High School Roundup: Laguna Beach comeback bid falls short at Crean Lutheran

After falling behind by three touchdowns, the Laguna Beach football team rallied but could not overcome the deficit against host Crean Lutheran, falling 35-27 on Friday night in a nonleague game on the road.

Crean Lutheran (4-0), which was playing in its homecoming game, jumped out to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Senior quarterback Gavin Rogers threw for 202 yards and five touchdowns without an interception for the Saints. Ty Benefield was the primary beneficiary, securing nine catches for 146 yards and four touchdowns.

Crean Lutheran’s Ty Benefield intercepts a pass intended for Laguna Beach’s Jackson Rodriguez during a game on Friday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Benefield also made two of Crean Lutheran’s four interceptions on defense, with the other two turnovers being picked off by Ben Byszewski and Andrew Duberow.

The comeback attempt for Laguna Beach (2-3) began with a pair of red-zone field goals by Jackson Rodriguez, making the score 21-6 going into halftime.

Laguna Beach’s Nick Rogers breaks a tackle by a Crean Lutheran defender during a game on Friday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Nick Rogers sparked the Breakers offensively, turning his 18 carries into 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Rodriguez added five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown, the lone scoring strike thrown by Ethan Das. Ryner Swanson added eight catches for 49 yards, and Myles Freeman made four receptions for 50 yards.

Laguna Beach’s Ryner Swanson breaks free from Crean Lutheran’s Ben Byszewski during a game on Friday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Estancia 49, Westminster La Quinta 14: Noah Aires had three rushing touchdowns, including a 97-yard sprint to the end zone, to lead the victorious Eagles on Friday in a nonleague game at Bolsa Grande High.

Aires added a fumble recovery that he returned for a score. August Stanton and Isaiah Brown also had rushing touchdowns for Estancia (2-2), which opens Orange Coast League play with a road game against Santa Ana on Sept. 23.

Riley Witte had one passing touchdown, on which he connected with Oswaldo Sanchez.

Huntington Beach 59, Marina 7: The Oilers soundly defeated the rival Vikings in the “Oil vs. Water” rivalry game on Friday at Boswell Field.

Huntington Beach (4-1) plays host to undefeated Edison on Sept. 30 in its Sunset League opener. The Chargers earned a victory at San Clemente in a battle of unbeatens to close out their nonleague slate.

Marina (0-4) travels to take on Long Beach St. Anthony on Sept. 23.

Walnut 30, Ocean View 0: The Mustangs shut out the visiting Seahawks on Friday in a nonleague game.

Ocean View remains on the road in its next game on Sept. 23, when the Seahawks take on Rancho Alamitos.

Los Amigos 28, Calabasas Viewpoint 14

Newport Harbor 27, Trabuco Hills 24

8-MAN FOOTBALL

Sage Hill 44, Sun Valley North Valley Military Institute 0

This story will be updated.

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