Football (1-3)
The Southern Division’s # ranked Westminster Lions were expected to blast the Breakers last Friday night at Guyer Field but Jack Simon and Company had a different idea that kept the game in doubt to the final minutes. Last year it was 51-14 at halftime but in a turn around, Laguna only trailed by two points last Friday at the intermission.
The game opened with Westminster moving the ball 27 yards in four plays before Adam Armstrong intercepted the ball for a turnover. Breakers went three and out followed by the Lions scoring on nine play 62 yard drive.
Breakers kept the ball for the remaining time in the quarter on a 14 play, 85 yard drive ending with George Cracknell’s three yard run for the score. Key plays were an 11-yard lateral run by Cracknell and a 21-yard Simon to Armstrong pass play.
Westminster scored on their next try going 62 yards in eight plays but the Breakers responded with 78-yard try that included another big pass play from Jack Simon to Ryan Blaser. Westminster had one more try before halftime but lost the ball on downs after nine plays.
Laguna saw their first drive of the second half end on a fumble allowing Westminster to march 44 yards for a score. The teams traded possessions and twice the Breakers avoided giving the Lions easy scores fumbling a punt return and having a punt blocked. In the first miscue, the Lions recovered the ball on the Laguna 35 yard line but turned the ball over on downs and visitors recovered a blocked punt on the Laguna 5 early in the fourth quarter but lost 16 yards in four plays.
Laguna recovered their offensive poise after holding the Lions and proceeded to march 82 yards in twelve plays led by three exciting Simon to Blaser pass plays including the score.
Breakers appeared back in the games with just minutes remaining but the squad was out-of-gas allowing the Lions to score easily in six plays into the final minute.
Laguna will close out their non-league schedule on September 25 at Sage Hill and will then be off until league play opens with Costa Mesa on October 9 at Guyer Field. The 36th meeting between the Mustangs and Laguna will be the usual contentious ball game with the visitors leading the series 24-11.
2015 Game # 4 – vs Westminster Statistics
Photo by: Dante Fornaro
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||
| Westminster | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Laguna Beach | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
W – 2 run (kick) 1st Q
L – Cracknell 3 run (pass failed) 1st Q
W – 16 pass (kick) 2nd Q
L – Simon 3 run (kick blocked) 2nd Q
W – 8 run (kick) 3rd Q
L – Blaser 11 pass from Simon (pass failed) 4th Q
W – 39 run (kick) 4th Q
| LB | S | |
| 1st Downs | 17 | 21 |
| Rush/Yds | 29-116 | 40-221 |
| Pass Yds | 202 | 84 |
| C-A-I | 14-30-0 | 7-16-1 |
| Plays/TYG | 59-318 | 56-305 |
| Fumbles/Lost | 2-2 | 1-0 |
| Return Yds | 0 | 27 |
| Punts/Ave | 3-28.7 | 1-48.0 |
| Penalties/Yds | 7-45 | 5-40 |
Rushing –Simon 18-91, Cracknell 9-29, Harrison 1-0, Team 1-(4)
Passing – Simon 29-13-0 187 yds 1 TD 110.4 rate, Harrison 1-1-15 yds
Receiving – Blaser 5-93, Cracknell 3-38, Harrison 3-21, Armstrong 2-36, Lusk 1-14
Kickoff Returns – Harrison 2-18, Hayes 1-10, Simon 1-10
Punting – Simon 2-86 43.0 ave, Team 1-0 0.0 ave
Milestones:
Simon moved to # 8 in career passing yards passing Lance Stewart (1978-80, 2,439 yds) with 2,548 career yards.
