Plenty on line for Breakers

By now, players, coaches and fans associated with the Laguna Beach High football program, will know if there’s another week of football to be played.

Thursday night at Orange Coast College, Laguna took on Costa Mesa in the Orange Coast League finale in the 10th and final week of the regular season.

The score from the game was not available, however, at press time.

So much hinged on the game. A win meant an outright league championship and secured a CIF playoff berth for the Breakers. A loss, however, would complicate the whole postseason.

No Laguna team has won a league title since the then-Artists of Coach Lyman Olney captured the Pacific Coast League crown in 1987, and the last Laguna team to reach the postseason playoffs was the 2002 group coached by Dave Holland. But the 2006 Breakers positioned themselves to win the school’s first league title in 19 years and first CIF berth in four by defeating favored Estancia on Nov. 2, 21-14.

Charley Bowman threw for 105 yards, rushed for a touchdown and threw 20 yards to Max Hilburn for another score, and Devin Hands opened up the scoring for Laguna with a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give the Breakers a 7-0 lead.

In fact, Laguna never trailed in the game and thwarted one final, desperate drive by the Estancia by recovering a fumble one play after the Eagles (6-3, 1-1) had made the game’s ending quite dramatic by reaching the Laguna seven-yard line following an 85-yard pass play with 20 seconds left.

It was the last of four turnovers by the Eagles and Laguna held on for the win, its fourth of the year and second in as many league games.

Yes, there was plenty to cheer about on a night when Homecoming was celebrated and the senior players were honored at Guyer Field.

“The key was the approach,” Coach Jimmy Nolan said of the game. “We had our best week of practice this season. I knew we were going to beat Estancia on Thursday night. The boys gave it their all everyday at practice. Things just started to click.

“We are young and have showed signs of immaturity all year. We’re starting to mature at the right time. We got what we earned Friday night. Some say we were lucky a few times. In our opinion, Estancia was lucky to ever have the chance to win. We outplayed (them) all night and should have won by much more. But we’ll take it, as a win’s a win.”

That win, and a win over Costa Mesa Thursday, would give Laguna the Orange Coast League title and league’s No. 1 seed in the CIF playoffs, which begin next Nov. 17.

A loss, Nolan said, would create a three-way tie for first-place, providing Estancia defeats Calvary Chapel tonight. Laguna, Costa Mesa and Estancia then would each finish league play with a 2-1 record and a coin flip would be held to determine which two teams will receive the league’s automatic bids to the CIF Southern Division playoffs.

An Estancia loss tonight, coupled with a Costa Mesa win over Laguna Thursday, would leave Laguna and Costa Mesa as co-champions and both would advance to the playoffs.

The CIF playoff brackets will be revealed Sunday.