Laguna football is on the mend

A bye week never looked so good.

Having opened the 2005 Pacific Coast League race against the two

teams that have dominated the league in the last five years, the

Laguna Beach High football team is in the midst of a 12-day break

between games.

The Breakers are far from idle, however, as they prepare for a

Thursday league clash with Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor High.

Laguna also is using the time to regroup following losses to

Northwood and Tesoro, the defending league and CIF-Southern Section

Division IX champion.

The Breakers lost last Friday to the host Tesoro Titans, 52-7.

Laguna is now 0-2 in the league and 3-2-1 overall.

“I was proud that the boys never gave up,” Laguna coach Jimmy

Nolan said of his team’s performance against Tesoro. “I was disgusted

with our poor defensive play, and happy with our offense’s ability to

execute against such an outstanding opponent.

“We went back to our normal offense and they did a good job.

Penalties shot us in the foot whenever we got something going.”

Laguna used the wing T offense in a Sept. 30 game against

Northwood, hoping to catch the Timberwolves off guard. It didn’t

work, and Northwood rolled to a 38-6 victory.

Nolan took the blame for that loss, and his offense went back to

its standard shotgun spread.

The Breakers played well against a staunch Tesoro defense, and

finally managed to crack the scoreboard in the fourth quarter when

quarterback Charley Bowman threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jason

Scott.

Bowman finished the night with 105 yards passing. Jody Stevens led

the Laguna backfield, rushing for 70 yards.

As if it weren’t enough to go up against a talent-laden and

experienced team like Tesoro, the Breakers went into battle without

six starters, including two-way starters Garrett Preston and George

Chheng.

Both Preston and Chheng suffered concussions, Preston’s happening

on Oct. 6 and Chheng’s during the Northwood game.

“Two of our best players were not with us, and it really showed on

defense,” Nolan said. “But I am happy they did not play, as it would

have made things worse, and they might be out for the rest of the

year.

“They will be back and the team should be strong. This bye will be

a great healing time.”

One positive thing Nolan took note of during the Tesoro game came

off the playing field.

“I want to thank the cheer team for coming to our game at Tesoro,”

he said. “Those girls are great, and we are really honored they

support us. My hat goes off to the cheer coach, and I thank her for

being so great.”

The bye week will allow Nolan the chance to assess his team as it

heads into the final four weeks of the regular season.

Laguna went 3-0-1 in nonleague play, the only blemish being a

14-14 tie with Ocean View on Sept. 16.

“We had a great preseason, then we played two giants who banged us

up quite well,” he said. “If we can forget about that and get some

confidence back, we’ll have a shot at making this year a good one.”

That new start begins Thursday against rival Corona del Mar.

The Sea Kings enter weekend play with an overall record of 3-3.

They will try to improve upon their 1-1 league record tonight when

they travel to play Tesoro.

“What this team believes, they can achieve,” Nolan added. “CdM

coming up. It doesn’t get any better. What an awesome rivalry.”

*--*

Laguna Beach Breakers

(3 2 1)

40 Centennial/Compton 19

34 at La Quinta 13

14 at Ocean View 14

31 Costa Mesa 9

6 Northwood 38

7 52

This week: bye

Oct. 20 vs. Corona del Mar (at Newport 7 p.m.

Harbor High)

Oct. 27 vs. Beckman (at Tustin High) 7 p.m.

Nov. 4 University 7 p.m.

Nov. 11 Calvary Chapel 7 p.m.

*--*

Coastline Pilot Player of the Week

Name: Jody Stevens

Positions: Running back/middle linebacker

Height: 5 feet 10

Weight: 180

Year: Senior

Game highlights: Stevens was a bright spot for Laguna on offense

in the Breakers’ 52-7 Pacific Coast League loss to defending champion

Tesoro. The senior led Laguna in rushing with 70 yards.

Coach’s comments: “Jody Stevens ran like a madman,” coach Jimmy

Nolan said. “That kid can look back on this 20 years from now and

know he was just as good as anyone on the best team we’ve faced. Good

players step up against good opponents, and Jody did just that. He

played like a true warrior.”