PREP FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS / DESERT-MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE : Artists Rally in 4th Period for Victory

Laguna Beach High School scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to overcome Elsinore, 28-21, Friday night at Laguna Beach in the first round of the Desert-Mountain Conference football playoffs.

The winning score came on a 24-yard interception return by senior linebacker Chris Parlove on a ball tipped by defensive tackle Mike Souadjian with 2 1/2 minutes left.

Laguna Beach advances to the second round against St. Joseph, a 42-26 winner over Santa Clara.

The first half, however, was all Elsinore.

The Tigers scored on the game’s first play when sophomore Gerry Ward picked up a fumble on the kickoff at the Artists’ 25-yard line and ran untouched into the end zone. Minutes later, Ward intercepted Danny Lane’s pass on the Tiger one. Twelve plays later, Erich Barry ran it in from the four to make it 14-0 Elsinore with 4:29 in the first quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, with Elsinore ahead 21-7, the Artists got a break. Senior cornerback Ted Savage picked up a fumble and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-14 with 8:50 left in the game.

After an exchange of punts, it was senior tight end Pete Schmitt’s turn. He caught a 15-yard Danny Lane pass with 2:41 left for a touchdown to set up Parlove’s big play.

“We stayed real confident and didn’t get nervous,” said Artists Coach Lyman Olney. “We knew they could run the ball, and they took it to us in the first half.”

Artists quarterback Danny Lane completed 14 of 21 passes for 163 yards and 2 interceptions.

Elsinore senior running back Larry Tiner left the game after sustaining a broken rib on the kickoff to start the second half.

“That really hurt us. He’s our ball-control back,” Elsinore Coach John Blakemore said. “But I’m real proud of the way our guys played.”