Football: Laurent helps Eagles hold off Godinez

SANTA ANA — Estancia High sophomore Dylan Laurent did a little bit of everything on Friday to lead Estancia High to a 35-14 Orange Coast League victory that will set up a showdown with Saddleback on Friday for the league title.

Laurent, who missed a portion of the third quarter after limping off with a tweaked right ankle, returned to help the Eagles (7-2, 4-0 in league) hold off the gritty Grizzlies (0-9, 0-4), who cut a 28-0 halftime deficit in half, before succumbing at Segerstrom High.

Laurent, a running back and cornerback who earned All-Newport-Mesa Dream Team distinction as a freshman last season, rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and caught four passes for 64 more yards. He intercepted three passes and amassed 110 return yards, by gashing Godinez after collecting a blocked field goal, a punt, a kickoff and one of his aforementioned interceptions.

Laurent’s 258 all-purpose yards gave the Eagles their sixth straight win this season and their seventh straight in OCL play, dating back to last season.

The Eagles will play Saddleback (also 4-0 in league after an overtime victory over Costa Mesa Friday) for the outright crown at home on Friday at 7 p.m.,

The Eagles, ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division, took control by scoring on four straight possessions spanning the first and second quarters.

After Laurent returned a blocked field goal 35 yards, the Eagles needed just five plays to cover the remaining 44 yards, as Laurent sprinted 12 yards around the right side to cap the march with 7:11 left in the first period.

Laurent’s older brother, senior running back and safety Christian Laurent, capped the Eagles next possession, a nine-play, 52-yard drive, with a three-yard touchdown run to double the lead. The possession began with a 27-yard punt return by the younger Laurent.

Senior middle linebacker Tyler Thomas made the first of the Eagles’ four interceptions on the ensuing possession and returned it 44 yards to the Grizzlies’ 10-yard line.

Dylan Laurent scored on the next play, again around the right side, and it appeared the rout was on with 21 seconds left in the first quarter.

Junior quarterback Connor Brown capped an eight-play, 90-yard touchdown drive with a one-yard sneak to make it 28-0 with 6:19 left before halftime, but the Eagles appeared to get comfortable, while Godinez simply dug in.

The Grizzlies, led by senior running back Jefferson Mendez, averted the shutout when Mendez, who rushed for 107 yards on 23 carries and caught 10 passes for 71 additional yards, carried in from nine yards out with 3:32 left in the third quarter.

After Estancia missed a long field-goal attempt for the second time, Mendez carried the load on a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that Godinez followed by recovering its onside kick.

But Dylan Laurent ended the threat with a diving interception on fourth down.

The younger Laurent stepped in front of another Godinez pass and returned the interception 34 yards to halt the Grizzlies’ next possession and Estancia senior Ronnie Urquiza bolted 45 yards up the middle for the capping touchdown on the next snap to clinch the win with 2:00 left.

Dylan Laurent ended Godinez’s final possession with an interception in the end zone with 16 seconds left.

Brown completed 12 of 20 passes for 165 yards as the Eagles compiled 11 of their 21 first downs through the air.

Christian Laurent had 20 carries for 68 yards as the brothers produced all but 10 of the team’s 162 rushing yards.

“I think we let off the gas a little bit,” said Estancia Coach Mike Bargas, who was pleased with his team’s first half, particularly after a lackluster performance in a 17-6 league win over Laguna Beach the week before.

“We got a little sloppy in the third quarter,” Bargas said. “We have a tendency to want to keep the other team in the game.

Estancia has now won all seven meetings with Godinez.

—

Estancia 35, Godinez 14

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Estancia 21 – 7 – 0 – 7 – 35

Godinez 0 – 0 – 7 – 0 – 14

FIRST QUARTER

Est – D. Laurent 12 run (Perez kick), 7:11.

Est – C. Laurent 3 run (Perez kick), 2:38.

Est – D. Laurent 10 run (Perez), 0:21.

SECOND QUARTER

Est – C. Brown 1 run (Perez kick), 6:19

THIRD QUARTER

Gdz – J. Mendez 9 run (Duarte kick), 3:32.

FOURTH QUARTER

Gdz – J. Mendez 12 run (Duarte kick), 8:47.

Est – Urquiza 45 run (Moya kick), 2:00.

Est – D. Laurent 10 run pass from Brown (Perez kick), 4:32.

Gdz – Perez 10 run pass from Rodriguez (Ibarra kick), 1:47.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

Est – D. Laurent, 11-84, 2 TDs; C. Laurent, 20-68, 1 TD.

Gdz – J. Mendez, 23-107, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

Est – C. Brown, 12-20-0, 165.

Gdz – M. Rodriguez, 17-31-4, 152.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

Est – D. Laurent, 4-64; Jackson, 2-50; O’Daly, 3-37.

Gdz – J. Mendez, 10-71.