Three Breakers earn all-league in football

Mike Sciacca

Three members of the Laguna Beach High football team have earned

all-Pacific Coast League status, Breakers Coach Jimmy Nolan has

announced.

Senior wide receiver/free safety Elliot Whalen and junior

offensive and defensive lineman Jesse Toscano each was named

first-team.

Senior running back/linebacker Bryan Brown was a second-team

selection.

Whalen averaged 17 tackles per game on defense.

“Elliott was our most accountable, consistent and dependable

player,” Nolan exclaimed. “He was also the most unselfish person on

this football team. It’s amazing that he averaged 17 tackles a game

on defense. Not many players will ever have 17 tackles in one game.

He did it every game.

“Elliott was our team’s most valuable player and also our

defensive MVP. Even with all our injuries, the team was successful

this year because Elliott held us together. He played every practice,

every game and couldn’t have been a better leader.”

Toscano proved to be a key front man for the Laguna rushing attack

throughout the 2004 season.

“Big Jesse was the guy we chose to run behind all year long,”

Nolan said. “A devastating blocker, Jesse owned anyone and everyone

in front of him. Toward the end of the season, Jesse carried the ball

and caught a couple passes. Seldom can a guy this size move like

Jesse does.

“He’s a great athlete, and we intend to give him the ball more

next season. Defensively, I don’t believe there was a better nose

guard in our league. It’s hard to play every snap on both sides of

the ball, especially for a big guy. If he keeps those grades up,

Jesse has a great future next year and at the college level.”

Brown, meanwhile, was a jack-of-all- trades on the field for the

Breakers.

“He was nicknamed, ‘pound for pound,’ because the guy gets every

ounce out of his undersized physique,” Nolan said. Bryan played

inside backer, running back and just about everywhere else on the

field.

“He really surprised everyone when we started giving him the

football. Against Calvary Chapel, Bryan had 150 yards rushing. Any

time this team needed a big play, it seemed like Bryan was the guy

who’d break a couple tackles and provide the spark we needed. A crowd

pleaser with his exciting style of play, Bryan gave the crowd their

money’s worth.”

The football program also handed out team awards for the 2004

season at a recent banquet.