Laguna football finishes season strong

The final game of the Orange Coast League season mirrored the full 2015 season for the Laguna Beach High football team.

A slow start to the Nov. 6 encounter with Godinez was followed by a big finish for the Breakers who scored the final 17 points of the game but ended up losing to the Grizzlies, 34-17, in an Orange Coast League finale at Segerstrom High.

The loss completed 0-5 league and 2-8 overall campaigns for Laguna.

“It was a fitting end to the season,” first-year Laguna Coach Ted Clarke said. “The game really was a reflection of how our season went. Even though we started the season and first half of this game so badly, we finished strong on both counts.”

Laguna had little to cheer about in a first half that saw Godinez, which took second place in the OCL to make the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs, roll to a 27-0 halftime lead. The Grizzlies (6-4 overall, 4-1 league) scored on the fifth play from scrimmage in the second half before Laguna finished with a surge.

Godinez junior quarterback Bryan Ibarra scored on two rushing touchdowns to begin the scoring in the first quarter, Andy Sosa scored on two short runs, Izak Verduzco ran for another score, and the trio combined for 225 rushing yards.

“That was a tough game,” Clarke said. “Bryan Ibarra is a phenomenal athlete. They came out in the first half and took it to us. What I saw from our team for the first time this year, is that we checked out. At halftime, we calmly talked to the kids and let them know that this was not the team we had worked with for the previous nine weeks.

“[Godinez] popped one on us early in the second half but from that point on, we scored 17 unanswered points, and shut them out. It was really great to see our guys finish the game, and season, that way.”

Laguna’s first score came on a one-yard run by senior quarterback Jack Simon. The Breakers received two points on a safety when the Grizzlies were called for intentional grounding in the end zone. Both scores came in the third quarter.

The Breakers’ final score of the season was a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Curtis Harrison late in the fourth quarter.

Clarke said he pulled Laguna senior players late in the game.

“We wanted to recognize them so that their parents could applaud them,” he said. “You would have thought we won a championship. It was a really neat moment.”

In his final game at quarterback, Simon rushed for 74 yards (17 carries) and two touchdowns and threw for 104 yards. Junior Matt Hayes rushed four times for 91 yards and had six receptions total 85 yards.

For his Laguna career, Simon ranks third all-time in total offense yardage (4,071) and fifth in passing yards (3,215).

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Football Season Log (2-8)

0...Valley Christian...50

16...Bolsa Grande...12

0...Segerstrom...45

18...Westminster...28

21...Sage Hill...17

9...*Costa Mesa...14

28...*Saddleback...49

14...*Estancia...31

0...*Calvary Chapel...40

17...*Godinez...34

(*denotes Orange Coast League game)