Breakers Sack Grizzlies 28-7

BY FRANK ARONOFF 

 

Laguna defense led by seniors Rouzbeh Kazemian, Ryan Raffo, and Chris Hillemann recorded eight sacks to help the Breakers (2-4) hold off Hector Godinez Fundamental High School (2-4) in their Orange Coast League opening contest last Friday night in Santa Ana.

This Friday, Laguna hosts Calvary Chapel at home at 7 p.m. in their 16th meeting with the Santa Ana school. Laguna trails the series 4 – 9 – 2, but has won three of the past four meetings with the Eagles. A Breaker victory should clinch a playoff spot for the second straight year and their first back-to-back appearance since 1946-47.

Last Friday, Laguna stifled the Grizzlies at key moments, preventing the host school from engineering any sort of comeback at Segerstrom High School. Midway through the third quarter, Godinez took a field goal off the scoreboard due to a Breaker penalty but failed to capitalize on the first down at 12 yard line. They came away empty handed after a sack and two incomplete passes. Two more sacks ended Godinez next two drives and their lone score came too late in the game to threaten the outcome.

The contest opened when the Breakers took the opening kickoff 42 yards on a great return by Mitchel Begley (Jr) on his first kickoff runback of the season. The three-play, 53-yard scrimmage drive earned the Breakers their first score on a classic Austin Paxson to Chris Paul pass play touchdown. Breakers scored again on their second possession, going 80 yards in 10 plays with Paul at the end of another touchdown toss. Holden Penney picked up the third score of the evening on Laguna’s third possession with a 55-yard pass play to Ethan Quirarte picking up the largest chunk of the yardage in that 80-yard drive.

Breakers could have added to their 21-0 first half lead but the officiating crew seemed to surprise Laguna with some interesting calls to help slow down the momentum.

In the second half, Breakers picked up their fourth score after holding Godinez on their key third quarter drive. Penney rambled 45 yards on the first play followed by a six-yard push by Alec Jaffe before a Paxson pass hit Paul for the last score.

Paxson, a junior, is the only Laguna quarterback in 75 seasons of play ever to throw for at least four touchdowns in a game. He has now hit this mark four times, including the five tosses a few weeks ago at St Monica. Equally productive is Chris Paul, also a junior, on track to become one of the county’s top, all-time receivers.

Breakers have beaten the Grizzlies twice in their first two years of existence marking the first time in over 20 years Laguna has prevailed in their second meeting with a new Orange County school. The last ime? Trabuco Hills in 1986, 87 and 88.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Laguna Beach 14 7 7 0 - 28 Godinez

0 0 0 7 - 7

L – Paul 22 pass from Paxson (Paxson kick) 10:47 1st Q

L – Paul 26 pass from Paxson (Paxson kick) 3:09 1st Q

L – Penney 15 pass from Paxson (Paxson kick) 9:29 2nd Q

L – Paul 14 pass from Paxson (Paxson kick) 2:10 3rd Q

G – 9 pass (kick) 3:57 4th Q

	LB	Godinez
1st Downs	15	17
Rush/Yds	21-103	38-110
Pass Yds	282	122
C-A-I	16-28-0 13-24-0
Plays/TYG	49-385	62-232
Fmbls./Lost	0-0	3-2
Return Yds	15	-5
Punts/Ave	5-36.6	5-35.6
Penalty/Yds	13-123	8-55

Rushing: Jaffe 12-49, Penney 5-55, Hyden 1-(2), Paul 1-3, Quirarte 1-0, Begley 1-(2) Passing: Paxson 28-16-0 282 yards 4 TDS, 188.9 rating Receiving: Paul 6-96, Quirarte 4-86, Penney 3-43, Reigel 2-28, Jaffe 1-29 Punt Returns: Paul 1-15 Kick off Returns: Begley 1-42 Punt: Quirarte 5-183 36.6 average 2 within the 20

Laguna Record Watch Season:

Yards Rushing – Jaffe 13th, Receiving – Paul 7th, Passing – Paul 12th

Touchdowns – Paul 7th, TD Passes – Paxson 5th, Receiving TD’s – Paul 2nd

Career:

Yards receiving – Paul 3rd, passing – Paxson 8th

Career scoring – Paul 8th Career TD passes – Paxson 4th, Career Receiving TD’s – Paul 1st

Career touchdowns – Paul 5th

Orange County Records:

Season Receiving Touchdowns – Paul 17th