Breakers denied title

It took a converted penalty kick in the final 10 minutes of Wednesday’s Orange Coast League showdown between Laguna Beach and Estancia to determine the 2008 league champion.

And that kick belonged to the Eagles.

Senior Danny Martinez scored on the penalty kick to give Estancia a 2-1 victory that denied Laguna its first Orange Coast League title.

Instead, the Eagles have won each of the two titles since the league was formed at the start of the 2006-07 school year.

Estancia finished league play 7-2. Both of its losses came at the hands of Laguna.

The loss dropped Laguna to 5-3-1 in league into a second-place tie in the standings with Calvary Chapel.

Calvary will go into the postseason as the league’s second-place team.

The Eagles went 2-0-1 against the Breakers in league play although Laguna has a better goal differential and achieved a higher CIF-Southern Section Division III ranking (No. 7) than Calvary during the regular season.

An invitation to next week’s CIF-SS Section playoffs, which begin Wednesday, is a “possibility” for the Breakers, Laguna Coach Patrick Coyne said.

The playoff pairings will be announced Monday (Feb. 11).

“Our boys left their hearts on the field,” Coyne said of the Breakers’ effort Wednesday.

“It was a tough loss. We had a goal disallowed and another nice shot hit the post. We fought hard and I’m proud of them.”

Laguna overcame a free kick goal by Estancia leader Eric Duarte in the 29th minute to tie the score. Caine Fair scored six minutes after Duarte’s goal to put the teams even at 1-1 at the half.

Alex Germano had five saves for Laguna.

On Monday (Feb. 4), Laguna cruised past an out-manned Costa Mesa squad playing short-handed, 12-0. The Breakers were in control by the half, leading 7-0.

Bryce Healy led Laguna with three goals and Max Radich scored twice.

Edgar Rabadan, Jack Monroe, Daniel Selevan, Matt Miller, Michael Tachovsky, Tim Fulton and Alex Garakian also got into the scoring act with one goal apiece.

Fulton, Hopper, Healy, Tachovsky, Monroe and Rabadan each had an assist.

Previously, Laguna suffered a 3-1 setback to host Calvary Chapel on Feb. 1. Ian Greene scored the only goal for the Breakers.

In a league match played on Jan. 30, Laguna defeated Estancia, 2-1.

Sheldon Eaton and Bryce Healy scored and Rabadan and Fair each had an assist.

Germano had three saves.