Smith, Blinn earn OCL honors

Costa Mesa High junior Lauren Smith and Estancia senior Nikkie Blinn have earned first-team All-Orange Coast League status for girls’ water polo.

Smith, an attacker, led the Mustangs with totals of 95 goals and 45 assists. She helped Costa Mesa (9-17, 2-2 in league) finish third place in the league, advancing to the wild-card round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs before falling to Woodbridge.

The 95 goals ties Smith for third among players in the Mustangs’ single-season annals; Sarah Bowman scored 121 goals for Costa Mesa in 2005.

Blinn was a senior leader as one of just two seniors for Estancia, who finished 5-8 and 1-3 in league. The record was good for fourth place in program alumna Amber Peters’ first season in charge.

Melissa Folkerts of Costa Mesa, as well as Jenna Rutledge and Alexis Discenzo of Estancia, earned second team all-league honors.

Makenzie Fischer of Laguna Beach, a junior, earned league MVP honors. Fischer helped the Breakers win the Orange Coast League for the eighth straight year and eventually capture the first Division 1 title in program history.

— From staff reports