Breakers honored for great year

The CIF Southern Section announced the top 10 boys’ and girls’ athletic programs in the 19th Annual Commissioner’s Cup on Monday.

Laguna Beach High finished sixth in the boys’ top 10 rankings.

“It is a great honor to our male athletes and coaches that they are being honored by the CIF in this manner,” Laguna Beach Athletic Director Mike Churchill said. “To finish sixth, and in such outstanding company as the other honored schools, is a tremendous achievement.”

The CIF-SS developed the recognition program based on comprehensive excellence in interscholastic competition. The purpose of the program is to enhance the spirit of competition, sportsmanship and goodwill among the student athletes and member schools.

The winners were determined by a point system that included: five points for a divisional championship; three points for a divisional runner-up finish; two points for advancing to the semifinal round or a third-place finish in a team sport; and one point for a fourth-place finish in a team. In cases where a tie occurs, the top ten schools were determined by several tie-breaker methods.

The Laguna boys’ athletic program tallied 14 points in the competition. The Breakers earned five points for winning CIF titles in cross-country and volleyball, and two points each for semifinal appearances in water polo and tennis.

Loyola earned its fourth Commissioner Cup title in the past six years by winning two sports championships (volleyball, track and field), finishing runner-up in swimming and third in three other sports (cross-country, water polo, basketball). The Cubs topped the boys’ top 10 list with 19 points and has won more Commissioner’s Cup trophies than any other boys’ program.

Mater Dei finished second in the boys’ rankings.

Harvard-Westlake took top honors in the girls’ division. Chadwick was second and St. Margaret’s was third.

“Laguna Beach High School, although the smallest public high school in Orange County, has been recognized for it’s academic and athletic prowess once again,” Churchill said. “The administration, parents and general community take great pride in these young men.”

Said Dr. Jim Staunton, Commissioner of Athletics, in a release: “The CIF-SS would like to congratulate these outstanding programs for their championship performances. They all have a lot to be proud of through their accomplishments and those of their entire athletic programs.”