LAGUNA SPORTS UPDATE BY FRANK ARONOFF | LB INDY

FALL SPORTS UPDATE

CROSS COUNTRY Laguna ’ s boys and girls ’ teams will be ready for the league finals on Saturday , Oct . 29 at Central Park in Huntington Beach . The Sunset Wave League for boys includes Corona del Mar , Huntington Beach and Marina while the girl ’ s Sunset Wave League includes Corona del Mar , Edison and Marina .

CIF : The girls have qualified and will run in the prelims on Nov . 12 regardless of the league meet outcome . The top 16 teams in Division 4 advance to the finals on Nov . 19 at Mt . SAC . Only the top seven teams in the final advance to State on Nov . 26 . The only way the boys team can keep their 22-year consecutive postseason streak alive is to finish first or second in the league meet .

Rankings : Girls XCC is # 9 this week in the SSCIF D-4 polls . For more information visit www . lbxc . org for girls ’ cross country and www . lagunabeachcrosscountry . com for boys .

FOOTBALL ( 6-3 , 2-0 ) Breakers Win Showdown – Hold

Off Lions 21-14 Last Friday night , Laguna Beach celebrated its seniors in the final regular season game at Guyer Field . Early in the final period , it looked like they were on the verge of a three-score lead but ended up having to step up on defense to preserve the victory over previously undefeated Westminster .

The contest opened with the Lions marching 80-yards on a 10-play drive to take a 7-0 lead and consuming nearly six minutes of the quarter . Laguna was almost as efficient , scoring in the final minute of the period on a six-play 80-yard drive of their own , ending with a Nick Rogers run . A bad snap on the extra point was quickly converted by holder Sam Garwal who sprinted to the goal line for two points and an 8-7 lead .

The Breakers were able to stop the Lions cold on their next two drives , and Laguna was successful on their third possession scoring on a great pass play from Jackson Kollock to Brock Donaldson . After the ensuing kickoff was returned only nine yards the Lions elected to let the clock run out for the intermission .

The second half swung the momentum to Laguna as Jackson Rodriguez took the second-half opening kickoff 83 yards down the sideline for the

score but shanked his extra point kick for a 21-7 Breaker lead . Westminster managed only two possessions in the third period each lasting four plays and seven net yards . Laguna ’ s first scrimmage try went 35 yards but stalled due to penalties . The Breakers next possession was a time-consuming 14-play drive to the Lions ’ 6-yard line , but their enthusiasm took the best of them as the Breakers botched a great scoring opportunity well into the final period .

Westminster took over on their own 6-yard line , then converted a fumbled lateral pass into a 51-yard run turning a potential fourth-and-long punt situation into a scoring drive . After twenty yards in Laguna penalties , the Lions eventually scored on a 19-yard pass to swing the momentum to their corner . The on-side kickoff was perfectly executed and with four minutes remaining Westminster was 64 yards away from tying or winning the contest . Breaker defense really stepped up – four plays and two Westminster penalties – a net gain of only two yards , and the Lion comeback drive ended with a whimper . The Breakers celebrated and were able to run the clock out for the victory .

Rushing : Kanter 1-4 , Kollock 9-45 , Rogers 15-88

Received : Swanson 10-74 , Freeman 1-1 , Rodriguez 4-23 , Rogers 2-23 , Donaldson 2-18

Passing : Jackson Kollock 28-19-0 , 139 yards , 1 touchdown

Kick-off returns : Rodriguez 1-83 TD

Up Next : # 151 Laguna closes out the regular season on Friday , Oct . 28 , at # 309 Ocean View High School ( 2-7 , 1-1 ) at the Sea Hawks stadium . The Breakers trail in the series 6-3-1 but are a 37-point favorite in this contest . Playoff Pairings will be released at 10 a . m . on Oct . 30 at wwwcifss . org , with the Breakers probably in D9 like last season . In the past 87 seasons , Laguna has qualified 20 times with a 20-19 overall playoff record .

GIRLS GOLF ( 1-5 , 3-9 ) Season concluded

The Breakers teams ’ season concluded on Oct . 19 when the Breakers lost to Wave League champion Marina 225-288 at the Los Serranos North Golf Course in Chino . Julianna Franconi-Krychman was Laguna ’ s low scorer with a 46 . She later earned second-team All-Wave League honors on Oct . 20 at the Wave League individual finals .

SPORT , page 18

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