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As a high school with just over 800 students, Laguna Beach holds tightly to its formula for success in football.
Coach John Shanahan openly shares about the challenges, and the solutions, the Breakers encounter as they continue to climb the ranks as a small school.
Last week, he beamed with pride after Laguna Beach defeated Dana Hills 49-40 in a clash of undefeated teams atop the Foxtrot League.
Shanahan discussed the importance of maximizing resources of players and coaches, and the toughness he sees on Friday nights and at practice.
“Incredible,” he said of the victory. “When you have 800 kids in your school, and 400 boys, there’s guys that are going to have to play both ways. The attrition has taken its toll but our kids are tough. And we practice really, really hard.”
“People always think of Laguna as the soft, little artsy town but we got really tough kids,” the coach added.
Laguna Beach (9-0, 4-0) leaned on several two-way starters against Dana Hills (8-1, 3-1).
The group included wide receiver/defensive back Grant Regal, wide receiver/linebacker Wyatt Bogdan, wide receiver/defensive back Will Kimball, freshman running back/linebacker Charlie Christian, running back/defensive back Bob Gardner and wide receiver/defensive back Brady Stringham.
Stringham kicked extra points and blocked a PAT.
The players not only handle multiple positions but compete in multiple sports.
Stringham, Regal and wide receiver/safety Jack Hooper were part of Laguna Beach’s boys soccer team that claimed the CIF-SS Division 5 title last winter.
Wide receiver/defensive back Otis Boultinghouse helped Laguna Beach’s baseball team reach the Division 1 playoffs last spring.
“Play all the sports as long as you can,” Shanahan said. “That’s what everyone should be doing.”
Laguna Beach also relied on several young players against Dana Hills. Sophomore Colter Steris played well at cornerback. On the offensive line, the Breakers featured freshmen Luke Bogdan and Winston Darrow and sophomore Easton Perez.
Christian had five tackles.
Shanahan, in his 10th season, credits the players for being coachable.
Many of Laguna Beach’s players arrive from a feeder, youth program and learn from a coaching staff loaded with experience.
The Breakers’ coaching staff includes former head coaches Mike Milner (Fountain Valley, El Toro), Scott McKnight (JSerra), John Selbe (Cypress) and Mark Flippin (El Toro). Defensive coordinator Hunter Braun, Dave Ricci, Mike Walcott and Rob Marquez are other notable assistants.
“Our staff is second to none in Orange County,” Shanahan said. “We coach (our players) really hard and they don’t buckle.”
Laguna Beach’s progress this fall includes nonleague victories against Tesoro 36-15 and Aliso Niguel 48-20. Last season, the Breakers lost to Aliso Niguel 34-14 in the Foxtrot but still won the league.
For the upcoming playoffs, Laguna Beach projects as one of the top teams in Division 3.
And if the season ended today, the Breakers appear headed to the Bravo League for 2026-27. That’s a promotion of three leagues from the Foxtrot.
It looked well-deserved. Laguna Beach is 48-10 since the start of 2021 and off to its best start since 1968. And junior QB Jack Hurst has emerged as a county standout.
“For us to get on the field with teams like Tesoro this year, and Aliso (Niguel), which just whacked us last year, physically whacked us, we had to make a huge leap,” Shanahan said. “It’s a great commentary on our kids and coaches.”
MEET SAN CLEMENTE’S PRESTON BECK
San Clemente has turned to sophomore Preston Beck at quarterback during its late-season surge.
He completed 19 of 32 passes for 181 yards and a season-high three TDs in a 28-9 upset of previously undefeated Los Alamitos last week in the Alpha League.
Beck led the Tritons’ freshman team to a 9-1 record last season and started this fall as the junior varsity quarterback, San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said.
Beck’s name may sound familiar at San Clemente. His father John Beck is the Tritons’ quarterback coach and a private coach with Huntington Beach-based 3DQB. That’s the group that trained Bryce Young (Mater Dei) and C.J. Stroud (Rancho Cucamonga) for the 2023 NFL draft.
“Best high school QB coach on the West Coast,” Ortiz said of John Beck.
SHORT ROUTES
Laguna Beach is one of four remaining undefeated teams in Orange County. The others are: Crean Lutheran (9-0), Corona del Mar (9-0) and Calvary Chapel (9-0). …
Prolific Canyon senior quarterback Alexander Lundsberg didn’t play last week against Sonora due to injury and is day-to-day this week as the Comanches (3-6, 1-3) prepare for Santa Ana (3-6, 0-4) in the Iota League on Thursday, Canyon coach Phil Hughes said. …
Rancho Alamitos coach Mike Enright also coaches the school’s girls flag football team. The squad plays host to Moreno Valley in the Division 5 quarterfinals on Tuesday. “I’m lucky I have great assistant coaches on both teams,” said Enright, whose football team is 5-4 and contending for a playoff spot in the tight Sigma League. …
The CIF-SS is scheduled to release its playoff pairings Sunday at 10 a.m.