Breakers moved into the favorite role to capture their first league title since 2009 with a total team victory 48-14 over Estancia’s Eagles on their home field last Friday night in Costa Mesa. Laguna snapped Estancia’s 12-game win streak in league play and played their best defensive game since the school’s athletic director, Mike Churchill, began coaching.
Breakers were helped by Estancia’s loss of composure that resulted in penalties, which enhanced a number of Breaker drives. The key, however, was stopping the Estancia running game that prevented any significant big plays.
The contest opened with the two teams going nowhere on their first possessions but the Breakers broke the ice on their second try when Robert Clemons returned an Eagle punt 50 yards to the Estancia 38. A 15-yard penalty resulted in a short 23-yard drive for the Breakers first score, ending on a sharp Larry Stewart pass to Nathan Lancaster.
After another stalled Estancia drive, Drake Martinez wasted no time with a 66-yard run that along with Robbie McInerny’s kick, which gave Laguna a 14-0 first quarter lead. That gallop gave the senior running back the school career rushing record formerly held by Donelle Darling (2000-02) and he has now set or tied 14 game, season or career offensive marks. The run was also his 14thtouchdown for 50 or more yards.
Estancia came back and put together their best possession of the evening with a 20-play, time consuming 80-yard drive culminating in a touchdown with just 4:51 left in the second quarter. Breakers quickly responded after a botched on-side kick attempt, scoring on a 52-yard four play drive that ended with Martinez running seven yards for the score.
After a quick three plays that failed to earn a first down, Clemons returned another Estancia punt 28 yards plus a 15-yard penalty add-on to set up the Breakers final TD of the half. Four plays later, Lancaster’s nine-yard run completed the 19-yard drive for a 28-7 advantage at the intermission.
Laguna scored on their first try of the second period with a Stewart to Clemons pass play the key part of the drive. The hosts second touchdown came off a Breaker turnover and only happened on a fourth-down play.
Laguna scored on their two fourth-quarter possessions. Estancia only try went 17 plays but ended with Andres DelaRosa’s dramatic 78-yard interception return.
UP THIS WEEK:
57th annual homecoming game at Guyer Field. Breakers face Calvary Chapel (3-4, 0-2) who hold the series edge over Laguna 10-6-2. Breakers are 19-36-1 in Homecoming games winning only once (2006) in the past thirteen seasons.
2012 SSCIF Southern Division Poll (D-IX) 10/15: 1 – Segerstrom, 2 – Laguna Beach, 3 – Corona del Mar, 4 – Garden Grove, 5 – Irvine, 6 – Katella, Woodbridge, 8 – University, 9 – Santa Ana Valley, 10 – Estancia, others: Beckman
Photos by Robert Campbell
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
|
Laguna Beach |
14 |
14 |
7 |
13 |
48 |
|
Estancia |
0 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
L – Lancaster 10 pass from Stewart (McInerny kick) 4:21 1st Q
L – Martinez 66 run (McInerny kick) 1:46 1st Q
E – 4 run (kick) 4:51 2nd Q
L – Martinez 7 run (McInerny kick) 3:28 2nd Q
L – Lancaster 9 run (McInerny kick) 0:19 2nd Q
L – Lancaster 12 run (McInerny kick) 8:00 3rd Q
E – 6 run (kick) 1:24 3rd Q
L – Martinez 15 pass from Stewart (Mcinerny kick) 10:06 4th Q
L – Lancaster 19 run (Hexberg kick wide) 0:11 4th Q
|
LB |
Estancia |
|
|
1st Downs |
14 |
20 |
|
Rush/Yds |
28-259 |
68-279 |
|
Pass Yds |
63 |
18 |
|
C-A-I |
3-6-1 |
3-9-2 |
|
Plays/TYG |
34-322 |
68-279 |
|
Fumbles/Lost |
3-0 |
0-0 |
|
Return Yds |
156 |
26 |
|
Punts/Ave |
1-21.0 |
4-35.0 |
|
Penalties/Yds |
2-15 |
8-60 |
Individual:
Rush: Martinez 12-130, Lancaster 9-93, Clemons 5-33, Stewart 3-3
Receiving: Lancaster 1-10, Clemons 1-38, Martinez 1-15
Passing: Stewart 6-3-1 63 yds 2 TDS, 214.9 rating
KO Returns: Martinez 1-19
Punt Return: Clemons 2-78
IR: DelaRosa 1-78, McInerny 1-0
Kickoffs Mcinerny 7 KO, 6 Touchbacks, Hexberg 1-0
Season YTD Statistics posted on Maxpreps.com
Milestones:
DelaRosa Interception return, 6th longest in LB history, longest without scoring.
Team scoring with 359 season points to-date, 2nd most for a full season in school history.
Drake Martinez broke career rush record on 66 TD run (2,637 yards broke 2,606 set by Donelle Darling in 2000-02)
Drake Martinez broke career rushing TD mark – has 40, record was 39 by Darling
Larry Stewart is now tied with Pat Wood for third in career touchdown passes at 28.
Drake Martinez Career totals thru game 7:
Rush: 269 rush, 2,689 yards, 40 TDs, 10.0 yards per carry
Receiving: 16 catches, 313 yards, 4 TDs
Punt Return 4 for 116 yards, 2 TDs
Kick-off returns 5 for 150 yards, 1 TD
Interception Returns: 8 for 171 yards, 3 TDS
Robert Clemons III Career totals thru game 7:
Rush: 103 rushes, 1,117 yards, 12 TDS, 10.8 yards per carry
Receiving: 62 catches, 1,201 yards, 19.4 yards per catch, 9 TDs
Punt Return 23 for 443 yards, 19.3 yards per return, 4 TDs
Kick-off returns 25 for 735 yards, 29.4 yards per return, 4 TDs
Interception Returns: 6 for 138 yards, 1 TD
