Eagles make their move

COSTA MESA — The main gym at Estancia High was closed due to rain leakage, so the game took place in the small gym.

It didn’t matter Wednesday night. The Eagles’ defense was airtight.

Estancia played one of its best games of the season to top visiting Laguna Beach, 43-22, in the Orange Coast League game. And now, the Eagles are part of a three-way tie for first place.

They share it with Godinez, which edged Calvary Chapel, 48-46, on Wednesday, as well as the Breakers. All three teams are 2-1 in league. Calvary Chapel (2-2 in league) is just a half-game back.

“It’s a logjam up top,” Estancia Coach Agustin Heredia said.

More defensive efforts like that, though, and the Eagles should at least stay near the top.

“We did a good job,” Heredia said. “The first half was our best of the year, I thought. Well-balanced, and everyone did their part ... We played good defense tonight. [Laguna Beach] is a pretty good team and they run a good offense. We worked on what they do and the kids kind of bought into it. That’s all you can ask for; it was a good effort.

“Any time you hold anybody to 22 [points], it’s not bad.”

Senior Kohl Jones had a game-high 11 points for Estancia (12-9), which didn’t allow Laguna Beach to score a point until Breakers senior Adam Selevan converted a free throw with 3:34 left in the first quarter.

But the Eagles kept extending to the lead. A three-pointer by senior Wes Shaw (eight points) midway through the second quarter brought it to double-digits, at 20-10, and it stayed there nearly the whole rest of the way.

“What won the game was our defense,” said Jones, who helped hold Selevan, averaging over 17 points per game coming in, to just eight. “We knew Laguna’s a good team every year. They always play hard. We just wanted to come out and play tough with them.”

The Breakers (6-12) had not lost a league game since 2008; they went a perfect 8-0 in league last year. The only team to beat them in league in 2008? Estancia, 53-52.

Wednesday night’s game had considerably less drama. The closest the Breakers could get was nine points in the second half.

“It was important that we get a good start,” Heredia said. “It started with the defense and it carried into the offense.”

Junior Davon Joyner scored eight, senior Kevin Thomas had five and senior Zach Mikol had just three points, but several hustle plays in the first half to keep the Eagles going.

Estancia will face crosstown rival Costa Mesa (2-18, 0-3) on Friday, but the site is to be determined. The Eagles were scheduled to be at home but if the main gym roof keeps leaking, the game could be moved to the Mustangs’ gym.

“[We have to] just go out and compete, just like we did tonight,” Jones said. “No matter what, Mesa’s a good game and they always play hard against us. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Orange Coast League

Estancia 43, Laguna Beach 22

SCORE BY QUARTERS

LB – Selevan 8, T. Masukawa 5, Dalke 5, A. Masukawa 2, Reigel 2.

3-pt. goals – T. Masukawa 1, Selevan 1.

Fouled out – T. Masukawa.

Est – Jones 11, Shaw 8, Joyner 8, Thomas 5, Holmes 4, Mikol 3, Antonio 2, Umansky 2.

3-pt. goals – Shaw 1, Thomas 1.

Fouled out – None.