La Jolla High repeats Division II beach volleyball title

The second one ended the same way the first one did.

On May 7, 2022, in the inaugural CIF San Diego Section championship matches in girls beach volleyball, La Jolla High captured the Division II title at San Diego Mesa College.

This time, on May 6, the second-seeded Vikings rallied from the brink of defeat to claim back-to-back division titles with a 3-2 victory over top-seeded La Costa Canyon at Mesa College.

“I was never relaxed,” La Jolla coach Kelly Drobeck said. “I tried to focus on the No. 5 pairs to get them to a third set. They were pretty stressed out.

“This feels great for these girls to cap off the season with back-to-back titles.”

La Jolla (17-2), which beat Classical Academy 4-1 for last year’s title, fell behind 2-1 and the Vikings trailed in both the No. 1 and No. 5 pairs in third sets against La Costa Canyon (12-3).

But sophomore Lindsay Laumann and freshman Paisley Mahn rallied to win their third set 15-10 to go with 21-15 and 9-21 scores at No. 1.

Junior Natalie Fu and junior Anais Reneaum Lavoie, at No. 5, took control and ran off a 15-3 victory to clinch the team title after rebounding from a 21-14 loss in the first set to take a 22-20 win in the second set.

“I was in panic mode there for a few minutes,” senior Grayson Lejuwaan said after she and partner Mia Jessen won 21-11, 21-14 at No. 4. “We need No. 1 and No. 5 to go to a third set and they did. I was just kind of hoping for the best. Thankfully, it turned out right.

“This is the way senior year is supposed to end.”

Swimming

La Jolla High School’s Arielle Brotman won two individual titles in the CIF San Diego Section Division II girls swimming championships May 6.

(File)

In the CIF San Diego Section Division II girls swimming championships, La Jolla junior Arielle Brotman extended her streak of twin individual titles to three years as she moved from the 200-yard individual medley to claim the 100 fly title (53.92) and took her third straight crown in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.53) on May 6 at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon.

She also was part of La Jolla’s winning 200 freestyle relay team (1:41.47).

In the boys competition, La Jolla finished second to Cathedral Catholic in team results, 278-251.5. ◆