High School Roundup: Laguna girls’ track visits Arcadia Invitational
Members of the Laguna Beach girls’ track and field team will compete in one of the nation’s premiere events Friday and Saturday when the Breakers enter the Arcadia Invitational.
The two-day meet begins with a Friday Night Relays and field events session from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday’s schedule starts with an Open track and field events session from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., followed by an Invitational track and field events session from 4 to 10 p.m.
Laguna girls’ Coach Steve Lalim said the Breakers’ 4x1,600 team of Pearl Shoemaker, Brenna Merchant, Natalie Kimball and Taylor Alvarez will run Friday, and Coco Putnam will run the 300 hurdles Saturday.
The Arcadia Invitational is the second big meet in as many weeks for the Breakers. Last weekend, they were in Palo Alto for the Stanford Invitational.
Lalim said several Breakers gave big performances at Stanford. Shoemaker ran an personal-record 10:16.09 and set a school record time in the process in the Section 2 girls’ 3,000-meter run. Kimball ran a PR time of 2:22.93 (seventh place) in the Section 2 girls’ 800-meter run, Putnam won her heat in the Section 4 girls’ 400-meter dash (59.83) and also won the girls’ 400-meter hurdles (65.41), and the 4x400 team (Regan Caraher, Putnam, Amy Hewlett, Kimball) won the Section 3 girls’ race in 4:07.24.
Merchant finished 11th (11:07.12) in the Section 2 girls’ 3,000-meters run. Jackie Cenan competed in the Flight 2 girls’ shot put and placed sixth (35-feet-00.50).
“We had a great trip,” Lalim said. “The Stanford Invite was a first-class meet hosting both a high school and college meet. It was an amazing experience for the athletes and coaches.”
Members of the Laguna boys’ and girls’ teams competed April 3 at the Trabuco Hills Invitational and Distance Carnival.
In the boys’ competition, Cameron Zuziak finished 19th (2:02.99) in the 800-meter run and 30th (4:38.66) in the 1,600-meter run (Open division). Also in the 1,600-meter run (Open), Grant Barton was 33rd (4:39.24), Liam Corrigan 52nd (4:44.48), Timothy Andrews 68th (4:50.01), Drake Butler 74th (4:55.13), Mason Pitz 84th (4:58.86), and Carter Fraser 97th (5:04.74).
In the girls’ 1,600-meter run (Open), Taylor Alvarez was 20th (5:37.61), Lauryn Alvarez 21st (5:37.68), Ana Kelly 26th (5:41.15), and Hannah Vogel 56th (6:12.82),
In an Orange Coast League meet against Saddleback April 2 at Laguna, the Breakers won the girls’ meet, 89-38, and the boys’ team won by a 71-55 score. Both teams are 2-0 in league.
The Laguna girls’ and boys’ teams are back in action Thursday when they visit Estancia for a 3 p.m. Orange Coast League meet.
“Our girls’ team has been outstanding this season,” Lalim said. “They are motivated to compete at a high level, and they put in the work to allow themselves to be successful on the track. I’m excited to see what they do on the home stretch of our season.”
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Boys’ Volleyball
The Breakers, the top-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 2, went into spring break 3-0 in Orange Coast League play by taking care of host Estancia April 2, 25-8, 25-18, 25-10.
Senior outside hitter Dane Olson had nine kills, Ben Polins-Jones, Isaac Wulff, Nick Rieckhoff, Jack Burgi and Barry Greenough each had four kills, Pete Obradovich and Adam Lythgoe both had six digs, and Wulff 25 assists.
The Breakers are 7-3 overall. They have won 61 consecutive league matches (155 straight sets).
Laguna has two 5:15 p.m. home league matches next week. The Breakers host Calvary Chapel Tuesday and Godinez Thursday to complete the first round of league play.
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Swimming
The Breakers went to 2-0 in both the Orange Coast League boys’ and girls’ team standings by picking up wins April 1 at Costa Mesa. The boys’ team defeated the Mustangs, 109-56, and the girls’ team posted a 128-44 win.
Highlights in the meet for the Breakers included Kasey Karkosa winning the girls’ 100-freestyle in 55.25 seconds, Erik Juliusson the boys’ 50-free in 22.37 seconds, and Cameron Karkosa the boys’ 200-free in 1:45.79. All three times were new CIF qualifying times, Laguna co-Coach Beth Weber said.
The Breakers resume their OCL meet schedule at 3 p.m. next Wednesday when they travel to face Estancia.
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Boys’ Golf
The Breakers get back into action Tuesday and face Calvary Chapel at 4 p.m. at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. They previously defeated the Eagles (180-221) in their final match prior to spring break, and by a 193-213 score in an Orange Coast League opener, and lead the league standings at 4-0.
Laguna (7-3 overall) also plays Estancia next week. The teams square off at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in a key match at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa. The Eagles are 3-1 in league, their lone defeat a 210-217 loss to the Breakers in a March 26 match.
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Boys’ Tennis
The Breakers will attempt to move to 3-0 in Orange Coast League play when they return to the court next Tuesday to take on Godinez at 3:15 p.m. at Saddleback High.
The Breakers also play a second game next week at Saddleback, taking on the Roadrunners at 3:15 p.m.
Laguna, ranked No. 1 in CIF-SS Division 4, is 8-2 overall.
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Girls’ Basketball
Alexandra Lewis of Laguna Beach was named 2014-15 Second Team All-CIF Division 4AA as recognized by the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Assn.
Lewis, a junior forward, was one of 10 players named to the second team.
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Twitter: @MikeSciacca