Breakers defensive, get shutout

Mike Sciacca

Laguna Beach High football coach Jimmy Nolan and his Breakers got

just what they had hoped for in their nonleague game against Magnolia

-- added momentum.

Laguna rolled past the host Sentinels, 21-0, at Western High in

their final nonleague game of the year.

Thursday, they opened the Pacific Coast League race at reigning

champion Northwood.

The final score was not available at press time.

The win over Magnolia improved the Breakers to 4-1 and put their

win streak at four games.

The shutout was the first by a Laguna defense since a 39-0 win

over Bolsa Grande in 2002.

“Our defense is getting better every game,” Nolan said. “I take my

hat off to my defensive coordinator, John Hall. John works hard all

week and it pays off.

“These guys play on both sides of the ball and it is a nonstop war

for four quarters. We’ll find out how good we are this week as we

face our toughest opponent yet.”

Heading into Thursday’s game against Northwood, the Laguna defense

had not allowed more than 14 points in a single game.

In the 21-0 win over Magnolia, quarterback Garrett Preston ran for

two touchdowns and passed for another.

His one-yard run in the second quarter opened the scoring. In the

fourth quarter, he found a wide open Tommy Cogburn in the end zone

from 15 yards out, and completed the scoring on an eight-yard run.

Preston was the starter at quarterback when the season began in

September, but had been hampered by injury.

Talan Torriero did an outstanding job filling in for Preston,

Nolan said.

“Garrett is a tough kid with a mean streak we expect to see

unleashed during league,” Nolan said of Preston.

Laguna will celebrate homecoming on Oct. 22 when it hosts Tesoro.

“I just want to educate the public and media on what studs these

boys of ours are, to be playing in a David vs. Goliath league,” Nolan

said. “I prefer to play great teams like Northwood and Tesoro, whom

no one believes we stand a chance against. This teaches our boys more

about life. If we can beat a team like Northwood or Tesoro, it would

mean much more than playing inferior opponents, and never losing a

game.

“But we truly believe we can beat anybody. We also know anybody

can beat us. It all depends on our approach.”