New faces on tennis court

Last year, the Laguna Beach High girls’ tennis team reached the pinnacle by winning a CIF-Southern Section championship.

The Breakers begin the new season without several key members from that title-winning team and have a new head coach in Aaron Talarico who coached the Laguna boys’ team last spring.

In addition to winning its first Division I championship, Claire Rietsch and Lyndsay Kinstler teamed to win a CIF doubles crown.

Rietsch, who won three league titles during her playing days at Laguna, has graduated but Kinstler is back for her senior year.

Other departures due to graduation include Kellie Ammerman, Katie Ochwat, Paige Polozais, Gabby Robinson, Kristen Drury, Melissa Johnson and Lorren Butterwick.

“As you can see, we pretty much lost our whole team,” said Talarico, whose Breakers began practice on Monday in preparation for the upcoming season.

In addition to Kinstler, who teamed with Alison Ramos of Carson in June to win the girls’ 18 doubles title at the 104th Southern California Junior Tennis Sectionals, the other starter to return is Lauren Thigpen.

Heather Tran and Ali Hunter are other returners back from last year who saw playing time, and newcomers to the squad include Madeline Jaeger, Allison Azera and McKenna Nokes.

“This is most definitely a rebuilding year,” Talarico said. “We lost all but two full-time starters. I see some promising stuff from the freshman coming in and the former top JV players, but to match last years performance, these girls are really going to have to step it up.”

The young Breakers will face a taxing nonleague schedule — which begins Sept. 8 at home against Sage Hill — that includes matches against Mater Dei, Troy, Corona del Mar and Peninsula, the team they beat last year in the Division I final.

Sage Hill is the reigning Division V champion and Troy won the Division II crown last year. Former Pacific Coast League rivals Corona del Mar and Northwood reached the Division I semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively, and Dana Hills reached the Division I quarterfinal round, as well.

Then comes Laguna’s first foray into the new Orange Coast League. The Breakers’ first league match is at home on Oct. 5 against Calvary Chapel. Estancia and Costa Mesa round out the league, and each league member will play the others three times, before league finals begin on Nov. 2 at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

“League is a quite a bit weaker than last year, but our nonleague schedule is very tough,” Talarico said.