Dave Holland

Brett O'Connor Name: Brett O'Connor Positions: Tight end/linebacker Height/weight: 6-3, 235 Year: Senior Highlights: Had a couple of receptions and scored on a 19-yard fumble return of a botched punt in a 41-13 loss to Costa Mesa. Coach's comments: "Brett really got us going," Dave Holland said. "He played really well on defense, had a couple of receptions and had that big fumble return for a score." Scott Urban Name: Scott Urban Position: Strong safety/wide receiver Height/weight: 5-10, 175 Year: Junior Highlights: Led Laguna in tackling in a 41-13 loss to Costa Mesa Coach's comments: "Scott just played a real great game," Dave Holland said.

Alex Wilson picked up where he left off last season as he helped guide the Laguna Beach High varsity football team to a season-opening victory at Palos Verdes. Wilson completed a high percentage 12 of 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns as the Breakers downed the Sea Kings, 34-13, on Sept. 5. Wilson didn't throw an interception in his 17 pass attempts and all three of his TD passes went to receiver Jake Wheeler -- two coming in the second quarter of play.

Jake Wheeler Name: Jake Wheeler Year: Senior Height/weight: 6-3, 195 Positions: Wide receiver/defensive back/quarterback Highlights: Wheeler had a monstrous game against La Quinta as Laguna Beach rolled to a 50-7 nonleague victory. The two-way starter had one touchdown reception and had two interception returns for touchdowns. The latter is a single-game school record. He is just the fourth player in school history to record two career interception returns, joining Dick Burt (1946)

Mike Sciacca . The calendar said that it was time for them to put aside the carefree days of summer. The date, Aug. 22, dictated that several young men exchange days in the surf and sand, for contact drills between the lines on the grassy turf of Guyer Field. Yes, it was back to business as football had made its way back onto the schedule at Laguna Beach High. "We're excited to get started," Laguna Beach coach Dave Holland said prior to the start of the first day of practice, which officially launched the beginning of the Artists' 2002 prep football season.

Mike Sciacca The Laguna Beach High football team went into action on Thursday night against Costa Mesa, just five days after pummeling Bolsa Grande, with hopes of collecting its third victory of the season. Results from that game, played at Newport Harbor High, were not available by press time. The Breakers hardly broke a sweat last Friday as they routed an outmanned Bolsa Grande squad, 39-0, to improve to 2-0. While the defense posted its first shutout of the season, it was senior running back Donnelle Darling who went into the school record books.

Mike Sciacca Preseason scrimmages can sometimes be a barometer of where a team stands as it nears the start the regular season. If that is the case, the Laguna Beach High Breakers should enter tonight's 2002 season opener against visiting La Quinta with an air of confidence. Laguna Beach scrimmaged at Estancia last Friday in a game that held some promise, yet also indicated to coach Dave Holland that there is work to be done. Holland noted several positives in a scrimmage that saw senior running back Donnelle Darling reach the end zone on three occasions on runs of 60, 38 and two yards.

Mike Sciacca The celebration surrounding Laguna Beach High's season-opening victory last Friday night over La Quinta was but a memory on Monday, as the Breakers returned to school to begin a new work week on the practice field. They headed out to practice on this warm afternoon, beginning a week's worth of preparation for tonight's opponent, Bolsa Grande, who will battle the Breakers at Guyer Field. Laguna Beach will try to ride the momentum generated by last week's 40-12 pasting of La Quinta when the teams kick off at 7 p.m. "We've had a good week of practice and we're hoping to pick up where we left off last week," Breakers coach Dave Holland said.

There was one major change made to the format of the annual lift-a-thon staged by the Laguna Beach High football program, but the main cause of the event remained the same: it's fund-raising nature. More than 20 players from the football program took part in the recent event and raised money for the program which will benefit the varsity and frosh/soph teams. The lift-a-thon included a team meeting and barbecue held on the school's baseball field.

Mike Sciacca Emotions will run high tonight when eight Laguna Beach High seniors step out onto Guyer Field to play one final football game for the Maroon and White. There's another prominent senior, too, who will be coaching his final game: head coach Dave Holland. Holland announced Thursday that tonight's Pacific Coast League game against Calvary Chapel will be his last. He will retire from coaching at the end of the season. Tonight's game will cap an eight-year run at Laguna.

Mike Sciacca As Dave Holland walked off Guyer Field for the final time late Friday night, he admitted to having a little "brain freeze." "I actually couldn't remember my exact thoughts at that moment because I think it really did freeze my brain," Holland chuckled, when thinking about the icy, Gatorade bath he was given during Laguna Beach High's football finale Friday. The soaking came during a late timeout in the Breakers' 14-14 tie with Pacific Coast League foe Calvary Chapel, a game that capped Holland's 43-year run of coaching football.

Mike Sciacca As Dave Holland walked off Guyer Field for the final time late Friday night, he admitted to having a little "brain freeze." "I actually couldn't remember my exact thoughts at that moment because I think it really did freeze my brain," Holland chuckled, when thinking about the icy, Gatorade bath he was given during Laguna Beach High's football finale Friday. The soaking came during a late timeout in the Breakers' 14-14 tie with Pacific Coast League foe Calvary Chapel, a game that capped Holland's 43-year run of coaching football.

Mike Sciacca Emotions will run high tonight when eight Laguna Beach High seniors step out onto Guyer Field to play one final football game for the Maroon and White. There's another prominent senior, too, who will be coaching his final game: head coach Dave Holland. Holland announced Thursday that tonight's Pacific Coast League game against Calvary Chapel will be his last. He will retire from coaching at the end of the season. Tonight's game will cap an eight-year run at Laguna.

Mike Sciacca The wing T is not an offense many high school teams come up against too often, but for the Laguna Beach Breakers, it's a yearly chore when they meet up with the University Trojans. Laguna will attempt to cut off the Trojans on the run tonight when the Breakers host their Pacific Coast League rival in a 7 p.m. kickoff at Guyer Field. The Breakers, whose practices last week were limited due to the fallout from the fires that raged throughout Southern California, were back in full stride during the week, in preparation for tonight's game.

Brett O'Connor Name: Brett O'Connor Positions: Tight end/linebacker Height/weight: 6-3, 235 Year: Senior Highlights: Had a couple of receptions and scored on a 19-yard fumble return of a botched punt in a 41-13 loss to Costa Mesa. Coach's comments: "Brett really got us going," Dave Holland said. "He played really well on defense, had a couple of receptions and had that big fumble return for a score." Scott Urban Name: Scott Urban Position: Strong safety/wide receiver Height/weight: 5-10, 175 Year: Junior Highlights: Led Laguna in tackling in a 41-13 loss to Costa Mesa Coach's comments: "Scott just played a real great game," Dave Holland said.

Jake Wheeler Name: Jake Wheeler Year: Senior Height/weight: 6-3, 195 Positions: Wide receiver/defensive back/quarterback Highlights: Wheeler had a monstrous game against La Quinta as Laguna Beach rolled to a 50-7 nonleague victory. The two-way starter had one touchdown reception and had two interception returns for touchdowns. The latter is a single-game school record. He is just the fourth player in school history to record two career interception returns, joining Dick Burt (1946)

Mike Sciacca There were many pluses to come out of Laguna Beach High's 34-13 victory over host Palos Verdes in the season opener for both teams played on Sept. 5. A potent offense featured several big-play efforts and overall, the team played well as a whole, coach Dave Holland said. But with the good came a bit of scrutiny, problems, Holland said, that can be fixed. "If there was one area I think we need to work on, it's on defense," he said.

Alex Wilson picked up where he left off last season as he helped guide the Laguna Beach High varsity football team to a season-opening victory at Palos Verdes. Wilson completed a high percentage 12 of 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns as the Breakers downed the Sea Kings, 34-13, on Sept. 5. Wilson didn't throw an interception in his 17 pass attempts and all three of his TD passes went to receiver Jake Wheeler -- two coming in the second quarter of play.

There was one major change made to the format of the annual lift-a-thon staged by the Laguna Beach High football program, but the main cause of the event remained the same: it's fund-raising nature. More than 20 players from the football program took part in the recent event and raised money for the program which will benefit the varsity and frosh/soph teams. The lift-a-thon included a team meeting and barbecue held on the school's baseball field.

Mike Sciacca Laguna Beach High saved its best for last in this 2002 prep football season. The Breakers seemed undaunted when they rolled into La Habra Stadium last Friday to take on the top-seeded Highlanders in the CIF Division IX playoffs -- the school's first foray into postseason play in 15 years. Laguna played well, although four trips inside the red zone -- including three drives inside the 10-yard line, yielded nothing, and the Breakers had their season come to an end in a 35-11 first-round loss.

Mike Sciacca It was the night of the big homecoming game against Corona del Mar, when the Laguna Beach High football squad had gathered in the team room for its weekly pregame ritual. Pep talks and last-minute adjustments were the usual, but on this rainy Friday evening, there was something out of the norm: an announcement was to be made. And it was then that Jake Wheeler heard his named called. "It took me by total surprise, but I felt very fortunate to be honored," said the 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior who plays cornerback and backup quarterback.