Girls’ Water Polo: Streaking Laguna Beach captures second straight CIF championship
Thirty-one. Fifty-two. Two. That turned out to be the combination that unlocked an incredible 2014-15 season for the Laguna Beach girls’ water polo team.
The “31” represents the victories this season for the Breakers, the “52,” the winning streak they have compiled dating to last season. Both led to the “2,” which is the number of consecutive CIF Southern Section championships they have won.
Laguna completed a perfect campaign and repeated as Division 1 champion by defeating Foothill, 11-5, in the title game Saturday at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. The top-ranked Breakers withstood another challenge from the second-ranked Knights to keep the division crown.
Foothill would have had an undefeated season had it not been for Laguna. The Knights won 26 games and lost five times, each loss coming at the hands of the Breakers.
By defeating Foothill a fifth time, Laguna heads into the off-season with its win streak intact. The Orange County-record 52 consecutive victories ranks third all-time in CIF-SS, and fifth all-time in the state. Their 31-0 record ties the 2009 Laguna team for most wins in a season.
The Breakers allowed a school-record low of 129 goals in a season.
“Foothill was a great opponent for us this year and I think every time we played them, we learned something,” Laguna Coach Ethan Damato said. “They had a great season and pushed us all year. Beating them five times speaks to the consistency of this group and how mentally tough they are.
“We set a goal at the beginning of the year that we wouldn’t lose to Foothill, and the girls kept that goal in mind every time we matched up with them.”
Laguna trailed 2-0 in the game’s first three minutes and didn’t get its first goal until senior Makenzie Fischer scored on a skip shot with 1:47 left in the first quarter. The Breakers took the lead for good in the second quarter where they shut out the Knights, 4-0. They took a 6-3 lead into the half.
Foothill was within 6-4 early in the second half when Fischer just rifled a shot into the opposite side of the cage. The Knights were again down only two (7-5) with three minutes left in the quarter when Aria Fischer fired in a shot to give the Breakers another three-goal cushion.
Junior goalie Holly Parker made back-to-back outstanding saves to protect the lead, sophomore Bella Baldridge set up Aria Fischer for the final goal of the quarter, and Parker came up with another save in the final minute, and the Breakers went into the fourth quarter holding a 9-5 lead.
“Foothill came out fired up in the first quarter and really pushed us, going up 3-1, and leading 3-2 after one (quarter),” Damato said. “What was great for our girls was that this wasn’t the first time that happened this year with them, and we responded really well in the second quarter outscoring them (4-0) in that quarter.
“It wasn’t our prettiest game, but championship games rarely are. Like always, my girls showed the fight and heart of champions and would not be denied. I couldn’t be more proud of them. “
Makenzie Fischer was talking with reporters after the trophy presentation when she stopped a moment as she glanced into the Laguna side of the stands at Woollett.
“Sorry,” she apologized, pausing between sentences, “but I’m taking this all in.”
Fischer, who will attend Stanford, scored three goals. She ended her final year at Laguna setting the single-season record for points with 180 (138 goals, 46 assists). She also set the career record for goals (456), steals (215) and total points with 627 (456 goals, 171 assists).
“This season couldn’t have ended any better,” she said. “It definitely was a little scary at the beginning when we fell behind (2-0), but it was just a matter of just needing to regain our composure and sharpen our focus.
“It’s just amazing to win another championship. It was our goal all season and to go undefeated, says a lot about this team. We just all get along really well. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to my career here.”
Aria Fischer continued her outstanding play at Woollett with a game-high five goals, three coming on the power play. The sophomore also scored a game-best five goals in a 12-5 semifinal win Feb. 24 over No. 4-seeded Corona del Mar.
Baldridge, the school record holder for assists in a season (85), had a huge game with seven, which tied a Laguna single-game record. Baldridge feeds to senior Taylor Julson and Aria Fischer resulted in the first two goals of the second quarter that put Laguna in the lead at 4-3. Parker’s impressive performance resulted in 12 saves.
Laguna was five for eight on the power play.
His team’s performance in the final impressed Damato.
“Aria (Fischer) was great being able to score the way she did and find the cage on 6 on 5. She also drew four exclusions,” he said. “Makenzie (Fischer) turned the game around with her defense on Cana (Foothill’s Cana Manzella who scored the first two goals of the game, her only goals) at two-meters. On top of that, she also scored three goals, had two assists, drew three exclusions, and kept our girls together in the water when things weren’t going well.
“Bella Baldridge set a school record with seven assists and I thought had a great energy. Holly (Parker) got better with each quarter in the cage and finished with 12 saves. She averaged over 10 on the year against Foothill. Mia Salvini (two steals), Haley Evans (one goal) and Natalie Selin (one steal) were all over the pool doing the little things our team needed, like they always do...stats don’t say how big of an impact on the game. Lastly, Taylor Julson came off the bench and scored two big goals, had an assist and a steal. She was great. “
In addition to the title game and semifinal wins, Laguna’s march to a second Division 1 title started with a 24-4 first round over Villa Park followed by an 18-5 quarterfinal round win over Los Alamitos.
The Breakers established a season record for goals scored with 525, and outscored the opposition by an average of 12.8 goals per game (16.9-4.2).
Over the last two years, the Breakers have posted an incredible record of 60-1.
“This group was so mentally tough and got up for every big game we had this year,” Damato said. “They were hands down the most competitive group I have ever coached. Even when we were winning they wanted to be better as individuals, they wanted to be better as a team. That’s what made this so special, we stayed hungry all year and never got caught up the hype.”
Damato has coached the Laguna girls’ program to three Southern Section titles. His 2009 squad won the CIF Division 2 crown. He also has guided the boys’ program to three Division 3 titles, winning in consecutive years (2010, 2011) before taking the Breakers to another championship last November at Woollett.
Saturday’s trip to Irvine left another indelible impression on him.
“I had so much fun with this group and can’t put into words what a special season it was,” he said. “We made a lot of memories, set a lot of records, and accomplished so much together. I wouldn’t change a thing.
“The legacy this group of seniors (Makenzie Fischer, Taylor Julson, Daniela Lucidi, Brighid Burnes, Caspian Brock) is leaving behind is truly one of excellence. They knew what it meant to sacrifice for the good of the team and what it takes to be champions. I can’t say enough about the character of these girls and this team. Such a special group of girls.”