FACTS AND FIGURES / PLAYOFF HISTORY

Aliso Niguel

Last appearance: 1997 (third year in a row).

Record: 6-2 in three appearances.

Highlights: Won Division VIII championship in 1996, school’s third varsity season, defeating Pacifica, 32-21.

Costa Mesa

Last appearance: 1997 (second year in a row).

Record: 7-9 in nine appearances.

Highlights: Advanced to 1993 Division VIII championship game before losing to Pacific Coast League rival Trabuco Hills, 44-6.

Estancia

Last appearance: 1995.

Record: 3-8 in eight appearances.

Highlights: Won first-round Central Conference playoff games in 1979 and ‘80, before being eliminated by Esperanza both years.

Laguna Beach

Last appearance: 1987.

Record: 9-9 in 10 appearances.

Highlights: School’s lone unbeaten and untied team defeated Barstow to win 1946 Minor League Central Division championship.

Laguna Hills

Last appearance: 1997 (ninth year in a row).

Record: 16-9 in 11 appearances.

Highlights: Rolled to Division VIII championship in 1997 with a 56-14 victory over La Mirada. Won an all-Pacific Coast League Division VII final in 1991 over Trabuco Hills.

University

Last appearance: 1995.

Record: 3-6 in six appearances.

Highlights: Shut out Garden Grove and Savanna in 1991 Division VI playoffs before falling, 14-6, to Tustin in the semifinals.

1997 IN REVIEW

Laguna Hills saved its best game for last in winning the Southern Section Division VIII championship. Michael Jones, who broke the county’s career rushing record during the season, capped his tenure at Laguna Hills by rushing for 369 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-14 victory over La Mirada.

Jones, who now attends Idaho State, finished with a three-year rushing total of 7,190 yards and 91 touchdowns, just under 100 yards short of breaking the all-time section rushing record set by Moreno Valley’s David Dotson.

Laguna Hills began the season with 17 starters back from a team that finished 9-2 in 1996. The Hawks’ first four games were routes of Sonora (42-6), Trabuco Hills (35-7), Burbank (49-8) and El Toro (42-6). Laguna Hills then suffered its only loss of the season, 34-21, to Dana Hills, a strong Division I team.

The Mustangs were one of the biggest surprises in the county last season. Costa Mesa went through nonleague play without giving up a touchdown and finished the regular season with its only loss coming against Laguna Hills. After opening the playoffs with a 24-6 victory over Buena Park, the Mustangs surged to a 20-12 second-half lead against Covina in the second round, but eventually lost, 23-20, on a field goal with 1:40 remaining.

Aliso Niguel, coming off its undefeated 1996 season, had only one returning starter on offense, but still managed to slip into the playoffs with a 3-2 record in league play.

Estancia benefited from a strong season from running back James Dawkins, who rushed for 1,287 yards and 16 touchdowns in 10 games.

University and Laguna Beach trudged through their seasons with only one victory between them, a 19-0 victory by University over the Artists.

League

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Standings W L T Laguna Hills 5 0 0 Costa Mesa 4 1 0 Aliso Niguel 3 2 0 Estancia 2 3 0 University 1 4 0 Laguna Beach 0 5 0

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Overall

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Standings W L T TP PA Laguna Hills 13 1 0 551 130 Costa Mesa 10 2 0 345 59 Aliso Niguel 4 7 0 174 217 Estancia 4 5 1 228 215 University 1 8 1 153 244 Laguna Beach 0 10 0 41 437

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Leaders / Statistics include regular-season games only

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PASSING Att Cp TD Yds DeFeo, University 163 81 6 1,055 Banning, Laguna Hills 74 42 12 1,054 Schissler, Lg Beach 153 73 4 902 Wolter, Estancia 102 45 5 667 Lievanos, Costa Mesa 97 45 6 610

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RUSHING Att Yds Avg. Jones, Laguna Hills 249 1,827 7.3 Herzog, Costa Mesa 191 1,288 6.7 Dawkins, Estancia 192 1,287 6.7 Eggins, Aliso Niguel 164 883 5.4 Hamade, Costa Mesa 139 876 6.3

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RECEIVING Att Yds Avg. Loidolt, Laguna Beach 40 309 7.7 Johnson, Laguna Beach 31 293 9.5 Albinio, University 28 471 16.8 Tanielu, Estancia 24 391 16.3 Isaac, University 22 270 12.3

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SCORING TD FG XP Pts Jones, Laguna Hills 29 0 0 174 Dawkins, Estancia 16 0 0 90 Herzog, Costa Mesa 15 0 0 90 Tanielu, Estancia 12 0 0 72 Makakaufaki, Laguna Hills 7 0 4 46

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