Laguna Beach football loses thrilling battle with Granada Hills in 4-A regional final
LAGUNA BEACH — Granada Hills Charter ran for 484 yards and seven touchdowns Saturday in a 56-55 win over Laguna Beach in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional championship game at Laguna Beach High.
There were 11 lead changes between the two teams and three in the fourth quarter.
Granada Hills (12-2) was the L.A. City Section Division I champion after beating Palisades last week. The Highlanders will travel to play San Marin for the Division 4-A state championship next week.
Laguna Beach wide receiver Jackson Rodriguez, right, sprints past Granada Hills’ DJ Richmond , left, and Pierre O’Bannon, center, on his way to score a touchdown in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Ray Duarte celebrates as his team wins the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship over Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach quarterback Jackson Kollock, right, pushes past Granada Hills’ Pierre O’Bannon to score a touchdown in the first quarter in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Dijon Stanley, right, gets away from Laguna Beach’s Myles Freeman in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach quarterback Jackson Kollock gets ready to fire a pass as he rolls out of the pocket against Granada Hills in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach’s Merrick Vellmure scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Granada Hills in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach quarterback Jackson Kollock is surrounded and brought down by Granada Hills players in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Cutline goes here in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills players, left, celebrate winning the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship as Laguna Beach players walk off the field in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Darrell Stanley jumps to avoid a tackle but is brought down by the Laguna Beach defense in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach’s Merrick Vellmure, right, can’t get to a pass that was overthrown with Granada Hills’ Dijon Stanley covering during the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach wide receiver Jackson Rodriguez, right, celebrates his touchdown against Granada Hills with Aidan Mulkay, left, in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills players celebrate with the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship plaque in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Darrell Stanley gets into the open on his way to score a touchdown against Laguna
Beach in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills’ Richard Negrete, left, moves in to celebrate with DJ Richmond (3) after Richmond intercepted a pass to end the game and win the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship against Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Darrell Stanley (2) celebrates with his team after winning the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship against Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Ray Duarte, right, shakes hands with Bobby McCray (24) after winning the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship against Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Dijon Stanley, center, leaves Laguna Beach defenders in his wake on his way to score a touchdown in the 4th quarter of the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The Granada Hills team pose for a photo with the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship plaque in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Dijon Stanley, left, celebrates a second quarter touchdown against Laguna Beach with teammate Darrell Stanley, right, in the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Granada Hills running back Darrell Stanley races to the end zone for a touchdown on a kickoff return against Laguna Beach in the fourth quarter of the CIF Southern California Division 4-A Regional Championship in Laguna Beach on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Beach (11-4) won the Southern Section Division 9 championship last week against Diamond Bar. It was the first championship for Laguna Beach since 1946.
Granada Hills running back Dijon Stanley entered the game with 2,397 yards rushing, which was the second most in the state. He ran for 252 yards on 21 carries with four touchdowns Saturday.
“It feels great,” said Stanley. “My linemen did a good job opening the holes and we executed very well. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
“We don’t see speed like that with opponents we play,” Laguna Beach coach John Shanahan said of Stanley. “There’s a reason that guy is going to Utah. He is the real deal.”
Laguna Beach sophomore quarterback Jackson Kollock threw for 314 yards with five touchdown passes. He also ran for a touchdown.
The Breakers took a lead late in the third quarter. Micah Chavez recovered a fumble and shortly after Kollock threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ryner Swanson to put the Breakers ahead 49-44. Swanson had 98 yards on eight receptions.
Dijon Stanley ran for his fourth touchdown of the game on a 26-yard run to give the Highlanders a 50-49 lead early in the fourth.
Kollock threw a touchdown pass to Merrick Vellmure to go up 55-50 with 5 minutes remaining in the game. Shanahan elected to go for a two-point attempt but the Breakers didn’t convert and led by five.
“I wanted to get up by seven, and I didn’t think I was going for the win right there with all that time left,” Shanahan said. “This is going to be a long night for me because there are some things I could have done differently.”
Darrell Stanley returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to put the Highlanders ahead for good 56-55.
“It was a beautiful night of football. Both teams fought hard and were classy, but unfortunately we ended up on the wrong side,” Shanahan said. “We accomplished our goals this season. I don’t know if you could have a more special season than we had.”
The teams traded the lead seven times in the first half and combined for 71 points. Granada Hills ran for 368 yards in the first half and Laguna Beach had 228 yards of total offense in the half.
Darrell Stanley and Kanye Martin had long touchdown runs in the first quarter for Granada Hills.
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Kollock threw two touchdown passes to Jackson Rodriguez in the first half and ran for a touchdown. Rodriguez also had an 86-yard kick return in the second quarter.
The Breakers took the lead late in the first half when Myles Freeman recovered a Granada Hills fumble and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to give the Breakers a 28-24 lead.
Dijon Stanley ran for two touchdowns in the first half, one from 55 yards and a 67-yarder as time expired in the first half.
