NEWPORT BEACH – Laguna Beach’s girls water polo team had almost finished posing for a historic group photo Wednesday night at the Holiday Cup when a request to flash the No. 1 sign arrived.
Like the hopes of opposing offenses earlier in the day, the playful gesture didn’t get far.
“Too early (in the season),” Laguna Beach goalie Holly Parker said after the top-ranked Breakers stormed to a 10-4 victory against No. 3 Foothill in the final at Newport Harbor.
Laguna Beach (9-0) is focused on the larger goal of capturing a third straight CIF Division 1 crown but there’s no denying that the Breakers are No. 1 now, and have been for some time.
In extending its county-record winning streak to 61 matches, Coach Ethan Damato’s squad claimed its third straight Holiday Cup title and won a seventh straight tournament overall, a record among Southern Section powerhouses.
“(The records) might sink in more later (but) right now, we’re excited about this year’s team winning their first tournament together,” Damato said. “That was a big test for us coming in. Really proud of the girls and how they responded.”
Laguna Beach won with a potent combination of team defense and a speedy and productive counterattack.
In the final against last season’s Division 1 runner-up, the Breakers scored five first-half counterattack goals to open a 7-2 lead and drew a penalty shot on a second-half counter that led to another goal.
Lefty Bella Baldridge and freshman Sophie Leggett each finished with three goals while Natlie Selin added two, both on counterattacks.
With Parker recording eight saves and Ally Jochim and Leggett defending center, Laguna Beach played the so-called “M gap” zone that sent defenders racing to offense on misfired shots or blocks.
Selin, for example, scored the first goal on a quicky-formed center strike after Foothill took a bad-angle shot from the wing against Parker. Later in the opening period, Haley Evans scored on a counterattack after a shot by the Knights sailed wide of the cage.
Sophomore Evan Tingler then capped a 4-0 first-period surge by the Breakers by beating three defenders and goalie Kenzie Snyder for a counterattack strike off a long outlet by Parker with 1:23 left. Parker finished with three assists.
In the second period, Selin scored on a counter after a shot hit off the post and Baldridge added a counter off a field block.
“We finished really well (on the counter),” Damato said. “We take a lot of pride in what we do defensively and we’re trying to dictate where the shot is coming from and then trying to put you in a bad spot.
“If you take the wrong shot, we’re going to be up. We try to find offense out of our defense. … Make or miss, we’re swimming like crazy.”
Meanwhile, Laguna Beach’s defense didn’t allow a counterattack goal. The Breakers also shut out Foothill’s power-play (0 for 6) thanks in large part to three power-play saves by Parker and one in the fourth by Thea Walsh.
“We have a target on our backs,” Parker said. “This was a good win because we were able to prove that we’re still here, are we’re still fighting.”
In the semifinals, Laguna Beach handed No. 4 Corona del Mar (4-1) a rare shutout, posting a 7-0 victory despite a career-high 22 saves by the Sea Kings’ Heidi Ritner. Six players scored while Parker delivered 11 saves, including two point-save saves in the first half.
“Pretty special defensive effort,” Damato said. “Holly was key early on and weathered the storm.”
Said CdM coach Kevin Ricks of Laguna Beach’s defense, “There’s constant pressure there as a team.”
Sophomore center Noelle Wijnbelt of Foothill (8-2) scored five goals in a 9-8 victory against No. 2 Orange Lutheran (10-3) in the semifinals and had three more in the final. Foothill led Orange Lutheran, 4-0, after the first on three strikes by Wijnbelt, including two from center.
Kelsey Tyler had three goals and two assists in the semifinals for the Lancers. The senior’s steal and assist to Emma Skelly on the counter helped Orange Lutheran trim Foothill’s lead to 9-8 with 44 seconds left but Lancers’ shot in the closing seconds hit off the crossbar.
Val Ayala’s strike off the bottom of the crossbar from seven meters with 1:39 left gave Foothill a 9-6 lead and proved to the game-winner.
“We played the way we were supposed to play (in the final three periods),” Orange Lutheran coach Steve Carrera said.
In the fifth-place match:
Santa Barbara 5, Newport Harbor 4: The Dons (10-1) scored a late winning-goal in their second consecutive game Wednesday to finish strong. Santa Barbara snapped a 4-4 tie with a strike with 1:06 left. They also scored with 28 seconds remaining to rally past Mater Dei, 13-12, in the fifth-place semifinals.
In the seventh-place match:
Mater Dei 10, Santa Margarita 5: Grace Thawley had four and two assists to the lead the Monarchs.
Final standings consolation: 9. Carlsbad; 10. Santiago/Corona; 11. Riverside Poly; 12. Edison; 13. Coronado; 14. Rosary; 15. Beckman; 16. Rancho Bernardo
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
