Laguna Beach football clinches CIF playoff berth with win over Calvary Chapel

For the second straight time in a regular-season finale, Laguna Beach High and Calvary Chapel played for second place in the Orange Coast League and a berth into the CIF Southern Section football playoffs.

The Breakers easily won the showdown again.

Behind strong performances in all phases of the game on Thursday night, Laguna Beach defeated host Calvary Chapel 37-14 at Orange Coast College.

The Breakers’ win, their fourth in a row, clinches them a spot in the Division 12 playoffs. The Breakers (5-5, 4-1 in league) find out on Sunday who they open the postseason with next week.

“We’re trying to build a first-rate program, and making the playoffs and playing a playoff game in Laguna Beach is not a common thing,” Laguna Beach coach John Shanahan said. “Our goals are to win league, make the playoffs, and win a CIF championship. We didn’t really get our first goal, but our next goal was to run the table on our next four games and let it run from there.”

The Breakers are finding different ways to score during their winning streak. Their special teams produced two touchdowns, thanks to senior Adam Armstrong.

Armstrong blocked a punt and junior Victor Castillo returned it two yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Armstrong returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.

“We spend a tremendous amount of time on our special teams,” Shanahan said. “[During my time as a lower-level coach] at JSerra, I saw how special teams can flat out win football games and change seasons. I think the blocked punt for a touchdown changed our season tonight. We love working on special teams and we celebrate those types of big plays.”

Calvary Chapel (3-7, 3-2) took advantage of a confused Laguna Beach defense in the first quarter. Daniel Nava, who received a pass from Cole Boop, stumbled, but he regained his balance and ran into the end zone untouched for a 48-yard touchdown.

Laguna Beach could only salvage a field goal in the first quarter, but it scored two touchdowns in the second quarter. The first score came on a 12-yard run from quarterback Curtis Harrison and the next on the blocked punt, giving the Breakers a 17-7 lead and momentum going into halftime.

Harrison completed 15 of 27 passes for 214 and one touchdown, with two interceptions. The senior ran for two touchdowns.

Three minutes into the second half, both teams would trade turnovers three consecutive times. Then it was Boop who found Nava again, this time on a 45-yard touchdown pass that restored order to the game.

Armstrong would shut the door on any momentum the Eagles had by returning the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The play helped extend the Breakers’ lead to 24-14.

With three minutes left in the third quarter, Boop took a late hit out of bounds and suffered an injury that forced him out of the game. The freshman completed 19 of 30 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

Right before the third quarter ended, Harrison linked up with Armstrong for a 24-yard touchdown to put the Breakers up 31-14. Armstrong finished with seven receptions for 104 yards.

Laguna Beach’s defense blanked Calvary Chapel in the fourth quarter. Blake Lusk intercepted a pass by backup quarterback Adam Axtell with 9:42 remaining.

The only team Laguna Beach trails in league is Godinez, which can wrap up its second straight 5-0 league championship with a win at Estancia on Friday. The Grizzlies are the only team in league to beat Laguna Beach, doing so in the league opener.

But the Breakers have closed out league the same way they did a year ago by winning their last four. They went on to reach the semifinals of the Division 13 playoffs last year.

Laguna Beach hopes recent history repeats itself, as it did against Calvary Chapel.

*

Laguna Beach 37, Calvary Chapel 14

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Laguna Beach 3 – 14 – 14 – 6 — 37

Calvary Chapel 7 – 0 – 7 – 0 — 14

FIRST QUARTER

CC – Nava 48 pass from Boop (Koth kick), 9:25.

LB – Handel 26 FG, 5:03.

SECOND QUARTER

LB – Harrison 12 run (Handel kick), 4:51.

LB – Castillo 2 blocked punt return (Handel kick), 2:36.

THIRD QUARTER

CC – Nava 45 pass from Boop (Koth kick), 9:42.

LB – Armstrong 85 kick return (Handel kick), 9:25.

LB – Armstrong 24 pass from Harrison (Handel kick), 1:41.

FOURTH QUARTER

LB – Harrison 1 run (kick failed), 9:10.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

LB – Lythgoe, 10-47.

CC – Nava, 4-13.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

LB – Harrison, 15-27-2, 214, 1 TD.

CC – Boop, 19-30-1, 190, 2 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

LB – Armstrong, 7-104, 1 TD.

CC – Nava, 9-126, 2 TDs.

JUAN CARLOS GONZALEZ is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @JGonzalezSports