Breakers have set the bar high

By Mike Sciacca

Aug. 9, 2012 12 AM PT

Year one is done and in the books.

What, possibly, will the second season hold?

After a record-setting season last fall, the Laguna Beach High football program turns its attention to the 2012 season which, believe it or not, is just a few weeks away from its starting point. Players have had a two-week respite between the end of summer ball, and the start of fall camp which opens Monday at Guyer Field. The Breakers begin their season Aug. 31 against Bolsa Grande.

The summer session was a success for the Breakers who held four 7-on-7 passing competitions against six schools (JSerra, Lakeside, Estancia, Laguna Hills, Huntington Beach and Aliso Niguel).

“I thought we had a real good summer,” Head Coach Mike Churchill said during the final week of summer play. “The kids worked hard and they look like they’ve been in the weight room. I think people will notice how much bigger we are, than last year. We also have pretty good team speed.”

Churchill is in his second year as head coach at Laguna. All his team did last year was break or tie, 30 school records. The Breakers finished the regular season ranked eighth in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division poll. They became just the third Laguna team to win 10 games in a season. They also became the first Laguna team since 1964 to reach the CIF semifinals and third to win two playoff games in a season.

Laguna’s season ended in a semifinal loss to eventual Southern Division champion Corona del Mar.

The Breakers lost a few key players from last year’s team to graduation in June, but return several outstanding playmakers this fall. Churchill said six starters return on the offensive side of the ball, complimented by eight on the defensive end.

Among the returnees is returning first-team all-league players Drake Martinez (running back/defensive back), Larry Stewart (quarterback), and Spencer Anderson (offensive line/defensive end), and second-team all-league players Robert Clemons (running back/linebacker) and two-way lineman Blake Hester.

Martinez and record-setting kicker Robbie McInerny were named to the 2011 CIF All-Southern Division Football Team. Martinez ended his junior year last year setting school single-season records for rushing yards (1,889), touchdowns (27 rushing, two receiving) and scoring (188 points). Last year, McInerny set single-season records for kick scoring points (82) and point-after-touchdown points (76), and set a single-game mark for PATs (eight).

Stewart, also a junior last year, threw for 1,360 yards and 18 touchdowns, 413 of those yards coming in a school record single-game passing performance against Costa Mesa.

Laguna Beach Breakers

League: Orange Coast

CIF division: Southern

Head coach: Mike Churchill (second year/10-3)

Coaching staff: Bill Douglass (secondary); Corey Brown (backs); Spencer Harrell (offensive line); Aaron Anguiano (receivers); Leonard Kirshner (linebackers); Chris Pedersen (defensive line).

2011 record: 10-3

2011 league finish: Third

CIF results: Reached semifinals Southern Division

Returning starters: 6 offense/8 defense

Type of offense: Wing-T

Type of defense: 52 slant

Returning with honors: Drake Martinez (FB/DB, all-league, All-CIF); Larry Stewart (QB, all-league, Sr.); Spencer Anderson (DE, all-league, Sr.); Robbie McInerny (K, all-CIF, -All CIF Kicker, Sr.).

Players to watch: Nathan Lancaster (RB, league 100 and 200-meter champion); Dylan Hunter (TE, Sr.).

Coach’s outlook: “I feel that we are improved from last year because we have now spent two years in the weight room, and it shows,” Churchill said. “Our overall speed has improved but I feel that we definitely will be much better defensively. Our true strength will be our senior class. There are 18 (seniors) on the roster and they have worked hard for this year.”

Season opener: Aug. 31, at Bolsa Grande, 7 p.m.

The Schedule

Aug. 31: at Bolsa Grande, 7 p.m.

Sept. 7: University, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13: at John Glenn, 7 p.m. (Excelsior High)

Sept. 21: St. Margaret’s, 7 p.m.

Sept. 28: Pioneer, 7 p.m.

Oct. 5: *Saddleback, 7 p.m.

Oct. 12: at *Estancia, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19: *Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m. (homecoming)

Oct. 26: *Godinez, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: at *Costa Mesa, 7 p.m. (Orange Coast College)