Football: Laguna tries to break losing streak

A two-game home stand to close out the regular season is what’s in store for the Laguna Beach High football team. The Breakers begin that swing with an Orange Coast League game at 7 p.m. Friday at Guyer Field against Calvary Chapel.

Both teams are coming off tough losses.

Laguna went to Estancia on Oct. 24, held the lead on the league’s co-leader heading into the fourth quarter, but ended up with a 17-6 defeat. It put the Breakers at 0-3 in league and 1-7 overall.

Calvary Chapel, meanwhile, was involved in a high-scoring affair with the other league co-leader, Saddleback. The Eagles staged a big second-half rally only to come up short in an eventual, 59-47 loss.

Laguna didn’t relinquish its lead on Estancia until the Eagles scored what turned out to be the winning touchdown one minute into the fourth quarter. Eight minutes later, the Eagles put the game away on a touchdown run with three minutes remaining.

The Breakers’ scoring came from the leg of freshman Max Casper, who hit a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter, and a 41-yarder in the third quarter, the latter giving the Breakers a 6-3 lead less than three minutes into the second half.

The Breakers had a chance to build on their lead in the third quarter when a 12-play drive took them to the Estancia 31, but they failed to produce any points.

Laguna’s defense limited Estancia (6-2, 3-0) to only a first-quarter field goal before the Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter. Running back Dylan Laurent scored both fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Eagles.

“They made the big plays when they needed to, to get the win,” Laguna Coach Corey Brown said. “Dylan Laurent is a talented runner and he took over midway through the fourth quarter.

“I thought we played extremely hard throughout the game. I was more pleased with our execution than the week before when we played Saddleback (a 38-31 Laguna loss). This was another gritty loss for us but in the end, we didn’t make the plays we needed to in order to get the victory.”

Laguna’s chances also took a hit when running back Bruce Knill suffered a broken collar bone during a tackle at the end of a 39-yard run by the sophomore on the first play of the second half.

Knill was Laguna’s top rusher for the game with 63 yards on six carries.

Brown said that Knill, a two-way starter who also plays cornerback, is out for the remainder of the season.

“That was a big blow for us,” Brown said. “The first thing I think of, for him, as a person, a young man, is that he gets better soon. I know how much he loves playing football. He was our leading scorer, a big contributor, a special teams guy, and he has that big-play ability. It will be tough not to have him these last two games.”

Another sophomore, Matt Hayes, was one of six Breakers to handle rushing chores, and went on to gain 41 yards on nine carries.

“Matt stepped up in place of Bruce,” Brown said. “He’ll be asked to do that the rest of the season.”

Brown said the focus for the Laguna defense this year has been to contain the run. On Friday, the Breakers will have to contend with a Calvary Chapel team (3-5, 1-2) that takes to the air.

Eagles quarterback Patrick Glasgow had a big game last week against Saddleback, throwing for 400 yards with five touchdowns. The junior also ran for a score.

The Eagles are averaging just under 30 points per game.

“They are a dangerous team,” Brown said of the Eagles. “Their quarterback (Glasgow) can throw the ball, and they can put up points really quick and get on a roll, if you let them.”

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Results/Schedule

Laguna Beach (1-7)

45...Bolsa Grande...12

10...University...37

21...Westminster...57

14...St. Margaret’s...35

14...Northwood...38

0...*Costa Mesa...48

31...*Saddleback...38

6..: *Estancia...17

Friday: *Calvary Chapel

Nov. 7: *Godinez