Local team seeking community’s help

The Laguna Beach 14-and-under girls’ water polo team will be raffling off more than two weeks’ worth of free local dinners in an effort to help fund a trip to the Speedo Cup national championships in November.

The “Feasting in Laguna” fundraiser features $50 gift certificates to dine at 16 of the city’s top restaurants, including San Shi Go, El Ranchito, Laguna Thai By The Sea, Tabu Grill, Nick’s Laguna Beach, Lumberyard and Dizz’s As Is.

Tickets are $5 and/or five for $20. The winner need not be present for the drawing, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Laguna Beach High pool.

The Speedo Cup, a tournament limited to 12 girls’ and 12 boys’ teams from throughout the country invited to participate, is an elite event held each fall in the Midwest region.

This year’s national championships will be held Nov. 7 to 9 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Laguna’s 14-and-under girls’ team has been among the nation’s top-ranked teams in its age division. The team, led by coaches Chad Beeler, Kayne Schroeder and Ethan Damato, placed second in a regional qualifying tournament at Newport Harbor High to earn a berth at the Speedo Cup.

Laguna took second place last year and first place in 2006 at the tournament.

The Laguna squad making plans to play in Michigan is: Mackenzie Baldridge, Lexi del Toro, Chole Glore, Brigette Kimbrough, Jenna Knott, Kate Magnuson, Alia Manetta, Sandonica Mwangi, Caroline Renezeder and Sydney Saxe. Teams from Newport Beach, Santa Barbara and Commerce are other local club teams expected at the tournament.

Raffle tickets are available through any team member or at the community pool between &:30 and 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For more information, call Scott Baldridge at (714) 345-9909.

“” Mike Sciacca