Laguna Beach girls' basketball beats short-handed Pacifica Christian Orange County

Laguna Beach's Anna Cheng (4) beats Pacifica Christian Orange County's Marta Harrison to a rebound in nonleague game at home Friday.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Dec. 20, 2019 9:17 PM PT

It has been noted that depth can be problematic, especially for small schools trying to stay competitive in athletics.

That has been an issue for both the Laguna Beach High and Pacifica Christian Orange County girls’ basketball teams this season, but each is doing what it can to push forward.

Nine days ago, Tritons coach James Parker said three of his players — junior guard Anna Eddy, junior forward Hailey MacKay and sophomore guard Nola Mihaly-Garvin — were involved a car accident.

Parker said Eddy and Mihaly-Garvin wanted to play again within two days, and they did so in a four-point win over the Breakers at home on Dec. 13.

Parker said Eddy and Mihaly-Garvin had seen chiropractors since, and it was recommended that they stay out of game action for another week.

A week later, the Tritons traveled to take on the Breakers again, this time down four starters. It proved too much for a small school of under 200 students to overcome.

Anna Cheng had a game-high 23 points, and Laguna Beach blew out Pacifica Christian 56-17 on Friday night in a nonleague game.

Laguna Beach (8-8) threw up three-point shots in bunches, getting enough to fall to build a 16-2 lead after the first quarter.

The Breakers had held a similar lead in the teams’ first meeting, which the Tritons came back to win 33-29. Laguna Beach pressured the ball and did not allow quality looks for Pacifica Christian (4-6) to find its offensive rhythm.

Laguna Beach's Anna Cheng (4) makes a three-pointer in a nonleague game against Pacifica Christian Orange County on Friday.

Cheng scored 10 points in the second quarter, helping Laguna Beach take a 30-2 lead into halftime. She also had four rebounds, three assists and three steals on the night.

Kenna Rudolph had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Her line also included six three-pointers.

“I just shoot the ball whenever I have the ball,” Rudolph said.

Rudolph shot from everywhere, and it did not matter if she had time to set her feet.

“We don’t tell Kenna anything like that,” Breakers coach Matthew Tietz said of Rudolph’s shooting form. “She just fires from wherever, whenever. Step-back [shots], running, it doesn’t matter with her.

“She had seven [three-pointers] last night, six tonight, so she is just firing away.”

The Breakers connected on nine shots from beyond the arc, with Cheng providing the other three.

“It felt really good, and Kenna was really good, too,” Cheng said. “I’m super proud of our team.”

Laguna Beach, which went 15-0 to start nonleague play last season, has also had some players miss time.

Even with that, some of the Breakers’ bench players were overjoyed to see extended minutes. Zoe Payne-Carter had two points, four rebounds and three steals. All of the production came in the fourth quarter.

When Payne-Carter went to the free-throw line and missed the front end of a one-and-one set, she had a terrified look on her face. With 54 seconds left, she got the ball in the half court and banked in a shot from the right elbow, experiencing pure elation as she looked over to her teammates on the bench.

“When I came out, I was really nervous because I’m a sub,” said Payne-Carter, who added that it was just the second field goal she had made at the varsity level. “I’m not a starter, so I don’t play as much as the other kids on the team.

“That was the big reaction because it’s not often that I make a shot. That was why the shot was such a big deal.”

Madilyn Garwal added 11 points, 14 rebounds and five steals for Laguna Beach.

Charis Wondercheck had 11 points, five rebounds and two steals to lead the Tritons. Rebecca Penjoyan had four points and four rebounds, and Mikaela Sesler added two points and 10 rebounds.

Pacifica Christian also played the game without Elyona Brown. Parker said she is still waiting on the results of an MRI to come back after she suffered a knee injury against Brethren Christian on Dec. 7.

“It sometimes is good to be able to go through that, to realize that you have work to do,” Parker said of the lessons learned after the loss. “Even the girls that normally don’t play as much, they realize seeing this game, ‘Man, I’ve got work to do.’

“It’s a good thing. We can grow from it. I always tell them every day, every time I’m with them, ‘There are no losers. There are only learners.’ When we face adversity like this, it’s an opportunity for growth.”