Laguna’s Carins helps Team USA to gold

Alissa Carins of Laguna Beach won a copper medal in the Women Masters division and helped Team USA to a gold medal at the International Surfing Assn. World Masters Surfing Championships at La Libertad, El Salvador on Sunday. Team USA, coached by surfing legend Ian Cairns, won the Eduardo Arena ISA World Team Trophy with a score of 9,396.

Carins was one of four USA team members to medal, joining Tom Curren (Kahunas division, gold), Jim Hogan (Kahunas division, silver) and Allen Sarlo (Grand Kahunas division, copper). Carins was part of a Women Masters division final that included seven-time Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Champion Layne Beachley of Australia, Heather Clark of South Africa and Andrea Lopes of Brazil. Beachley won the division and her eighth world title.

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Laguna teams make move in CIF rankings

The Laguna Beach football team climbed three spots in this week’s CIF Southern Section Southern Division rankings. The Breakers, who defeated Calvary Chapel, 48-13, on Oct. 20 to improve to 6-1, moved from ninth to sixth. Laguna is one of three Orange Coast League teams in the poll, with Estancia (5-2) ranked fourth and Costa Mesa (6-1), which is on a six-game win streak, coming into the rankings for the first time at No. 10. Corona del Mar (6-1) again heads the poll.

Three other Laguna Beach teams are ranked in other polls.

The boys’ water polo team, which capped an undefeated league run Wednesday with a win over Saddleback, held its season-long grip on the top spot in the Division 3 poll.

In girls’ volleyball, Laguna is ranked third, although there is a shake-up at the top of this week’s Division 1-A poll. Corona del Mar, which has been ranked second throughout the season, replaced defending division-champion Marymount at No. 1.

Two other Laguna teams on the rise are the girls’ and boys’ cross-country teams. The girls’ team moved from seventh to fourth in Division 4. The boys’ team rose one spot to No. 8 in a Division 1 poll led again by Don Bosco Tech.