Football (10-2)
Laguna overcame a number of missed opportunities in the first half of the quarterfinal contest against Northwood (8-4) to take control of the game in the third quarter to roll over the host Timberwolves 34-13 in a contest played last Friday night at the Irvine High School Stadium. The victory sent the Breakers to the CIF semifinals for only the tenth time in 84 seasons of play. In recent years Laguna has made it this far three times losing to Corona del Mar in 2011, Garden Grove in 2012, and Santa Ana in 2016. The game will be Friday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. at Artesia High School (9-3) off the 605 Freeway at Del Amo. The two schools have a common opponent in Western with Artesia losing 72-31 on Oct. 5 and the Breakers falling the next weekend 47-35 in a lightning delayed contest.
First Quarter:
Breakers kicked off to the Timberwolves and forced them to punt after just three plays. Laguna had an 11-play drive to the Northwood two yard line but Andrew Johnson was sacked on the fourth down play. Northwood completed a long pass play on their first snap but fumbled the ball on their own 48 yard line. Sean Nolan picked up the loose ball returning it to the Northwood 26 yard line. Five plays later it was 7-0. Northwood’s next possession ended in a Shane Lythgoe interception. Breakers could not take advantage of this and were forced to punt.
Second Quarter:
Northwood drove to the Laguna 18 yard line but turned the ball over on downs. Two great sacks by a group of Laguna defenders that included Calob Molstajo, Curran Hendricksen and Clay Gershenson were responsible. Breakers had their try stopped on a mid-field interception with no-return. This sparked the Timberwolves to drive the 50 yards mostly on a tipped ball pass play and score midway through the quarter. Breakers took the kickoff and had a 10-play drive to the Northwood nine yard line but lost the ball on an end-zone interception for a touchback. Northwood tossed a pick of their own as Kai Ball nabbed the ball on the Laguna 31 returning it to the 36. A perfect Andrew Johnson to Sean Nolan pass play went 63-yards for the score. The Noah Handel PAT looked good but was declared wide by the officials.
Third Quarter:
After an exchange of punts, Laguna scored twice on a 63 and 79 yard drives that consumed most of the time. Northwood was held to 26 yards on 12 plays.
Fourth Quarter:
Sean Nolan intercepted Northwood’s second play of the quarter setting up the Breakers final touchdown. After that score, Laguna freely substituted as did Northwood after their touchdown. Sam Tyrrell had some nice runs with the game ending on the Northwood 4 as the Breakers took a knee. Timberwolves still lead the all-time series 8-3.
2018 Laguna Football Game #12 Statistics
|
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
||
|
Laguna Beach |
7 |
6 |
14 |
7 |
34 |
|
Northwood |
0 |
7 |
0 |
6 |
13 |
LB – Nolan 8 pass from Johnson (Handel kick), 4:20 1stQ
N – Kim 1 run (Littlejohn kick), 6:15 2ndQ
LB – Nolan 63 pass from Johnson (kick failed), 1:26 2ndQ
LB – Nolan 35 pass from Johnson (Handel kick), 5:03 3rdQ
LB – Lythgoe 2 run (Handel kick), 1:36 3rdQ
LB – Ball 34 pass from Johnson (Handel kick), 8:07 4thQ
N – Arena 11 pass from Buck (kick failed), 6:27 4thQ
|
LB |
NW |
|
|
1st Downs |
16 |
14 |
|
Rush/Yds |
26-18 |
24-10 |
|
Pass Yds |
315 |
276 |
|
C-A-I |
17-37-2 |
15-34-2 |
|
Plays/TYG |
63-333 |
58-286 |
|
Fumbles/Lost |
0-0 |
1-1 |
|
Return Yds |
35 |
22 |
|
Punts/Ave |
4-41.5 |
3-25.3 |
|
Penalties/Yds |
6-50 |
8-68 |
Rushing: Lythgoe 11-37, Tyrell 7-22, Harper 2-1, Johnson 5-(40), team 1-(2)
Receiving: Nolan 5-152, Ball 4-75, Lythgoe 3-25, Villalobos 1-34, Crawford 4-29
Passing: Johnson 37-17-2 315 yds 4 TDs 142.3 rating
Interceptions: Lythgoe, Nolan, Ball 1-6, Pigott 1-7
Fumble Returns: Nolan 1-22
Punt Returns: Nolan 1- 3
Kick Off Returns: Ball 1-8, Nolan 1-(2)
Punts:Nolan 3-137, Ball 1-29, = 4-170 41.5 ave
Kick Offs:Handel 6, touchback 3
Pass defense rating[NCAA formula]: 116.1, YTD 122.30
2018 Milestones:
Andrew Johnson new school records:
Season: Old Records:
Passing attempts 400 269 Danny Lane 12 g 1987
Passing Completions 227 179 Danny Lane 12 g 1987
Passing yards 3,077 2,303 Danny Lane 12g 1987
Total Offense: 2,854 2,398 Curtis Harrison 13g 2016
Touchdown passes 41 26 Austin Paxson 11g 2009
Touchdowns Responsible for: 43 32 Curtis Harrison 13g 2016
Single Game Records:
Longest pass play – 98 yards Andrew Johnson to Kai Ball, vs Dana Hills, 9/1/2018. Old record 96 yards Talan Torriero to Tommy Cogburn vs Ocean View 9/17/2004.
Touchdown passes – 6 @ Godinez 10/25/18. Old record 5 last by Curtis Harrison 2017.
Completions game – 29 vs Estancia 9/21/18. Old record – 26 James Kimball v L Hills, 1995.
Sean Nolan new school records:
Season: Old Records:
Passes caught: 70 61 by Jake Wheeler 10g 2003 & Chris Paul 11g 2009
Pass receiving yards: 1,184 1,144 by Eric Fegraus 10g 1990
Career:
Passes caught: 155 151 by Chris Paul 2008-11
Currently on track to set season and career punting records (currently – 41.9 & 39.8)
Kai Ballis 11th in career receiving (catches and yards)
Noah Handelis #3 in career FG’s, #2 in career KO touchbacks, # 2 in career kick scoring and XP1
Career Scoring
Sean Nolan 266 points ranks 4th
Noah Handel 121 points ranks 17th
Shane Lythgoe 108 points ranks tied for 21st
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