Notre Dame beats Laguna Beach in Division 3

For its Southern Section Division 3 soccer playoff opener on Friday evening against Laguna Beach, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame introduced in a “ringer” assistant coach this week to get its operating backs a little harder.

Former UCLA coach DeShaun Foster dropped by to offer classes, notably to his sophomore stepson, Noel Washington.

“He helped a lot,” Washington said. “Having him here means a lot. He’s been making us practice a lot harder.”

And what was the impression? Washington had landing runs of 35, two and 32 yards to help Notre Dame (6-5) come away with a 44-28 victory and advance to a home recreation next week against Chino Hills. He completed with 83 yards in 11 carries.

Junior quarterback Jack Hurst of Laguna Beach and West Virginia-bound senior quarterback Wyatt Brown of Notre Dame stored making performs all evening. Hurst accomplished 32 of 51 passes for 417 yards and 4 touchdowns. Brown accomplished 16 of 31 passes for 232 yards and one landing. He ran for 61 yards and one landing.

The most important completion for Brown got here with 7:38 left on third and 17 with Notre Dame clinging to a 34-28 lead. He discovered sophomore Emmanuel Pullins for a 19-yard completion. Then Pullins made a 31-yard catch. It set up a 21-yard subject aim by Nico Marliani for a 37-28 lead with 2:22 left.

“Huge,” Notre Dame coach Evan Yabu said of the third-down reception.

“I just saw him one on one with the no safety coverage,” Brown said.

Said Pullins: (*3*)

It turned a wild recreation in the second half because Laguna Beach (9-2) refused to go down without a combat. After Andre Gamboa picked up a fumble on a high Laguna Beach snap to rating a landing to start the third quarter, Notre Dame appeared prepared to draw back with a 28-14 lead.

Hurst responded with a four-yard landing cross to Grant Regal. Brown ran 10 yards for a landing and a 34-21 Notre Dame lead. Back got here Hurst, who fired a 40-yard landing cross to Otis Boultinghouse.

“We knew it was going to be easy,” Brown said. “They throw a punch, we throw a punch back.”

In defeat, Laguna Beach made clear it is going to be a staff to reckon with next season. Two freshmen, lineman Luke Bogdan and operating back Charlie Christian, stored making performs like they are going to be future stars. The receiving corp made up largely of juniors stored making catches for Hurst, who completed the season with 45 landing passes. The Breakers have been harm by two fumbles and an interception.

“It was a fun game,” Washington said. “They are tough and play hard.”

A mistake by Brown late in the first half helped Laguna Beach get back into the sport. Brown had a cross intercepted by Will Kimball with 1:01 left on a scramble with Notre Dame main 21-7. Hurst drove the staff down to rating on a four-yard landing reception by Kimball with 4 seconds left to make it 21-14 at halftime.

Two landing runs by Washington and a 25-yard landing reception by Luc Weaver accounted for the Knights’ first-half scores.

Tahj Skinner of Notre Dame picked up his sixth interception of the season. Notre Dame misplaced its standout nostril sort out, Chris Colon, for next week’s recreation after being ejected for two 15-yard personal foul penalties.