Sports Shorts: You Gotta Run, Run, Run, Run, Run...

How do you bounce back when you lose the quarterback and wide receiver who rewrote the school’s football record book with their aerial acrobatics?

Well, if you’re the new football coach at Laguna Beach High, you go in the opposite direction. You go with what has worked for you since you began your coaching career some 42 years ago.

“[The running game] is just me,” Mike Churchill told the Orange County Register after Friday’s 55-7 season-opening victory over visiting Webb of Claremont, during which the Breakers rushed for a school-record 576 yards. “I’m an old dog, and I believe in running the football.”

During last season, Laguna Beach relied on its senior quarterback Austin Paxson and senior wide receiver Chris Paul. The duo broke nearly every school single-season and career record for passing and receiving. Paul even set an Orange County record with 42 career touchdown receptions.

But the Beakers could only muster a 3-7 overall record, and their coach, Jonathan Todd, resigned. The school didn’t have to look far for his replacement. Churchill, who is in his mid-60s, had been hired as Laguna Beach’s athletic director in 2007. He began his coaching career in 1969 and has guided teams at the high school, community college and college level.

“I was very pleased with our effort Friday,” Churchill told Patch. “We played good defense with a lot of enthusiasm. Everyone played and contributed to the victory. I was happy that our offensive line excelled and our backs -- Robert Clemons, Nordie Penney and Drake Martinez -- all ran hard and strong. We need to keep improving.”

But how much better can the Breakers’ backs run? Their 47 carries for 576 yards demolished the old mark of 443 yards, which was set two years ago against Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana. They also broke the 55-year-old school record for total offense in a game (519 set in 1956) without completing a pass. The Breakers only attempted one.

Churchill said that Martinez, who scored three touchdowns in the first quarter, including one on a 52-yard run, was the team’s offensive player of the week and Ricky Delatorre the defensive player of the week.

Martinez is the younger brother of University of Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez.

Before the season started, assistant coach Mike Colucci, who played for Churchill at Riverside Poly and later at Boston College, said, "You will see a much more organized group that plays with a bit of a mean streak and toughness."

I guess so.

Laguna Beach (1-0) plays host to Ocean View (1-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Ocean View opened its season on Sept. 2 with a 40-7 loss to Western, but the Seahawks, who run the ball about twice as often as they pass it, defeated Calvary Chapel, 62-34, on Friday.

Breakers Open Water Polo Season With Win

The defending CIF Southern Section Division 3 champions got off to a fast start this season, as the Breakers defeated visiting Villa Park, 13-10, Friday in the season-opener for both boys water polo teams.

Senior Nolan McConnell picked up right where he left off in the November title game, scoring nine goals for the Breakers, . Senior Erik Henrikson had 19 saves in goal for Laguna Beach.

Villa Park, ranked No. 3 in Division 2, was led by BJ Churnside’s six goals.

The Breakers will compete in the inaugural Santa Barbara tournament this weekend, opening play Friday at 3 p.m. against Vista at Dos Pueblos High in Goleta, then return home for a match against Mira Costa on Sept. 20.

Laguna Hills Cross-Country Invitational

Patch couldn't get out to Laguna Hills High on Saturday for the area's first cross-country meet of the season, and didn't feel like typing in all of the results, so go ahead and click on this ESPN/Rise link to see them.

Laguna Beach competed in Division 3, where the sophomore boys finished eighth.  Sophomore Veda Rebollar posted the best time of the day among all Breakers runners, finishing the three-mile course in 18 minutes 24.96 seconds.

(Aside: I once asked a librarian friend of mine if people expected her to have all the answers. She said no, but added that she knew where to find them.)

What's next? The 31st annual Cross-Country Classic, co-hosted by Woodbridge, Estancia and Costa Mesa highs, begins Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. at Estancia High in Costa Mesa.

Have some high school news or a score that you'd like to share? Send it to O.C. Patch sports editor Bob Rohwer at bob.rohwer@patch.com.