Laguna can’t keep up with Segerstrom

SANTA ANA — When Laguna Beach High traveled to Segerstrom Friday for its third nonleague football game of the season, the Breakers figured to have their hands full with the Jaguars’ multi-back offense.

They did, and the Jaguars rode their potent rushing attack to their first victory of the season.

Segerstrom set the tone early on the ground, took control in the first quarter and rolled to a 45-0 victory.

The Jaguars (1-1-1) incorporated a slew of running backs into their offense, led by quarterback Gus Guerrero who scored twice in the opening half. Laguna Coach Ted Clarke said earlier in the week that his team would be facing a big, physical opponent, and the Breakers couldn’t find a way to contain the Jaguars’ run game.

“They were just better than us,” Clarke said after the Breakers fell to 1-2. “They have size and they have some speed.

“We got away from our base plan tonight, from the players to the coaches. We let the talk about a win or a loss take over, instead of focusing on what we needed to do. We have to take this one brick at a time, one step at a time. We’ll come back.”

Segerstrom’s first three possessions of the game netted three touchdowns on just 12 plays. The Jaguars’ second score was set up by its defense which blocked a punt deep in Laguna territory.

The Breakers reached Segerstrom territory just once in six possessions in the first half. That came on a 24-yard gain on a screen pass from quarterback Jack Simon to George Cracknell that put the ball at the Segerstrom 42-yard line at the outset of the second quarter. A play earlier, the Breakers had picked up a first down off a fake punt on the final play of the first quarter.

The Simon-Cracknell screen pass turned out to be the biggest gain of the night for the Breakers.

Segerstrom held Simon, who last week set a school record for rushing yards gained (184) in a game by a Laguna quarterback, in-check all night. The senior was limited to 24 yards rushing and passed for 32 in the opening half, and finished with 29 rushing and 53 passing for the night.

Segerstrom scored on its first possession. A nine-play drive, all by rush, covered 89 yards and ended when Guerrero faked a handoff to fullback Gabriel Lopez and went untouched around right end to score from two yards out. Javier Gonzalez tacked on the point-after to give the Jaguars a 7-0 lead with 5:37 left in the first quarter.

The Jaguars defense came up with a blocked punt on Laguna’s next possession and recovered at the Laguna nine. On the next play, Lopez barreled in for the score and a 14-0 lead. The Jaguars then got the ball back at the Laguna 45 after holding the Breakers to a three-and-out series, then struck again in three plays. After two short runs, Guerrero shot straight up field on a keeper and scored on a 37-yard run to make it 21-0.

Segerstrom scored a fourth time late in the half, a 37-yard touchdown run by running back Abel Diaz with 1:40 left. Diaz, who led the Jaguars’ rushing attack in the half (88 yards) and for the game (125 yards), put the Jaguars up, 28-0, at the break.

Segerstrom took the second half kickoff and scored on a march that began at its own 35. A five-play rushing drive was capped by Lopez’s eight-yard touchdown run.

The Jaguars took a 42-0 lead through three quarters and the game went to a running clock in the fourth quarter.

Laguna returns home next week and will face another tough opponent from the Golden West League. The Breakers host Westminster at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Guyer Field.

Westminster (2-0) is the top-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division. The Lions started their season last week by knocking off previously top-ranked and defending Southern Division champion Garden Grove, 27-26, and followed that upset with a 42-20 win Friday over Marina.

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Breakers Log (1-2)

0...Valley Christian...50

16...Bolsa Grande...12

0...Segerstrom...45

Sept. 18: Westminster, 7 p.m.

Sept. 25: at Sage Hill, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9: *Costa Mesa, 7 p.m.

Oct. 16: at *Saddleback (Segerstrom High), 7 p.m.

Oct. 23: *Estancia (homecoming), 7 p.m.

Oct. 30: at *Calvary Chapel (Ocean View High), 7 p.m.

Nov. 6: at *Godinez (Segerstrom High), 7 p.m.

(*denotes Orange Coast League game)