return to action on Friday, Oct. 4, in the league opener versus Northwood (#113), who is 5-0, and the teams will meet at Irvine High School’s stadium. Northwood appears to be stronger than last season but have lost to the Breakers in four straight meetings, 35-21 last year and are very capable to snap the streak.
Ratings, schedules, scores etc. can be found on calpreps.com. Game video highlights are posted on Max Preps at maxpreps.com/ca.
GIRLS GOLF (2-6, 0-3)
Laguna Beach girls varsity golf lost a pair of league matches, dropping a 323-280 contest to Rosary Academy in a Pacific Hills League match at Western Hills CC, par 35. The match medalists were Naomi Pineda and Alayna Votino from Rosary, with a 48.
On Sep. 23, the Breakers lost 281-229 to Irvine in a league match at Oak Creek GC, par 35. The match medalist was Mannat Virk from Irvine, who scored 40 points. The low score for Laguna was posted by Alani Sciacca with a 46.
BOYS SAND VOLLEYBALL (6-1, 2-1)
Laguna will host a boys high school pairs tournament on Friday, Sep. 27 at Main Beach. The Tuesday match was canceled in team play, and the team will meet their league nemesis, Newport Harbor, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Main Beach.
GIRLS TENNIS (1-4)
Laguna lost a pair of challenging non-league matches, losing 13-5 at JSerra on Sep. 18 and by the same score to Palm Desert on Sep. 20. Rebecca MacCallum was a bright spot against JSerra, sweeping her three sets 6-0. League play opened on Sep. 26 at University and the Breakers will host Irvine on Oct. 1 and Northwood on Oct. 3.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL (3-21, 1-2)
Laguna lost three straight matches in very competitive sets.
On Sept. 18, they lost at Sage Hill 22-25, 20-25, 12-25 and Sept. 19, the team lost at Portola 25-27, 24-26, 24-26. Hollie Hooper and Blake Borquist were kill leaders with 9. Holly and Savanah Farris were the dig leaders with 17.
On Sept. 24, the team lost to St. Margaret’s 12-25, 25-17, 18-25, 10-25. Hollie Hooper and Blake Borquist were the kill leaders with six, while Mimi Spangler and Holly were the dig leaders with 10. Savannah Farris did the bulk of the service receive duty with a great 2.0 rating.
BOYS WATER POLO (6-9)
Laguna began its quest for the team’s first league title since 2017 when it opened league play on Sept. 26, hosting Northwood at the Laguna Community Pool. Other upcoming league contests are at Sage Hill on Oct. 1 and at Woodbridge on Oct. 3. The Breakers will host a non-league contest with El Toro on Sept. 28 and Long Beach Wilson on Oct. 4.
Scoring leaders after 15 games: 52 – Dylan Willams, 41 – Max Sauers, 22 – Gavin Goode, 15 – Sam Skenderian, 12 – Dane Seybold, 12 – Lucas Rose, 10 – Zach Hornstein.
BASEBALL
Belanto Takes the Helm
Ryan Belanto was recently announced as the 29th head coach for the Laguna Beach High School program after being an assistant coach last season and a school district employee since 2022. Coach Belanto steps into this role following the departure of coach Jairo Ochoa, who is leaving to focus on his family as his sons embark on their own high school athletic careers. A Cal-State Fullerton grad, Belanto began his baseball coaching career at Woodbridge High School in Irvine as JV head coach and varsity assistant. He later secured his first teaching position at University High School, also in Irvine, where he served as a varsity assistant coach. In 2018, Coach Belanto was hired as the varsity head coach at West Covina High School, where he taught and coached for four years. As a former player at Capistrano Valley High School and Saddleback College, he brings valuable personal playing experience that influences his coaching philosophy. Laguna’s 85th season of varsity baseball is this spring.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Local age group opportunities
Laguna Coast Volleyball Club is expanding the local youth volleyball program to include boys, with legendary player Brian Lewis helping Leif Hanson with the project. Leif was the State Player of the Year in 1983 for high school indoor volleyball, while Brian Lewis had his jersey retired at Corona del Mar and was a successful beach volleyball player. Contact them at leif@lagunacoastvolleyballclub.org.
Have a note on Laguna high school sports? Email Frank at frank@twometer.net. Looking for 2024-25 High School schedules and scores? Check Laguna Beach High School on the Max Preps website or the schedules tab on the athletics website at lbhs.lbusd.org/athletics/schedules. To get scores on the school site – select the sport and level, click year and move the “show older events” toggle under the 2024-25 year.
