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Week 8 High School Football Preview: Laguna Beach vs. Western

Laguna Beach High running back Shane Lythgoe, center, carries the ball against Marina on Sept. 28. He scored the game-winning touchdown against Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep with under a minute remaining on Oct. 5.
(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)
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When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Western High

Key Breakers: Jr. QB Andrew Johnson (128 of 229 passing for 1,663 yards, 21 TDs and six INTs; two rushing TDs); Sr. RB/OLB Shane Lythgoe (115 carries for 518 yards and five TDs; 17 catches for 113 yards and three TDs; one INT, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt); Sr. WR/FS Sean Nolan (42 catches for 575 yards and 10 TDs; one punt return TD; two INTs, one fumble recovery)

Key Pioneers: Sr. QB Anthony Munoz (160 of 222 passing for 2,496 yards, 35 TDs and four INTs); Jr. WR/CB Caine Savage (59 catches for 981 yards and 14 TDs); Sr. RB/FS Rahsaan Hester (63 carries for 531 yards and eight TDs; 21 catches for 395 yards and seven TDs)

Breakdown: Two of the lower-division powers meet in the first week of Pac 4 League action. Laguna Beach (6-1), ranked third in the CIF Southern Section Division 12 poll, will travel to take on Western (6-1), which is the top-ranked team in Division 11 … The Breakers have won five in a row after winning a 49-46 shootout at home against Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep last week. That is exactly the kind of game that Laguna Beach will be looking to avoid against the Pioneers, as Western has scored 51.4 points per game this season. Breakers coach John Shanahan said his team “absolutely [needs] to control the football” against Western … Munoz has already thrown for 35 touchdowns this year, with 24 of those going to junior twin brothers Caine and Cassius Savage … The Pioneers are also riding a five-game winning streak.

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andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner

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