PHOTOS: Laguna Beach comes up short in a wild CIF regional bowl game vs. Granada Hills

Myles Freeman of Laguna Beach scoops up a fumble and runs in for a touchdown Saturday. (Photos courtesy Mark Bausman, For OC Sports Zone).

Laguna Beach and Granada Hills High School’s football teams showcased a prolific display of offense worthy of the history books during Saturday night’s CIF Regional Division 4A Bowl Game at Laguna Beach High School.

The two teams racked up over 900 yards of offense, scored a combined total of 111 points and had 11 lead changes before Granada Hills came away with a 56-55 victory over the host Breakers.

Granada Hills (12-2), which won the CIF Los Angeles City Section Division 1 championship last week with a 44-7 victory over Palisades, has won eight consecutive games and advances to the state championship game next Saturday at San Marin.

To see the slide show, click on the first photo:

Laguna Beach finished 11-4 and was the CIF Division 9 champion. It was the program’s first CIF title since 1946.

The game had a wild finish.

Laguna Beach took a 55-50 lead with 5:16 to play after quarterback Jackson Kollock tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Merrick Vellmure, capping an 11-play, 52-yard scoring drive. However, Laguna Beach elected to go for a 2-point conversion and was unable to convert.

On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore running back Darrell Stanley returned the kickoff 80-yards for a touchdown, giving Granada Hills a 56-55 edge. The Breakers got he ball back two more times but were unable to capitalize and their historic season came to an end.

“We have awesome kids,” said Laguna Beach Coach John Shanahan. “We bonded together and won a CIF title and had a special season. I will remember these faces for as long as I live. They made their school, families and community proud of them.”

The game was filled with spectacular plays as eight plays in the game covered 30 yards or better.

“This is the toughest game I’ve ever been a part of,” said Granada Hills Coach Bucky Brooks. “Laguna Beach is a great team and they made it really tough on us.”

Highlander running back Dijon Stanley, who is the No. 1 leading rusher in California with 2,654 yards and who is committed to the University of Utah, rushed for 257 yards and scored four touchdowns. Darrell Stanley (Dijon Stanley’s cousin) rushed for 113 yards and scored three touchdowns. The Highlanders amassed 494 yards on the ground and did not attempt a pass in the game.

The Breakers had several outstanding performances. Kollock completed 26 passes for 314 yards and tied a career-high by throwing five TD passes. Jackson Rodriguez, Ryner Swanson and Vellmure combined to catch 20 passes for 218 yards and five touchdowns.

“We kept getting better every game and we grinded it out all season; this team is like family,” said Kollock.

Rodriguez agreed with his teammate.

“Our team is better than family and our seniors left us a good example; we’ll be back in the playoffs next year,” said Rodriguez.

The lead see-sawed eight times in the opening half.  Both teams scored on each of their first two possessions as the Highlanders led 16-14 after 12 minutes of play. 

Rodriguez returned a kickoff 86 yards for a TD and Myles Freeman returned a Granada Hills fumble 50-yards for a touchdown that gave the Breakers a 28-24 lead early in the second quarter.

However, Djion Stanley scored on a 46-yard TD run on the Highlanders ensuing possession giving Granada Hills a 30-28 lead. In two minutes and 46 seconds of the seconds quarter, the two teams combined to scored four touchdowns. 

The Breakers retook the lead, 35-30, on an 18-yard TD pass from Kollock to Rodriguez at the 4:43 mark of the second quarter. However, Dijon Stanley scored his third touchdown of the game on a 67-yard run as time expired in the half and the Highlanders led 36-35. Kollock’s two TD passes to Vellmure and Swanson in the third-quarter gave Laguna Beach a 49-44 lead after three periods.  

Swanson said he can’t wait until next season.

“I didn’t expect a championship at the beginning of the season, but we kept improving,” Swanson said. “I can’t wait for next season. I’m going to get into the weight room and I’m going to be an animal for next season.”

—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone