Breakers, Spartans clash today

2nd-ranked Laguna girls’ water polo team will again take on No. 3 Villa Park.A week of formidable competition continues today for the Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team, which travels to play the Villa Park Spartans. Match time is 4 p.m.

It’s the second meeting of the season between the teams. On Dec. 10, the Breakers edged the Spartans, 9-8, in the championship final of the 32-team Villa Park Classic.

The two teams also are neck-and-neck in the latest CIF-Southern Section Division II rankings: Laguna is ranked second and Villa Park third.

Laguna entered the week having played up north at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions. The Breakers finished in 11th place in the 16-team event.

“Overall, we played well,” Laguna coach Rick McKee said. “Our youth was evident in this tournament, and with youth comes some inconsistency.”

The Breakers opened the tournament Friday against Montebello, which is ranked fourth in Division I. The Breakers dropped a tough match to the Oilers, 10-6.

They rebounded from that setback by coming back later in the day to rout Ayala, 17-5. The Bulldogs are ranked second in Division III.

Laguna also split its two matches Saturday.

First up was a matchup against tournament host Santa Barbara, the No. 3 team in Division IV. The Dons pulled out a 6-5 victory.

“We seem to have problems playing on Saturday mornings,” said McKee, whose team bounced back later in the day to trounce Long Beach Wilson, 11-3.

The Bruins are ranked seventh in Division I.

Following today’s match with Villa Park, Laguna, which entered play this week with a 14-4 record, will host fifth-ranked Los Alamitos (Div. I) on Tuesday.

Division Poll

The CIF-Southern Section Division II girls’ water polo rankings remain unchanged.

The Pacific Coast League leads the way with four of its members ranked in the top 10, headed, again, by top-ranked and defending division champion Corona del Mar.

Right behind the Sea Kings is Laguna Beach. Northwood comes in at No. 8 and University is ranked ninth.

Laguna plays at third-ranked Villa Park today.

The Breakers’ water polo squad was the lone Laguna Beach team to land a spot in the top 10 in the winter sports rankings.

The rankings were released Tuesday by the Southern Section office in Los Alamitos.

Top 10: 1. Corona del Mar; 2. Laguna Beach; 3. Villa Park; 4. Mira Costa; 5. El Dorado; 6. Tustin; 7. Sonora; 8. Northwood; 9. University; 10. Brea Olinda.