McKeown grabs silver

Local athletes came up with medal-winning performances at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior National Beach Volleyball Championships.

The 22nd annual tournament, which held competition in seven age divisions, was held July 11-12 at the Hermosa Beach Pier. More than 300 teams nationwide competed at the tournament.

In the girls’ 15-Under division, Lexi McKeown of Laguna Beach High teamed with Savana Green (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and the pair won the silver medal. They reached the division’s championship match where they fell to the team of Hannah Martin(Cardiff)/Emily Napoli(Encinitas).

McKeown played on the Laguna girls’ volleyball varsity team as a freshman this past school year.

In the girls’ 14U division, local player Hallie Carballo, a student at Thurston Middle School, and teammate Jaclyn Sanchez (Fountain Valley) reached the division’s semifinal round and won a bronze medal after their equal third-place finish.

McKeown and Carballo are among several Laguna Beach athletes who have qualified to compete again in Hermosa Beach, this time, at the AAU Junior Olympic Beach Volleyball Championshipswhich is a culmination of the AAU youth national program for ages 12 to 18. The tournament started Thursday and runs through Sunday.

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Water Polo

Laguna Beach Water Polo Club teams start play Saturday in the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics at the William Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine.

The Junior Olympics tournament is divided into two sessions. Session 1 runs Saturday through Tuesday and includes tournaments for the 10-and-under girls and boys’ teams in divisions 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U. Laguna Beach Water Polo Club and SET (Saddleback/El Toro) Water Polo Club teams will compete in Session 2 which opens Thursday and runs through Aug. 2 for divisions 10U Mixed and 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U girls.

— From staff reports