Mustangs seeking B(re)akers dozen

Barry Faulkner

Having lost the last 12 seasons against then-Pacific Coast League

football rival Costa Mesa High, it could be argued that Laguna Beach

has not been in the Mustangs “league.” This assertion takes on

literal meaning tonight when the two teams square off at 7 o’clock in

their first nonleague clash in 17 years.

And while these two teams no longer share league affiliation, they

do share many of the same characteristics, which has helped turn this

once lopsided rivalry into a hard-fought struggle the last three

years.

During the 12-year winning streak, which has upped the Mustangs’

series lead over the Breakers to 16-5, Mesa, now a member of the

Golden West League, has defeated Laguna by an average score of 40-13.

The last three seasons, however, Mesa has won by six, three and eight

points, respectively, indicating Breakers Coach Dave Holland has made

headway in his seven seasons at Laguna, which has the smallest

enrollment of any Orange County public high school. Holland has

instilled the same principles of physical play and solid defense that

helped him win 106 games and a pair of CIF Southern Section

championships in 20 seasons at the helm of Corona del Mar.

“They have a good football team and they’ve played well against

Costa Mesa,” Mustangs Coach Dave Perkins said. “(Holland) does a

great job coaching and, with (senior tailback Donnelle) Darling, they

seem to have it going and I’m sure they believe they have a good shot

to get us.”

The Breakers have posted a pair of impressive wins over

less-than-impressive competition, topping La Quinta, 40-12, in the

opener, then blanking Bolsa Grande last week, 39-0, to extend the

Matadors’ losing streak to 26 games.

Laguna Beach’s 79 points lead Orange County and it currently ranks

fifth in the county in scoring defense. The Breakers, have now won

seven straight nonleague games, but, once again, would appear to face

an uphill battle in the PCL to earn the school’s first CIF playoff

berth since 1987.

Costa Mesa, meanwhile, is coming off an impressive win at

Chaminande, which went a long way toward restoring the Mustangs’

confidence after a 35-15 season-opening loss to former PCL rival CdM.

Further, since the Mustangs now play in a seven-team league, this

marks the final preleague tuneup, before opening Golden West play

Oct. 4 against Ocean View.

“This is the last dress rehearsal,” Perkins said. “We want to get

our second preseason win and go into league with a two-game winning

streak. We may throw in a few wrinkles this week.”

The Mustangs have been anything but fancy their first two games,

relying on a running game keyed by senior Keola Asuega. The 6-foot-1,

200-pound tailback exploded for 279 yards and three touchdowns

against Chaminade, including 263 second-half yards and scoring

gallops of 71 and 56 yards. Asuega, slowed by a pulled hamstring

against CdM, now has 358 rushing yards and three TDs on 40 carries

this fall. For his career, Asuega has amassed 2,239 rushing yards and

31 TDs. With his strong showing last week, he became the fifth

Mustang to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards in the program’s

43-year history.

But Asuega’s counterpart, Darling, may be equally talented. The

5-9, 170-pounder has rushed for 275 yards and seven TDs this fall and

has 1,461 yards the last two seasons with 27 TDs. Both elusive and

powerful, Darling has scored 23 of the Breakers’ last 30 TDs, dating

back to last season.

“He just never stops running,” Perkins said. “He’ll head into a

pile of players and pop out the other side and he’s gone. We’re going

to have to wrap him up and make sure we have two or three guys

surrounding him.”

Perkins said the larger Mustangs should have an edge in the

trenches.

“Defensively, (the Breakers) have done a pretty good job shutting

people down, but I’m not sure they’ve faced the line we have,”

Perkins said.

Laguna, however, may have an advantage in the passing department,

as junior Alex Wilson (22 of 41 for 362 yards and three TDs, without

an interception) has brought balance to the offense.

“Darling is running it well, but (Wilson) is throwing the ball

well, too,” Perkins said.

Mesa, meanwhile, has struggled to mount much of an aerial attack.

Senior quarterback Tim Iller has completed 3 of 13 for 58 yards and

one TD, with two interceptions. Against Chaminade, the Mustangs

completed just one pass.

Wilson’s favorite receivers have been Ed Hanke and Bryce Loidolt.

Hanke, a 5-10, 160-pound senior, has five catches for 115 yards and

two TDs. His scoring receptions include a 75-yarder.

Senior Nate Hunter leads Mesa receivers with five catches for 76

yards and one TD.