Sports

Squad now 9-0-1, Laguna Unbeaten, League Champions

November 8, 2012

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1 football Doug_Landrum__Jake Hexberg_11-01-2012 — Jake Hexberg runs after catching a Larry Stewart pass to set up Laguna’s second touchdown.

This year’s Laguna Beach High School football team became only the fourth in 78 seasons to complete the regular season unbeaten with a 35-28 victory over Costa Mesa’s Estancia HS last Friday, Nov. 2.

The win earned Laguna their 13^thleague title and a No. 2 seed in the Southern Division playoffs that begin this Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in Laguna. Breakers will host Loara, a team they have not faced since 1963 when Laguna defeated the Saxons 6-0 at Glover Field. The 16-team playoff concludes in the section finals at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1 at Angel Stadium. Corona del Mar is the top seed. Breakers lost to CdM last year in the semifinals and have not beaten the Sea Kings in over 25 years. Laguna’s last trip to the finals was in 1952.

1.2 football Doug_Landrum__Drake Martinez_3_11-01-2012 — Hello! Drake Martinez leaps over Costa Mesa’s Kurt Williams to score Laguna’s third touchdown in the first half.

Last Friday, the Mustangs took the opening kick-off 80 yards in seven plays to put Laguna behind 7-0 early in the game. A fumble on the Breakers first possession may have alarmed some of the fans, but Laguna returned the favor quickly as Blake Hester and Drake Martinez forced a fumble recovered by Robbie McInerny on the Laguna 25-yard line. Led by tough running from Martinez, Nathan Lancaster and Robert Clemons plus some well -placed passes from Larry Stewart, Laguna scored on their next three possessions to take a 21-7 lead into the intermission.

In the second half, Laguna took the opening ball and seemed in trouble after a holding penalty on their third play put them on the 19-yard line with third down and long yardage. A pin-point 35-yard pass by Stewart to Clemons teamed up on the third longest pass play in school history going the full 81-yards for a score. Down 28-7, Mustangs would not fold as they kept pace with Laguna right to the end, scoring on consecutive possessions with eight then nine play drives. The Breakers lone touch in-between was turned over on an interception.

Doug_Landrum__Drake Martines_1_11-01-2012 — Drake Martinez scored Laguna’s first touchdown on a 9 yard run.

Laguna finally sealed the win when Martinez and Lancaster took the load on a seven play drive to take a 35-21 lead with barely a minute gone in the final period. Mesa’s next two possessions ended in turnovers as Robert Coury recovered a fumble and McInerny picked off a pass. After Mesa finally held on to the ball to score in the closing minutes, Adam Lythgoe recovered the on-side kick attempt to finally end the Mustang upset aspirations.

	*1st*	*2nd*	*3rd*	*4th*
Laguna Beach	7	14	7	7	35
Costa Mesa	7	0	14	7	28

C – 47 Run (Kick) 8:39 1^st Q

L – Martinez 9 run (McInerny kick) 3:50 1^st Q

L – Clemons 18 run (McInerny kick) 6:43 2^nd Q

L – Martinez 6 run (McInerny kick) 5:27 2^nd Q

L – Clemons 81 pass from Stewart (McInerny kick) 10:05 3^rd Q

C – 4 run (run failed) 7:00 3^rd Q

C – 14 run (run) 2:10 3^rd Q

L – Martinez 9 run (McInerny kick) 10:57 4^th Q

C – 10 run (kick) 1:41 4^thQ

Doug_Landrum__Drake Martines_2_11-01-2012 — Drake Martinez ran for 148 yards on 26 carries.

	LB	CM
1st Downs	17	19
Rush/Yds	41-252	58-340
Pass Yds	126	0
C-A-I	4-8-1	0-2-2
Plays/TYG	49-378	60-340
Fumbles/Lost	2-2	3-2
Return Yds	36	15
Punts/Ave	2-34.5	2-20.5
Penalties/Yds	7-55	12-90