SPORTS ROUNDUP: Local fares well at H.B. Open

Laguna Beach native Rachel Wacholder and partner Tyra Turnerfinished second in the Huntington Beach Open on Saturday, coming up short against champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, 21-17, 22-20.

Wacholder and Turner, who completed the last of 12 tournament games in which they scored 324 points, took home $15,000.

In those 12 games, Wacholder had 100 kills, 185 attacks, 65 digs, two blocks and served two aces.

The duo qualified for the semifinals of the Cuervo Gold Crown series Sunday, where they lost a 25-23, 25-23 match to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who took home the first-place purse and $25,000 cash prize.

May-Treanor and Walsh took second place, after the team pulled out of the tournament so Walsh could rest her shoulder.

Wacholder recorded 17 kills and 15 digs.

Another Lagunan and AVP player Dain Blanton placed 17th overall alongside partner Eric Fonoimoana. The pair scored 72 points and won $800.

Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal took first place and $25,000 on the men’s side.

Blanton had 108 attacks, 59 kills, 17 digs, four blocks and served four aces in seven games Friday and Saturday.

The Huntington Open was the third leg of the three-part Cuervo Gold Crown Series event on the AVP Crocs Tour.

 

Baseball

Laguna Beach finished the season 14-15, 7-5 in Orange Coast League play, and without a spot in the 2008 playoffs.

“We did a good job,� Laguna Coach Jeff Sears said. “We’ve learned from the past, and that’s what’s important.�

They wrapped up with two back-to-back league victories over Estancia this week, putting them at 4-0 against the Eagles.

The Breakers beat host Estancia 3-1 on Monday, and came back to sweep them 8-0 Wednesday night at Skipper Carrillo Field.

They previously routed the Eagles 12-3 (April 1) and 12-1 (April 18).

Laguna scored in the first inning when Dalton Sype hit a double that drove in Dillon Pierce, who hit a double to reach.

The Eagles defense challenged them in the second and third innings, putting out Casey Miller, Julian Deline and Jake Sganga while trying to steal bases.

Laguna edged the Eagles with a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning, when they pulled away with three additional runs.

With four more hits, and three errors made by Estancia’s defense, the Breakers were able to drive in three more runs.

They could have had three more in the sixth inning, but the Eagles defense made a nice double play with a ball hit by Deline, putting the Breakers at three outs with three men left on base.

Sears said the team did a good job of executing at the plate this game — something they’ve been working on all season.

“We were very patient at the plate and took what they gave us,� he said. “The [players] were a little more loose than usual and had fun with it.�

Defensively, Zach Nuno pitched seven solid innings. He struck out four, and gave up five hits, but demonstrated control.

“He was pitching with purpose, and I think he threw very well,� Sears said.

 

Boys’ Tennis

Laguna freshman Benito Romeo and doubles partner Ben Biscarrat defeated Matthew Goodman and Ren Nielson 6-1, 6-4 at the Ojai Tennis Tournament before losing 0-6,0-6 to Torsten Keil-Long and Clarke Spinosa who qualified for the quarterfinals.

Romeo paired up with Laguna girls’ coach, Jimmy Gleason at the Laguna City Tennis Tournament where they defeated Mark Robinson and Kerry Johnson 6-3, 6-3, before taking first place in the finals with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Greg Washer and Nate Heussenstamm, who finished second.

 

Swimming

The following boys and girls from the Laguna Beach swim team have met CIF qualification times and will compete in Finals on Saturday:

Chelsea Wild: 200 and 500 freestyle; Andrea Reigel: 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley; Annika Dries: 50 freestyle; Nathan McConnel: 100 freestyle; Preston Head: 200 and 400 freestyle. The 200 and 400 girls freestyle relay teams also qualified.

ASHLEY BREEDING covers sports and features. She can be reached at (949) 494-5462 or at [email protected].