Football: Eagles capture crown

The two best football teams in the Orange Coast League met Friday night at Jim Scott Stadium.

Estancia and Saddleback both came into the finale undefeated in league. Only one would walk away with the league title.

The player who is perhaps the league’s best took charge from the opening kickoff.

Estancia High sophomore Dylan Laurent never let up.

Laurent scored five touchdowns and intercepted a pass on defense as the Eagles cruised to their first league title since 2011, 44-13, over the Roadrunners.

Estancia (8-2, 5-0 in league) earned its fourth league title in Coach Mike Bargas’ eight-year tenure, and third outright crown. Saddleback (6-4, 4-1) finished alone in second place. Both teams now await the release of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff brackets on Sunday at noon.

Whatever team the Eagles draw will have to watch out for the player in jersey No. 2, the 5-foot-8 running back and cornerback who does a bit of everything for Estancia.

Laurent certainly scored his touchdowns in a variety of ways Friday night, amassing 341 all-purpose yards that included kickoff returns for touchdowns of 85 and 98 yards, respectively. The 85-yarder was a return of the opening kickoff. Laurent also turned two screen passes from junior quarterback Connor Brown, his only two receptions of the night, into touchdowns of 36 and 81 yards.

“Bar none,” Estancia Coach Mike Bargas said after the game, when asked if Laurent was the league’s best player even as a sophomore. “Without a doubt. I’d argue that with anybody. I’m as unbiased as I can be, but he’s the one that stands out over everybody and anybody.”

In league, say the same about Estancia, ranked No. 5 in the Southern Division. No other team from the league is ranked in the Southern Division.

The Eagles earned their seventh straight win and ensured themselves of a home game in the first round of the playoffs. They went ahead early, taking a commanding 34-7 lead at halftime, which included Brown’s 17-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Devon Jackson on senior night.

Defensively the Eagles were also stout, forcing five turnovers. They intercepted Saddleback quarterback Johnny Rojas three times, one each by Dylan Laurent and his senior brother Christian and one by senior safety Dalton O’Daly. Senior linebacker Tyler Thomas recovered a fumble, and senior tackle Dorian Navarette blew up a fake field goal attempt.

And the Eagles came out strong in the second half, too, which was a problem in last week’s 35-14 win over Godinez.

“Usually we have the habit of starting out strong and coming out flat in the second half,” said Navarette, a two-way starter who also plays center. “Obviously, it turned around [tonight]. We came out strong both [halves] … it was just an overall team effort. We work as a unit.”

Estancia briefly turned the league title showdown into a game with a running clock after Laurent scored his fifth touchdown early in the fourth quarter. He bobbled the pass in the flat, but secured it and was suddenly gone for an 81-yard touchdown.

Saddleback scored its second touchdown on a 20-yard pass from Rojas to Bryan Salcido midway through the quarter. But by then, the Eagles could almost taste the league title.

They stayed on the field for senior night festivities after the game, before gathering in the west end zone for some spirited team pictures.

“It’s very special,” Dylan Laurent said. “It’s all we ever worked for, from summer ball to now. That’s all we were ever talking about, it doesn’t matter until we get to league. We came here, and we got the job done.”

Laurent certainly did, on his big night. Bargas glanced over at his super sophomore as he was interviewed by reporters after the game.

“Dylan’s a special kid,” Bargas said later. “He backs up what he says. He’s a little bit of a goofball, but you know, what do you expect from a sophomore?”

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Estancia 44, Saddleback 13

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Saddleback 0 – 7 – 0 – 6 — 13

Estancia 14 – 20 – 3 – 7 — 44

FIRST QUARTER

Est – D. Laurent 85 kickoff return (Perez kick), 11:47.

Est – D. Laurent 5 run (Perez kick), 5:16.

SECOND QUARTER

Est – Jackson 17 pass from Brown (kick failed), 11:48.

S – Rios 3 run (Oropeza kick), 7:16.

Est – D. Laurent 98 kickoff return (Perez kick), 7:00.

Est – D. Laurent 36 pass from Brown (Perez kick), 5:35.

THIRD QUARTER

Est – Moya 25 FG, 4:01.

FOURTH QUARTER

Est – D. Laurent 81 pass from Brown (Perez kick), 11:25.

S – Salcido 20 pass from Rojas (kick failed), 5:00.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

S – Leon, 12-80.

Est – C. Laurent, 17-49; D. Laurent, 10-35, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

S – Rojas, 9-21-3, 78, 1 TD.

Est – Brown, 12-16-0, 269, 3 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

S – Salcido, 6-49, 1 TD.

Est – D. Laurent, 2-117, 2 TDs; Jackson, 5-98, 1 TD.