High School Football Preview: Laguna Beach has eyes on league’s top prize

Laguna Beach quarterback Curtis Harrison accounted for 32 touchdowns last year in leading the Breakers to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 13 playoffs.

By Devin Ugland

Aug. 18, 2017 11:50 AM PT

The voice of John Shanahan perks up with excitement and optimism when asked to discuss his Laguna Beach high school football team.

“The kids have worked their butts off over the last 18 months to become the best football program we could be,” the Breakers coach says.

Shanahan is heading into his second season at the helm of a program that had gone 2-8 in each of the two seasons prior.

A fresh start and new voice helped Laguna Beach to an 8-5 record last season, including a 4-1 mark and second-place finish in Orange Coast League play. The Breakers even extended their season into the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 13 playoffs.

Shanahan’s enthusiasm about the 2017 edition of his team is bred from what he’s seen out of his players during preseason camp.

“Last year we were practicing on a baseball field because we didn’t have a football field, so it was a disaster until week one,” he said. “This year has been consistent. The kids are working hard in the weight room and on the field and we’re way ahead of where we were last year at this point. Does that translate to wins? You never can tell, but the kids have done a great job preparing.”

Something that should translate into wins for the Breakers is the fact that it has its best offensive player, dual-threat quarterback Curtis Harrison, back for what should be a huge senior season.

Laguna's Sean Nolan is expected to be a major contributor on offense and defense in 2017.

The 6-foot-1, 180 pounder — whose legs are just as potent as his arm — threw for 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns, and rushed for 298 yards and 10 more scores.

“He’s our best running back and best passer, and that’s the main reason why we have him in shotgun the whole time,” Shanahan said. “He’s done a great job of slowing the game down and he’s continued to work really hard in the weight room to be able to stay healthy while taking that pounding of being our lead running back and quarterback.”

Another luxury afforded to Laguna Beach are the returns of Sean Nolan and Adam Armstrong, who serve as two of Harrison’s favorite targets through the air and patrol the Breakers defensive backfield.

The two-way duo combined for 54 receptions, 775 yards and eight touchdowns, as well as eight interceptions last season.

“There may be two or three guys we step on the field over the course of the year that are better than them, but not by much,” Shanahan said. “They work hard, they’re leaders, they grind every single day, and if they play well, we’ll have a chance to win a lot of games.”

The next step for Laguna Beach is to topple Godinez in hopes of sitting atop the Orange Coast League standings, a challenge Shanahan knows will be difficult.

“They’re going to be good and are still the favorite until someone can knock them off,” he said. “We’ve done everything we could possibly do in the offseason to give ourselves a chance against them.”