Breakers hope for fresh start
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This week, it’s been about returning to the basics for the Laguna Beach High football team.
Seems the proper place to start for the Breakers, who have been back to work at practice, confronting mistakes and issues in their play that have led to a five-game slide. They’ll be out to turn things around at 7 p.m. Friday when they host Saddleback in Laguna’s 59th homecoming game.
Laguna started its Orange Coast League season Oct. 10 at Costa Mesa, and suffered a 48-0 loss to the defending league champion Mustangs. The shutout was the first for a Laguna team since the 2009 season.
The Breakers went through the same early-game malaise that has plagued them during the past five weeks. They trailed Costa Mesa, 21-0, after one quarter, and 41-0 at halftime. The Mustangs scored for the final time on a 51-yard fumble return on the fourth play from scrimmage in the second half.
The 48-point loss is the widest margin of defeat for a Laguna team in an Orange Coast League game (2006-present), marked the first time that the Breakers had been shut out in an OCL game, and snapped a 62-game consecutive scoring streak.
The 48 points by Costa Mesa nearly matched their previous output this year — the Mustangs had scored 49 total points in going 0-5 during nonleague play.
The loss left the Breakers at 1-5 overall.
“It was a tough game for us, all around,” Laguna Coach Corey Brown said. “They (Costa Mesa) scored on an 85-yard run on the second play of the game, and ran the ball effectively on us all game. We did not do a good job of taking a ballcarrier down. We also turned the ball over and didn’t help ourselves, at all.”
“We went back to working on the basics this week. There are several areas in which we need to improve, and it’s important that the kids stick together and play for each other. An example of doing that, is Saddleback. They were down, 21-0, to Godinez but came back to win big.”
A resurgent Saddleback team is headed to Guyer Field. Coach Rob Thompson’s Roadrunners are 3-3 overall and, more importantly, 1-0 in OCL play. They opened league Oct. 10 and stormed back from a 21-0 halftime deficit to stun Godinez, 37-21.
Two-way starter and multipurpose player Bryan Salcido starred in the win. The senior rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns, had eight receptions for 105 yards and a score, returned kickoffs and punts, and finished with 449 all-purpose yards.
At 3-3, the Roadrunners have won as many games this season through six games than in the previous three years combined. They also won their OCL opener for the first time since joining the league in 2010.
Laguna is 4-0 against Saddleback in OCL play.
“They are probably feeling pretty good about themselves, and rightfully so,” Brown said of the Roadrunners. “What’s different about this Saddleback team, than the one from years past, is that they are doing the things to put themselves in a position to win. They are playing to win, not playing to lose. They showed that last week in their great comeback against Godinez.
“As for us, we need to show that fight, that resiliency to not give up. We have to go after it Friday, and get better at the things that we can control.”
Laguna has won its last two homecoming games, and is 21-36-1 overall in those games.
“I want us to come out and play well, to get off to a great start Friday,” Brown said. “We need that. I also want our seniors to enjoy playing their final homecoming game.”
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Results/Schedule
Laguna Beach (1-5)
45...Bolsa Grande...12
10...University...37
21...Westminster...57
14...St. Margaret’s...35
14...Northwood...38
0...*Costa Mesa...48
Friday: *Saddleback (homecoming)
Oct. 24: *at Estancia
Oct. 31: *Calvary Chapel
Nov. 7: *Godinez
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Twitter: @MikeSciacca