One big one left

Mike Sciacca

Friday proved to be a special night for first-year Laguna Beach High

football coach Jimmy Nolan -- and an important one for his football

team.

By staging a spirited rally on the road to turn back University,

21-20, in overtime, Laguna was able to win its first Pacific Coast

League game in three tires.

The victory will also go down for Nolan as a coaching career first

in league play.

The triumph, which saw the Breakers bounce back from a 14-point

deficit, then force overtime, improved Laguna’s overall record to

5-3.

“What stood out most about this win was the way we handled

adversity from the get-go,” Nolan said. “Our starting running

back/linebacker, Greg Arellano, broke his arm during warm-ups before

the game. What a mental blow to the team, that was. We had to change

our whole game plan in five minutes.”

The setback was just another of many for a team that has been

decimated by injuries throughout the season.

“Half of our starters were already sidelined, so, we went into a

homecoming game on the road against an opponent we hadn’t beaten in

20 years,” Nolan said. “We talked about how no one thought it would

be possible.

“The boys rallied and played with passion. We fought. We didn’t

allow this adversity to stand in our way. The boys found a way to

win. They didn’t care how beaten down we are.”

After going into a 14-0 hole, Laguna began to mount its comeback

in the second quarter when Scott Urban scored on a 28-yard run.

Still trailing, 14-7, in the third quarter, Bryan Brown scored on

a three-yard run to tie the game.

Neither team could score in the fourth quarter and headed into

overtime, where Laguna first held possession.

The Breakers grabbed their first lead of the night when Tommy

Cogburn teamed with Elliot Whalen on a 27-yard touchdown pass. The

extra point was provide by Derek LeBon, and it turned out to be the

game’s critical point.

University responded to Laguna’s score to pull to within one when

Steve Crooks hit Josh Cunningham with a 16-yard touchdown pass, but

the point after failed, and Laguna began its celebration.

Nolan noted that several players were instrumental in the comeback

victory, including starting center and defensive tackle, Jon Huerta.

“Jon has the most difficult job on our team,” Nolan said. “He has

to have perfect snaps 100% of the time. It is not an easy task,

especially in shotgun formation. He snapped the ball perfectly and

our team played great because of him. He also played hard on defense

and showed some great speed running down the quarterback. I love this

guy. He is definitely one of our meanest, toughest, nastiest kids on

that field. He fights.”

Nolan also praised the play of Urban, Brown, Jesse Toscano and the

Breakers’ offensive line, quarterback Talan Torriero and Cogburn, a

5-foot-7, 137-pound freshman.

“I thought both Scott Urban and Bryan Brown picked up the pace for

our injured Greg,” Nolan said. “The two of them ran hard all night

and are the reason why we were able to finally put some points on the

board. I also have to give a ‘thank you’ to big Jesse Toscano and the

rest of the O-Line for making those holes for our backs to run

through. Talan did a great job coming back to the quarterback spot. I

was really proud of him.

“Tommy Cogburn, a freshman, had nerves of steel as he threw that

game winning TD. Tommy has been great all year and deserves all the

credit in the world. He never comes off the field.”

Laguna took on Calvary Chapel Thursday at Westminster High. A

victory against the Eagles would set up an all-important game on Nov.

12, at home, against Corona del Mar.

A third-place finish in league -- as well as an automatic playoff

berth -- more than likely would hang in the balance, if both the

Breakers and Sea Kings win this week.

But, Nolan says, first things first.

“We don’t care about CdM right now,” he said. “If we can’t beat

Calvary, then the CdM game doesn’t mean a whole lot. We’re not in a

situation where we can look past our next game. I told the boys last

week that we have ‘three seasons left, each one, a game long.’

“We won our first season. Now it’s time to win our second. Half

the team is injured and we don’t even have enough players to

scrimmage during practice. How can we possibly go out and win this

week? With passion, confidence and a relentless fight. We showed were

capable of overcoming odds last week. We plan on showing it again.”