High School Roundup: Laguna boys’ golf off to 2-0 start
The Laguna Beach boys’ golf team got its 2015 season off to a successful start by defeating Sage Hill twice during the first week of play.
In their opener March 2 at Strawberry Farms Golf Course in Irvine, the visiting Breakers took a 216-227 match from the Lightning. Laguna’s John Grayden took medalist honors with a 37 score.
In the teams’ second meeting March 4, the Breakers won a 197-210 match at Aliso Viejo Country Club. Max Brown shot 38 to take medalist honors.
Grayden, an all-league performer last spring, Gavin Blow and Troy Sullivan are returning seniors. Brown and Dylan Kramer are returning juniors.
The 2015 team also includes sophomore Dante Madrigal, juniors Adam Mundy, Ryan Gee and Will Uzelac, and what Coach Scott Finn called a “strong freshman class” that includes Kyle Sharp, Ben Sharp, Dante Fornaro and Drake Dvorak.
“We have a lot of talented guys who are passionate about golf,” Finn said. “I’m excited to see how they perform this season.”
The Breakers are back on the links Monday for a 2:30 p.m. home nonleague match against Aliso Niguel at Ben Brown’s. The teams meet again at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Aliso Viejo Country Club.
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Boys’ Volleyball
The Breakers, the No. 2 team in CIF Southern Section Division 2, were on the road Tuesday for a nonleague battle at San Clemente, the fourth-ranked team in Division 1, and were edged in five sets by the host Tritons, 25-27, 25-20, 25-27, 25-20, 15-8.
Jack Burgi had 18 kills, Dane Olson had 17 kills and 15 digs, Pete Obradovich 15 kills, and Isaac Wulff 54 assists for the Breakers.
Laguna will compete Saturday at the Dos Pueblos Tournament. The Breakers next week host Corona del Mar, the third-ranked team in Division 1, in a 5:45 p.m. nonleague match Tuesday.
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Boys’ Tennis
The Breakers went to JSerra Tuesday for a nonleague match and came away with a 13-5 victory over the Lions.
Laguna grabbed eight of a possible nine points in doubles play. At No. 1, Zach Washer/Sterling Dudley-Bowen won, 6-0 and 7-6, and Dudley-Bowen teamed with Nick Besso to win the third set, 7-6. At No. 2 Ryan Gee/Hayden Seitz won, 6-1, 7-6, 6-0, and No. 3 Ethan Gee/Tristan Krogius won twice, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.
In singles, freshman Jake Robbins (6-1, 1-6, 6-3) won two sets at the second line, and junior Stuart Webb (6-0, 7-6, 4-6) won twice at the third line.
“The team played well, and came through in some close sets, as we won four sets in tiebreakers which helped to break open the match,” Laguna Coach Don Davis said.
The Breakers, who previously dropped a 12-6 nonleague match March 5 to Newport Harbor, have won three of their first four matches of the season.
“Our record is 3-1, so we’re off to a great start,” Davis said. “We have a young team, with two and sometimes three freshmen in the lineup (Robbins, Besso, Charles Keller), and all three contributed in our win against JSerra. Our doubles play has been outstanding, as we have won 18 out of the 24 sets that we have played thus far.”
The Breakers took on Trabuco Hills in nonleague play Thursday. The score wasn’t available at press time. Next week, the Breakers host Huntington Beach Tuesday and travel Thursday to face Mission Viejo. Both nonleague matches begin at 3 p.m.
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Track and Field
At the Laguna Beach Distance Carnival Feb. 28, the Breakers had a 1-2-3 finish in the girls’ 800 meters, which was won by Pearl Shoemaker. The junior had the lone first-place finish for the Breakers.
Distance Carnival top 10 finishes for the Laguna girls’ team: 400 meter dash (Coco Putnam, third, 59.42); 800 meter run (Pearl Shoemaker, first, 2:30.09; Brenna Merchant, second, 2:33.22; Grace LaMontagne, third, 2:33.40; Taylor Alvarez, eighth, 2:43.00; Lauryn Alvarez, 10th, 2:46.41); 1,600 meter dash (Pearl Shoemaker, third, 5:21.03; Kirsten Landsiedel, fourth, 5:35.97; Taylor Alvarez, sixth, 5:44.46; Brenna Merchant, eighth, 5:45.51).
Distance Carnival top 10 finished for the Laguna boys’ team: 3,200 meter run (Cameron Zuziak, third, 10:05.25; Liam Corrigan, ninth, 10:42.68); 1,400 meter dash (Cale Airey, fifth, 54.95; Andrew Humpries, sixth, 55.36; Daniel Peterson, seventh, 55.37).
Laguna returns to competition March 21 when it hosts its annual Trophy Invitational.
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Swimming
The Breakers, idle since opening the season March 3 with boys’ and girls’ wins over Pacifica, will compete Saturday at the Los Alamitos Coed Relays.
CIF Weekly Rankings
Boys’ volleyball: Laguna Beach (No. 2, Division 2).
Twitter: @MikeSciacca