High School Football: Laguna Beach earns first league win

Coaches have a number of ways of communicating with their teams.

Few things get the attention of the players like a good, strong lecture.

After a sloppy second quarter, Laguna Beach’s football team faced the music in the halftime locker room, and it responded in a big way.

Bruce Knill opened the third quarter with a 76-yard kickoff return touchdown, and the Breakers rode a big second half to a 43-9 victory over host Costa Mesa in an Orange Coast League game on Friday night.

“We slumped pretty hard there in the second quarter,” Knill said. “I think Coach [John Shanahan] gave us a pretty big earful there at halftime. Someone needed to step up, make a big play, and I was there for it.”

Laguna Beach (3-4, 1-1) took a 19-3 lead at that point, and it continued to roll with big defensive plays.

Adam Armstrong and Knill each turned in interception returns for touchdowns. Mix in a rushing score by quarterback Curtis Harrison (111 rushing yards), and the Breakers found themselves in front of the Mustangs (0-7, 0-2) by 40 points in the early stages of the fourth quarter.

The Breakers had taken a 13-0 lead after the first quarter by seizing a pair of short-field opportunities.

A short punt handed Laguna Beach the ball on the Mustangs 20. That drive was polished off when Harrison ran a beautiful read-option to get his team on the board.

Defensive end Zach Fields recovered a fumble on Costa Mesa’s next possession, setting up the Breakers at the 19. Harrison then fired a touchdown to Ryan Blaser on the first play of the drive.

Things unraveled for Laguna Beach’s offense shortly thereafter, the precursor for which was an excessive celebration penalty against Blaser.

“I think ‘lit us up’ is the right term to use because [the coaches] weren’t very happy,” Blaser said. “They were screaming pretty hard. We really responded. This is our first time getting yelled at at halftime.”

“We lost focus, and I take fault in that. I got a penalty, and it hurt us.”

Costa Mesa held an opening ceremony before its Homecoming game to celebrate its new football stadium.

Shanahan was aware of the momentum that could come from such an occasion, saying that it would be crucial for his team to play clean football in the early going.

That did not happen, as the Breakers committed four penalties for 55 yards in the first quarter (six for 80 by halftime). Laguna Beach was able to fight through the self-inflicted wounds, though.

Costa Mesa made five trips into Laguna Beach territory in the first half, thanks in part to interceptions by Roman Ayala and Justin Figueroa. The Mustangs finally broke through on the fifth attempt, as Walter Olmedo struck a 23-yard field goal with 34 seconds remaining in the half.

Laguna Beach led, 13-3, at the break.

Alex Solis had 79 rushing yards for Costa Mesa. Allen Mena scored the first touchdown of his career on a 7-yard run as time expired.

Mustangs quarterback Ben Swanson was encouraged by Solis’ success on the ground.

“He can run the ball for the rest of the games, and I’m confident that our running game is going to be a lot better with him running the ball there,” Swanson said of the sophomore. “He looks like he is going to be an asset for the future.”

Mustangs running back Cody Merrifield considers it a privilege to be the first Costa Mesa football team to play in the school’s new stadium.

“From playing on the old field and knowing how messed up it was, it feels good to be able to play on a field like this,” Merrifield said.

“It feels good to know that we worked hard, and we did what we had to do to get the field.”

Orange Coast League

Laguna Beach 43, Costa Mesa 9

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Laguna Beach 13-0-20-10--43

Costa Mesa 0-3-0-6--9

FIRST QUARTER

LB – Harrison 22 run (Nolan kick), 9:13.

LB – Blaser 19 pass from Harrison (Nolan run failed), 8:13.

SECOND QUARTER

CM – Olmedo 23 FG, 0:34.

THIRD QUARTER

LB – Knill 76 kickoff return (Nolan kick failed), 11:46.

LB – Harrison 51 run (Nolan kick), 8:27.

LB – Armstrong 22 INT return (Nolan kick), 8:16.

FOURTH QUARTER

LB – Nolan 28 FG, 11:56.

LB – Knill 28 INT return (Nolan kick), 10:22.

CM – Mena 7 run (no attempt), 0:00.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

LB – Harrison, 9-111, 2 TDs.

CM – Solis, 23-79.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

LB – Harrison, 3-14-2, 23, 1 TD.

CM – Swanson, 10-23-3, 72.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

LB – Blaser, 2-21, TD.

CM – Tsuge, 5-36.