Breakers Fall to Tartans 35-12

Laguna Beach came out flat and failed to take advantage of two key opportunities in a disappointing loss to the top Division XI squad in a non-league contest played Friday, Sept. 27 at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano.

Breakers took the opening kick and drove 37 yards in eight plays, but two critical penalties were too much to overcome stalling the drive in mid-field. The Tartans came back and scored on an easy nine-play, 70-yard drive to go up 7-0. Laguna faltered quickly after the kickoff, going only three-plays before punting to give the Tartans field position on their second attempt. With just 63 yards in nine plays, the Breakers were now down 14-0 in the second period. Laguna went 30 yards on their third try but again stalled mid-field, forcing another punt to the hosts. The Tartans controlled the clock for the remaining time, going 78 yards in 14 plays for their third touchdown. The scoreless Laguna first half snapped a streak of 50 games in a row Laguna had scored before intermission.

The third quarter was controlled by the Breakers from the beginning, with a stop of the Tartans in seven yards in the

opening possession of the period forcing their first punt of the game.  Laguna then moved the ball down field on two big Jack Simon pass plays going 18 yards to Keaton Martinez and 10 to Andres DeLaRosa. On a third and one play, Nathan Lancaster rambled 47 yards for the first Laguna score. Momentum was with the Breakers when the Tartans threw a pick on their fourth play of the ensuing possession as DeLaRosa rambled 31 yards with their ball giving Laguna a spot on the Tartan 30.  Credit the hosts for stuffing this Laguna threat as they held on four downs as the visitors could only net two yards on the drive.  Still the Breakers came back with another interception five plays later with Keaton Martinez snagging a pass and running 59 yards to the Tartan 16. Jack Simon’s pass to Sean Hampton put the Breakers on the nine-yard line, but the Tartans sacked Laguna on fourth down to end the threat.

Laguna’s final score came very late in the game and was all Lancaster as he took a short pass on the Laguna 45-yard line and shook off repeated tackle attempts to run the remaining 55 yards for the touchdown.

Up next for the Breakers is their final non-league contest with a very dangerous Northwood squad. Timberwolves may be a deceptive 0-4, playing a tough schedule. The game will be similar to last year’s playoff contest won by the Laguna 28-21. No. 15 Brian Abel, a junior quarterback that has thrown for 591 yards and run for 260 yards, will lead the visitors

SM – 6 pass (kick) 4:24 1^st Q

SM – 1 run (kick) 11:30 2^nd Q

SM – 4 run (kick) 0:45 2^nd Q

L – Lancaster 47 run (kick failed) 8:23 3^rd Q

SM – 7 run (kick) 10:41 4^th Q

L – Lancaster 68 pass from Simon (run failed) 3:45 4^th Q

SM – 1 run (kick) 1:44 4^th Q

Rush:

Lancaster 18-91, DeLaRosa 9-25, Martinez 2-5, Simon 3-(11) team 1-0

Rec:

Hampton 4-25, Martinez 3-67, Lancaster 2-72, DeLaRosa 2-18

Pass:

Simon 11-23-0. 182 yds 1 TD  128.6 rating

IR:              DeLaRosa 1-31, Martinez 1-59

PR:            none

KR:            Smith 1-15

Punts:      Simon 3 – 103  (34.3)

Pass Defense Rating:               114.50

Milestones – Nathan Lancaster

Career rush is now 2,084 , 5^th best in school history

(Corrected total – rushed for 126 yards on 15 carries last week)

4^th in career scoring with 221 points (3^rd has 238)

Tied for 6^th with career return touchdowns with 3

5^th in career touchdowns at 35 (4^th has 36)

3^rd in career rushing touchdowns at 27 (2^nd has 39)

Milestones – Jack Simon

3^rd best passing yards – game by a sophomore

Milestones – Keaton Martinez

59 yard interception return 18^th longest in Laguna history.