Sweeps help team win

Getting key sweeps from its top two doubles teams Tuesday, the Laguna Beach boys’ tennis team was able to post an 11-7 Orange Coast League win over visiting Estancia.

Sweeps by the No. 1 team of Jared Berkson and Sean Ochwat (6-3, 6-3, 6-1) and No. 2 Noah Michelson/Graham Unterberger (6-1, 6-0, 6-0) propelled Laguna to their fifth league win without a loss.

Mikey Rubel and Paul Salomon, at No. 3, also picked up a point in doubles play.

In singles action, No. 2 Benito Romeo won two sets (6-2, 6-4, 4-6) and No. 1 Jake Michaels (6-1, 1-6, 1-6) and Alex Gromet, subbing for Rex Miller at No. 3, also picked up a point in the first set with a 6-4 win.

“When we started today, I really didn’t know how it was going to end up,” Laguna Coach Jonee Earl said. “We were missing our No. 1 doubles player, Ben Biscarrat, due to a college trip, and the Estancia coach had moved her line-up all around. She moved her No. 3 singles player into doubles and moved a doubles player to the No. 1 singles spot. However, it enabled our singles (players) to do better and our doubles were still strong.”

On Monday, Laguna was a 15-3 winner over visiting Calvary Chapel. Berkson/Ochwat, Michelon/Unterberger and Rubel/Salomon swept in doubles play.

Laguna next hosts Estancia in a 3:15 p.m. league match Monday. They travel Wednesday to face Estancia at 3:15 p.m. and close out league regular season play at 3:15 p.m. Thursday at Costa Mesa.

League prelims and finals are April 30-May 1 at Alta Laguna Park.

In Swimming

Laguna Beach High boys’ and girls’ swim teams won their second Orange Coast League meet of the season when the Breakers took on Estancia on April 15, with scores of 102-64 and 104-54, respectively.

Both teams are 4-1 overall, with wins over Tustin and Cypress (March 5), Calvary Chapel and Godinez (April 1) and Orange Lutheran (April 4). They lost on Feb. 27 to El Modena.

From the boys’ team, Nathan McConnel took first place in the 200 and 500 freestyle events with times of 1:52.48 and 5:21.25.

Preston Head also came in first in the 50 and 100 freestyle with times of 23.23 and 50.73. David Brunner won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:07.59; Robert Chew placed first in 100 butterfly with a time of 1:03.10; Casey Chen won the 200 independent medley with a time of 2:23.76.

Laguna coach Ethan Damato said the boys continue to win races, but none have qualified for CIF.

From the girls’ team, Andrea Reigel qualified for three more CIF events: 50 freestyle (25.18), 100 backstroke (59.23) and 100 butterfly (1:01.05). Annika Dries also qualified with a time of 55.63 in 100 freestyle.

Damato said the girls performed very well.

“We won all three relays, and swept the 100 and 200 free,” he said.

Laguna hosts Buena Park at 3:15 today in a nonleague meet.

CIF-Southern Section Academic Awards

“Student Athlete of the Year” award recipients for Laguna Beach High are seniors Charley Bowman and Emily LaRose. Both earned varsity letters and maintained a 3.5 GPA or higher during the first semester of the 2007-08 school year.

Team winners from Laguna were girls’ swimming and football, which earned a 3.844 and 3.5052 GPA, respectively.

Girls’ golf finished second with a 3.722, and girls’ polo and boys’ cross-country shared third-place with 3.645 and 3.734 averages.

The girls’ swim, football and girls’ golf teams will be honored by the Southern Section prior to the start of the April 29 Angels-Oakland game at Angel Stadium.

The team awards are based on cumulative GPA and are awarded in 22 sports.

A minimum 3.0 average is required of a team and the team with the highest GPA in each sport is determined the winner.