PREP EXTRA: SATURDAY FOOTBALL PULLOUT : University Gets Lots of Room to Run, Upends Artists

University’s offensive line pushed around Laguna Beach’s defense Friday night, opening holes for the Trojans’ squad of running backs and spoiling the Artists’ homecoming with a 21-14 victory Friday night in Pacific Coast League play.

Senior running back Tucker Highfield led the ground game for University (4-3, 2-0), which piled up 340 yards rushing. At 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds, Highfield left Artist defenders flat-footed as he carried the ball 16 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

The Trojans made it look easy in the first half, scoring on the first possession of the game. On a drive that took 52 seconds and two plays, senior running back Stuart Meurer ran 19 yards on first down and was followed by Alan Price, who ran the option into the end zone from 24-yards and a 7-0 lead with 9 minutes 49 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Laguna Beach (1-6, 0-2) came back on its next possession, moving the ball 80 yards on six plays, capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Nate Pivaroff to junior Aaron Chesley, tying the game at 7-7 with 7:50 to go in the first quarter.

The remainder of the half was all University, which controlled the ball for over 15 of the remaining 20 minutes. The Trojans used a combination of seven runners to gain 230 yards in the first half.

On their second possession of the game, the Trojans covered 55 yards on seven plays, scoring on Highfield’s two-yard run with 3:47 left in the first quarter.

On their next possession, the Trojans scored on their final drive of the half, taking the ball 78 yards and taking a 21-7 lead on Highfield’s one-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds left.